As we age, our skin’s needs change. It can become drier with sun spots more noticeable, and we also lose collagen and elasticity. Because of this, you may find your old skincare routine isn’t quite cutting it anymore. But tweaking a routine to suit your skin doesn’t have to be complicated—quite the opposite. That’s where well-ageing—not anti-ageing—comes in. This means supporting your skin by working with it rather than against it. Read on to discover the best ingredients, routine and tips for ageing skin.
Best Skincare Ingredients For Mature Women
The two key factors to consider when choosing skincare ingredients are those that repair and protect. There are dozens of ingredients that are brilliant for ageing, these are four of our favourites.
Ceramides - We like to think of ceramides as the building blocks of the skin barrier; essentially acting as the mortar between your skin cells. This ingredient is found in moisturisers to help maintain that skin barrier in order to keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff (pollution and irritants) out.
Antioxidants - Stable antioxidants such as L-ascorbic acid do a fantastic job at scavenging free radicals (pesky things that damage DNA cells, contributing to signs of ageing). Using an antioxidant serum in the morning before your sunscreen is a power duo in preventing concerns caused by sun damage.
Retinoids - retinoids (such as retinol, retinal and tretinoin) are the gold-standard topical skincare ingredient in skin ageing. Using a retinoid consistently helps speed up cell turnover to minimise fine lines and reduce sun spots and hyperpigmentation. They have to be introduced carefully; we like to use the motto low and slow (low in percentage and slow on introduction).
Sunscreen - It may seem redundant applying sunscreen daily throughout the winter months but thanks to UVA causing cellular damage, it’s an important addition to your routine.
Morning & Evening Skincare Routine For Mature Skin
The key to a good skincare routine is simplicity (using carefully chosen ingredients vs laying loads on) and consistency (your skin wants that antioxidant serum every single morning, no excuses).
AM: Your morning routine is all about protecting it for the day. Start with a gentle cleanse using either just micellar water or a cream cleanser. Follow this with your antioxidant to help fight off free radical damage that accumulates throughout the day. Then use a lightweight moisturiser followed by your chosen sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen year-round is one of the most effective (and cost-effective) ways to protect your skin as we age. It minimises fine lines and wrinkles, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation and, of course, helps protect against skin cancer.
PM: Your first step at night should be cleansing your face. If you wear makeup, consider micellar water first, followed by a cream cleanser. Once your skin is dry, you can apply a retinoid, which aids cellular turnover and repair. Top this off with a moisturiser of your choice; some opt for rich, textured evening creams, but this is down to preference.
Skin Health Tips
Consider your lifestyle
Taking care of your skin really is holistic, meaning lifestyle factors play a part, too. Cut back on drinking - Regular drinking can lead to issues like inflammation that can exacerbate conditions such as rosacea. As we age, this inflammation worsens (known as inflammageing), so the key is to keep inflammation to a minimum. Quit smoking - Smoking can lead to premature ageing. Enjoy a rainbow diet - Forget fads and stick to what we know works when it comes to a healthy diet. Keep your plate colourful with nutrient-rich vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.
All of the things that are good for our health are good for our skin, too.
Make your skin barrier a priority
You’ve probably heard a lot of chat about your skin barrier—and there’s good reason. The skin is our largest organ, and it plays an important role in our systemic health. When our skin barrier is damaged, our body can go into overdrive, creating an immune response. As we age, we need this barrier to stay healthy and intact for reasons that go far beyond the cosmetic. Fragility syndrome, systemic inflammation, and skin cancer can all be risk factors with poor skin barrier health.
When Should I Start Using Products Targeted At Ageing?
A question commonly asked is when to start using anti-ageing products. The long answer is: it depends. If you’ve been a sun worshipper and are starting to see fine lines and wrinkles or sun spots that you want to address, now is the time to start. The short, broad answer is 35+ when most people begin to see signs of ageing and would like to address that in their routine.
It’s never too early to start getting into a good skincare routine and applying daily sunscreen, though.
