How to look after your skin in every decade

There isn’t a blanket rule for keeping your skin radiant. Yes, we know we should drink water, avoid sugar and take precautions in the sun but, does this apply to 20-year-olds AND people above 60?

Short answer: Yes. But there are plenty of other things we need to know that are specific to each decade. Let’s jump right in.

In your 20s.

This is the invincible decade where you think you’ll never get old. It’s not in your peripheral vision, or in your mirror. Many transitions happen in your 20s. It’s the decade of ‘student life’, partying, travelling, dating, and discovering yourself.

The last thing you’re thinking about is your skin (unless it’s bad and you’re looking for remedies). Yet, this is the decade you SHOULD prioritise skincare because, like investing, time is on your side – and good habits compound.

Tips: Start to introduce a skin serum to boost collagen, so the products don’t have to ‘work’ so hard in the future. Use SPF 30+ every day to protect the skin from harmful, wrinkle-producing UV rays. Eat a diet high in protein, fruit and vegetables with a focus on Omega-3 essential fatty acids for skin wellness.

Your 30s.

Don’t freak out! You’re NOT old. This is the decade where you’ll probably start to take skin health seriously. Nature has it that in your 30s the cells start to show signs of changing. A reduction in collagen leads to less volume in the face. It’s also the chapter where women have babies, which has implications on the skin.

Tips: Upgrade to a regime that includes Vitamin C, to prevent free radical damage. This could simply mean adding a skin serum into your routine. Continue to wear sunscreen and consider upping the protection to SPF 50. Retinol is also your BFF in your 30s.

Your 40s.

40 IS the new thirty! And don’t you rock it well. But this is the time where your skin needs some extra loving. The lymphatic system, responsible for draining the toxins, starts to slow down. The skin tends to be puffier, dull and becomes more vulnerable to external factors, like sunlight and pollution.

Tips: Continue with the SPF 50, Vitamin C, and retinol. Keep things simple with a cleanser and skin serum. Take more baths, watch your stress levels, and invest in activities that keep you feeling young.

Your 50s.

Sun damage and lifestyle choices become more visible, creating dark spots on the skin. You’ll start to learn what spider veins are and the lack of elastin makes things sag where they never used to. The eyelids turn heavy and ‘hooded’ as the skin loses its youthful body.

Tips: Focus on your entire body, not just your face. Moisturise your full body daily, continue adding vitamins and a skin serum to your skin, and forgive yourself if menopause creates subtle changes. This is natural and a great opportunity for acceptance. Nothing comes close to the glow that comes with a mind free from negative thoughts.

60s and beyond.

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise like it’s your job. While breakouts and other issues are well behind you, the skin is much more fragile in your 60s. This is the maintenance era, of thick skin serums and low concentrations of retinol.

There’s one staple that’ll be with you through the decades: the 24-Hour Skin Serum. It targets the Extra-Cellular Matrix (ECM), the fine mesh of microfibres responsible for the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid – to leverage and protect your skin’s natural supply of these anti-ageing ‘superheros’.

Let’s re-balance the world… starting with yours. And, good skin follows.