As you grow older, your skin changes-and so should your beauty products. The tinted moisturizer may have worked when you were a teen, but it won’t be able to ward off the wrinkles when you’re 30. By the time you hit 40, you may even need to call in reinforcements: eye cream, night cream, firming gel, and a weekly beauty treatment. See, that’s why people buy nice houses when they grow up. They need bigger bathroom cabinets.
Why does this happen? Three words: hormones, moisture and skin cell generation. When estrogen levels flare (during adolescence and pregnancy), so do our breakouts; when they dip (after menopause) our skin becomes thin and prone to fine lines. Our skin also loses its ability to retain moisture, and produce healthy skin cells that result in that natural radiant glow (thank God for blush).
That’s where beauty products and beauty treatments come in. They provide the nutrients, helping skin cell production. They add moisture, preventing dryness and wrinkles. They remove dead skin cells and any nasty impurities that can cause breakouts. So which beauty products and beauty treatments do you need now? Read on.
Teens. Today’s clogged pores are tomorrow’s pimples. Wash your face twice a day and never, ever go to sleep with makeup on. Soap dries the skin, so use a beauty product- like a facial wash, cleanser or astringent-that doesn’t contain alcohol. Another beauty tip: use moisturizer, even if your skin is so supple now you don’t think you need it. It prevents future problems, and controls flakiness. If you have combination skin, use an oil-free beauty product.
Twenties. Your skin is at its best now: you’re past the hormonal fluctuations, but still free of wrinkles. However, long hours at work can cause dark circles and flakiness, and sun damage is beginning to set in (you just can’t see it). Be extra vigilant about sun protection. Look for beauty products that serve dual purposes, e.g. moisturizer with SPF. You also need regular beauty treatments to exfoliate dead skin and remove impurities (hey, an excuse to go to the beauty salon with your girlfriends!). By your late twenties, you should also expand your beauty supplies to include night cream and eye cream to reduce puffiness. If it sounds complicated, find a beauty brand that carries a complete line from cleanser to moisturizer.
Thirties. Your skin produces less oil, causing it to crack and flake. You need beauty products that contain glycolic acid, which reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and keeps the skin smooth. You may also need to upgrade your moisturizer for a richer cream, or a beauty product specifically for older skin. Beauty treatments like deep-cleansing and deep-moisturizing masks are a must-hey, they’re cheaper than plastic surgery.
Forties. Your skin begins to lose its battle with gravity. Among your beauty product essentials are a firming cream, or any moisturizer that contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). Skin doesn’t heal as quickly as it used to, either, so you need your Vitamin C. The drop in estrogen levels can also trigger a pale skin tone; to bring back the glow, head for the beauty salon for a rejuvenating facial (oatmeal and avocado scrubs work wonders) or have your own beauty treatment at home.