3 Decades of Beautiful Skin

By Jenny Bailly

The treatments, solutions, and science that will keep your complexion smooth and gorgeous through your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond

The best skin of your life may well be ahead of you. Sure, with each passing decade, you face fresh challenges in your quest for a radiant complexion: There are the newfound crow's feet in your 40s, the postmenopausal dryness in your 50s, and the sagging that sets in by your 60s. But the right products and procedures will prepare you to meet these challenges head-on. "These days, it's perfectly reasonable to expect your skin to get better as you age--no matter what the date on your driver's license," says Ranella Hirsch, MD, president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and a cosmetic dermatologist in Cambridge, MA. Still, knowing what's right for you--from the most potent creams to the latest lasers--can be confusing. That's where this decade-by-decade guide comes in. It's filled with everything you need to know, including exactly what to use when. Follow along and your skin's future will look very bright.

Your 40s: Treat Tone & Texture

At this stage, cell turnover slows, making skin lackluster. Meanwhile, brown splotches (the result of increased melanin production) and redness (the mark of tiny broken capillaries) become more prominent. The collagen and elastin that keep skin firm also start to break down. As a result, "creases you only used to see when you were tired or actually moving your face become apparent all the time," says Amy Wechsler, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Pores also tend to become enlarged with the loss of collagen.

Best Home Treatments

Embrace retinoids
These vitamin A derivatives boost collagen production (which softens fine lines and minimizes pores). Retinoids rev up sluggish cell turnover, so skin becomes smoother and more radiant, and dark spots fade. Prescription versions such as Renova yield noticeable changes after about 8 weeks; retinol, the strongest over-the-counter option, takes 12 weeks. Choose a product formulated with up to 1% retinol, the highest amount available OTC, depending on your skin's tolerance. Try Remergent Advanced Retinol Therapy ($56; remergentskin.com) and Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum ($20; drugstores). Ease in by using a retinoid every third night for at least 2 weeks. Apply it every other night for the next 2 weeks, ramping up to nightly application. Summer's the ideal time to get started on a retinoid--the increased humidity tempers dryness that might occur as your skin acclimates.

Exfoliate regularly
Once you've built up to a nightly retinoid application, boost its benefits by substituting in an alpha-hydroxy acid twice a week. "Both ingredients exfoliate, leaving skin brighter and smoother," says New Orleans-based dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD. "But because they stimulate cell renewal in different ways, you'll get maximum improvement using both." If skin is dry, choose an AHA formulated with moisturizing lactic acid.