The Best Skin Care Routine for Aging Skin

There are a lot of great things about getting older—you’re kicking butt in your career and you feel more confident than ever, for starters. But chances are, you wouldn't put visible wrinkles and noticeable skin dryness on that list, right? Nope, we thought not! The good news is, there are some easy ways to help care for aging skin when you're in your 40s and 50s—and we’re not just talking about the basics like facial moisturizer and eye cream, which you likely already know. Add the following anti-aging tips to your skin care routine ASAP!

1. TRY A CREAM CLEANSER

Regardless of your skin type or skin care concerns, cleansing should be part of your daily beauty routine. But if you have visibly aging skin, it could be a good idea to opt for a cream cleanser rather than a foaming one. As skin matures, it loses moisture, nutrients, and natural oils, resulting in skin that looks—and feels—drier. A creamy cleanser can help replenish moisture to the surface of your skin for a fresh look!

The L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Nourishing Cream Cleanser is formulated with replenishing oils and gently removes all traces of makeup. Cleanse without over-drying for softer, smoother, more supple skin. Every morning and evening, lather the cleanser in wet hands, before gently massaging it onto skin. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Cleansing at night is important as well. When you sleep in your makeup, it can mix with the dirt and excess oils on the surface of your skin, possibly leading to clogged pores. So, don’t skip out on washing your face before bed—whether you want to use your morning cleanser again or opt for a no-rinse option (i.e. micellar water or face wipes) instead.

2. EXFOLIATE WEEKLY

When it comes to exfoliation, keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different. While some people can handle daily exfoliation (with the right skin care products), others may only be able to tolerate exfoliating once or twice a week. Pay attention to how your skin responds to determine what works for you. That said, if you notice visible signs of aging, exfoliation should be part of your skin care regimen because sloughing off dead skin cells is an important anti-aging measure. Reach for a gentle facial exfoliator, such as the L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser, which contains micro-pearls to help exfoliate away dullness and bring out more radiant-looking skin.

Editor’s tip: Some facial exfoliators, such as the L'Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Nourish & Soften Cocoa Scrub, can also be used on your lips. Aim to use a lip scrub once or twice a week before applying your lipstick to keep your pout looking its very best.

3. APPLY A SERUM

Once skin is cleansed, you’re ready to move on to serum. Find the right one for your aging skin concerns below:

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Golden Serum: As you age, cell regeneration can slow down, causing a decrease in your skin’s overall vitality and radiance. Skin instantly feels smoother and softer and appears refreshed after using this non-greasy, lightweight serum, while skin feels firmer and renewed with continued use over time. Apply the serum to cleansed skin morning and night.

L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum: As women mature, their skin is gradually depleted of essential nutrients, which results in less-hydrated skin. Additionally, with years of environmental damage—like the sun’s aging rays—skin can become dull and parched and can lose its resilience. This serum helps to replenish skin’s protective moisture barrier and helps skin look more radiant. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid, which helps to replenish moisture for softer, more supple skin. Apply it on freshly cleansed skin before moisturizing, morning and night. When you're in a rush, you can also use it as a lightweight alternative to moisturizer. Place two to three drops in your hand and gently smooth it over your entire face and neck until thoroughly absorbed.

L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum: As the name suggests, this targeted serum contains 10% pure vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, which is a powerful natural antioxidant. As you may know, vitamin C is naturally found in the skin but over time, we lose the ability to produce it. Apply this serum to clean skin in the morning and evening, before you layer on your moisturizer.

4. TRY A FACIAL OIL IN THE MORNING

As skin matures, natural oil production can decrease. Daily exposure to harmful UV rays further compromises its ability to retain moisture, leaving skin looking dehydrated and lackluster. Use a lightweight, non-greasy facial oil that absorbs quickly to nourish mature skin. Every morning, gently smooth on four to five drops, spreading the oil from your nose to your ears and outer eye area, then from your eyebrows to your hairline, then from your neck to jawline, and finally onto your upper chest until absorbed.

5. USE A TARGETED EYE CREAM

Don’t only pay attention to your face—show your eye area some love too! Choose an eye cream that addresses the visible signs of skin aging you see around your eyes, whether that’s visible dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, or under-eye bags. Try the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Eye Renewal Eye Cream, which can help immediately hydrate your skin and diminish the look of dark circles, under-eye bags, and wrinkles with continued use over time. It can also help make your eye area radiant with continued use. Apply a small amount around your entire eye area using your fingertips and pat gently until thoroughly absorbed. Use morning and night. If crow’s feet are of particular concern to you, reach for an eye cream formulated to fight wrinkles around the eyes, such as the L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Miracle Blue Eye.

Editor’s note: Honestly, you’re never too young to start using an eye cream. Even if you haven’t started seeing signs of aging, eye cream should have a place in your routine. If you think anti-aging skin care isn’t relevant to you, check out our article, 6 Anti-Aging Tips for Beginners.

6. REACH FOR A WRINKLE CREAM AT NIGHT

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, your skin is more capable of repairing itself while you sleep—so why not apply a wrinkle cream before you drift off? Try the L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 45+ Moisturizer or L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 55+ Moisturizer.

7. USE MOISTURIZER ON YOUR NECK AND DéCOLLETAGE TOO

When you apply your facial moisturizer in the morning and evening (atop your serum, underneath your makeup), don’t stop at your jawline. Apply moisturizer to your neck and chest area too. Think about it: This area is just as prone to becoming dry and showing signs of fine lines, so it’s important to protect and prevent. Reach for a moisturizer that’s formulated to revive skin tone and stimulate skin cell renewal, like the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer. In addition to the above, this lightweight cream is a natural pink color, which revives the natural pink that often gets lost as skin ages.

If your neck and décolletage want to get in on a skin care trend, let us point you in the direction of manuka honey. This potent anti-aging skin care ingredient contains nurturing, natural oils that provide non-sticky, long-lasting hydration. To incorporate it into your routine when caring for your neck and chest, try using the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra Nutrition Manuka Honey Day Cream in the mornings and the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra Nutrition Manuka Honey Night Balm before bed. If your skin is feeling really dry, use a manuka honey balm, like the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra Nutrition Manuka Honey All Over Balm, for even deeper moisturizing. This balm is a true multi-tasker: It can be used on your face, neck, chest, and hands!

8.REMOVE MAKEUP GENTLY

Too much harsh rubbing and scrubbing isn’t good for skin of any age, so it’s important to remove your daily makeup without irritating your skin—especially around your eyes. That’s why using a micellar water, which is formulated to remove makeup, dirt, and debris in an extra-gentle manner, is a great choice. There are even different formulas of micellar water for different skin care concerns. If you’re prone to dryness, reach for the L'Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanse – Normal to Dry Skin. If you wear waterproof makeup often, try the L'Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types. For more detailed information on how to choose and use micellar water in your skin care and makeup routines, read our articles The How, When and Whys of Micellar Water and 5 Benefits of Using Micellar Water.

Next, it’s time to tackle your makeup routine! That’s right, if you have aging skin, it could impact how you should apply foundation, eye shadow, and everything in-between. Who knew? Here are 8 Makeup Tips for Women Over 50.