Just as your body is going through change when you are in your 50s, so is your skin. The key is understanding what to expect and coming up with a plan for how to tackle those changes. The good news? Not only is that an easy fix, but now that you’re in your 50s, you're in your prime in many other ways. This is a great decade and with a little extra effort, you’ll have great skin to take you through it!
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Don’t be shocked if you start to experience changes in your skin once you hit 50. From dryness to a lack of elasticity, a shift in the way your skin looks and feels is completely normal and expected.
Good to Know: Although there are many changes to the skin in your 50s, there are also just as many solutions – simply adjust your skincare routine.
Recommended Products: Nectar of the C Vitamin C Serum, Just Dew It Hydrating Serum, ‘A’ Game Retinol Serum, Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer, and Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream.
How Your Skin Might Change in Your 50s
The older we get, the more changes we start to experience with our skin, both from a visual standpoint and in terms of the way our skin feels. Here are some of the ways our skin changes in our 50s:
Fine lines and wrinkles get deeper - Chances are, at some point in your 40s, you noticed more lines on your face than ever before. It’s all but impossible to completely avoid lines; and chances are, what you were seeing then were the results of damage to the skin when you were younger. In this decade, those lines will probably start to become a little more pronounced, as your skin has been losing collagen as early as your 30s.
Fine lines and wrinkles show up in new places - Most of us start to experience fine lines and wrinkles in our 40s around our eyes, where the skin on our face is the thinnest and has less oil glands. In our 50s, however, we may start to see lines show up in other places, such as the forehead, on the cheeks, or around the mouth. That means you’re going to have to start paying special attention to those areas.
Your skin’s elasticity diminishes even more - Elasticity in the skin is basically its ability to bounce back after it’s pulled or tugged. Just as you have been losing collagen in our skin as the years have gone by, you also have been losing elastin.
Your skin doesn’t look as plump as it once did - Baby fat is only around for so long (hence, the term baby fat); that fat keeps it looking smooth and healthy starts to diminish as we get older. You might find that your face may begin to look thinner, and it no longer has that plump look it did when you were younger. You might also notice that your cheeks might start to look a little hollow.
Age spots start to really show up - Although you may have experienced dark spots or age spots in your 40s, you are more likely to see age spots in your 50s. Also sometimes referred to as “liver spots,” they occur due to sun damage to the skin; at this age, they’ll most likely be more prominent. While they’re generally harmless, it’s always a good idea to see a dermatologist about any newly visible spots.
Your skin will feel dramatically drier - Even if you had oily skin when you were younger, it’s possible you experienced some dryness in your 40s. Now, there’s a good chance your skin is going to feel even more dry. This is due to a few different factors: your skin produces less oil, estrogen levels drop, and all those years of sunbathing are now catching up to you (if they haven’t already.) Of all the changes you’ll experience, much drier skin is usually the most common and most noticeable.
How to Take Care of Your Skin in Your 50s
While your skincare routine is probably going to stay more or less the same in your 50s, it’s going to matter more than ever which products you use and how you use them. If you haven’t already made lifestyle changes to help your skin, now is definitely the time. Here are some tips about how to create the best anti-aging regimen for your 50s:
1. Cleanse: Face Wash
Make sure you’re using gentle skincare products - It is crucial that you choose products that are going to be gentle to your skin. For example, start with a cleanser like our So Clean!, which will not dry out your skin.
2. Hydrate: Toner
Hydrate your skin any way you can - Making sure your skin is well hydrated has never been more important. We recommend refreshing your skin after cleansing with a hydrating toner, like our Rose and Shine rose water toner.
You can also follow up with a hyaluronic acid like Just Dew It to help plump your skin with the hydration it needs, resulting in less noticeable fine lines.
3. Treat: Eye Cream & Serum
Pay special attention to your eyes - There’s no time like the present to begin using eye cream, if you haven’t started already. An effective anti-aging eye cream will deeply moisturize the delicate skin around your eyes while softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Eyes Eyes Baby is our best-seller for a reason!
Incorporate retinol and vitamin C into your routine - Now that you’re in your 50s, it’s incredibly important to protect your skin with the power of antioxidants. There are two must-have antioxidant ingredients that you should have in your regimen: vitamin C and retinol.
Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, because of its ability to increase cell turnover. It also is great for firming your skin, as it is known to encourage collagen production in the skin. Retinol and retinoids are very active ingredients and caution should be taken so as not to irritate your skin. Look for a gentle retinol serum, like ‘A’ Game, or retinol moisturizer, such as Youth Fairy , to get the benefits of retinol without any unwanted side effects.
We also highly recommend incorporating vitamin C into your routine, as it helps leave skin glowing with health. It works wonders when it comes to brightening your skin and reducing the appearance of dark spots. A vitamin C serum like Nectar of the C is the best way to get the benefits of this powerhouse antioxidant.
And if you’re wondering if it’s OK to use both together, the answer is absolutely – just don’t layer retinol and vitamin C at the same time.
4. Moisturize: Face Cream
Restore moisture to your skin and seal it all in with a face cream. While serums can work wonders to hydrate and moisturize, they typically lack occlusive ingredients. These ingredients create a physical barrier to lock in moisture and prevent water loss in your skin. While many face creams use mineral oils, petroleum or even silicone as their occlusive ingredients, we have opted for botanical ingredients that will nourish your skin and create a protective barrier. Our H2 Oh Yeah hydrating moisturizer features shea butter, a natural and clean occlusive ingredient that is vitamin-rich and excellent for dry, dehydrated skin.
5. Protect: Sunscreen
Use sunscreen, period. - It's no joke that if you haven’t already incorporated sunscreen into your skincare routine, you must start now. Every day you head outside (or sit at a desk near a window), you need to wear sunscreen. We’d be hard pressed to think of anything that ages skin more than the sun, so unless you want to really speed up your aging process, start slathering on the sunscreen. It probably goes without saying– stay the heck out of the sun!
Remember, while you might see some changes to your skin in this new decade, the great thing is that you’ll be in your prime in every possible way! Why not make sure your skin looks as great as you feel with our 5-Step Deluxe Skincare Set. We’ve included all the major parts of your daily routine (cleanser, toner, vitamin C serum, eye cream and moisturizer) – all for only $240.
