3 Skin Care Tips for Your 50s

No matter how you personally feel about it, turning 50 calls for celebration. You’ve resided on this planet for half of a century and most likely done at least a few great things along the way. As for what’s next, perhaps grandchildren are in your future, you’ve started making retirement plans, or are finally getting around to embarking on the vacation of your dreams. The fifth decade of life is no doubt an exciting one, but let’s not forget about the elephant in the room: your aging skin. 

Aging is an unavoidable part of life and growing older. No matter how much sunscreen you wear or how many antioxidant serums you slather on your face every day, intrinsic aging is natural and inevitable for us all. What we can control, however, is how knowledgeable we are about our skin concerns—think: wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots—and how to help reduce the chances of them from cropping up prematurely, or what to do to help reduce their appearance once they do. 

To get the full scoop on what exactly can happen to your skin in your 50s, and how to best address these changes, we spoke to a board certified dermatologist, and Skincare.com consultant, Dr. Dendy Engelman. For everything we learned about how to care for your skin in your 50s, read on!

Top Skin Concerns in Your 50s

According to Dr. Engelman, the top skin concerns in your 50s—as she has witnessed—are visibly sagging skin, a loss of volume, and a loss of hydration. Sure, these might sound like three not-so-fun skin concerns to deal with, but don’t fret! There are a few steps you can take to help make them less noticeable. Here’s what Dr. Engelman recommends:

Tip #1: Reach for a Retinoid

If you haven’t already incorporated a product with retinoids into your routine, the time is now!  They can help to bring fresh skin to the surface, and with that comes all sorts of visible positive improvements. Their inherent properties also make retinoids a strong contender for helping to reduce the appearance of winkles and dark spots. If you’re new to retinols, give SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 a try. This refining night cream with 0.5% pure retinol helps revitalize the skin and diminish visible signs of aging. 

Tip #2: Lay On the Moisture

Just like you layer clothing in the winter to stay warm, it’s important to layer up your skin with moisturizing products to help keep your complexion hydrated. As we age, moisture levels naturally decrease, so to help combat any dryness it’s helpful to hydrate your skin as thoroughly as possible.

Despite what you may think, moisture doesn’t only come from a heavy-duty face cream! There are a handful of products out there, including moisturizing gels and serums, that can help boost hydration without leaving behind a thick, heavy feel. Plus, these lighter-weight formulas can actually up the hydration ante when paired with thick face creams. “Start using thicker products to hydrate as well as layering of products,” Dr. Engelman says. In other words, layer on a hydrating serum first—think: SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel—followed by a rich face cream. This two step hydration process can be incredibly beneficial during the cooler months as well, when wind and cold air can suck the moisture out of our complexions. “I tell my clients to layer starting with the thinnest product first,” she explains, “and make sure to include your neck when applying products.”

Tip #3: Don’t Forget Broad-Spectrum SPF

Yes, you should already be applying (and reapplying) broad-spectrum sunscreen each and every day—rain or shine—as directed but now’s an important time to kick your SPF efforts into high gear. Since harmful UV rays are a direct contributor to accelerated skin aging, you’ll want to make sure your skin is adequately protected at all times.

Editor’s note: Make sure your daily sun protection efforts move beyond just sunscreen use. Since there’s currently no sunscreen out there that can fully protect your skin from harm, we recommend pairing your Broad Spectrum sunscreen applications with additional measures, like wearing protective clothing, seeking shade, and avoiding peak sun hours between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Now that you’ve got the expert tips in tow, check out our roundup of the products you need in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond!