Skin Routines as you age...

Skin changes with time, so our skin care routine needs to change alongside it. A skincare routine is advisable to start when puberty begins but establishing routines of looking after your body and washing is important too. I have made rough age groups for products for your skin but if you haven't looked after your skin, or found yourself in the wrong queue when it came to skin genetics, you could find you are in an older skin age compared to your peers. If you have amazing genes, you could find yourself in the opposite position. Please remember before purchasing products know and understand your skin type so you don't waste your money or make your skin worse.

Babies and children

Looking after children's skin doesn't have to be complicated. Establish routines of washing at the beginning and end of the day. Use fun washcloths and towels, make sure they are cleaned regularly and explain why you have to do it. As they age and would rather do more fun stuff remind them why it's important and why they shouldn't skip this step. Learning to care for your whole body includes your skin. Drill into your children the importance of sun protection and find a cream that is broad spectrum and they like.

Puberty & teens

Puberty is when hormones hit and your skin changes. Hormones causes an increase in sebum production which can make skin look oily and can lead to spots/acne. This increase can cause you to believe you have oily skin type but its just an effect of your hormones. Building on your skincare, washing correctly and using sun cream, now would be the time to add cleanser am and pm, and a treatment for acne, if required, in the affected area only. I will write a post about cleanser and why to use it. If funds allow add a light moisturiser, especially if you have dry skin. If experimenting with make-up, use a good make up remover and make sure all of it is removed (do not use wipes). If you or your teen, loves skincare adding a vitamin c serum is a good habit to start but not essential. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps your skin and works well with other products.

20s & 30s

Skin has reached it's peak and signs of aging can start to show as you go through this decade. The goal is to keep it looking it's best for as long as possible. Building on your previous skincare routine, washing correctly, cleansing your skin, using sun cream and removing make-up, now it the time to add a second cleanser, add in exfoliant, serum, and a moisturiser . The second cleansing product is used in the evening to make sure skin thoroughly cleansed and will discuss in more detail in a later post. The exfoliant is not a scrub, but is now an acid that helps to rid old skin cells and exfoliate the skin - think glycolic acid or lactic. After exfoliation, an antioxidant serum will really help your new growing cells. If you wear glasses or work outside, add in a light eye cream/gel. If your skin is very dry and has difficulties holding onto oil and water, use a hyaluronic acid, which you can get in spray form. I now use this as a toner and apply to my skin just before moisturiser or freshen up during the day. Once this has been applied add your moisturiser, suitable for your skin type, and then apply your sun cream.

30s & 40s

At this stage signs of aging are likely to be present. Perimenopause hormone fluctuations can start which can continue through to 40s-50s which can also affect your skin. This might seem scary but some ladies start menopause in their early 40s, which means perimenopausal symptoms will start in 30s. It is worth learning about so you can recognise what is happening and be prepared. Building on your previous routine, washing correctly, cleansing with double cleansing at night, exfoliate, serum, eye cream, hyaluronic toner, moisturiser, removing make-up and sun cream, now is the time to add in a retinoid. Retinoids/vitamin A are used at night time and it is very important you use sun cream during the day. This helps speed up cell renewal by removing dead skin/top layer. Instructions must be followed and please be aware that waxing whilst using this treatment can lead to burning, hence why using sun protection is important, so always inform your therapist if you start using retinoids. Always make sure the products you are buying suits your skin type. The acids and serums address your skin concerns. There are many out there but understanding your skin needs, especially if they are changing is important in selection. You may find you use a few different serums depending on your cycle. Our ability to hold water in the skin diminishes and when it dries out, premature cracks and lines appear. If your skin appears dry, add in a facial oil too.

40+

Hormones are changing, if you haven't started perimenopause this is the time you will. Menopause typically happens when a woman reaches around 50 and then we become post menopausal. This has an effect on our skin. Signs of aging will become more apparent, which despite what the media will have you believe, is okay. If you have skin concerns there are products and treatments that can help you but that is better to discuss on a 1:1 basis with your therapist. Building on your skin care routine of washing correctly, cleansing with double cleansing at night, exfoliate, serum, eye cream, hyaluronic toner, moisturiser, removing make-up, adding retinoid/vitamin A at night and sun cream, now is the time to add in night cream and a facial oil for when skin feels dry/dehydrated. As before, it's important to look at your skin type and then skin concerns when buying products.

If signs of aging don't bother you and you're a low maintenance person then learning to wash your skin correctly and fully, both am and pm, followed by sun protection (in the morning) are the absolute minimum. As you age and you may feel your skin flaking/tighter/sore then add in a moisturiser. Please use a moisturiser for your face, not for your body, as your facial skin is not as fix and you don't want to block up your pores and then potentially cause outbreaks/concerns. Also it is much more cost effective if you look after your skin from an early age so when you are older, you may become concerned with signs of aging, and it is a lot more costly to 'fix' them than to prevent. From a health point of view, not taking sun cream seriously, put bluntly can lead to cancer as well as looking older than your years...

I find skin care fun and looking after my skin is part of my morning/evening routines. I look forward to using the products and enjoy the scents. It's part of my selfcare and comes easily to me. However exercising does not, so I understand that you maybe hit and miss, not have perfect routines, if this is not something that comes naturally to you or you're just human. It's not about perfection. Just like exercise, it can take time to see results, it can take time before it feels natural or even enjoyable, so if you're starting from zero take it slowly and when you feel ready add in the next step. I'm happy to help advise you on your way - send me a message or book a consultation.