There’s a season for everything. And this applies also to your skincare routine.
When you were in your teens, your main skin concerns are probably related to excessive sebum production, blackheads, and pimples. But as you celebrate your 21st birthday, you may start to notice that your skin isn’t as oily as before and pimples don’t appear as frequently as before – thank goodness! However, you’re greeted by a series of other skincare concerns you never knew of before.
In the same way, your 30s will welcome you with a different set of skin issues – and our job is to make sure you won’t be surprised by them.
Whether you’re in your 20s and anticipating what’s to come in the future or are already in your 30s, here’s a good check-list that helps you make sure you’re all geared up for Club three-oh.
1. Relook at your basic skincare routine
Many of us stick to the same skincare routine after you’ve found products that work for us. This is definitely a smart way to go about it, but remember to also take stock from time to time.
The thing is that our skin concerns and even skin type may transform over time. For instance, because of environmental factors, we may find our skin becoming sensitised. (Note: This is different from having naturally sensitive skin. Sensitised skin can get better over time with the right treatment.) But if we’re still using the same products as before we had sensitised skin, we might be putting too much stress on it.
Similarly, some of us may start noticing that our skin doesn’t produce as much sebum as before, and instead of oily skin, our skin feel more dehydrated instead.
What this means is that the products that we use should change with our new skin conditions. You may want to find out what your skin type is now and then switch your products accordingly. Of course, if you’re not seeing significant changes to your skin conditions, you can stick to your beloved products.
2. Start looking into anti-ageing products
Many of us in our 20s may not care too much about anti-ageing. After all, our skin still feels taut and firm, and we’re not seeing any fine lines or wrinkles.
Well, the thing about signs of ageing is that they are really hard to treat and much easier to prevent. What this means is that if you’re not a fan of wrinkles and saggy skin, you should prevent them from appearing before they occur.
Rich creams that are meant for deep wrinkles are probably going to do little for you and may even be too harsh on your skin. Instead, go for products that are designed for first signs of ageing and those that have high content of antioxidants to fight off free radicals, which are the main culprit causing signs of ageing to say hello earlier than you expect.
3. Have you invested in an eye cream?
We know that when it comes to skincare routines, we want them as simple as possible. Who has time for a 10-step regimen?
But if there’s anything that you should really invest in, we’d say it’s an eye cream. Our eye area is most susceptible to signs of ageing because of how delicate and thin the skin our eyes is. Frequent blinking and tugging (when we put on contact lenses and apply makeup) also make the area lose its elasticity faster than other parts of our skin.
Ask any woman who’s in an older age bracket, she’ll probably tell you that fine lines around the eyes are the first signs of ageing that she notice.
If you’re not sure what type of eye cream to go for, consider one that’s water-based and hydrating to simply keep the area crepe-free. We have compiled a list of best-reviewed eye creams for dark eye circles and best-reviewed eye creams for wrinkles that you may want to consider.
4. Pick up face massage techniques
Our microcirculation tends to slow down as we get older, this is when face massages may actually help step things up. If there’s a facialist that you trust and always visit, ask him/her for tips on how to do it at home. Otherwise, there are many videos you’ll be able to find on YouTube that can teach you.
You can also consider getting a massaging tool that are designed for ease of use and effectively massage your face area.
5. Adopt good skincare habits
You would have been caring for your skin for a while now, make sure the way you’re doing it are the right ones. A few common mistakes you want avoid:
- Do you lather up your cleanser before applying it?
- Do you apply skincare products in an upward motion?
- Do you remove your makeup thoroughly every night?
- Do you make sure you don’t leave your sheet masks overnight?
- Do you avoid touching your face with dirty hands?
Adopting good skincare habits will get progressively tougher as you get older because it gets harder to break bad habits, the longer you’ve been doing them! Trust us when we say that picking up good habits will help you go a long way.
6. Learn to relax
Typically, women in their 30s face more stress than they do in their 20s. This is generally because many women would have climbed up the corporate ladder by then, taking on more responsibilities at work. Many women in their 30s are also considering childbirth and/or are caring for young children. Couple these with more financial commitments such as owning a house, it is no wonder women in their 30s are more likely to suffer from stress-related skincare concerns.
While skincare products can certainly help ease some of these skin issues, it’ll be great if you could pick up relaxation techniques. These can be learning how to relax so you can get a better rest – make use of aromatic candles, soothing music, and massage techniques if they help. Having hobbies that help you relax is also a good way to relieve stress.
7. Be conscientious with your skincare routine
Finally, you have to be even more conscientious with your skincare routine than before. When you’re younger, you probably could get away with a few days of missing your skincare routine, but it may start showing on your skin if you don’t keep it up when you’re in your 30s.
Making sure that you take time to go through every essential step in your day and night skincare routine also helps you build a good habit (remember point 5?) that will continue to stick through your 40s, 50s, and so on.
