Skincare Tips for Your 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s
Once you find a skincare regimen that works for you, you stick with it forever—right? Not necessarily… Even if you’ve spent years perfecting your product lineup, you might have to change how you treat your skin as you age. The skincare concerns of a twenty-something are not the same skin issues you will have to think about as a 30 or 40-year-old. So how do you know when it’s time to make some tweaks?
Finding the right skincare regimen for you, especially as you get older, can feel like a daunting task. There are loads of different ingredients, formulations, and products that can be overwhelming to choose from. That’s why our editors have come up with a foolproof, condensed guide of easy skincare tips for your 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. If you’re looking for skincare mantras to live by, and new rules to stick to, then you’ve come to the right place…
20’s
Start Dialing In Your Skin Routine
Now’s the time to start a proper skincare routine for morning and night time. Putting together a regimen that works for you and addresses any issues you may have is key to maintaining healthy skin. A typical routine would look like this:
Morning Routine:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Sunblock
Nighttime Routine:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Exfoliant
- Treatment Product
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
Be Conscious Of Your Sun Exposure & Always Wear Sunscreen
It doesn’t matter how many products you apply to your face. If you do not use sunscreen, your products aren’t going to be effective. Wearing sunscreen and reducing your sun exposure is the best way to prevent your skin from aging. So, always wear sunscreen, even when you’re not directly in the sun. UV rays can pass through windows too, and even on cloudy days {don’t let them fool you}. A general rule of thumb is to reapply sunscreen every two hours, and if you’re in direct sunlight or outside for a long period of time, hourly application is best.
Shop sunscreen and sunblock…
You Can Never Start Prevention Products Too Early
There’s a misconception that prevention products are only for those who are older in age and that most prevention products are harsh and strong, which is not the case. Starting early with gentle retinol and Vitamin C products, like Lauren’s Vitamin C Oil, is a great way to help prevent your skin from looking dull down the line. Lauren Conrad Beauty’s Vitamin C Oil is great to help even out your skin tone, brighten your skin, and help with discoloration and dark spots.
If you begin using retinol, ease into it by choosing a gentler formulation and wearing it at night. Make sure to apply sunscreen every day too, because retinol makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage. Following directions on the bottle is very important with retinol!
Disclaimer: if you are pregnant, you shouldn’t be using retinol.
Shop Retinol products…
Shop Vitamin C products…
Be Gentle & Let Your Skin Breathe—More Isn’t Always Better
It’s easy to think that applying a ton of actives or acids aggressively to your face will yield great results, but on the contrary, you should always be gentle with your skin and the products you use. Using harsh products isn’t the most effective treatment. If anything, it can lead to irritation, dryness, and damage to your skin barrier. When in doubt, it’s best to take a simple approach and slowly add in treatment products, if necessary. Your skin needs to breathe too.
Pro tip: Gently apply your products in an upward motion—no tugging or pulling your skin down as you slather on moisturizer—and focus on patting versus rubbing them in. These tactics are better for preventing signs of aging.
30’s
Incorporate Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid Into Your Routine
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to really add retinol to your routine. If your skin has built up a tolerance, you might be ready to add stronger formulations to your routine. Furthermore, try adding in hyaluronic acid, which helps your skin to retain water and stay hydrated throughout the day. As you age, your skin doesn’t retain as much moisture, so it’s a great ingredient to help prevent premature aging. Some of your products might already include hyaluronic acid in their formulations, but if you think you need more, then by all means, add a stand-alone product to your routine.
Shop Hyaluronic Acids…
Use A Good Exfoliator To Help Remove Impurities
Exfoliating is so important to remove any impurities and dead skin cells from your skin. Whether you use a chemical or physical exfoliator, again, be gentle! Too much exfoliation, whether it’s an acid or a physical scrub, can irritate, dry out, and strip your skin of its natural oils.
Shop Exfoliators…
Find A Good Eye Cream And Moisturizer
An eye cream is a must in your routine, especially if you want to combat fine lines or crow’s feet. Now is also the time to invest in a good moisturizer, one that will help to replenish your skin barrier, and hydrate your skin.
Shop Eye Cream…
Shop Moisturizer…
As Always, Use Sunscreen. Forever!
This one is a no-brainer.
A Little Gua Sha Never Hurts, Either
The benefits of Gua Sha, a traditional Chinese medicinal practice, are pretty impressive. The practice has been shown to help de-puff, detox, and stimulate collagen and blood flow. Make sure when you’re practicing Gua Sha, however, that you’re doing so with a serum or oil applied to your skin first.
Shop Gua Sha Facial Tools…
40’s
Lock Down Your Nighttime Routine
Your skin intensely repairs itself at night, so locking down a nighttime routine is pivotal to helping your skin absorb and benefit from the products you’re using. If you need help figuring out a night routine, check out one of our articles from a few years back here.
Focus On Intensive Moisturizers and Masks
Hydrating and moisturizing your skin is so important at this age, because as we get older, our skin tends to lose its elasticity and collagen, which contributes to skin sagging and fine lines. Focus on using moisturizers and face masks that deliver higher levels of hydration to your skin.
Shop Hydrating Moisturizers & Masks…
Remember, Expensive Isn’t Always Better
More expensive products aren’t always “better,” but in some cases, more expensive products do have a higher concentration of active ingredients, so it’s something to keep in mind when you’re shopping.
More Sunscreen, Please
Sunscreen + You = A Lifelong Partnership.
These tips are a lot to throw at you, but we hope you’ve learned something new and can incorporate it into your routine.
What skincare tips do you live by?
Let us know below.
XO Team LC
Photos: Jessi Burrone for Lauren Conrad Beauty
Affiliate links may have been used in this post.
