skin care essentials The Best Skin Care Routine for Your 30s

The Basic Skin Care Routine For Your 30s

Your affordable skin care routine for 30s doesn’t need to become overly complicated; here are five basic steps to base your routine around.

Step 1. Cleanse Your Skin

One thing that shouldn’t change as you enter a new decade is how often you cleanse. You should always wash your face in the morning and at night, no matter your age. That being said, you may want to consider switching up what facial cleanser you use. Try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 3.5% Glycolic Acid Cleanser, which is formulated with both salicylic acid and glycolic acid to gently exfoliate the skin daily. It removes makeup and other impurities for a brighter complexion. It also includes aloe extract to keep the formula from stripping and drying out the skin.

Keep in mind that alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as glycolic acid can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so sun protection is a must. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more as directed, limit your amount of time in the sun, seek shade, and cover up any exposed areas.

Step 2. Apply A Toner

Toner is one of those popular skin care products that everyone knows about, yet, it still gets overlooked as a necessity in one’as skin care routine. Well, if you weren’t using a toner before, now is the perfect time to add one to your regimen. Toner can help to further exfoliate the skin, allowing the products to come after it to really get into the skin to work their magic. Need a rec? We love the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 5% Glycolic Acid Peeling Toner, which helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots over time.

Step 3. Reach For A Serum

The right serum can really help you target skin care concerns that are specific to your skin or skin type. They’re concentrated with potent ingredients such as hyaluronic acid (to hydrate), vitamin C (for much-needed antioxidants), retinol (to reduce the appearance of  wrinkles), and glycolic acid (to improve the look of pores and skin texture). If you’re looking for a great anti-aging serum that works double shifts (morning and night), try the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Cell Renewal Anti-Aging Midnight Serum, formulated with a patented antioxidant and vitamin E to reinforce the skin’s barrier.

Editor’s Tip: For more face serum options to target your skin’s unique needs, check out our article, The Best Lightweight L’Oréal Paris Serums To Add To Your Skin Care Stash.

Step 4. Apply An Eye Treatment

Because the skin around your eyes is so delicate, it’s often the first spot to show signs of aging, such as dark circles and crow’s feet. Reach for an eye cream or serum that can help minimize the appearance of signs of aging around the eyes with continued use over time, like the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Age Perfect Cell Renewal Anti-Aging Eye Cream Treatment or the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives with 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid, 1% Caffeine Eye Serum. Use the rollerball on the latter to massage the serum into your skin in circular motions and enjoy the built-in facial massage while you’re at it. Gently pat any excess with your fingers, then move on to your last essential step.

Step 5. Moisturize And Add Sun Protection (All In One)

As a busy thirtysomething, chances are you may not have quite as much time to spend on your skin care routine as you’d like — even if you’re mainly working from home. But that doesn’t give you a free pass to skip out on sun protection in your 30s — even if you’re mainly working from home. Use a moisturizer formulated with SPF, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30, which combines moisturizing and sunscreen application into one. This moisturizer formulated with broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen is hydrating and helps skin look brighter. Apply it as directed and make sure you’re also taking the other sun protection measures we mentioned earlier.

4 Steps To Add To Your Nighttime Skin Care Routine 

Nighttime provides quite the opportunity to care for your skin. Below, find four additional P.M. steps you may want to add to your regimen to create the best skin care routine for your 30s.

Step 1. Double Cleanse To Remove Makeup At Night 

Cleansing is especially important at night, as you don’t want to sleep in your makeup. When you do that, the makeup can mix with the dirt and oils that have built up on the surface of your skin, leading to clogged pores—and clogged pores can lead to breakouts. To effectively remove all your makeup, try double cleansing with a micellar water like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types. Simply pour some micellar water onto a cotton pad and wipe the pad across your face, then follow up with your rinse-off facial cleanser.

Step 2. Add A Peel Pad To Your Nightly Routine

Before going to bed, take a second to wipe your face with a peel pad post-cleansing. They can physically resurface dead skin cells to reveal the appearance of brighter-looking skin. Wipe the peel pad over clean skin, then follow up with moisturizer.

Step 3. Try A Multi-Purpose Overnight Moisturizer 

Another skin care step you can take pre-slumber is applying the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Cell Renewal Anti-Aging Night Moisturizer. You don’t need to use a moisturizer with SPF at night, so switch out your daytime moisturizer for one that targets specific skin care concerns while you sleep. This anti-aging night cream is made with an exclusive Antioxidant Recovery Complex, derived from bitter orange and vitamin E, to reveal new cells overnight for younger-looking skin. Over time, the skin appears firmer, smoother and more radiant.

Step 4. Add A Face Mask To The Mix

If you find that you have extra dry skin in your 30s, consider using an overnight face mask as the last step in your routine. Many options have hydrating formulas that you can layer on in place of your moisturizer at night. Be sure to follow the instructions included with the product for best results.

Next: 5 Skin Care Products Everyone In Their 30s Should Own

Edited by: Shalwah Evans, Photography: Chaunte Vaughn, Senior Art Director: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Adriana Perez-Bell, Digital Tech: Paul Yem, Model: Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick