The golden 50 sometimes feels anything but shiny – lifetime milestones are something you wish people would forget about. “But you don’t look …” is a phrase you may find yourself hearing more often. It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s also a reminder that time is ticking on, and taking your youth with it.
Don’t despair. In these modern times, turning the Big 5-0 is a reason to rejoice! You’ve lived half a century! And anyone who isn’t helping you celebrate that fact should definitely be relegated to the non-friend category.
Fifty isn’t the same 50 as it was 20 years ago. Is 50 the new 40? Absolutely. Possibly even the new 30! However, no matter how good you look, it’s high time for you buckle down and hop on the skin regimen bandwagon immediately. Renew your relationship with your favorite skin care products. It maybe time to break up with some and adopt others…
It’s time to go to the mattresses, if you will.
Let me preface the article by saying the following. When you add up the cost of all of the below recommended products, it can take a big hit to your purse. But it’s definitely worth it and you can save so much just by doing your research before you buy. For example, Beautyspin offers a wide variety of beauty products at the lowest prices possible and you can even save more money by finding Beautyspin discounts on VoucherBin. So before you start worrying and asking yourself”how am i going to pay for all of this,” take a deep breath!
What Types of Products are Best for Skin in the 50s?
Our 20s are long behind us, and thankfully, we’re not as impulsive as we once were. Which means we’re no longer ignoring the sunscreen on long days by the pool. No more sleeping in our makeup. We know better.
But our skin just loves to remind us of that summer where we had the worst sunburn ever. Like a bad flashback, the story of our youth is written across our faces in the form of dullness, rough texture, fine lines, and sagging.
It’s such a pleasant picture, isn’t it?
Yeahhhhh, no.
The old go-to of clean, tone, and moisturize used to be the standard for skin care. But we’re going to the mattresses, remember?
That’s just not going to cut it anymore.
So what will?
Wanted: A Hardcore Cleanser That Gently Cleans Skin
I’m not going to waste your time with the skin-cleansing gospel we all know: wash twice daily, etc. The key here is delicacy. The older we get, the dryer our skin gets, because we’re unable to retain moisture like we used to – the one thing our 20-year-old-self had right.
Cleansers can strip away the important oil layer of our skin, so look for products that contain natural exfoliators to shed dead skin, clear any menopausal acne, and stimulate collagen production.
Gently remove any excess oil or makeup with water before getting down to the nitty-gritty.
Tip: Don’t get too attached to your cleanser. As your skin changes over time, so will its needs. The cleanser you choose now needs to be a workhorse, but also something you’d be willing to replace.
Treat Yourself With a Serum
Serums can help with some of the most difficult to remedy skin problems – fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots (known as hyperpigmentation). Serums especially targeted to diminish the appearance of dark spots is especially recommended.
More potent than moisturizers, serums are concentrated treatment formulas. They are developed to target individual skin issues.
A serum in the morning and a serum at night can make the difference of a decade or two for your skin’s appearance.
Watch for any mention of these ingredients:
- Hydroquinone
- Licorice extract
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Arbutin
- Kojic acid
- Resveratrol
These little easter eggs can help reduce the appearance of sunspots.1,2
Make Some Night Moves With A Retinol Cream
Night cream is the heavy lifter of your skin regime. It’ll do all the hard work while your mind and body are at rest. After cleansing, pat (don’t drag or pull) this cream on for maximum skin hydration. And look for a night cream with retinol as a key ingredient.
A retinol cream can help repair the skin’s surface by increasing cellular activity in the lower levels of the skin, helping with loss of elasticity as well.4
While we can’t get back all the collagen we’ve lost to father time, it is possible for collagen production to gradually be rebuilt – with the help of a handy-dandy gentle night cream and/or retinol cream.
Be In A Committed Relationship – With Moisturizer
You could drink the recommended 8 glasses of water a day, but your skin will still need some help externally as well.
As we age, estrogen levels decrease. This leads to more dryness and less elasticity in the skin. Give skin an extra boost and combat this by adding a high-quality moisturizer to your skin care regimen.
These days, moisturizers have all kinds of added goodies, from green tea to hyaluronic acid, so know what your skin likes and what it doesn’t. Find a favorite and apply twice daily!
SPF Should Be Your BFF
This is an obvious one, and it’s something people of every age should always use. Just because you’ve reached the half-century mark doesn’t mean you don’t still need SPF.
You know that sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, but there’s certain things you need to know about how to choose the right sunscreen.
Just make sure it’s broad spectrum sunscreen, as it’ll protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. These rays cause wrinkles and sunburns, respectively.
Your sunscreen should be at least SPF 30. It should be water and sweat resistant.
Aging is natural process, and so is being proactive about it. Having a detailed skin care regimen that includes a gentle cleanser, a treatment serum, a retinol/night cream, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen is a must at 50. You will feel and look better for it.
Having a specific 50s-tailored regimen and knowing what each kind of product can do for your skin is a winning plan—at any age. Spend some time researching different skin care ingredients, and find what works best for you.
FYI: While the emphasis here is on a facial skin care routine, don’t neglect the rest of your skin. Your chest, legs, and arms also need anti-aging and moisturizing products. Your face isn’t the only place that benefits from some TLC, regardless of age!
REFERENCES
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2807702/
3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/102095-skin-care-products-women-over/
