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As we age, our skin changes, which means your skincare routine needs some tweaks to get the most out of your products. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve created a guide with effective ingredients, best-performing products, and expert tips to tackle skin concerns like reduced elasticity, increased dryness, fine lines and wrinkles.
We teamed up with Dr Zainab Lafta, Consultant Dermatologist at HCA The Shard, and Dr Ellie Rashid, Consultant Dermatologist and Medical Director at Krilla Pro, to share their advice and guidance on what’s worth your time and money when it comes to your beauty routine.
While you can’t reverse aging, there are plenty of ways to improve hydration, skin suppleness, and skin texture with the help of your skin care routine. Here’s everything you need to know about mature skin.
How does skin change as we age?
As we age, our skin loses collagen and the fatty layer begins to shrink, causing “laxity, thinning, sagging skin, and loss of volume,” says Dr. Lahuta. But that’s not all: Environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution can also contribute to fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation.
When treating patients, the most common concerns about mature skin that Dr. Rashid deals with are loss of elasticity and firmness, increased dryness, and uneven skin tone, along with lines and wrinkles, but there’s a lot you can do in your skincare routine to address all of these issues.
What are the most effective anti-aging ingredients?
If you’re looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, there are over-the-counter products with dermatologist-approved ingredients that can treat just that.
At the top of Dr. Rafter’s list are retinoids: “Retinoids have the most scientific evidence to stimulate collagen and elastin, the important proteins that plump the dermis, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. They can also fade sun-related pigmentation and even out skin tone.”
In our guide to the best retinol creams and serums, Murad Retinal Resculpt Overnight Treatment (£105, Lookfantastic.com) was rated as the best for mature skin. “This powerful, effective formula is a joy to use and left skin feeling soft and hydrated. It’s pricey, yes, but with regular use we think the results will be obvious,” our writer said.
Dr. Rashid is a fan of niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3: “Niacinamide benefits mature skin by improving skin elasticity, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, evening out skin tone, increasing hydration, and reducing redness with its anti-inflammatory properties.”
Our favourite niacinamide serum is Sculpted by Amy’s Hydraglo Serum (£27, Boots.com). It’s formulated with a cocktail of hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide, and it ranked in our guide to the best anti-ageing serums. Testers’ skin felt extra hydrated after just one use, with testers adding that “not only does it smell amazing (it smells of shea butter) and the texture is solid and nourishing, it also blends easily into the skin and feels lightweight.”
Another active ingredient to look out for, says Dr Rashid, is azelaic acid, which helps reduce inflammation and hyperpigmentation: “It has antioxidant properties, helping to protect the skin from oxidative stress and damage.” He also recommends looking at hyaluronic acid, which he says “retains moisture, and the ceramides help support the skin’s barrier function to prevent moisture loss.”
Dr. Rafter recommends using AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), citing glycolic acid as a go-to ingredient for anti-aging: “Glycolic acid reverses photodamage by gently exfoliating the top layer of dead skin cells, fading pigmentation and revealing a healthy glow.”
What are the best skin care products for mature skin?
At IndyBest, we’ve tried hundreds of skincare products to find the best, and in our guide to the best moisturizers for dry skin, our reviewers rated StriVectin Anti-Wrinkle SD Advanced Plus Intensive Moisturising Concentrate (£69, Boots.com) as the best product for mature skin that’s prone to dryness, so moisturising is a key step in any skincare routine.
“This little tube is packed with skincare staples, including collagen, vitamin B3 (aka niacinamide), and hyaluronic acid,” our writer notes, adding that its “thick texture” smoothes the skin and “glides onto skin with almost no effort.” “In a few weeks of testing, we saw an almost immediate improvement in the appearance of dryness, a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, and increased elasticity.”
If you want to slow the signs of ageing, one of the best preventative measures you can take is to use sunscreen every day, says Dr Lafta. And if you want a glowing SPF finish, one beauty writer’s favourite is Antipodes Supernatural SPF50+ Ceramide Silk Facial Sunscreen (£34, Lookfantastic.com). With a rich, nourishing texture that’s non-greasy, it’s sure to give your skin a beautiful all-day glow – not to mention it’s packed with ceramides.
For a more affordable version, Garnier Ambre Solaire Ultra Photosensitive Sunscreen Facial Liquid SPF50+ (£8.71, Lookfantastic.com) made it into our list of the best reviewed facial sunscreens. As well as being great value for money, testers loved how quickly it absorbed into the skin and how hydrating it was thanks to its formula of hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. “It protects against both UVB, UVA and long-wave UVA rays, protecting you in every way.”
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