At this age, your skin is very elastic, and the pimples from adolescence are becoming a thing of the past. But don't let this fool you, as this is when decisions are made that you'll thank yourself for when you're 50. First of all, the biggest mistake is overusing exfoliation products. Your skin is already doing a great job renewing itself, and it only needs a little help occasionally to show better results. What's more important are antioxidants that will prevent changes in skin tone and treat pigmentation spots left by pimples. And sunscreen is, of course, a product you can't skip. Don't forget to wash off makeup every evening.
In your 30s, your skin takes twice as long to renew itself, so it needs more help in the process. You should exfoliate twice a week, and you can also use a facial cleanser with gentle exfoliation. Eye cream becomes your best friend, as does retinol, though you need to be cautious with it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Retinol is essentially another name for vitamin A, one of the best ingredients for anti-aging, as it speeds up cell renewal, improves skin texture, and reduces signs of aging. It also helps release free radicals and boosts collagen and elastin production – in short, it works hard to keep your skin young and fresh.
This decade builds upon the good habits you've already established in previous years. If you want to maintain healthy and fresh skin, you must prioritize drinking water, getting good sleep, and avoiding smoking. If you've maintained a good skincare routine until now, all you need to do is tweak it slightly. Switch out foaming cleansers for a gentle facial cleanser, but continue using eye cream and sunscreen. Your skin still needs antioxidants, so incorporate products with vitamin C into your routine to prevent damage.
If you don't suffer from acne, at this age, you no longer need products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Instead, opt for products with peptides and hyaluronic acid. There's no need for powerful exfoliation now; retinol and peptide-based products will gently encourage skin renewal. Peptides, in particular, will reduce wrinkles and help boost collagen production, which tends to slow down during this period. One non-negotiable is moisturizer, and incorporating physical activity is also highly recommended to keep your cells active and healthy.
If you haven't done so already, now is the time to meet with a dermatologist to check your skin's condition, particularly pigmentation spots. At this stage, it's all about maintenance, so continue using sunscreen. It's highly recommended to avoid skincare products with artificial fragrances, as your skin now requires gentler treatments.
One thing to know about this age is that your skin is much more sensitive and thinner than it used to be, as well as less elastic. You need to use gentle products. Here's a small tip you might not know: it's recommended to apply products from the bottom up, against gravity, especially if gravity is already showing its effects on your skin. You don't necessarily need to use anti-aging products because the most important thing for your skin now is hydration and protection.
When using cosmetic products, it's important to do so in the correct order. The rule of thumb is that the creamier the product, the larger its molecules, so it should be applied closer to the end.
Here's the correct order for applying your cosmetic products:
