Guide To Beautiful Skin At Every Age

Image courtesy of Oprah.com

In your 20's
You want to primarily focus on damage prevention. You do not need to over-do-it.

Cleanse: If you have oily skin, choose a mild gel or foam cleanser. If you have skin that tends to be more dry, choose a cream cleanser. Try Philosophy's Purity $20: 3-in-1 cleanser that removes makeup, cleanses, and tones the skin. You can choose cream or foam.

Moisturizer: Choose a moisturizer for the day that provides proper sun protection. Apply to the face and neck and be sure not to neglect your ears and hairline.

Night Moisturizer: Simple hydration is sufficient. Hope in a jar $38, by philosophy is a great moisturizer for young skin. I also recommend choosing a simple eye cream. Many dermatologists recommend starting on a vitamin A-derivative prescription such as retin-a or tazorac as this reduces fine lines, stimulates collagen, and treats acne. You can get the prescription from your doctor, or try an over-the-counter retinol. Before bed, apply a pea-size amount all over your face and right up under your eyes.

In your 30's
At this age, you may begin to notice the signs of aging. Even if you have taken great care of your skin, you may notice fine line and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

Cleanser: Use a cleanser with glycolic or alpha hydroxy acids to aid in exfoliation, and use a cream cleanser in the evening.
Try Derma Doctor's wrinkle revenge 5% glycolic cleanser $25

Moisturizer: In addition to sun protection, your day moisturizer should contain antioxidants, which fight free radicals that cause aging. Look for ingredients like White Tea, Green Tea, Pomegranate, Vitamin C, or Vitamin E. If you start to notice sun spots or hyperpigmentation you should use a moisturizer or serum tha contains vitamin C, or botanicals that brighten, like kojic acid, soy, or licorice. Continue using an eye cream on a daily basis, and look for an eye cream that provides antioxidants along with moisture.

Night Moisturizer: A retin-a or retinol is absolutely crucial at this age. It will repair any current damage and prevent further damage while stimulating collagen production and maintaining your current cell turnover speed.


In your 40's
You will most likely see cummulative sun-damage from summers past. This can include blotchiness, red spots and un-even texture. Fine lines may become more prominent as your skin looses collagen and elasticity and retains less water.

Cleanser: If you can tolerate a glycolic or hydroxy cleanser, increase the percentage and continue using that. If you have more sensitive skin, simply use a cream cleanser morning and night.

Moisturizer: You should start layering at this point. Start your morning regime with a serum that contains high levels of anti-oxidants. Looks for ingredients like Vitamin C, Soy (which mimics estrogen in the skin,) and Green Tea. Try WHINE (When Hope Is Not Enough) serum by Philosophy $38. Over the serum, you can apply light moisturizer and then a broad-spectrum sun screen.

Night Moisturizer: A prescription retin-a will be your best bet. Use it at night only; it reduces brown spots, increases exfoliation and collagen production, thickens the epidermis, and can reverse sun damage. If your skin cannot tolerate retin-a every night, use it every other night. Speak with your doctor if you have further concerns. You can layer a rich cream over the retin-a if you need more moisture.


In your 50's +
You may be retiring from work, but you must not retire from tending to your skin. Stay the course, and it is never too late to prevent sun damage. Cell turnover has slowed down significantly, and you may notice dryness and lack of elasticity. You are likely to have developed hyperpigmentation (age spots) as a result of sun exposure.

Cleanser: Wash morning and night with a nonsoap cleanser. The detergent can irritate the skin, and cause further dryness.

Moisturizer: Use a serum that contains not only antioxidants, but peptides.
Try Kinerase c8 $98: Contains SNAP-8, a neuropeptide that has been shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 34.9% in 28 days. Also contains vitamin C, Kinetin, and green tea . Apply a moisturizer over your serum that contains a very high form of sun protection. Try Neutrogena 70+ $10.

Night Moisturizer:
Ask your doctor to give you a high dose of retin-a and apply a moisturizing serum over it. Try Kinerase Hydra-Boost $68: Contains 25% hyluronic acid which hydrates the skin, and kinetin, which firms the skin. Apply a rich moisturizer over the retin-a and serum for extra hydration.

Parts of this post courtesy of Oprah.com