Whether you're 25 and still using the same products you did in high school,or 45 and caring for your skin the same way you did on your wedding day,chances are you're in need of a skin-care and cosmetics makeover.
Experts say that plenty of women are stuck in a beauty time warp. They maybe trying to re-create the look they had during a time when they were happiest,or simply unaware of what's new in skin care and makeup.
To help you get up to speed, WebMD asked some experts to clue you in on howskin ages and what you need to look your best during each decade of life.
Your 20s and 30s
For many, this is a time to say goodbye to teen acne angst and hello to abrighter, more radiant complexion. Unfortunately, experts say, this is also thetime when many women make the biggest all-time skin care mistake: They don'tuse sunscreen.
"Women think that because their skin looks great, they don't need to doanything to protect it, and that is a big mistake," says New York plasticsurgeon Darrick Antell, MD.
The younger you are when you commit to wearing sunscreen every day, the moreyou cut your risk of skin cancer -- and the more years you'll staywrinkle-free, Antell says.
"Nothing ages the skin more than the sun, and even if you don't see thataging in your 20s or 30s, it's happening," Antell says. "What you do at22 will become evident within the next two decades."
Dermatologist Joshua Fox, MD, agrees.
"Protecting your skin from the sun won't stop the aging processcompletely, but it can certainly expand the number of years during which yourskin will look younger and more healthy," says Fox, a spokesman for theAmerican Academy of Dermatology.
If you choose a moisturizer with a built-in sunscreen, both experts say,you'll be even further ahead of the game.
"You should start using moisturizer in your 20s if for no other reasonto get into the habit, which becomes even more important as you age," saysAntell.
Additionally, Fox says, you can start dipping into the anti-aging jar asearly as your 30s.
"There is some evidence to show that anti-aging ingredients might havesome preventive effects as well," says Fox, director of AdvancedDermatology and The Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery on Long Island.
What you can try now: Products containing alpha-hydroxy or beta-hydroxyacids, and microdermabrasion products including scrubs and skin polishers.
Makeup tips: Your 20s and 30s are the decades to let your naturalbeauty shine, says former Hollywood makeup artist Barbara Fazio. The biggestmistake women in this age group make: trying too many trends at once.
"These are still the years when women want to look trendy and modern,but too often they try too many trends all at the same time," says Fazio,now director of the B. Fazio salon in Lakewood, Ohio.
To stay on-trend but not overdone, she says, pick one item from a particulartrend -- say, metallic eye shadow or glitzy lips -- and never wear more thanone trend on your face at a time.
Your 40s
Even women who are the same age may have different skin needs. This isparticularly true when you hit your 40s, since many problems that pop up duringthis decade hinge on what you did in your 20s and 30s.
"If you wore sunscreen, if you did some preventive care, then you maynot notice any major difference in your skin," says Fox. "If you didn'tdo those things, then fine lines and wrinkles are definitely on the upswingonce you hit 40."
The problem is a breakdown of collagen, natural fibers that form aninvisible network of support underneath the skin and help it stay plump andfirm.
As collagen stores begin to break down -- a process that is accelerated bysun exposure -- skin loses its moist, dewy look. In its place is drier, morefragile skin, with fine lines and small wrinkles appearing around the eyes andin the nose-to-mouth area.
Further, as the years pass, we shed old skin less frequently. That meansyour complexion looks not only drier, but also more dull and uneven.
Solutions, says experts, include products aimed at helping to increase cellturnover, like alpha-hydroxy acids and wrinkle-fighting ingredients likeretinol.
"The 40s is definitely the time to start using a retinol product,"says Antell. "The professional versions are the strongest so you're goingto see the most dramatic results, but even some over-the-counter solutions canwork well."
Retinoids work by helping to stimulate collagen production, so fine linesand wrinkles are less noticeable, he says.
Fox says home peels are also appropriate for 40-plus skin. They can helpremove dead skin cells and encourage new cells to come to the surface.
Depending on how quickly your skin is aging, Fox says, don't be afraid tolook toward professional treatments to help increase your window of youth.
"This is the decade when you should seriously consider some of the lessaggressive but very helpful dermatologic procedures such as Thermage (a radiofrequency treatment) or Fraxel (a laser) to tighten the skin and/or stimulatecollagen production," says Fox.
Additionally, many women in their 40s experience hormone-related skinproblems, including adult acne. But, Fox says, don't borrow your teenagedaughter's acne products until you consult a dermatologist and agynecologist. "Adult-onset acne can sometimes be the result of agynecological problem like an ovarian cyst, so that should always be ruled outfirst," says Fox.
Next, he says, check with a dermatologist about whether your"pimples" are really acne.
"Many women confuse acne with rosacea, another skin problem that canoccur in the 40s and 50s," says Fox.
While the breakouts can look similar, Fox says, they may require differenttreatment.
Makeup tips: Toss away your cakey face powder, Fazio says.
"This is the decade when skin is really dry, and most powders will dryit further and accentuate fine lines and wrinkles," she says.
If you must use powder to tame oily areas, choose one that is finely milled,and apply it sparingly, using a brush instead of a puff.
Your 50s
Depending on what you did to care for your skin in the decades leading upyour 50s, you could end up needing a little -- or a lot -- of extra care.
That said, there are some rites of passage that will affect your skin nomatter what you do. Among the most significant is menopause.
As estrogen levels drop, collagen production takes a dive, and, Antell says,the skin shows the changes fairly quickly.
"A loss of collagen is one of the major causes of skin aging," saysAntell.
For those who protected their face from sun damage, the impact of menopausemay be less severe. For those who didn't make the effort, the aging process canbe more rapid.
The good news is that no matter where you are in the process, there'ssomething you can do. The first product to start with -- if you're not using italready -- is retinol, says Fox.
What may also help: Products designed to increase collagen production,including antioxidants like idebenone and vitamin C, and copper peptides.
Fox says research on the new pentapeptide formulations is less extensivethan that on retinoids, but there is some evidence to show they might help aswell.
"It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish," Antell says,"but yes, most of these anti-aging products will improve your appearance toa certain degree, and they can definitely expand the youth corridor -- thatwindow of time when it can be difficult to guess your age."
This may also be the time to consider professional restorative care,particularly injections of cosmetic fillers like collagen or Restylane, orwrinkle relaxers like Botox.
"This is also the time when many women should consider a relatively newapproach to facelift surgery called the 'vertical lift,'" says Antell. Muchless drastic than the traditional full facelift, this "mini lift" picksup loose skin from the jowls and cheeks to recreate a more youthfulcontour.
"If you have it before there's too much sagging, it can really expandyour youthful appearance for many years," says Antell. "For many women,it's the only procedure they will ever need."
Makeup tips: For women in their 50s, less is definitely more.
"You want to minimize the amount of product you put on your face,"says Fazio. "Foundations should be lighter and applied only where you needit; avoid powders; and don't overdo it on the eye makeup."
In fact, she advises bypassing heavy eye shadow altogether. Instead, smudgea soft pencil liner in charcoal gray or soft brown close to the edge of yourupper lid. Then use mascara only on the upper lashes.
For the biggest boost, use an eyelash curler.
"It's like giving yourself a temporary eye lift," says Fazio."If you haven't used one since your 20s or 30s, now is time to use itagain."
Your 60s
When it comes to your "golden years," experts agree there are twoapproaches to skin care.
The first is to live with the idea that aging is inevitable, and do what youcan to make the most of what you have.
That means focusing on products with super-moisturizing ingredients likehyaluronic acid, as well as wrinkle-fighters like pentapeptides and idebenone.Firming creams may also work to streamline facial contours. And, of course, youshould continue to use sunblock.
"Although most sun damage occurs when we are young, don't stop usingsunscreen at any age," says Antell. "The more you protect your skin,the less you will see the signs of photoaging."
The second approach, say experts, is to enlist professional help in yourfight against looking older.
"There are two things that happen," says Antell. "There arequality-of-skin problems like uneven skin tone and fine lines and wrinkles --which can be helped by topical products -- and then there arequantity-of-skin problems, jowls and loose skin under your chin, anddrooping -- which can only be corrected by surgery."
Makeup tips: If you're not ready to go under the knife, or simplywant to accept the aging process with grace, makeup can help, Fazio says. Thekey, she says, is to keep your look simple.
"The older you get, the less you need to look gorgeous," saysFazio.
The biggest makeup mistake older women make, she says, is wearing too mucheye make-up -- and still trying to find and darken the crease in the eyesocket.
"By the time you reach 60, the only way you're going to find that creaseis with the help of a good surgeon," says Fazio. "So instead, just usea soft pencil to smudge some color near the lid and leave the creasealone."
She also says to go easy on foundation, and to wear a pink-toned blush andmoisturizing lipstick. If you want to color your hair, go lighter, not darker.And never darken your brows.
"Going darker with hair or brow color is a big mistake," says Fazio."It creates a harsh look that emphasizes lines and wrinkles."
The best advice, she says, is to let your natural beauty shine, and "bestrong and be confident!"
