How To Look After Your Skin Over The Years
It’s important to look after your skin as it changes and ages. And even though adjusting your skincare routine accordingly can be tricky, remember that some things will never change. You should still always remove your makeup before bed, cleanse your face and pat it dry and wear SPF all year round.
It’s also true that unexpected concerns will arise over time and will need to be addressed.
To cover all bases, we’re going to take you through the decades and give you tips on how to look after your skin at every point in your life. Caring for your skin every day is the best thing you can do to keep it looking healthy and youthful for longer.
Twenties – Establishing A Routine
If you don’t don’t already have a skincare routine in your twenties, now is the time to get the ball rolling! You might still have some acne and uneven skin tone concerns leftover from your teenage years, so you could start to tackle these by making use of anti-ageing products. The skin typically begins to age in your mid-twenties, which is why it’s advisable to meet this inevitability head on.
Anti-ageing products may not be something on your mind at this point in your life but it’s never too early to start. Retinol, or retinoids as they’re often called, are a fat-soluble derivative of vitamin A. Our skin absorbs retinoids when they’re topically applied so including them in your routine will help to prevent the breakdown of collagen whilst encouraging rapid cell turnover.
If you introduce active ingredients into your routine, make sure to wear SPF every day as things like vitamin A can make your skin sensitive to light and more susceptible to damage.
Thirties – Focus On Anti-Ageing
During your thirties, your hormone levels start to dip which leads to a decrease in collagen and naturally occurring hyaluronic acid. Around this time, cell turnover will start to get slower too, which means it might not bounce back like it did a few years ago. If you’ve been neglecting the SPF, you’ll start to see the consequences around this time.
Your primary concerns at this point are likely to be preventing and addressing the first signs of ageing – fine lines and wrinkles. Retinoids are still advised but you can also bring AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) into the mix. Just make sure you don’t use them in conjunction with vitamin C, as this can irritate the skin.
AHAs, such as glycolic and lactic acid, help look after your skin texture, cell turnover and are perfect for getting rid of stubborn scars and pigmentation. Applying topical hyaluronic serums in your thirties is great for strengthening the top layers of the skin and will support collagen production to combat the signs of ageing too.
Forties – Minimising Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Now you’re in your forties, fine lines and wrinkles are likely to be more of a concern and age spots might have made an appearance too. During this time, how to look after your skin will be a concern. Your skin will start to become thinner so it’s best to keep your routine simple. Being gentle is key. You can continue to use AHAs as long as you remember to wear SPF. Now is also a good time to introduce coenzyme Q10.
Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that helps to defend the skin from the adverse effects of sun exposure – the leading cause of fine lines and wrinkles. It also supports the production of collagen and elastin.
Fifties – Don’t Forget To Hydrate
In your fifties, loss of elasticity and hydration are going to be at the top of your list. Many of the signs of ageing may have also started to make an appearance so prevention will no longer be possible. That said, you should still apply eye creams with retinol to smooth the fine lines that can appear in this area and continue to use hyaluronic acid too.
The sebaceous glands that may have made your skin oily and acne-prone in the past will start to produce less oil so you might notice your skin starting to get drier. To counteract this, you should focus on hydrating it with richer moisturisers than you might be used to, particularly at night.
Sixties And Beyond – Be Gentle With Your Skin
After your sixties, your skin won’t really change too much. It’ll become much thinner all over your body so it might not heal from trauma as quickly. If you have been targeting the signs of ageing and protecting your skin from sun damage, your skin is highly likely to be in a much better position than it would’ve been otherwise – so give yourself a pat on the back!
You can still keep using the products we mentioned above, but you might find that they don’t work as well as they once did. At this age, protecting your skin’s natural barrier to ensure the skin retains moisture is important. This can be achieved by washing your face with lukewarm water at night and using rich facial oils and moisturisers.
How North West Aesthetics Can Help
If you’ve started your skincare endeavours a little late and fine lines and wrinkles are getting on top of you, we can help. We offer a range of treatments designed to look after your skin that target the signs of ageing. Our talented team of experts will even be able to create a treatment plan tailored to your exact requirements.
Please check out our website, email enquiries@northwestaesthetics.co.uk or call us on 01942 909 003 today. We look forward to welcoming you to our clinic.
