How to Get Great Skin in Your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and Beyond (2024)

As we’re sure you’ve noticed, your skin changes almost as frequently as the science does. The good news: A calm, clear complexion is more achievable than ever. Today’s formulas contain immensely helpful active ingredients, says New Orleans dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD. And many penetrate better because they’re delivered in extended-release, encapsulated, and increasingly smaller molecules. To help you navigate this ever-evolving world, we’ve gathered our most enduring skincare wisdom, plus all the upgrades and updates you’ll want to know about.

Attention, dewy young beauties: This is the most important decade for your skin. The way you care for it now can determine how it will look for the rest of your life. Because it’s probably at its healthiest, with great collagen support, your skin is supple. Whatever sun damage you may have has likely not yet started to show, and light reflects off the plump surface of your cheeks, giving you a glow. “The number one complaint in the 20s is pimples,” says Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD. “They can certainly be the result of acne but are often due to using too many products, which can damage the skin’s protective barrier. Treating skin gently with a few products is best.”

Your No-Fail Plan

Cleanser: “Choose a mild formula that cleans without irritating,” Lupo says. Our go-to is Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser. If you have breakouts, she suggests the three-step La Roche-Posay Effaclar Acne Treatment System, which includes a salicylic acid cleanser. (Note that if acne doesn’t clear up in three months, a dermatologist can discuss pro options.)

Morning steps: Focus on preventing damage. “You don’t need extensive wrinkle creams in your 20s,” says Hirsch. Pick a moisturizer with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or above. Apply it all over your face, neck, and chest. (This is critical no matter your age.) Also: “It’s not too soon to start using antioxidants to further neutralize UV-induced damage,” Lupo says. La Roche-Posay Anthelios AOX Antioxidant Serum has vitamin C.

Nighttime treatment: Many derms recommend starting a retinoid—the gold standard for reducing fine lines, stimulating collagen, and treating acne—as either a prescription formula (like Retin-A) or an over-the-counter retinol. (Avoid all forms if you’re planning to become pregnant or are pregnant.) We like Differin Adapalene Gel, a retinoid available OTC. Before bed, smooth a pea-size amount all over your face and right up under your eyes so it doubles as eye cream, says Hirsch. Finish with a light moisturizer, like Clinique Moisture Surge 100H.

Even if you’ve taken good care of your skin, you may start to notice fine lines and wrinkles, especially around your eyes and mouth, says Susan Taylor, MD, professor of dermatology at Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. The culprits? Genetics, pollution, sun exposure, and stress. Women with darker skin tones might notice hyperpigmentation (discoloration) and unevenness; women with lighter skin tones might see brown spots and ruddiness; and both may have acne or melasma (dark patches that can be triggered by pregnancy or medication). Skin is a bit thinner and cell turnover has begun to slow down, making your complexion look a little dull.

Your No-Fail Plan

Cleanser: If skin tends to be dry, Lupo suggests a micellar water in the morning (like Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water) and a creamy formula at night (like Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Face Cleanser).

Morning steps: Apply a moisturizer with antioxidants to hydrate and help protect against damaging free radicals. Try Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturizer. Then layer on an SPF 30 with UVA/UVB protection. “A tinted formula helps block the harmful effects of visible light, which can worsen skin discoloration and melasma,” Taylor says. Try Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral SPF 36 or CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30. Next, consider an eye cream. For dark circles, look for formulas with vitamin K, retinols, kojic acid, niacinamide, soy, or licorice (try Isdin K-Ox Eyes). If you’re puffy, use one with caffeine, like Neutrogena Hydro Boost+ Caffeine Eye Gel Cream. For fine lines, you want peptides, says Taylor. Try Neocutis Lumière Firm Riche.

Nighttime treatment: “For many, a retinoid or retinol is a great idea,” says Hirsch. (Skip it if you’re pregnant or trying to be.) Alpha hydroxy acids are also helpful for addressing dullness, Taylor says. SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream has retinol and glycolic acid.

Those beach vacations you took in your teens may be showing up on your face in the form of blotchiness, redness, and dark spots. As a result, skin often doesn’t reflect light as evenly, so it’s less glowy. Hormonal changes from perimenopause can cause acne, rosacea, red patches, or broken blood vessels, regardless of your race, ethnicity, and skin type, says New Jersey dermatologist Jeanine Downie, MD. You’re also losing more collagen, elasticity, and moisture. On the plus side: science. “Today’s skincare can make a real difference in repairing damage,” says Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD. “This generation can age better than anyone in history.”

Your No-Fail Plan

Cleanser: Wash with a creamy cleanser morning and night. If you have rosacea, Downie
suggests Restorsea Reviving Cleanser.

Morning steps: Continue using a moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or above and an antioxidant serum. Lupo recommends Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%, especially for sensitive, rosacea-prone skin; or try BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner Broad Spectrum SPF 50, which has vitamin C and sunscreen. If you need more moisture, apply a hyaluronic acid serum (like The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum) to damp
skin before your other products.

Nighttime treatment: A prescription retinoid is the way to go, say both Hirsch and Shamban. It can reduce brown spots, increase exfoliation and collagen production, thicken
the epidermis, and potentially improve precancerous sun damage. If your skin can’t tolerate a retinoid every night, you can use it every other night or start with an OTC retinol. In addition, consider a night cream that contains peptides or growth factors, which may also benefit collagen, Hirsch says, as well as hydrating humectants (like hyaluronic acid) and emollients (like shea butter or squalane). We like Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream. If your skin feels irritated or you have rosacea, a soothing gel mask like CO2 Lift Carboxy Gel Treatment can help, says Downie.

Don’t quit now! It’s never too late to prevent new damage and stop the progression of damage you already have. Cell turnover is slower, which contributes to the biggest change you’ll likely notice: dryness and a loss of elasticity. Chances are expression lines no longer disappear, pores are more visible, and you’ve developed spider veins and age spots, and possibly precancerous spots. Plus, menopause can cause a host of unwelcome changes, including acne and rosacea. Once you hit your 60s and 70s, all the issues that arose in your 50s can become more extreme. Aren’t you glad you’re flooded with postmenopausal zest?

Your No-Fail Plan

Cleanser: Wash morning and night with a moisturizing cleanser. Our picks: Womaness Clean Slate and Vintner’s Daughter Active Renewal Cleanser.

Morning steps: When your face is still damp, smooth on a hydrating serum containing growth factors, peptides, or exosomes, a sophisticated technology derived from stem cells to stimulate cell activity, says Lupo, who recommends Plated Skin Science Intense Serum. On top of that, layer a moisturizer if needed and then a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or above. We like Pavise Dynamic Age Defense SPF, which also contains antioxidants.

Nighttime treatment: Blend a pearl-size dab of a prescription retinoid like Altreno, which is especially moisturizing, Lupo says. Follow with a night cream, like IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Anti-Aging Hydrating Moisturizer. For more targeted damage reversal and help with acne or rosacea, consult a pro who can offer topical and oral antibiotics, prescription creams, lasers, and peels. A pulsed-dye laser and the Excel V laser work well to zap broken blood vessels, Downie tells us. Other lasers can reduce hyperpigmentation and help blast precancerous cells. Check out the in-office treatments dermatologists deem most effective, here.

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