A Woman's Guide To Having Healthy Skin At Every Age

It's never too late—or too early—to take care of your skin. The sooner you start a skincare routine, the better! But with so many products and options on the market, it can be hard to know where to begin. I've put together this handy guide to help you get started. Whatever your age, following these simple tips will help you achieve and maintain healthy skin for years to come. 

Skin Care for Children

If you are reading this, chances are you are not in this age range, but you can influence the skin care decisions of those who are! I believe this age range was pivotal to my skin's future. I was fortunate to grow up in a family of women who emphasized using moisturizer daily as part of my self-care routine.

The benefits of moisturizing the skin are many. First and foremost, moisturizing helps to keep the skin hydrated, which is essential for keeping it healthy and looking its best. Moisturizing also helps to protect the skin from other environmental hazards and can even reduce the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging.

It's never too early to introduce your child to a skincare routine. A simple wash with warm water, a gentle cleanser followed by a light moisturizer, and sun protection are all needed at this age. Just be sure to avoid any products with harsh chemicals or fragrances. The focus here is more on developing good habits than anything else. Just like brushing teeth, they will need your assistance to perform these tasks until they are old enough to do them independently.

Skin Care for Pre-Teens and Teens

A time of raging hormones and blemishes galore. While it's tempting to reach for harsh products to quickly eliminate breakouts, resist the urge! These products will only end up drying out your skin, which can actually make acne worse. During the teenage years, it's essential to continue using gentle cleansers, moisturizers, and sun protection. I recommend using only one acne product containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and using it only as needed. These years may be an excellent time to partner with an esthetician who can coach you through your unique skin challenges and help you develop a more targeted skincare routine and habits conducive to clearer skin.

Skin Care in your 20s

Ah, the 20s! In your 20s, you can get away with anything regarding your skin and still look great. But the truth is, your 20s is when the aging process starts to kick in. So, while you may not see the signs of aging, now is the time to take preventive measures.

Let's begin with lifestyle choices. Now is the time to be consistent with healthy habits like not smoking, eating right, exercising, minimizing alcohol intake, getting enough sleep, and making skincare a priority. These choices will pay off in the long run by giving you better skin—and overall health—later in life.

Next, let's talk about sun protection. It would be best if you did this every day, regardless of age. But it's crucial in your 20s when your skin is still young and resilient. Be sure to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply it every two hours—more often if you're swimming or sweating.

And finally, now is the time to start using anti-aging products if you haven't already. Some great antioxidant-rich products to use in your 20s are vitamin C serums, retinol creams, peptides, and microcurrent.

Skin Care in your 30s

As you enter your thirties, all the things you did or didn't do begin to show on your face. You may notice fine lines forming around your eyes and mouth, and your skin may not be as smooth as it was in your 20s. This is due to a decrease in cellular turnover and the decrease in collagen and elastin production. In addition to the recommendations for your 20s, this is an excellent time to partner with an esthetician for professional treatments focusing on cellular turnover, stimulating collagen production, and exfoliation.

Skin Care in your 40s 

The 40s are when fine lines deepen, and wrinkles, age spots, and other blemishes appear. If you didn't take care of your skin in your 20s and 30s, now is when it will start to show. This is around the age when many clients come to see me or consider injections for the first time because they don't want to "look old." And while there's nothing wrong with that, it's essential to remember that the best way to achieve and maintain a youthful appearance is to focus on preventive care.

In your 40s, you should continue with all the recommendations from your 20s and 30s, but now is also the time to add more targeted anti-aging products and advanced skin treatments.

Skin Care in your 50s

By the time you reach your fifties, wrinkles will become more pronounced, and you may notice dryness and sagging skin due to a decrease in collagen and elastin production. Much of this is caused by hormonal changes associated with menopause and how you took care of your skin in your younger years. Now is the time to focus on preventive care and using products and treatments that will help stimulate collagen production, increase cellular turnover, and provide deep hydration.

I will be honest, it may be costly and time-consuming if you haven’t done the things mentioned in the 20s -40s section. You will not be able to see significant changes in the skin by using over-the-counter products.   

Many of my clients have found peptides and microcurrent treatments to be very helpful in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and stimulating collagen production.

Skincare is an integral part of overall health, and it's never too late—or too early—to start taking care of your skin. The sooner you begin a skincare routine, the better! But with so many products and options on the market, it can be hard to know where to begin. I've put together this handy guide to help you get started. Whatever your age, following these simple tips will help you achieve and maintain healthy skin for years to come. If you're looking for more personalized advice or would like to schedule a consultation, schedule an Advanced Skin Health Consultation or Get to Know your Skin Facial.

We'd be happy to help you create a skincare routine that's perfect for your individual needs. Thanks for reading!