In these 44 years, I have spent almost a decade experimenting with my skincare products. Over the years, I have gone through many changes in my skin. As a teenager, I had oily combination skin and had never faced any breakouts. During my early twenties, I faced my first skin-related issues of discolouration and excessive tanning. My mid-20s was the worst phase for my skin, as I started to break out often and developed textured skin. That is when I decided to invest my bucks in skincare. I started using Pharmacy products from Vichy. It helped to smooth my skin’s texture and eliminate the blemish spots. When I got an idea about my skin behaviour, I focused on maintaining my newly found good skin and further enhancing it to glowing skin.
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My early 30s were pretty good in terms of skin. However, things started to change during my mid-30s, with my skin becoming very dry. And now that I will be hitting my mid-40s, I have started to face blemish issues and some textured skin. I have been researching and using some skincare ingredients since I hit my 40s. Today I list a few ingredients that I found extremely useful for those in their 40s.
Top 5 Skincare Ingredients for Your 40s:
1 Retinol: Retinol is a Vitamin A derivative, and it helps fade age spots and acne scars and helps reduce the signs of ageing, like fine lines and wrinkles. It has been proven to be the most beneficial ingredient having anti-ageing benefits. Retinols can be used in the form of serums or creams and is best used during the night time. It is also important to use sunscreen the next morning. It helps in skin cell turnover and unclogs pores, making the skin look plumper and smoother.
2 Vitamin C: Vitamin C promotes collagen production in the skin and helps to brighten the skin. It is a hydrating ingredient that makes the skin look spotless. It helps protect the skin from radical UV damage, so it is highly recommended to be used during the day, followed by sunscreen. It helps to make skin more luminous and firmer. It also helps promote collagen production in the skin, thus improving its elasticity.
3 Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that helps retain moisture in the skin. It makes the skin plumper and softer if used daily. It is especially useful after exfoliating the skin and along with retinol. It is a very versatile ingredient that can be used in conjecture with any other ingredient.
4 Niacinamide: It is a form of Vitamin B3 that helps reduce spots such as blemish marks, acne scars etc. It also helps to reduce the appearance of large pores quite effectively. It works great with hyaluronic acid and retinol. An even toned and smoother complexion can be achieved by regularly including niacinamide in skin care.
5 Peptide: Peptides are a small chain of proteins that helps to repair the skin’s barrier. If used consistently, they can boost the skin’s collagen production, thus making skin more supple and youthful. It also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Including peptides in a skincare routine can make the skin firmer and smoother. It also works well with ceramides.
These are the top 5 ingredients that helped my skincare journey after I hit the other side of 40. Please note that my skin is dry, and I require very hydrating and mostly emollient products to tackle my dryness. Apart from these, I also make sure that I use AHA/BHA products twice a week to exfoliate my skin. What are your suggestions for skincare in your 40s?
