Skin Through the Decades: The Ultimate Skin care Guide

Whether you're in your 20s or 50s, keeping your skin healthy is crucial – but doing so can be a little tricky. That's why we're here to help! In this ultimate skincare guide, we'll talk about the best ways to take care of your skin throughout every decade of your life. So whether you're just starting out or you're already well into middle age, read on for the tips and tricks you need to know!

Skin care in your 20s

When it comes to skin care, your 20s are a crucial time to develop good skin habits and master a basic skin care routine. What you do now will benefit your skin for the decades to come.

So what makes a great skin care routine? First, cleanse your face every morning with a gentle cleanser so as to not irritate your skin. Then, apply a daytime moisturiser with SPF, to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Every. Single. Day! In the evening, cleanse again, to remove any make-up and impurities, and follow up with a night cream or serum to nourish your skin while you sleep.

It’s important that you’re choosing high-quality skincare products with active ingredients that will actually benefit your skin. When it comes to choosing the best skin care products, opting for quality over quantity is always the best strategy. Investing in a few high-quality products is better than using a dozen cheap ones that will only clog your pores and irritate your skin. Look for products that include Vitamin A’s, such as retinol, to help reduce discolouration, fine lines, and wrinkles and enhance cell function in deeper layers. Vitamin’s C, B & E are also important to help maintain healthy skin cell function and prevent premature ageing.

It’s also important to avoid certain skin care mistakes in your 20s. For instance, don’t excessively scrub your face or use harsh facial cleansing products. Whilst it’s tempting to skip sunscreen in the attempt for the ‘perfect tan’, this summer’s tan could result in permanent skin damage later in life. So make sure you’re utilising SPF, and minimising your sun-exposure.

Many people in their 20s continue to suffer from acne. How you deal with acne in your 20s can have crucial effects on your skin later in life. If you’re suffering from acne, be sure to speak with a qualified skin professional who can help you control, manage and treat your acne and reduce potential scarring.

If you are beginning to notice signs of ageing, you can opt for monthly facial treatments, to help rejuvenate your skin. Or you may choose to begin non-surgical treatments such as cosmetic injectables, to help provide an aesthetic lift.

Skincare in your 30s

As you enter your 30s, you may start to notice changes in your skin. Heightened stress (thanks to kids, work and an ongoing lack of sleep) can play havoc with your hormones and show up on your skin! Fine lines and wrinkles may begin to appear, and dark spots from sun damage or scarring may become more visible. But don't despair! There are plenty of things you can do to maintain a healthy, youthful complexion.

If skin care wasn’t your top-priority during your 20s, it's important to start now and develop a regular skincare routine. Making professional skin treatments, such as herbal peels, LED light treatments and skin needling, a regular part of your skin care routine is important to keeping your skin healthy and bright. You may also look to add skin care products such as anti-ageing serums (with retinoids), brightening serums with vitamin C and hydration serums with hyaluronic acid to your repertoire of skin care products.

Be sure to use skin care products that are appropriate for your skin type - whether you have oily, dry or acne-prone skin, you’ll need specific products to help protect, treat and maintain a glowing complexion. If you're not sure what skin type you have, we suggest visiting The Skin Manifesto, for an advanced skin analysis. Using the Observ skin analysis machine, we can peer beneath the skin’s surface to see what is happening in the layers underneath, such as wrinkle-formation, hyperpigmentation and dry or dull skin. This can help identify anything happening at a deeper cellular level and take preventative action.

Continue making sunscreen a daily habit, even if you're not spending time outdoors. In addition to preventing skin cancer, sunscreen can help slow the ageing process by protecting against damaging UV rays. Finally, don't forget to drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet. These simple steps will help you keep your skin looking its best throughout your 30s and beyond!

Skin care in your 40s

As you reach your 40s, it's important to take a close look at your skin care routine and make sure that it's still working for you.

One of the biggest changes you'll see in your skin at this age is a decrease in collagen production, which can lead to dry, dehydrated skin, fine-lines, wrinkles and sagging. Oestrogen levels also begin to decline around this time, leading to dryness and thinning skin. In order to combat the signs of ageing, you'll want to focus on products that help to boost collagen production, retain moisture and are antioxidant-rich.

Volume-loss in the face, particularly around the eyes, cheeks, lips and jawline naturally occurs as we age. Therefore, you may find yourself feeling a little less confident in your 40s than your younger self. Dermal fillers are a great way to restore natural-looking volume, acting as a non-surgical facelift, and helping you feel your best self! Your skin can also benefit from regular LED light therapy treatments, biosonic microdermabrasion and medical-grade peels, to help stimulate collagen production, cell-turnover and overall skin rejuvenation.

Skin care in your 50s

Fine lines, wrinkles and age spots are just a few of the things you might start to notice in your 50s. Luckily, there are a number of treatments available that can help give you healthy, glowing skin. Laser pigmentation removal, for example, can help to reduce the appearance of age spots, while anti-wrinkle injections can help to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. 

No matter the decade, a daily skin care routine is crucial to life-long healthy, glowing skin. Always use high-quality, professionally formulated skin care products, with active ingredients. Remember to use a good sunscreen daily, to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. If you need help choosing the right products for your skin type, are suffering from acne, pigmentation or want to combat the signs of ageing, visit our skin clinic in Miranda, Sydney. Through a thorough skin analysis, you’ll discover the best way to achieve your skin goals, according to your time and budget. By taking care of your skin today, you can help to keep it looking its best for years to come.