Focus On: 30s Skin
In my experience, the 30s are when it starts to hit people that time marches on, and it usually marches right across our faces. What’s a girl to do?
Start with the derm.
If you don’t already have a great relationship with a dermatologist you see at least yearly for skin checks, it’s time to get one. While it’s easy to convince yourself that “No, that mole has been there forever…right?” and write it off, having a pro check it out up close and personal can be valuable, and sometimes even lifesaving. This is also a good time to start checking in with your derm of choice regarding laser treatments and filler, if that’s a cosmetic route that interests you.
Step up your anti-aging.
It’s awesome that you started using Vitamin C and retinol in your 20s, but now’s the time to upgrade your products. Particularly if you don’t want to go for cosmetic dermatology, but you want to slow the visible signs of aging as much as possible, it’s important to start investing in products that have been tried and tested and proven to work well. We can also recommend where in your regimen you can scrimp and save and where you should splurge a little. After all, you don’t need to go completely all-in on anti-aging…yet.
Change your primer.
If you’re wearing foundation on a daily basis, you should either get a good primer or use this new age bracket as an opportunity to reevaluate whether the one you’re currently using is going to be a good choice going forward. As we get older, skin tends to dry out. Now, this is not to say that you’ll hit 30 and suddenly be dry as a bone, but the same level of oiliness you found yourself combating through your early and mid-20s may not be as prevalent in your 30+ skin. Start by looking into hydrating primers to see if they make a positive difference in your makeup life, and go from there.
Get your body skin in order.
You know what they say: your face doesn’t stop at your chin, it stops past your shirt collar. I’ve also heard it called the “portrait area,” if that makes it easier to picture (ha! Puns.) If you’re not regularly using some form of a neck cream, you should find one you like. I used to only talk up the idea that you should pull your regular moisturizer down to your neck and chest, but facial skin really is much more delicate than your neck and chest, and requires different formulations than other areas of your body. Be sure to exfoliate your whole body regularly, too, and wear a body cream that keeps your skin feeling hydrated all day. Other health factors aside, hydrated skin will age better than dehydrated, so keep your skin happy and healthy with moisture all over!
[Editor’s note: ICYMI, we’ve also covered Teen Skin and 20s Skin, with more to come in the series.]
