Skin Care Through The Ages: Switching Up Your Skin Care As You Age
Our skin is one of the most unique, complex, and fascinating organs on our bodies. As we age, our skin ages with us – the same way you would adjust your skin care to the seasons, our products need to make sense for the ever-changing needs of our skin as we get older. It isn’t necessarily about turning back time, or covering every wrinkle and spot, but learning what products work best for the skin you’re in (so cliché I know, but true!). Whether you want a full-fledged routine with all the bells and whistles, or you appreciate simplistic skin care to keep you feeling your best, here’s our best guide to skin care through the ages!
Skin care in your teens:
As a teenager, your body is going through some major changes that lead to significant hormone imbalances and fluctuations, which can, unfortunately wreak some havoc on your skin. Key steps in your routine should consist of high-quality cleansers, toners and moisturizers that make sense for your skin type. Everyone’s skin is so unique – now is a good time to remember that we have oily, dry and combination skin types. So, the skin care products that worked wonders for your BFF might not work the same on you.
Our best advice:
Cleanse. Cleansing might be the most important step in your skin care routine during your teens. Your hormones trigger your skin to produce more oil, which leads to enlarged pores and an increased rate of breakouts. Cleansers properly help rid the skin of excess oils and other bacteria that lodges itself inside the skin.
Exfoliate. While your hormones surge, your pores are much more likely to clog, and keeping them clean with an exfoliant is a great way to reduce build up. The key with exfoliants is to make sure you aren’t contributing to overuse, exfoliating more than 2-3 times a week could be potentially damaging to the skin.
Get familiar with SPF. Besides being crucial to preventing sun damage, when a pimple is healing and it is exposed to the sun, it can often cause hyperpigmentation.
Products to look for: Truly Cleansing + Polished DUO
Skin care in your 20’s:
Your 20’s are all about establishing good skin care habits that will set you up for the rest of your life! Right now, your skin is still producing collagen, but it will begin to go down each year. This is the time to start thinking about preventative products, as well as taking care of our eyes, as they contribute to the most movement on our faces!
Our best advice:
Balance that skin tone. A common issue in our 20’s is often an unbalanced skin tone, as well as dark spots and pigment issues commonly referred to as melasma (a combination of sun exposure combined with hormones). Look for skin brightening products that contain vitamin C and other acids.
Introduce a retinoid. A common misconception with retinol is that it is only something that is needed as we get older, but incorporating retinol into your nighttime routine when you are younger can actually help stop wrinkles from forming and become one of the best preventative measures against aging. Retinol targets the elasticity of your skin within the layer called the dermis, smooths out wrinkles by synthesizing collagen production and reduces oil production which tightens pores and reduces acne.
Products to look for: Truly Ageless 1% Retinol Serum, Truly Brightening Vitamin C serum
Skin care in your 30’s:
By now you should have an established skin care routine that has served you well, but it’s time to up the ante. Using products with a high percentage of active ingredients will make all the difference. The collagen in your skin is beginning to break down, and you aren’t producing as much oil as you used too. This means you want to look for formulas where the main focus is hydration and moisture. Skin brightening serums like Vitamin C are also a great way to compensate for moisture loss, which is arguably one of the most effective brightening ingredients and antioxidants.
Our best advice:
Invest in serums. Once you hit 30, it’s time to start looking into formulas with concentrated active ingredients. Because serums are made up of smaller molecules, they can be absorbed at a much deeper level.
Use retinol. If you weren’t using a retinol product in your 20’s, it’s time to start with this powerhouse ingredient! A 1% retinol product targets the deeper layers of the skin and aids in collagen production. Don’t forget to apply it around your neck and collarbone too, as this skin is extra sensitive to collagen loss, aka “skin sagging”.
Use a light hand. It’s time to start being mindful of putting on your products with a gentle hand, as your skin is becoming more sensitive. Soft, upwards motions rather than pulling down at the skin help keep skin lifted, while the soft fluid movements can boost lymphatic drainage.
Products to look for: Truly Ageless 1% Retinol Serum, Truly Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Truly Moisturizing Face Cream
Skin care in your 40’s:
By now, you should have your skincare routine locked down. At this point, your skin will begin to change as you enter perimenopause (the phase before menopause). This means for the first time since your teens, your hormones are beginning to shift quite dramatically, affecting both your mood and your skin. Skin starts to get thinner from a loss of collagen, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Pigmentation is also more likely to be showing at this stage, and applying SPF daily will be your best defense for treating it.
Our best advice:
Stay hydrated. At this age, the molecules in your skin responsible for creating moisture are breaking down, and you might be experiencing dryer skin. Look for products that include high concentrations of humectants, (hyaluronic acid, aloe, glycerin) as these are ingredients that draw moisture into the skin from the environment and allow deep moisture penetration to the dermal layers. If you are still using a foam face wash, switch to a richer cream-based cleanser.
Don’t forget your under eyes. You will want to begin paying closer attention to your eyes and apply high quality ingredients that contain anti-aging and moisture restoring properties like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, which will also help smooth and strengthen the area around the eye.
Products to look for: Truly Youthful Rose Toner, Truly Cleansing Facial Cleanser, Truly Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Skin care in your 50’s:
By the time you reach 50, you’ll not only have your skincare regime down to a T, but you’ll have a much stronger sense of selfhood. This is the time to really nurture your skin so that it looks as radiant as possible. The sebaceous glands produce fewer lipids and skin becomes drier, so hydration is really key. As the collagen in your skin has depleted, you’ll also begin to notice volume loss, resulting in skin sagging, while nasolabial folds (smile lines) become more pronounced.
Our best advice:
Use a rich formula. At this stage of the game, you likely have a precisely curated skin care routine with a rich moisturizer, hydrating products, and a face oil among others. Look for products with as many active ingredients as you can, and ditch your flash foaming facial cleansers for richer, cream-based formulas with hydrating properties.
Don’t forget your neck. The skin on your neck and décolleté is thin and delicate, which leaves it prone to aging and sun damage that can significantly age you. Include these areas in your anti-aging skincare routine to help them stay youthful and protected for years to come.
Products to look for: Truly Cleansing Facial Cleanser, Truly Ageless 1% Retinol Serum, Truly Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Truly Moisturizing Face Cream
Skin care in your 60’s+ (and beyond!):
Your biggest skin care concerns in your 60’s and onward are redness and sensitivity issues. Even if this was something you never dealt with before, red patches and flakes may now begin to come up more often. The fullness and plumpness of your skin has decreased, which means wrinkles will become more noticeable. At this point, again it’s all about hydrating your skin with soothing ingredients – the more moisture you can put back in your skin, the plumper and brighter it will appear. Continue with the same great steps from your 50’s and consider the following tidbits!
Our best advice:
Cleanse, responsibly. Be mindful not to wash your face too often. The fatty acids on your skin are precious and fleeting. Washing too often, especially with hot rather than lukewarm water, chases those fatty acids away when you need them most, and compromises the skin’s moisture barrier.
Synthesize that collagen! Utilizing products with collagen boosting ingredients like retinoids, vitamin C and aloe vera are key to firming and tightening the skin, while reducing fine lines, wrinkles and crows’ feet. Strong skin and elasticity are two of the most beneficial bonuses of using collagen synthesizing products.
Hydrate. Our skin is producing fewer natural oils and is subject to decreased cell renewal as we age. This can all lead to dry, rougher skin as we get older, which paired with the loss of hormones can also lead to drier skin. Products containing humectants (moisture drawn in from environment) combined with occlusives, (products that trap moisture within the skin) will work to compensate for a lack of natural moisture.
Products to look for: Truly Cleansing Facial Cleanser, Truly Ageless 1% Retinol Serum, Truly Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Truly Moisturizing Face Cream, Truly Youthful Rose Toner
There you have it, skin care through the ages. Looking your best will never be about trying to stop the process of aging, but rather understanding how to utilize skin care that makes the most sense for you! Aging is a privilege, after all.