Great skin at any age

With a tuned-in skin routine it is possible to have your skin looking its best, no matter what your age.

When it comes to our faces there always seem to be an issue. From pimples as a teen to battling dark eye circles thanks to those late nights of our 20s. The first signs of ageing creep up in our 30s, those wrinkles becoming firmly entrenched in our 40s, and the inevitable effects of gravity in our 50s. But the news isn’t all bad. Caring for your skin and putting your best face forward has never been easier with the huge range of targeted skincare products and treatments available.

Teens & teenage skin

Getting into a good skincare regime in your teens not only helps resolve some of the teen angst-causing problem skin issues but it also forms good habits for the coming decades. First up, ditch the bar of soap you have in your shower to wash your face and switch to a facial cleanser that suits your skin type, please!

Many teens find oily skin is their main concern, so a gel-based cleanser is best – perhaps one that includes salicylic acid to help clear acne. Cleanse morning and at night – sleeping in your makeup after getting home from a party is a huge no-no.

Whoever spread the rumour that those with oily skin don’t need a moisturiser is just plain wrong. Use a light, non-comedogenic, oil-free moisturiser after you cleanse.

A clay mask applied once a week will deep clean your pores, and use an exfoliator twice a week to remove the top layer of skin and deal with clogged pores. Make sure you’re gentle – if you over scrub, your skin may break out further.

Not to sound like a mother, but you must use sun protection – the younger you start, the better. Not only does it protect your skin from the sun but 90 percent of premature ageing is caused by UV exposure – you’ll be thankful for this advice in 15 years.

If acne is a problem for you, a topical treatment including salicylic or tea tree – a natural antiseptic – works wonders. For severe cases a topical prescribed treatment from a GP may be your best option.

Skincare in your 20s

If skin has a heyday, your 20s is it. The worst of teen problem skin is typically behind you and you’re yet to bear the hallmarks of ageing. However, this decade it all about damage control and gentle, nourishing products. Your hormones are still balancing themselves, so stick to oil-free, gentle cleansers, moisturisers and makeup where possible.

Try adding some products with antioxidants to combat free radicals and balance the effect those nights out have on your skin. Green tea, soy, lycopene and Vitamin C are all good options.

Women in their 20s should supplement their basic skincare routine – cleanse, tone, moisturise – with healthy doses of prevention. Foamy gel cleansers and light moisturisers are sufficient at this age, perhaps a milky cleanser if you’re prone to dry skin. Sunscreen is essential, so religiously apply a day cream with SPF 15 or 20 and UVA and UVB protection to your face and decolletage. Of an eve, use a hydrating fluid or an oil-free moisturiser along with a mild hydrating gel eye cream to stave off early signs of ageing.

Exfoliating speeds up the natural sloughing process of the skin and helps keeps you baby-faced and blackhead-free. A grainy mechanical exfoliator or something with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) for a chemical process will do the job. Many dermatologists suggest starting on Vitamin A-derivative retinoids, which are considered by many as the gold standard for reducing fine lines, stimulating collagen and treating acne.

Skincare in your 30s

Even if you’ve taken good care of your skin, your skin becomes a little drier and sun damage may begin to appear in your 30s, so it’s motivation to start getting with the times.

As you age, keep adjusting your routine. Your mid-to-late 30s is a great time to start using a nutrient-packed serum and active night creams. Use a creamy cleanser, perhaps with AHAs to encourage exfoliation in the morning; in the evening a calming milky cleanser can work wonders. Use creamy moisturisers to lock in hydration (apply over damp skin) and continue with eye creams at night, perhaps a richer product now.

Microdermabrasion treatments and Vitamin C facials will keep your skin glowing. Secondly, introducing some products with Vitamin A derivatives is key at this age. Retinol can be found in low doses in many over-the-counter night creams and serums or, for stronger dose retinoids, creams and gels may be prescribed by your dermatologist or GP in some cases.</p><p>Use your UVA/UVB sunscreen religiously, as it’s in our 30s that the effects of more than three decades in the sun begin to become apparent in lost collagen and elasticity and the resulting fine lines around the eyes and lips.

It’s around this time that you may be considering anti-wrinkle injections as a preventative method for future wrinkle formation.

Skincare in your 40s

Kick it up a notch as the signs of ageing deepen. In your 40s you should seek products with plumping and firming benefits. Those beach holidays have started to catch up and your skin may lose tightness, begin to look dull and pores may enlarge. Spots and discolouration may appear and, because it doesn’t reflect light evenly, your complexion is losing some of its glow. These are the points to address.

The gradual (and unfortunately unavoidable) loss of collagen is a part of intrinsic ageing and becomes more apparent in the deep furrows and frown lines of 40-something skin. Unlike collagen that depletes due to lifestyle factors, such as sun exposure and smoking, there is little that can prevent the loss of elasticity that comes from natural ageing.

We can slow cellular degeneration with the antioxidant properties of Vitamins C and E, which help protect the skin from free radicals that devour our healthy cells. Vitamin C can also boost the synthesis of collagen, especially when it is applied in a potent form.

Additionally, prescription retinoids containing Vitamin A acid used topically is a potent free-radical fighter. It can reduce brown spots, increase exfoliation and collagen production, thicken the epidermis and can reverse pre-cancerous sun damage. If your skin can’t tolerate a retinoid every night, use it every other night.

Chemical peels are also good for refining the skin’s surface, and dermal fillers work well in the 40s to replenish volume and boost collagen production. Of course it’s essential that you continue slathering on thick face and eye serums on a nightly basis, with rich moisturising properties such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter or oils. Along with your broad-spectrum moisturiser, add in a couple of creams, lotions or serums containing at least two types of antioxidants. These might be lycopene, green tea or soy. Alternate the use of them every other day, because different antioxidants address different problems. For crepey skin try a formula with peptides, which have been shown to strengthen collagen.

Use a creamy cleanser morning and night or, if your skin tolerates a cleanser with a mild AHA or salicylic acid, substitute this in once a day.

Skincare in your 50s

This decade is the time to put your skincare regime into high gear. Loss of oestrogen, which gives your skin its elasticity and hydration, sees deeper wrinkles form, drooping eyelids and expression lines around the mouth and forehead. Cell turnover is much slower and you’ll notice dryness and loss of suppleness. Expression lines start to remain static and pores are more visible. You also may have developed spider veins and hyperpigmentation (age spots) and pre-cancerous spots from sun damage.

Wash morning and night with a creamy cleanser and apply a serum containing peptides or an antioxidant such as Vitamin C when your face is still damp. Anti-ageing or wrinkle-reducing prescription formulas containing retinol or glycolic acid products are essential in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin texture, skin tone and colour and boosting hydration. Glycolic acid will trigger new formation of collagen to plump cells and reduce wrinkles on the skin’s surface. Post-menopausal women can also use a topical cream containing hormones that may improve skin elasticity and firmness.

Treat any texture issues with chemical peels and consider taking a coenzyme Q10 supplement every morning. Studies have shown that this can even help prevent skin cancer, which commonly appears in this decade.

Laser skin resurfacing can offer an effective solution to significantly improving crepey eyelids and wrinkles around the eyes, minimising lines and age spots, and improving the overall appearance of the skin. This is also the age where surgical procedures may be seriously considered.