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The 6 Things You Need To Know To Keep Your 40-Something Skin Happy

Published on December 20, 2011

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In our series Beauty At Every Age , we take a close look at the best skincare approaches for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Whether your goal is to prevent fine lines or repair past damage, each age group has its own unique issues. This week we’re focusing on the 40s. This is an example of how good 43 can look. (Getty) Congratulations, you’ve made it to your 40s! As Brigitte Bardot once said about aging: “It’s sad to grow old, but nice to ripen.” So while you are by no means old, your skin is starting to “ripen,” as Madame Bardot might say: It’s still in nice condition, but you might be noticing a loss of tone, enlarged pore size and more pronounced fine lines. One of the major factors is increased dryness

This is an example of how good 43 can look. (Getty)

Congratulations, you’ve made it to your 40s! As Brigitte Bardot once said about aging: “It’s sad to grow old, but nice to ripen.”

So while you are by no means old, your skin is starting to “ripen,” as Madame Bardot might say: It’s still in nice condition, but you might be noticing a loss of tone, enlarged pore size and more pronounced fine lines. One of the major factors is increased dryness. In your 40s “lines you didn’t have in your 30s suddenly find their way onto your face,” cautions New York dermatologist David Colbert. “Your skin starts to dry out and lines start to appear.” (And he’s a bit of an expert in the decade: 40-somethings Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz rely on the doctor’s glowifying products

and in-office treatments.)

And you know all the sun-worshipping you did in your 20s? Another huge culprit (no surprises there). “Sun damage will really start to manifest now,” notes Los Angeles-based facialist Kate Somerville, whose clients include Kate Hudson and Demi Moore. “The sun may make them appear darker, but those spots formed when baking with tinfoil and iodine in your teens.”

Don’t worry, all is not lost, it just means you’ll want to step up your skincare regimen. Between deeply-hydrating products, prescription-strength anti-agers and and even some effective in-office treatments (there are plenty of options that don’t involve needles, p.s.), we’ve mapped out a clear plan of attack to help keep your skin looking as youthful as possible — for as long as possible.

So let’s do this 40-somethings! Click through the slideshow below for our pros’ six rules (and product recommendations) for taking care of your skin at this fine age.

1. Use retinoids three times a week.

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We hear this from every dermatologist we meet. “The vitamin-A derivative* helps to resurface the skin by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as rough patches and hyper-pigmentation,” says Somerville. While it’s an amazing anti-ager, it can cause extra dryness for skin that’s already losing lots of moisture, which is why our next tip is so important. *Check out our easy-to-understand breakdown on retinoids.