Anti aging routine for 50's

[nakita79]

Good morning. I am 56 years old and have never really taken good care of my skin. When i look in the mirror I am horrified. My skin is dry/combo...more on the dry side. I have lots of dark spots and my skin is dull and looks like a road map. Im not sure what the best products are for a late bloomer. I do have prescriptions for both Retin-A and Adapalene gel.Im not sure how to incorporate them into a routine. Any advice would be appreciated very much. Thanks

[Debbiehappy]

Hi Nakuru I hope all is well. Have you ever considered using the products from It Cosmetics. They have an ant aging routine that is just amazing. Also it is recommended by dermatologist. I am 56 and my skin is so soft and glowing from these products. Believe me I tried a lot before this brand. Good luck

[SoraDixie]

Is there an update on this? How is it going? 

If you want my thoughts, I suggest checking out the blog Tea with MD. She’s a dermatologist and has really good skincare advice. Her basic routine is cleanse, tone, treat (in your case Retin-A some nights, maybe another serum others), then moisturize.  

And I just want to say that one of the biggest benefits of my skincare routine (which is relatively new for me) has been feeling more comfortable with my face. Not because it has made a huge difference (although it has made some difference and I am  now a massive Good Genes lactic acid exfoliator fan) but because I have been staring at my face in the mirror so frequently and so long that I have gotten used to it, I guess. It’s now more about a relaxing, pampering experience twice a day (and sometiems more) than it is about trying to get rid of my wrinkles and sun spots. And facial masage with a nice cleansing balm has done wonders for my anxiety (I don’t grind my teeth anymore). It’s so great beause I no longer stress about doing the exact right thing for my skin because it’s not just about the results, it’s also about feeling happier because I’m taking care of myself more. 

[lschneids]

I’m in my early 40’s and I just found a regimen that works for me because it’s never too late. The key is to stick with it. But I use the Peter Thomas Roth Toner as my exfoliater at night. It’s a thick lotion. I have sensitive skin so physical exfoliating is tough for me. I then use The Peter Thomas Roth rose stem cell bio mask over the exfoliatinglotion and my skin has never looked better. You really haveto find what works with your skin. But moisture and exfoliate. Better to chemically exfoliate in my opinion with a lotion at night. I can’t use strong Retinal ‘s, AHA’s or glycolic acids. I turn bright red. So I found something gentle. I alternate that with the Farmacy moisturizer and vitamin C serum cause I have dry skin. But find what works for you. Vitamin C helps with my dark spots from the sun for sure. I also put lemon juice on the bad ones on my arms and hands. But remember to use sunscreen.

[Cassip]

I am 50. I have a lot of dark spots from 30+ years of tanning beds and a lifetime of laying in the sun covered in baby oil. My biggest tip is never go to bed with makeup on! I have kind of a lengthy skin care routine, but for me it’s important exfoliate a few times a week, I use a mask a few times a month (I use different masks for whatever my skin seems to need at the time. Moisturizing, firming, clarifying, etc), thouroghly clean my face at night and I use a heavier moisturizer at night than I do during the day. I also use a retinal a few times a month.

The products that have made a huge difference in my aging dull skin and dark spots are; Sunday Riley-Good Genes, Sunday Riley-CEO Rapid Flash Brightening Serum, Farmacy-Honey Potion and Tata Harper Resufacing Mask. It may take a little time, but if you stick with a regular routine I think you will see a big improvement! 

[Bobisfabulous]

It is never too late to start. I suggest concentrating on firming and moisturizing products.

[illucescit]

Hi @nakita79! If you're using prescription products, I'd really recommend adding other skin care products to your skin slowly. Retin-A and Adapalene are both strong ingredients and you should ideally give your skin some time to adjust before introducing other products. As far as when in your routine you should use the retinoids, when I was using Retin-A, I did cleanser, hydrating toner, waited for my skin to become completely dry (gave it about 15 mins), used Retin-A and followed that up with a moisturizer. 

[quspork]

I haven't used prescription skincare, @nakita79, so hopefully someone more experienced in that arena can help you with using those, but in general Retinol products would be used after cleansing in the evening. Do you have a skincare routine that you are following now?

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend starting slowly and simply with a base of a gentle non-foaming cleanser, a good moisturizer, and sunscreen.  Once you have that down then you can add in more targeted treatments. It sounds like a vitamin C serum would be a good addition to your morning routine, given what you posted. Vitamin C serums are great for helping with dullness and dark spots. 

[nakita79]

Thank you

[nakita79]

I did buy May Coop Raw Sauce,Tru Skin Naturals C serum for face and Missha Revolution/Time the first Treatment essence,and Too cool for school Egg Mousse Soap, and some Vichy hydrating and cleansing foaming cream. The May Coop Raw Sauce should be delivered today. One night I use retin a and the next night I use the Adapalene. My skin is a little red but not too bad. The hollowness under my cheeks is better. No outbreaks or flakiness. The thing that stands out the most is the puffiness/dark circles under my eyes. Ive tried Roc eye cream with little results. At what point in routine should I be adding the retin A/Adapalene at night? Thank you so much for your help.

[quspork]

I love the May Coop! Just keep an eye on your skin as some people report it being a little drying since it does contain alcohol. I've never had a problem with that, but as always YMMV. 

RE: the cleansers- Again, they may work fine for your skin, but keep an eye on dryness. The TCFS Egg Mousse has a pH of 7 which is slightly high (moisture stripping) and some people's skin may not respond well. I'm not positive about which Vichy you purchased, but I did find the pH listing for their Normaderm Deep Cleansing Foam and that's a 9! Generally, the lower the pH for cleansers, the better. In conjunction with your retin and adapalene, you'll just want to be careful to not take too much more moisture out of your skin and add in plenty of hydrating layers and moisture. 

As far as when to use the prescriptions, I'd use them immediately after cleansing. Then follow with the Missha, May Coop, and moisturizer. 

I hope this helps a little! 🙂

[pocketvenus]

@nakita79, this is such good advice from @quspork - I'd only add the suggestion that you can also try encorporating facial massage or facial exercises into your routine to encourage more circulation to your facial tissues and further tone the area. You can search YouTube for examples. You don't have to go all out every time. I massage my face daily for a minute when I wash my face in the morning.

[nakita79]

@quspork. How do you find out what the ph is level is on different products? I googled ph level of Vichy hydrating and cleansing and foaming cream and I could not find it

[quspork]

@nakita79  I know a few people who buy testing strips off of Amazon to try out the pH of different products, but I just rely on others' research, LOL. I'll shoot you a PM with a link to spreadsheet from the AB reddit community with a master list of cleansers and their pH. 🙂

[nakita79]

Thank you