If you're overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite array of lotions and potions out there—and the added wrinkle that your best choices change as you age—you've come to the right place. With advice from leading dermatologists, we've created a core regimen for each decade, so you can enjoy complexion perfection (and a streamlined routine) your whole life long.
In Your 20s...
Now is the time to develop good habits to preserve your youthful glow, says Jennifer Linder, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. The one guaranteed to shore up your chances of gorgeous skin in the decades to come? You guessed it: applying sunscreen religiously. You might be noticing dryness for the first time, so a moisturizer is essential. If you're one of the many 20-something women who suffer from acne, you may see that it's shifted from the forehead and midface to the jawline, which means it's hormone related. The breakout treatments you've been using may now be too aggressive; it's time to switch to a less drying routine.
Your Face Basics
Cleanser
It's best to wash your face twice a day, but if you can manage only once, do it in the evening: Never sleep in your makeup, says Linder. Does your skin feel squeaky-clean after cleansing? Then you're stripping it of necessary natural oils, and it will eventually feel dry, tight, and itchy. Use a nonsoap face wash. For oily complexions, one with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is a good choice. For combination or dry skin, try a creamy cleanser.
Moisturizer
Look for one with broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection and SPF 30. Linder recommends a moisturizer with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. To ensure that you remember to use it, keep the bottle near your toothpaste; apply it all over your face, neck, décolleté, and— whenever they're exposed—the tops of your ears.
Nighttime Treatment
Peptides (strings of amino acids) may have a role in preventing fine lines and wrinkles, so try a peptide serum with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. If you have acne or are already seeing signs of sun damage like sunspots (hyperpigmentation), use a prescription retinoid lotion or cream or a product containing retinol, the over-the-counter version.
Next: Skincare advice for your 30s
In Your 30s...
If you've been diligent with sunscreen, you most likely haven't seen a radical change in your skin since your 20s. But this is the decade when your complexion may start to look dull because of slower cell turnover, so regular exfoliation should be your top priority, says Ellen Marmur, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Sun worshipers will see an increase in fine lines and damage like dark spots and loss of elasticity—but it's never too late to get with the (sun protection) program. This is also the decade when you may begin to notice crow's-feet, dark circles, and sagging of the lower eyelids, says Doris J. Day, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Cleanser
You want to continue to protect your skin's natural barrier, so use a gentle face wash in the morning and evening, says Marmur. To make dull skin more luminous, try a cleanser with hydroxy acids, which increase cell renewal; you can also use a mild scrub several times a week or a cleansing brush.
Serum and Moisturizer
Keep it up with the broad-spectrum SPF 30 hydrator; for an extra boost of protection from environmental aggressors like pollution and UVA/UVB rays, layer a vitamin C serum underneath. (It can also help with hyperpigmentation, says Linder.) Look for one containing at least 15 to 20 percent L-ascorbic acid, the most effective form of the vitamin. A facial oil is a good way to moisturize and add back your glow, says Marmur. It has some light-reflective qualities and drenches the skin, plumping it and temporarily diminishing fine lines. Just don't forget to add sunscreen.
Nighttime Treatment
Your focus should be on repairing the thin skin around the eye area. Choose an undereye cream with niacinamide (anti-redness), caffeine (anti-inflammatory), or retinol (collagen building), says Day. For the rest of your face, a prescription retinoid or a retinol night cream is your best bet for preventing wrinkles.
Next: Skincare advice for your 40s
Your Face Basics
Cleanser
You want to continue to protect your skin's natural barrier, so use a gentle face wash in the morning and evening, says Marmur. To make dull skin more luminous, try a cleanser with hydroxy acids, which increase cell renewal; you can also use a mild scrub several times a week or a cleansing brush.
Serum and Moisturizer
Keep it up with the broad-spectrum SPF 30 hydrator; for an extra boost of protection from environmental aggressors like pollution and UVA/UVB rays, layer a vitamin C serum underneath. (It can also help with hyperpigmentation, says Linder.) Look for one containing at least 15 to 20 percent L-ascorbic acid, the most effective form of the vitamin. A facial oil is a good way to moisturize and add back your glow, says Marmur. It has some light-reflective qualities and drenches the skin, plumping it and temporarily diminishing fine lines. Just don't forget to add sunscreen.
Nighttime Treatment
Your focus should be on repairing the thin skin around the eye area. Choose an undereye cream with niacinamide (anti-redness), caffeine (anti-inflammatory), or retinol (collagen building), says Day. For the rest of your face, a prescription retinoid or a retinol night cream is your best bet for preventing wrinkles.
Next: Skincare advice for your 40s
In Your 40s...
In this decade, dark-skinned women are usually just beginning to see fine lines, wrinkles, and other age-related issues like loss of volume, says Brooke Jackson, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In fair-skinned women, sun damage continues to show up as splotchiness and hyperpigmentation. And many 40-somethings contend with hormone-related problems such as acne and premenopausal dryness.
Cleanser
Use a milky or creamy cleanser morning and night. As long as it's gentle, any cleanser is fine, although if you're plagued by occasional pimples, try a face wash with salicylic acid.
Serum and Moisturizer
To repair and protect, look for a serum rich in antioxidants, like vitamin C or E, or epidermal growth factors to help stimulate collagen production, says Jackson. (If you've become particularly concerned about your eye area, give your eye cream an extra boost with a specialized serum containing the same ingredients.) Over that, layer a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 30 moisturizer.
Nighttime Treatment
It's worth it to spend a bit more on your bedtime regimen, says Jackson. Regular use of a prescription retinoid is like making a deposit in your 401(k): Retinoids boost reserves of collagen and elastin, preventing future sagging. Not only are they antiaging, they also reduce acne, a bonus for women still suffering through breakouts.
Your Face Basics
Cleanser
Use a milky or creamy cleanser morning and night. As long as it's gentle, any cleanser is fine, although if you're plagued by occasional pimples, try a face wash with salicylic acid.
Serum and Moisturizer
To repair and protect, look for a serum rich in antioxidants, like vitamin C or E, or epidermal growth factors to help stimulate collagen production, says Jackson. (If you've become particularly concerned about your eye area, give your eye cream an extra boost with a specialized serum containing the same ingredients.) Over that, layer a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 30 moisturizer.
Nighttime Treatment
It's worth it to spend a bit more on your bedtime regimen, says Jackson. Regular use of a prescription retinoid is like making a deposit in your 401(k): Retinoids boost reserves of collagen and elastin, preventing future sagging. Not only are they antiaging, they also reduce acne, a bonus for women still suffering through breakouts.
In Your 50s...
It's true at every age, but especially important now: Being beautiful comes from feeling happy and taking good care of yourself. So if you haven't made that your primary goal, do it today, says Cheryl Karcher, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center. In your 50s, you really appreciate the benefits of having made wise lifestyle choices, which are more important than genetics in influencing the rate at which you age, says Darrick Antell, MD, assistant clinical professor of surgery at Columbia University. In his studies of twins, he found that not smoking, avoiding excess sun exposure, and managing stress can have a major impact. You may be noticing thinner skin and sagging. Bone loss around the jaw can lead to jowls; fat loss can create a sunken look. Lines and wrinkles deepen, and hyperpigmentation increases. You may also notice that your skin is dry and flaky.
Cleanser
You want to protect your skin barrier, because the drier your skin, the more susceptible it is to damage, says Karcher. Wash daily with a creamy moisturizing cleanser for sensitive skin.
Serum and Moisturizer
Start with a serum containing antioxidants like vitamin C or E, resveratrol, or green tea. Over that, layer your moisturizer and a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Redness due to rosacea can be minimized with Mirvaso, a new gel that decreases swelling of blood vessels. Hyperpigmentation can be reduced with creams containing 2 percent hydroquinone, phytophenol, or kojic acid.
Nighttime Treatment
It's simple: Moisturize and repair. You need a rich night cream with peptides, a hydrating prescription retinoid, or retinol cream or lotion. If the retinoid causes dryness, mix it with a moisturizer or a night cream, or use it only three times a week. You can apply retinoid cream up to your lower eyelids. Be sure to use the night cream on your neck and the retinoid on your chest and the backs of your hands.
Your Face Basics
Cleanser
You want to protect your skin barrier, because the drier your skin, the more susceptible it is to damage, says Karcher. Wash daily with a creamy moisturizing cleanser for sensitive skin.
Serum and Moisturizer
Start with a serum containing antioxidants like vitamin C or E, resveratrol, or green tea. Over that, layer your moisturizer and a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Redness due to rosacea can be minimized with Mirvaso, a new gel that decreases swelling of blood vessels. Hyperpigmentation can be reduced with creams containing 2 percent hydroquinone, phytophenol, or kojic acid.
Nighttime Treatment
It's simple: Moisturize and repair. You need a rich night cream with peptides, a hydrating prescription retinoid, or retinol cream or lotion. If the retinoid causes dryness, mix it with a moisturizer or a night cream, or use it only three times a week. You can apply retinoid cream up to your lower eyelids. Be sure to use the night cream on your neck and the retinoid on your chest and the backs of your hands.
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