As we get older our skincare needs change. As a young girl I was very much aware of how to care for ageing skin and I remember buying my first 'anti-ageing' product at around 16 years old. It was a Garnier roll eye cream product from Superdrugs that I purchased, ironically it was also for the 'innovative' roller ball packaging which was a new concept at that time.
At that time my family thought I was crazy but the way I saw it was the earlier I started the less vigorous the treatment would be as I got older- nipping the problem in the bud. Now that I'm older I am so-so glad I did start early.
I started to notice fine lines early around my eyes, of course when you're younger everything seems much more dramatic doesn't it? A spot looks like a mountain, a fine line looks like a deep ravine doesn't it.
Of course as you age or go through some health changes it can speed up the ageing process. Hormones play a major part in keeping the skin youthful so the best method of keeping your face looking healthy is to treat it internally with a healthy diet. Beauty and skincare do play a part also, knowing what product types to use and when should help you. I know I wished I had this info when I was young, it really would have saved me a heap of time and money.
Keep in mind that everyone is different. I know I am young but my skin personally is 'older' I am currently going through the menopause so of course I have to treat my skin as though it was about twenty years older. While I discuss the options you may be far more suited to the regime of someone older, this is not something to be ashamed of guys - you have to work with what you have plus it's good to mix things up a bit.
Teens
When you're in your teens your hormones are going wild and you have a bundle of collagen and elastin to keep things plump and firm. It's rare to have wrinkles during this period in your life so anti-ageing products really aren't needed.
Diet is the key here, eating right and drinking plenty of water to flush out those toxins. A proper skincare routine is a good way to get used to caring for your skin and it goes without saying a SPF moisturiser or suntan lotion should be used daily.
Menstruation starts about now and testosterone causes an increase of sebum. Sebum is the oily substance that makes your skin greasy and unusual sebum production can lead to pimples, boils, black and white heads as well as excessive shine.
-SPF product. I know getting a teen to apply suntan lotion is like pulling teeth. Purchasing a SPF based moisturiser will tackle the excessive sebum production while offering protection against harmful UV rays.
-Spot treatment. I cannot recommend Witch Doctor products enough. They got me through my acne-pimple days and mine were pretty bad at one point. Tea-tree are also another great product and work in the same way as Witch Doctor (Contains Witch Hazel so any Witch Hazel based product will work). Regular application is needed however to stop the spread of infection.
-Gentle Cleanser. Young skins don't need any harsh chemical based products. A gentle cleanser such as Liz Earle products are ideal. Now I know that many mothers and teens will disagree with spending any real money on teen skins - I personally feel it's at this age you should really start spending the money on products to start caring for your skin naturally and gently saving you many years of even more expensive products to repair damage caused by cheap products.
-Lip Balm. Lip balm is one of those products you can use at any age. The lips simply don't have the ability to hydrate themselves so we need to do it for them.
Twenties
During your twenties your collagen and elastin are still pretty plump and firm, fine lines do start to appear around the eyes in some where as others may not notice them until the later part of their twenties going on thirties. Although visibly there isn't a huge change, the skincare routine does need to start getting more serious.
-Anti-ageing Face Cream. There is a huge range to choose from all I will say is shop around. Find what type you prefer and use it regularly. Of course products that contain SPF are the better option.
-Exfoliator. Exoliators help shed old skin cells and de-plug pores. It's not good to use one daily but every two to three days is fine. If you have combination skin be sure to apply a spot treatment soon after to stop the exoliator spreading the infection and spots around your face.
-Eye Cream. Cream, lotions or balms. It's good to get in to the habit of applying eye cream now before you're forced to apply it. The skin around the eye area is very delicate and can be damaged easily so applying a cream will help keep the elastin in the skin more elastic.
-Masks. Because the skin can be pretty erratic at this point masks can be a great way of temporary helping any issues. If you're dry opt for a nourishing mask, if you're spotty and breakout any detoxing masks should help sooth your skin. I absolutely love Glamglow masks-they're pricey BUT are amazing plain and simple. You can purchase a sample size too for those emergency skincare moments.
-Cleanser. Again there are so many to choose from. If you have combination skin I would say go for a clay based product to suck out the nasties and clean your skin gently. If you have sensitive skins opt for a more plant based cream cleanser.
Thirties
Superficial wrinkles may be visible at this point in your life and your skin may have either started to settle from a combination type to normal or from normal to dry. Keeping your skin hydrated at this point is key as the elastin and collagen start to decrease.
-Anti-Ageing Face Cream. Again shop around and ensure it's SPF based. You may want to consider more of a creamier product rather than a simple lotion.
-Exfoliator. I would start to decrease your exoliation to once a week. The skin starts to become more prone to damage as it ages and tough scrubby exfoliators can cause damage. Opt for a smaller scrub such as Bliss's cleansers as they have micro scrubby bits in them.
- Cleanser. Use a cleanser daily to ensure your face is nice and clean. There are so many to choose from as well as so many brands. Don't feel you need to stick to just one brand either.
- Toner. Toner's work in a similar way to astringents as they re-tighten the skin after washing. I would say this is an optional product and I do personally use a toner but it tends to be a natural one such as rosewater or floral hydrosols.
-Leave on AHA. An AHA or Alpha Hydroxy Acid product actually smooths the appearance of the skin and helps with discolouration. I absolutely adore Etat Pur's Citric Acid AHA and have blogged about it HERE
-Eye Cream. As before you should now be used to using a daily eye cream. I would start upping your application to one in the morning and one at night. Doctor Silver's orders.
-Skin Oils/Serums. Optional of course depending on where you feel your skin's at. If you are starting to get worried about those fine lines I say opt for a facial oil. If you still have combination skin I still urge you to use the oils as it will decrease your sebum production.
Fourties
At fourty you should have a well established skincare routine. The products will remain the same as they where at thirty but you want to swap some items around.
-Facial Oil/Serums. You want to be using either of these products now daily. Apply them after cleansing and toning but before putting on your moisturiser.
-Anti-Ageing Day Cream. You may find your skin has become dryer. Your day cream may now need upgrading to a thicker cream rather than a thin lotion.
-Night Cream. Night creams normally contain higher levels of active ingredients and work to hydrate and nourish your skin while you sleep. Ageing skin requires a higher level of nourishment so a good night cream is ideal at this point.
-Eye Cream. Again just use as before.
-Gentle Cleanser. With the skin becoming thinner, tough scrubby cleansers maybe too harsh and cause more damage than good. Again I fully recommend the Bliss cleanser. It's so gentle but so effective and is ideal for any age.
-Eye Cream. Make sure this is thicker or is specifically aimed at deeper wrinkles. Venom based products are amazing. I can fully vouch for Aldi's venom products as well as low cost brands sold at B and M's.
Fifties
Menopause can cause your skin to suddenly turn crazy. Remember those spots and pimples you had as a teen? they can come back. Pigmentation is a regular occurrence also at this age and combination skin becomes rife. Making some minor adjustments to your routine can help you get yourself through.
You still want to be using the same products as before. Don't skimp on the moisturising as it will lead to you sebum levels to over produce. If you're using a fan to cool yourself down mid hot sweat you will need to make sure you're hydrated.
-Spot Treatment. Witch Hazel or tea-tree as before guys. Apply directly to your spots and pimples before applying your facial oils and moisturisers.
-Mask. Clay based masks again or you can make your own. Mix up some avocado, natural yoghurt and some fresh lemon and apply directly for at least 15 minutes. This moisturises while balancing your skin naturally.
-Cooling Face Spray. Prior to going through the menopause I believed these face sprays were pointless. You can purchase them at most high street stores and they spray a delicate mist of cooling liquid. You can make your own but the spray won't be as fine.
Sixties Plus
You're in your sixties now so menopausal skin complaints should have eased at this point. You want to get back to the routine you used in your fifties. Make sure you're eating healthy and drinking enough fluids at this point to keep your skin glowing.
I would recommend a SPF factor 50+ for your delicate skin and to keep cancer at bay. You're skin is more prone to basal cell cancers at this point so apply that SPF as though it's going out of fashion.
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