Why does mature skin look dull?
When it comes to aging, we tend to focus primarily on our skin. Countless formulas promise dazzling benefits, but it can be very confusing when you’re trying to stick to a daily skincare routine. You may notice that our skin type changes as we age. Generally, we have oily skin during our teenage years and are often troubled by rashes and spots until we’re 25 and older. At age 30, skin starts to show signs of aging, with fine lines, crow’s feet, and facial wrinkles becoming noticeable. But for today’s topic, we’re going to explore why our skin looks dry and dull. Skincare routines don’t usually change much over the years, which is why you may be confused when your mature skin looks dull.
The way our skin works is by renewing skin cells. The process takes about 28 days. For young skin, this is quick and easy, but over time, the cellular process slows down, often resulting in a buildup of dead skin cells that mask signs of the glowing skin underneath. With this in mind, we’re going to explore how to combat this issue and make dull mature skin a thing of the past!
How to Get Glowing Mature Skin?
Ingredients that work for your skin really only start to work once you are over 40. If you haven’t done so at this point, now is the perfect time to introduce a skincare formula containing AHAs that is suitable for your skin type. For example, for mature skin that is prone to dryness, lactic acid may be the best chemical peel. If you want to learn more about AHAs and their benefits for your skin, there is a blog post that explains them all.
I will now share with you a simple daily skincare routine that contains effective ingredients to fight dull skin.
Cleansing Products
Cleaning your skin with rich, creamy formulas can help remove dirt, bacteria, or impurities that often find their way into the skin and make it look dull. Not only do they remove dirt, but they also loosen the bonds of dead skin cells to the surface of the skin.
Chemical Exfoliating Toners
After using a milky, foam-free cleanser, using a toner with powerful ingredients such as glycolic acid or lactic acid can help remove the buildup of dead skin cells that can make your skin look dull and gray.
Using Two Serums at the Same Time
There is no limit to how many serums you can apply to your skin. However, I found two that contain different ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. Both target the lower layers of the skin and provide different skin benefits. For example, hyaluronic acid is a humectant that locks moisture into the skin, moisturizing and plumping the skin, reducing fine lines, skin flakes, and dullness.
Switch to a Night Formula
You’ll notice that night creams, moisturizers, and oils have slightly different formulas than daytime products. Our bodies regenerate while we sleep, which is why you’ll find that skincare designed for the evening contains more ingredients that give the skin the help it needs to regenerate and repair any damage it suffered during the day.
Use Night Care Products
Products used at night, such as masks and oils, have similar benefits to the night creams mentioned earlier. But the difference is that you can expect a more noticeable impact on the overall appearance of your skin, as this is one of the advantages of using night care products. The results are usually short-lived, which is why it’s a good idea to combine night care products with night care products.
Retinoids Are Your Best Friend
Admittedly, retinoids are one of the most difficult ingredients to use. What I mean by this is that incorporating retinol into your evening routine is a long process that requires time and patience to avoid the side effects that often occur when used improperly. However, if you use it correctly, you will be surprised at how your skin looks and feels once tolerance is built up. If you have concerns about using retinol, it is best to consult a doctor, dermatologist or medical professional for further advice. All you need to know about retinol can be found in this blog post about its efficacy and skin care benefits.
The Last Step – SPF
Skin can appear dull, dingy and grey when it is damaged by free radicals. This condition usually occurs due to overexposure to harmful UV rays as well as pollution and other environmental factors. SPF not only prevents your skin from burning or developing signs of hyperpigmentation and dark spots that are signs of sun damage. SPF also creates a protective barrier on the skin that fights impurities and keeps them away from the skin.
What makes the face look younger?
In addition to the skin care routine we have shared here, you can also make your skin look younger with some simple lifestyle changes:
Get enough sleep – tired skin looks just like aged skin. Try to get 8 hours of sleep every night to keep your complexion looking younger (after all, it’s called beauty sleep for a reason)
Use a silk pillow – it’s gentle on the skin and helps improve overall texture and appearance
Get some exercise – moving around stimulates circulation and even sweating can draw out toxins from your skin, leaving you with a glowing glow!
Body brush – don’t forget that the skin on your body can also look dull. Using a body brush can stimulate circulation and boost skin health.
Drink enough water – Even though your skin is your largest organ, it rarely gets enough water. So make sure to drink as much water as possible and use products with moisturizing ingredients to keep your skin looking radiant and youthful.
Quit smoking – I don’t need to go into too much detail, you know it yourself, it’s not good for you and even worse for your skin. Do your best to stop.
Avoid alcohol – Just like smoking, you know it’s bad for you, so try to cut back on your drinking. Your skin will thank you.
These are some additional changes or additions you can incorporate into your daily routine. You’ll be surprised at the difference even the smallest changes you make make!
What are the best moisturizers for over 50?
If you’re over 50 and searching for a moisturizer, here are some key ingredients to look out for:
Everyday Ingredients
Vitamin C
Hyaluronic Acid
Niacinamide
SPF 30 and up
Vitamin E
Night Ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid
Retinoids
Vitamin E
Lactic Acid
Finding a moisturizer with any of these ingredients will keep your skin healthy and youthful. Whether you follow these tips to the letter or choose the ones that work best for you and your lifestyle, you’ll see a huge improvement in the appearance of your skin.
If you have any other questions or need advice on your skincare routine, visit us on Instagram. I’d be happy to help!
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
