What Your Skin Needs During your Twenties, Thirties, Forties and Beyond

What your skin needs and goes through in your 20’s is much different than in your 30’s, 40’s and even 50’s! Knowing about the different phases your skin goes through is so important to make sure you are treating your skin with the correct products to age beautifully and gracefully. Keeping your skin radiant and glowing as you age is possible with the right knowledge, products and care.

Twenties

These are the glory years! Your skin is at its most beautiful, resilient and elastic. However, even though wrinkles are almost non-existent, this is when the signs of ageing begin to surface. If a skin care regime wasn’t followed in childhood or adolescence, it is of vital importance to do so now in order to reap the rewards in later years.

From twenty to thirty most people have relatively good skin and few people think of actively combating ageing or sun damage, nor skin cancer. This is often the time when outdoor activities are high on the list and sun exposure is quite high. “Safe sun” with enough time to produce good vitamin D levels (20 minutes) should be practiced while avoiding episodes of sun burn and over-exposure to ultra violet rays.

In order to delay the visible effects of ageing; one should use a skincare range containing vitamin A peptides and antioxidants. A broad spectrum sunscreen should be applied daily in both summer and winter. Environ Facials, incorporating both iontophoresis and sonophoresis with the DF Machine should be done at least once a month and eye and lip care should become part of your daily routine.

In your 30’s

The fun had in the 20s – parties, sunbathing, drinking and smoking – starts to show on one’s skin. Skin is changing and it begins to thin, making it more vulnerable to the environment. This is also the career-building, child-rearing decade so skin may suffer the ravages of too-little sleep and added stress.

This is when first wrinkles start developing; skin cells begin gradually losing elasticity, moisture lessens and the surface of the skin becomes drier. Cell turnover slows down and the complexion becomes less toned and uneven. Light wrinkles on the forehead, laughter lines, crow’s feet and under-eye puffiness may start to show.

In order to put off these ageing effects, you should step up your skincare routine by using richer moisturisers containing stronger doses of vitamin A and antioxidants. It is also best to focus on protective skincare during the day, by using a broad spectrum sunscreen as well as day and night moisturisers containing vitamin A. Start using a skin-brightening Vitamin C product like Environ C-Boost to undo that past damage and to achieve a more even skin tone. Light peels are also recommended. 

Women are in the unfortunate position that their hormone levels fluctuate continually from puberty to menopause. The sensitivity of skin to these hormones varies greatly between individuals and in the worst cases, outbreaks can occur before, during or after each menstruation.

Pregnancy can also present an enormous challenge to the skin and a large number of changes and conditions may be seen during this state of extremely high hormone levels. Some of the most noticeable are the changes in pigment, the appearance of stretch marks, spider veins and sagging skin. The best chance one has to counter the effects of pregnancy on the skin is to prevent chronic vitamin A deficiency.  Topical application of Vitamin A in pregnancy will assist in reducing the appearance of stretch marks and pigmentation.

By the time you hit your 40’s 

At this stage, wrinkles are generally in full force and making themselves at home on the forehead and the areas around the mouth and eyes, while bags may appear under the eyes, accompanied by dark circles. Fine lines become deeper and skin shows the first signs of sagging. One may notice that overnight pillow creases last longer because skin loses the ability to plump back up, due to the breakdown of elastin and collagen. Skin gets “lazier” and starts to lose its ability to regenerate by itself, often needing stimulation to do so. Skin becomes thin because of a general lack of vitamin A, sun damage, loss of sex hormones, general aging and excess exposure to cortisone.

Continuous exfoliation by mechanical or chemical means, will eventually also lead to thinner and more vulnerable skin, so it is important not to over-exfoliate. If the skin is not assisted by proper nutrition of all elements which contribute to healthy cell behaviour, the end result will be malnutrition. Just as humans become very thin when they are starving and undernourished, so too does the skin, when it lacks essential vitamins and nutrients.

Environ moisturisers contain essential vitamins and antioxidants to assist the skin for a healthier appearance.

In your 50’s 

Hormonal changes come into play and make an impact on your skin. This is a time when your oil glands are less active so your skin can really become dry and sensitive. Wrinkles and a loss of firmness are also often experienced at this age. Facial skin becomes dehydrated, loses elasticity, is less dense and brown pigment spots may appear on the surface. Less collagen is produced. Skin begins to sag, the jowls and jaw line lose firmness and the face becomes “flatter” as it loses volume. Lips become thinner and the neck starts showing signs of discoloration and wrinkles.

High levels of vitamin A and C are a must for the skin at this stage in one’s life. A good alternative would be an oil-based serum that’s naturally rich in Vitamin A. Environ products such as the Ionzyme C-Quence range, Original Ultra Day and Night or AVST 5 as well as C-Boost from the Intensive Range may assist in providing these essential vitamins.

Menopausal acne can be a concern for some women in this life stage, often affecting those who have had mild acne during the onset of puberty and clear skins thereafter. The onset of menopause is distressing enough without the fear of developing acne so ensure you feed your skin with enough vitamin A, C and antioxidants to avoid this added stress.

Men are luckier in this regard. Only a few individuals will experience persistent acne after puberty and young adulthood as acne does not often reappear in males, later in life, as it does with females.

Testosterone levels in men remain fairly constant and the sebum glands appear to adapt over time with acne settling down in the process. Only about fifteen percent of men experience a true hormonal “change of life” resulting in dramatically lowered testosterone after fifty to sixty years of age.

Fifty is certainly not old! Following a good skin care regime with products containing essential vitamins and antioxidants will assist mature skin to have a softer, smoother appearance.

Sixties +

The skin requirements of this age group does not materially differ from other age groups and they will be equally well served by applying sufficient doses of topical vitamin A and other essential vitamins and antioxidants, as found in Environ products, as part of their daily skin care regime.

No matter what age you are, here are some every day tips to always remember.

• Water Water Water! Always remember to drink water throughout the day. Our bodies are consisted of 50% water and we lose a lot during the day in normal bodily functions.
• We have to protect our skin from the damaging rays of the sun. Whether spending the day at the beach or running errands. You can protect your skin by using sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher. You should apply sunscreen everyday to skin that is not covered by clothing.
• Wash your face morning and night, especially after sweating. Perspiration irritates the skin so make sure to wash your face as soon as possible after sweating.
• Apply a facial moisturizer everyday. Moisturizer traps water in the skin, giving it a more youthful glow and appearance.

*Always consult with your Aesthetician  before starting a skin care program.

* All Environ products mentioned in this post are available for purchase at our our location. Call or email us to learn more.