Your skin changes and faces new challenges with every decade. While you may have been blasé about your skincare routine in your 20s, in your 30s, its time to get serious about your skin. Your skin will likely start to show signs of aging, and you may experience issues like hormonal acne and volume loss. It’s crucial to adopt a good skincare routine for your 30s. Here’s what you need to know.
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Skincare Routine For Your 30s: The Basics
During your 30s, your hormone levels start to decrease and your collagen and elastin production lowers. Cell turnover becomes slower in your 30s and your skin doesn’t bounce back like it once did. You may also be experiencing hormonal breakouts or late-in-life acne. By the time you hit 30, your skin will likely show signs of late nights and environmental and UV damage that show up as fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and even volume loss. The earlier you start taking care of your skin the better, but it’s never too late to adopt a good skin care routine. And 30 is still incredibly young. If you implement good habits now, you’re setting yourself up for amazing skin in the future.
Skincare Routine For Your 30s: 4 Mistakes to Avoid
1. Having the same skincare routine morning and night
Your skin has different needs in the day and at night. During the day, your skin needs to protect itself from free radicals and UV rays. Use an antioxidant serum and make sure to wear sunscreen everyday. In the evening, your skin switches to repair mode, so it’s important to keep it well moisturized. Incorporate products like retinol, peptides, chemical exfoliation, and night cream to help rejuvenate your skin.
2. Using makeup wipes instead of a proper cleanser
Makeup wipes dehydrate the skin and spread dirt and grime all over your face. They don’t really cleanse your face all that much. Switch to a gentle cleansing lotion or gel to remove your makeup thoroughly and actually cleanse your skin. It’s important to be diligent about cleansing your face to remove makeup, dirt, and bacteria from your skin. This will allow serums and moisturizers to be fully saturated.
3. Underestimating the importance of hydration
Due to the natural loss of hyaluronic acid as we get older, our skin’s ability to retain water weakens. Add an extra hydrating step to your skincare routine, such as a hydrating essence like the Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner. A hydrating product like this helps bring water into the cells. Top it with a delicious moisturizer, which seals the moisture in and boosts retention. Hyaluronic acid is another product that plumps your cells with moisture.
4. Not wearing sunscreen everyday
Sunscreen is non-negotiable and if you haven’t been wearing it everyday, it’s time to start now. It’s the most beneficial product you can use when it comes to preventative aging. Just make sure to find a sunscreen that works with your skin type as the wrong one can lead to breakouts.
Skincare Routine For Your 30s: 5 Habits to Start
1. Introduce anti-aging products, such as an over-the-counter retinol to your routine. Retinol is one of the best anti-aging ingredients, as it smooths the texture of skin and makes lines, wrinkles, and pores less visible. Start by using it one to two times per week, and gradually build up to three to four nights a week. Once you’ve been using it for six to nine months, you can switch to a prescription retinol product, which will be stronger and more effective.
2. Don’t forget about your neck and décolletage. These are more delicate parts of the body that show signs of aging first. It’s not enough to rub leftover moisturizer from your face down to your neck. Slather on a second full application of skincare to your neck, as well as your décolletage. This ensures the whole area gets properly moisturized and reaps the benefits of your skincare products.
3. Use an under eye cream. The under eye area is extremely delicate and since it pretty much has no oil glands, it’s one of the first areas of the face to show signs of aging from facial expressions like squinting and smiling. Apply eye cream to the orbital bone around the eyes- the bone right above your cheekbones.
4. Up your antioxidants. While it’s important to get antioxidants from your diet, you should be getting them from your skincare too. One of the best products to use is a vitamin C serum. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your skin from environmental damage and free radicals. It can help fend off fine lines and hyperpigmentation and is a great product to have in your anti-aging arsenal.
5. Regular exfoliation. Exfoliation is a crucial part of a good skincare regimen. It helps remove dead skin cells, resulting in soft, glowing skin. Use a chemical exfoliator (AHA or BHA acid) one to three times a week. Read the label and start slow, especially if you’re using actives like retinol and vitamin C acids.
Skincare Routine For Your 30s: 7 Best Products
1. Tula the Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser
With probiotic extracts and skin superfoods, this foaming gel cleanser removes makeup and impurities and helps condition the skin.
2. Cosmedica Hyaluronic Acid
Use this to boost the hydration of your skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and reveal a youthful complexion.
3. Bliss Bright Idea Vitamin C and Tri-Peptide Serum
Not only does this serum contain vitamin C, it also has tri-peptides to boost and protect collagen levels and green tea extract for even more antioxidants. The serum works to brighten your complexion, reduce dark spots, and boost elasticity.
4. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This leave-on exfoliator contains 2% BHA to unclog and minimize pores, exfoliate dead skin cells, and brighten and even out skin tone for a youthful complexion.
5. EltaMD UV Clear Sunscreen
This oil-free mineral sunscreen uses natural active ingredients to protect you from the sun. It’s lightweight and silky, and works well for sensitive skin types prone to acne and rosacea.
6. SkinMedica Retinol Complex 0.5
This retinol cream stimulates collagen production and boosts cell renewal to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It enhances skin tone and texture, and renews the skin.
7. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane
This ultra-hydrating face cream works to reduce redness, nourish the skin, and balance the skin’s driest areas. Made with squalane, it soothes and locks in moisture for 24 hours, giving you a healthier complexion.
If you’re in your thirties, add these steps and products to your skincare routine!
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