When you reach your 40s, it’s all about actively protecting against the process of aging. This is the point that the cells start dying and the metabolism starts to slow. You want to maintain the current cell structure and rate of development and repair. Your skin care routine needs to work towards that.
Of course, in your 40s you’ll likely have plenty of stress. You will have work, children, spouses, and financial matters to take care of. There can be a lot of issues rearing their heads, leaving you feeling like you have little time for yourself. Your skin care tends to take a back step, even though you know you need to focus on it. You want routines that will take a few minutes a day to maintain the health of your skin.
Here’s a look at the best skin care routine after your 40s. This is the perfect option for busy lives and those who want to maintain and repair.
Switch the Type of Makeup You Use
Before you even think about cleansing routines, you’ll want to look at the type of makeup you wear. Many women get the idea that they need to allow their skin to breathe. They avoid all makeup every now and then.
If you don’t want to wear makeup, there’s nothing wrong with avoiding it. However, you don’t have to opt for makeup-free days if you don’t want. What you really want to do is focus on the types of makeup you wear daily.
This is more than just finding makeup that suits your skin type. While this is still important (and you’ll want to assess how your skin changes over the years), you also want to look out for makeup that offers UV protection.
The UV rays are extremely damaging to the skin. They kill cells and dry out the skin. The rays can lead to dark spots and other signs of aging, as well as cause skin cancer. Getting all the protection possible against them is important. Sunscreen is important, but you can get an extra layer of protection through your makeup. This is especially important for the face, which is more sensitive to damage and rays.
So, when looking at makeup, spend extra on the types that offer the UV protection. Yes, you will spend more in the short term, but you save a lot more in the long term.
Of course, you still want to make sure that makeup is right for your skin type. If you have large pores and an oily disposition, then you’ll want to look for noncomedogenic options that will help to prevent the blocking of your pores. It’s also important to follow a good routine for removing your makeup, which leads us to the next part of your best skincare routine.
As you reach your 40s, your skin type will change. Make sure you’re always buying options that are good for your current skin type and not what you used to use in your teens.
Remove All Makeup at the End of the Day
You’ve heard this all before - never sleep with your makeup on. It doesn’t matter if you have a layer of foundation, just the primer or even just the eyeliner. You want to make sure all makeup has been taken away to clean out your pores. While your makeup offers a protective layer, it can still gain dirt and grease buildup. All these will end up in your pores and you suffer from more pore blockages.
Bacteria will build in the blocked pores overnight. The bacteria buildup is why breakouts occur. It’s not the actual makeup (if you’re using the right type for your skin) but the way you don’t care for your skin.
Use a cleanser to remove the makeup every night. If you leave the makeup on your face, it will spread onto your pillow and then you end up with a buildup of the makeup, dirt, and bacteria while you sleep.
Don’t forget about your neck. You will usually place foundation around your neckline to get an even coverage, so you want to wash it off at the end of the day.
Use Real Cleansers and Not Makeup Wipes
Every now and then makeup wipes are okay. They can help when you’re traveling or when you need to clean your makeup quickly at the end of the night or in the middle of the day. However, you want to switch to real cleansers as much as possible during your 40s.
This is the stage that your skin starts to adapt and dry out. The pores can change inside and you can see a change in the oil production. Makeup wipes certainly don’t help with this.
When you use a makeup wipe, you’re only cleaning the top layer off. The wipes don’t get into the pores and remove all the dirt and grime from the day. In fact, the wipes can cause the dirt and grime to spread around your face! You can end up with more blocked pores because of them.
A real cleanser will get in and offer more support and protection. You also get more hydration through the cleaners and the water to help improve the collagen production and overall health of the skin.
The type of cleansing product will depend on the type of skin you have. If you have drier skin, you may prefer an oil-based cleanser. However, those with oily skin can find a noncomedogenic and oil-free cleanser is best. You can also look out for mineral oil cleansers, which are lighter and suitable for sensitive and combination skin.
There are gels, lotions, soaps and more available. Look at the type of skin they’re designed for and make sure they work with your changing skin in your 40s.
Opt for a Toner daily
Once a day you want to use a toner on your skin. It’s up to you whether you do this on a morning or on a night. The nighttime routine tends to be the favored time for many, as it’s when you have more time to look after your skin.
The toner helps to add more moisture to your skin and improves the collagen production. When you hit your 40s, the collagen production can be affected negatively. It’s possible that your skin dries out to the point where your collagen production drops to be non-existent. This can lead to tears in the middle layers, causing stretch marks, and lead to wrinkles and blemishes.
Toners are also good for making the skin look firmer. You can get rid of the sight of wrinkles and fine lines.
You don’t need to buy a toner full of chemicals. Witch hazel is a popular natural toner and is available in most drug marts at a low cost. The witch hazel can also help with healing some of the skin problems while removing any leftover dirt and grime from the cleansing process.
Don’t Forget Your Eye Cream
While most of your skin will produce oil naturally, the skin around your eyes doesn’t. Therefore, your eyes show most of the age-related problems first. You’ll see fine lines, worry lines and more forming from your daily facial expressions. While you can’t stop expressing yourself, you can help to add the moisture back into the area and prevent the lack of collagen production in the area.
Use an eye cream daily. Many people choose to make it part of their nighttime routine, but in your 30s and onwards you want to consider making it part of your day and night routine. Consider using eye cream twice a day rather than just the once.
Get an eye cream suitable for the different times of the day. Overnight you want something that will take time to soak in. This can react throughout the night, adding moisture while you sleep. In the day you want something that soaks in fully quickly, so you can then go on to apply your makeup and get on with your day.
When using your eye cream, avoid getting too close to your eyes. You only need to apply it around the bone at the top of the cheeks. Getting it into the eyes can cause sight problems.
Find a Cream with Added Retinol
Improving the production of collagen isn’t just about adding moisture. You want to add the right nutrients to your skin. Collagen needs more protein to help form properly, which is something you can get from retinol. This is a form of vitamin A that converts well to protein for the collagen production.
Look out for moisturizing and night creams with added retinol. You’ll help to solve many of the wrinkle and fine line problems. This can also help to make your skin look brighter and help avoid many of the aging signs, such as dark spots.
In some cases, you may need a prescription cream. This will use a retinoid like Retin-A. It’s a slight upgrade from the over-the-counter retinol, offering stronger benefits. However, don’t jump straight to the prescription options in your 30s, as your skin should still be healthy enough to gain benefits from the retinol.
In your 40s, you’ll only need to use the cream three nights a week. If your skin feels dry and suffers some damage, you may want to increase to four or five nights a week. After nine months, your skin may be ready to upgrade, but it will depend on the look and feel.
The retinol creams only need to be used once a day on the day that they become part of your routine. This should be on a night when your skin has more time to soak in all the health benefits.
Add More Antioxidants During the Day
Your skin needs in the day are different from the night. While the night time is all about nourishment and rejuvenation, your daytime routine should be all about protection and preparation. Therefore, antioxidants are a must for your daytime skin routine.
In your 40s, your skin should still have plenty of healthy cells. You should also find that the new skin cell production and repair is relatively strong. What you want to do is avoid the production and repair process dipping too much, which is where the antioxidants come into play.
Antioxidants help to fight against oxidative stress in the body. They protect the body against free radicals, which cause death to cells. Free radicals can lead to dark spots, blemishes, and cancerous moles. Adding antioxidants to your skin care routine will help to prevent this damage. You’re protecting your body before it gets too late.
The antioxidants will also help to improve the immune system within the skin. You reduce redness and inflammation, which will help to make your skin look healthier and avoid issues with any wounds and injuries.
It’s possible to make your own skin care products with the likes of lemons, oranges and some essential oils to get antioxidants naturally. However, you can also buy over-the-counter options with added antioxidants.
Exfoliate on a Weekly Basis
Once a week, you’ll want to spend a little more time on your skincare by adding exfoliating into it. Whether you have dry or oily skin, you don’t need to exfoliate daily! In fact, exfoliating daily can cause some skin problems and affect the oil balance.
Dry brushing can be a powerful way to exfoliate the skin. You don’t add any chemicals or water. Brush in circular motions and improve the blood flow naturally. You’ll get rid of the buildup of dead skin cells, brightening the look of your skin and opening your pores. It’s an excellent way to remove the gunk and grime from the skin’s pores.
You can also exfoliate with products or through natural means. Sea salt or mineral salts can be excellent options. Sea salt is packed with cleansing and purifying nutrients and doesn’t dry out the skin like other salts. Meanwhile, mineral salts aren’t salts! They’re packed with various minerals that you get back into the skin.
You can use natural bases to help with exfoliating. Many people will cut half a lemon and dip in the salts, rubbing directly on the skin. The vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to protect the health of the cells, while the lemon juice helps to brighten the skin and improve the look of age spots. Don’t use this on your face, though. The acid can be too strong for the sensitive skin. Oranges and tomatoes can be best for sensitive skin and the face.
Consider the type of skin you have before using an exfoliant. Dry brushing tends to be the preferred option for most skins because it helps to normalize the skin cells and you don’t add anything that can affect the skin’s tones. Other products you’ll want to make sure they improve the pores instead of blocking or affecting the natural oil production.
Improve Your Skin Care Routine in Your 40s. This is the point in your life when protecting your skin is important. You’re at a time in your life when you can still prevent most of the problems the skin faces. It’s possible to reduce the risk of skin damage from the sun and slow down the signs of aging. However, you need to take steps with your skin care routine to help.
Your 30s isn’t a time to ignore makeup if you have the right type. Find time to go through routines both in the day and the night. Take pride in the health of your skin and it will look after you for the rest of your years.