Expert Skincare Tips For Your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, And Beyond

Time zooms by pretty fast. One day you’re all looking fresh and radiant and, before you know it, you’re now looking at your reflection you might not even recognize. Same you, but with a wrinkly forehead and a sagging jowl.

With the help of this country’s finest skin care experts, we’ll take you on a tour of your skin and equip you with tips and insider infos on how to best take care of the largest organ of your body at every stage of your life.

 

20s, Kathryn Bernardo. Photo: @bernardokath

Your 20s

SKIN PROFILE: This is your skin’s prime, according to dermatologists, and this is also the high time when you tend to abuse it a little too often just because, well, you can. However, experts warn that albeit your skin is fairly at its best on this stage, it is still living and breathing and is not exempted from effects of aging in the future.

“When you’re younger, you still have a lot of collagen and that’s the biggest difference. The younger skin is usually lifted and thicker,” explains Dr. Vicki Belo of Belo Medical Group. “If I were in my 20s, I would already start maintenance or prevention.”

 

Stop doing these

Bad habits like sleeping late, which, as observed by Dr. Belo in the last four years, is more prevalent in the younger generation in this day and age of technology. “[Sleeping late] destroys the natural rhythm of the body,” she says. “If you continue to sleep later, you secrete the hormone cortisol and that causes stress so you look stressed. Your [undereye] circles become really dark.”

Along with proper sleep, Dr. Jean Marquez, founder of DARE clinic, emphasizes the importance of washing the face and getting rid of all the gunk before hitting the sack. “Start your skincare regimen and use simple products,” she says. “Don’t use products that are too heavy on your face. Those that have ingredients that don’t get absorbed easily. It stays on top [of the skin] and clog the pores.”

 

Do these instead

Get the most basic skin care routine you can get your hands on according to your skin type. This kind of routine you do on your 20s is essential. It creates a habit, a foundation that your skin will thank you for in the next few years.

Product Picks:

Clinique Pep Start Hydro Rush Moisturizer, Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask, Clinique Pep Start 2 in 1 Exfoliating Cleanser

 

 

30s, Jodi Sta. Maria. Photo: @jodistamaria

Your 30s

SKIN PROFILE: Once you reach this age, you’ll start noticing deeper wrinkles around your eyes and mouth as metabolism starts to slow down. “This causes the levels of collagen and elastin in your skin tissue to break down, making your skin thinner and less plump,” explains Dr. Grace Beltran, dermatologist, genitologist, and cosmetic surgeon, St. Luke’s Medical Center. “Your skin will also start to get [and look] tired. There will be age spots on your [face] and hands and possibly broken capillaries on your cheeks.”

 

Stop doing these

Being busy is not an excuse not to slather on a sun protection product before you head out. Christine Lavina, professional makeup artist and Project Skincare PH founder, stresses the importance of a good ‘ol sun screen: “If you don’t protect your skin from the harmful sun, all the other skincare products you use to address your concerns won’t be as effective or may actually cause more damage. It’s a waste of money, time, and effort.”

Since your skin becomes thinner as it ages, Dr. Beltran says that you should also refrain from “rubbing your eyes, squinting, lifting your eyebrows every time you put on your contact lenses” to prevent more wrinkles.

 

Do these instead

Although aging is as natural as breathing, it won’t hurt to slow it down a bit and enjoy youth a little longer. You might want to get a head start on supplements, if you haven’t yet. “Niacinamide or vitamin B3, is what you need to start using to rev up your metabolism for younger-looking skin,” recommends Dr. Beltran. “Niacinamide can also be found in many face creams.”

More advanced creams and serums that are targeted for specific concerns should now be included in your basic skincare routine, too.

Product Picks:

Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream, Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2x/Day Exfoliator 2, Origins Mega Mushroom Serum

 

READ: Facial Acupuncture May Be The Key To Your Anti-Aging Woes

 

 

40s, Ina Raymundo. Photo: @inaraymundo95

Your 40s

SKIN PROFILE: Welcome to the age of the obvious. Fine lines, wrinkles, and folds are more prominent than before. “You’ve lost 40 percent of your collagen and elastin and hindi mo na yan ma-cocover, halata na ‘yan,” explains Dr. Belo. “Your eyebrows droop and the skin around your eyes thins so you have more eyelids. Your nose seems to be getting bigger and starts to droop because the elastin tissue around your pores is already weak. Your nasolabial folds become obvious as well.”

 

Stop doing these

There are still a chosen few who are scared of trying out the latest skin technology and innovations, be a little braver and be among the ones who try. You’ve reached the stage where you can now start looking out for the best non-invasive procedures that can best work together with your present skin care routine.

Dr. Belo also warns against using and doing too many things that might burn the neck such as peeling. “[Your skin] doesn’t have the ability to heal faster that’s why it starts looking older, thinner, and not firm.”

 

Do these instead

“Hindi na nakukuha ang [desired results] sa products lang at this age,” says Dr. Marquez. “Start using something for volume loss such as fillers and non-invasive lifting treatments like ultherapy.”

 

And as we all know, what you eat in private shows up in public. That’s why Dr. Beltran’s all for the good stuff that we take in. Vitamin C and peptides should be taken to boost collagen and elastin. Vitamin D from fish, liver, and mushrooms, too! “7 out of 10 women are vitamin D deficient,” she explains. “Vitamin D is a happy hormone and when hormones are balanced a lot of skin conditions will improve such as rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and heavy wrinkling.”

 

READ: Supplement Shopping: When To Do It And How

Product Picks:

Origins Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion, Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

 

 

50s, Cherie Gil. Photo: @macherieamor

Your 50s, 60s, and beyond

SKIN PROFILE: During your fifties, your skin becomes increasingly drier, most especially in women who are going through menopause because of a decrease in estrogen levels. More sunspots will start to appear and the skin will feel rough. Dr. Beltran adds that by this time, “the skin now takes at least two months for your cells to turn over”, thus, your skin will definitely appear not as lifted or tight as when you were in your 20s or 30s. “The skin is so loose that you can pull it and it already looks like a rubber band,” says Dr. Belo. “Your lids are already [drooping] and covering your eyes.”

 

Stop doing these

Using toners that have high alcohol content may not be the best step at this age, so better skip it or change into a product that hydrates and moisturizes.

 

Do these instead

Once you hit the 50s, you may now start adding more or modifying your basic skincare routine that you’ve had when you were in your 20s. Non-invasive procedures may also be considered, including fillers that use natural substances to replenish what [your body] is no longer producing, suggests Dr. Beltran. Hydration is key and you can get it from moisturizers, lots of water, and healthy food. In other cases, surgery may be the answer, she adds.

“Enerjet will be so good to do in your 50s because it goes in really deep and even up to a year later, [your skin] is still getting better,” says Dr. Belo. “As you get older, your skin cells get lazy pero with the Enerjet’s blast, ginigising nya yung cells and then it starts to make new collagen and elastin again.”

Product Picks:

Origins Plantscription Powerful Lifting Cream, Origins Drink Up Intensive, Clinique Smart Night Custom-Repair Moisturizer

 

READ: 9 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Help You Age Gracefully

 

 

Lead product photos from @intothegloss. Model photo by Seven Barretto.