What You Need to Know about Skincare for Maturing Skin

Have you come to terms with having ‘mature’ skin now that you’re middle-aged? And are you content with how your skin is ageing? Because let’s be honest, mature, ageing skin is part of midlife and there’s no avoiding it.

I have to admit that I’m not fully comfortable with my maturing, slightly lined skin yet. I know this because I continually find myself searching for the perfect skincare product to improve and minimise my fine lines and wrinkles.

How about you? Do you also find yourself trying new face cleansers, toners, serums and moisturisers in the hope of finding a miracle product that really works? Are you always looking for the next best skincare product for your maturing skin?

Should we even bother with skincare for our maturing skin?

So, midlife is a transition phase in our lives. We know this. Just as we transitioned from being a child to being an adult during our teenage years, we are again transitioning during midlife – this time from being an adult to being an old(er) adult.

And of course, transition means change. So midlife sees you trying your best to get used to your changing face and body and that means learning to accept your wrinkles and that extra weight around your waist (amongst other things).

And even though I know this, it doesn’t make the acceptance of my changing face and body any easier. So that is why I continue to research, try more products and read more articles in my quest to find the best anti-ageing skincare that will slow down this ageing process.

And that is why I say yes, we should bother with skincare – because good skincare does make a difference and if we’ve got at least some control of this ageing process, that’s going to make us feel better about this transition, in my opinion.

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So how do I find the best skincare products for maturing skin?

Nowadays we are bombarded with so much information about anti-ageing skincare that I often find myself overwhelmed and confused as to what is true and what is quite simply fluff and marketing. Yes, the internet and marketers educate us about products and their benefits, but they also show us so many choices that I feel loathe to choose one product over another for fear of making the wrong decision. Also, some products are pricey and who can afford to make a mistake?

I find myself wishing that I could find an independent source that would list and rank all skincare products by effectiveness. But I’ve yet to find one. (If you know of such a site, please let me know.) And with every list, ranking or article, you have to ask yourself who is compiling it, why they’re writing it, and what they’re getting out of it. Because everyone has an angle, don’t they? And everyone seems to be out to make a buck.

If, however, products are ranked and rated by an independent source, and only by ingredients and their clinically proven effectiveness, then we might be onto something.

So yes, there are products out there that are better than most – you just have to know what you’re looking for. Products with purer ingredients and the correct formulation that effectively penetrates the skin and works with your skin to improve the appearance and fine lines are the ones to choose from.

But before I go any further, let me go through a few skincare terms and what they mean. This will go a long way to clarify and simplify what our skin needs to remain healthy and ultimately age well. And it might also help you to choose the best products.

Understanding your skin

What are free radicals?

In a nutshell, a free radical is an unpaired electron. Oxygen atoms split into unpaired electrons (free radicals) all the time in our bodies as a result of various factors – like processing food, during metabolism or as a result of environmental factors.

But here’s where it gets interesting – electrons don’t like to be unpaired, so they go on the hunt for another electron to pair up with, destabilising other atoms when they do this. This causes damage to our cells. And when there is an overload of free radicals in our bodies this causes oxidative stress which is essentially the imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

Ageing is defined as the gradual accumulation of free radical damage. So basically – wrinkles, memory loss, muscle and joint pain, grey hair and ageing are all symptoms of oxidative stress.

So to sum up, the body produces free radicals as a reaction to various internal and external factors, for example, as a result of the chemical process, of metabolism. Certain foods, alcohol, and cigarette smoke also contribute to the formation of free radicals. External factors like sunlight, weather and pollution are also big contributors to the production of free radicals. It comes at us from all angles!

So you often hear people talk about fighting these free radicals to combat ageing, but how do we do this?

The answer is – with antioxidants!

Antioxidants can prevent or slow the damage caused to cells by free radicals. They are molecules in our cells that prevent electrons from pairing up with other electrons and causing damage to the cells. They’re able to give an electron to a free radical without becoming destabilising themselves. Isn’t the human body amazing?

But even though our bodies produce antioxidants, they don’t produce enough to combat all the free radicals we have coming at us nowadays, so we need to acquire more. This can be done by eating antioxidant-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, berries, nuts etc., but more directly, by using topical antioxidants on our skin.

Some important topical antioxidants for maturing skin

Vitamin C – Found naturally in citrus fruits.
Vitamin E – Found in nuts, seeds and green, leafy vegetables.
Ferulic acid – Derived from oats, rice and bran.
Phloretin – Found in apples. Helps to prevent the breakdown of collagen, assists with penetration and reduces pigmentation.
Resveratrol – Derived from grapes, is anti-inflammatory, has defensive properties and promotes longevity in cells.
Vitamin A – Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) – Found naturally in yeast, meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, beans, and cereal grains.

Understanding ageing skin

When it comes to ageing, there are internal and external contributing factors.

Internal factors would include your genes and hormones. We are either born with good genes when it comes to ageing, or we aren’t. And there’s nothing we can do about that.

However, don’t despair because when it comes to external factors, we do have some control. And that’s pretty encouraging because external environmental factors contribute the most to skin ageing. In other words, these things all help your skin age more slowly:

Using a sunblock
Getting enough sleep
Eating a well-balanced diet
Not smoking
Avoiding sunbeds
Cutting down on stress
Helping your skin fight pollution

And we can do all that.

skincare for maturing skin — Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Skincare from your 20s to your 50s

And while I’ve learnt that yes, ‘prevention is better than cure’, it’s never too late to start feeding and protecting your skin whatever age you are. But if you do have children in their early 20s, make sure that they start a good skincare routine as soon as possible. A broad-spectrum sun protection product with an SPF of 30-50, an antioxidant like Vitamin C, and a moisturiser is recommended at this age. Exfoliating twice a week is also advisable.

Prevention and protection should continue into your 30s, but perhaps you could also introduce Retinol (Vitamin A) into your skincare routine at this stage.

And in your 40s, when your skin starts thinning and losing elasticity, adding hyaluronic acid to your routine to plump up your skin by adding moisture, is recommended.

Finally, from your 50s you’ll mainly be focusing on limiting your skin damage and ageing. Also, because menopause (which typically occurs in your early 50s) significantly depletes the skin’s collagen levels which leads to saggy skin, adding a collagen-rich product at this stage is also advised.

All that to say a good anti-ageing skincare routine can make a difference in how your skin ages.

Cleansing is important to get rid of the effects of pollution.
Exfoliants get rid of dead skin cells.
Antioxidant serums fight free radicals.
Hyaluronic acids facilitate firmness and plumpness.
Collagen helps to keep the skin supple by slowing down moisture loss.
Moisturisers hydrate the skin.
Sunscreen prevents further UV damage.

Of course, lasers, chemical peels and injectables can also be used for more improvements – if that’s a route you’re open to pursuing.

So…Skincare for Maturing Skin

Which products would benefit my maturing skin THE MOST?

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps protect the skin against environmental factors by neutralising free radicals. (Apply sunscreen when using this antioxidant.) Helps with sun damage and skin tone. Works well with Vitamin E. Look out for pure ascorbic acid (l-ascorbic acid) on the label.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a healing antioxidant that reduces UV damage to the skin. It’s best in its alpha-tocopherol form.

Ferulic Acid

Ferulic Acid works to boost the benefits of Vitamins A, C & E. It works well when combined with Vitamins C & E, and particularly well with Vitamin C, stabilising it and increasing its ability to minimise sun damage.

Retinol

Retinol is a form of vitamin A (retinoic acid) that is clinically proven to help improve the appearance of maturing skin. It helps improve uneven skin tone, stimulate collagen production, promote cell renewal, and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Look for ‘retinol’ on the product’s list of ingredients. Derivatives such as retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate and retinaldehyde are not as effective.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance capable of holding 1,000 times its weight in water. It’s the body’s natural hydrator, making it an excellent moisturiser.

Collagen

Collagens are protein peptides and among other things, they keep the skin firm, supple and smooth. Over time, our body loses collagen which leads to sagging, wrinkles and dryness. So using a collagen-rich product will help to maintain moisture on the skin.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a vitamin that strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier and reduces the appearance of discolouration and blotchiness. So, if you are prone to discolouration and blotchiness, it would help to use this product. It also improves the skin’s texture and tone so that our skin can absorb our skincare products better. It improves elasticity and firmness by promoting collagen.

What about Hydroxy Acid?

The most well-known is Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which comes from fruits. These fruit acids include citric acid (from citrus fruits), malic acid (from apples) and tartaric acid (from grapes). You might also have heard of Glycolic acid which comes from sugar cane. There is also Lactic acid which comes from milk.

Then there are Beta Hydroxy Acids which are stronger and include one called Salicylic acid. Poly Hydroxy Acids are the gentlest.

And while young skins benefit from Hydroxy Acid peels, Retinol (Vitamin A) is a better choice from the age of 40. Because not only does it speed up cell renewal, but it also stimulates collagen.

Hydroxy Acids and Retinol both help facilitate the skin’s natural exfoliation and minimise the build-up of dead skin cells to improve the appearance of the skin’s tone and texture.

And Sunscreen?

Always wear sunscreen!

So what’s the skincare for maturing skin verdict?

I think I’m slowly realising that there is no ‘miracle cure’ for wrinkles and sagging (except possibly Botox and fillers, of course).

So I have decided to do what all of the good professionals recommend – use products that contain the ingredients that work best for anti-ageing. I’ll then be doing the best I can for my skin to limit damage and slow down the ageing process slightly. I think that’s probably the best I can do. Well, eat healthily, get enough sleep and use sunscreen!

Also, when choosing products, I will make sure that I’m getting the best ingredients made by companies whose products are backed by science that can be backed up by science and clinical proof to support them.

And which products do I use?

Well, after all that, you might be wondering which products I use. And I’ve got to say that I’ve been trying various products recently – trying to find the ones that I feel have the best results for my skin. The jury is still out, but at the moment I’m trying out a range of serums by a company called Garden of Wisdom – and I’m enjoying them. As their pricing is very affordable, I am trying their Vitamin C serum, their Retinol serum, their Hyaluronic Acid serum and their Niacinamide serum!

I am also using a cleanser and moisturizer by La Rouche-Posay which I am enjoying. It makes my skin feel incredibly smooth which I love.

Next on my list of products to try will be the Danné Montague-King (DMK) skincare range. I have been having DMK facials for the past few months and I love their longevity and how the products make my skin feel.

What are your thoughts on skincare for maturing skin? Are there any products in your skincare routine that you swear by and cannot live without?

Interesting article: ‘No cream can reverse ageing’, but experts say some do more than others

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