Skin Care Routine For Your 50s: Skin Changes & Hormonal Shifts
While it’s a major milestone worth celebrating, the big 5-0 can be an adjustment on many levels. Every new decade comes with its challenges and lessons, but somehow your fifties pack an extra punch. Lucky for you, with age comes wisdom and maturity – and the more you know, the better you can prepare for inevitable changes.
For women, menopause may be in full swing at this stage of life, which means that there’s a lot going inside your body, as well as on the surface. As estrogen diminishes over time, so does the skin’s resilience. However, a routine that’s tailored for your age can go a long way towards rejuvenating the look and feel of your skin and replenishing some of what’s been lost over time. It’s never too late to start a proper skin care routine. After all, this milestone marks a new beginning and you still have a lot of life to live!
Your Skin At 50
The changes you’ve noticed on your skin have probably been creeping in gradually, but it’s getting hard to ignore them. According to WebMD: “The hormone shifts that happen with menopause cause your body to stop making as much collagen. You lose some fat under your skin and its elasticity diminishes. That, combined with dryness caused by hormonal changes, can cause sagging – especially around the neck, jawline, and cheeks – and fine lines and wrinkles. The lines and wrinkles you get with menopause are often crow's feet and lines above the upper lip.”
And as if that’s not enough to deal with, this is also the time your skin barrier function starts to weaken. According to Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergar: “During times when our skin is undergoing changes, it is important that we protect its microbiome and moisture barrier to keep the skin healthy with balanced hydration levels. Because our skin produces less oil during menopause, it is easier for the microbiome to become compromised, resulting in symptoms like dryness, irritation, redness and dullness.”
Almost overnight, your skin’s elasticity and radiance can drastically change and will continue to evolve through the next years. Sun damage acquired over the decades has shown up in the form of dark spots and wrinkles on your 50-year-old face. Collagen production is dipping: In the first five years of menopause, your skin produces a mere 30% of what it did before. This reduces elasticity and brings on wrinkles. At 50, you may also notice jowls sagging and large pores appearing as gravity does its thing.
But wait, there’s more! Changing hormone and pH levels weaken skin even further, compromising that moisture barrier, especially around the eyes, lips and neck where the skin is thinner. Inflammation makes your skin more sensitive and irritable. And, to add insult to injury, acne sometimes makes a return, a by-product of hormonal imbalance.
It’s a long laundry list of dermatological grievances, but this is where an age-customized daily skin care routine can make a real difference to get younger looking skin as you move into your fifties. All is not lost – far from it!
Best Skin Care Routine for Your 50s
Get into a skin care routine that deals with your aging skin concerns head-on. Every effective routine for the over-50 age group should feature these key steps. And to make it easy for you, we’ve included recommendations for some of the best skin care products for this stage in your life.
Cleanse: Hot water can strip your skin of much-needed oil, so wash your face with tepid water instead. And don’t use regular soap on your face – try a mild multi-action cleanser, like our Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser, which hydrates and firms while washing away impurities. If you are dealing with acne, use a cleanser with salicylic acid that unclogs pores but doesn’t dry out your skin.
Tone: Toning prepares mature skin for the next steps, helping to increase the absorption of active ingredients that follow. Replenish your skin with Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist which contains neroli oil and our Natural Retinol Alternative designed to restore the appearance of tautness and elasticity.
Exfoliate: This step can be tricky with older skin. Removing dead skin cells restores the look of healthy glow and reduces signs of aging, but collagen slowdown means your skin is thinner now and more vulnerable. So, go easy on the exfoliation with a gentle yet effective treatment like our Firm Skin Acai Exfoliating Peel and stick to once or twice a week, especially at first, to see how your skin tolerates it.
Mask: A weekly at-home treatment, like our Bamboo Age Corrective Masque, harnesses ingredients such as shea butter and argan oil to help your skin look supple and rejuvenated. Plus, taking the time to apply a mask and let it penetrate the skin is a nice way to give yourself some self care at the end of a busy day.
Product Picks
Introduce A Serum: The Eight Greens Youth Serum leaves skin looking younger with the help of phytoestrogens which, according to Natalie, are another way to combat the visible signs of hormonal aging brought on by menopause and other big physiological changes: “The Eight Greens Collection from Eminence Organics features products that are rich in natural phytoestrogens like yucca, hops and red clover, which will help to increase hydration and elasticity, normalize oil gland production and stimulate cell turnover.”
And if you’re looking to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, apply the Hibiscus Instant Line Filler or the Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil. One happy customer, Jessie, says: “This oil is very hydrating and a little goes a very long way. Smells fantastic and leaves skin soft and dewy.”
Moisturize: Since ultra-dryness is common with aging skin, finding a moisturizer that combats the issue is a must. Lucky for you, there are numerous options available and most are multi-taskers, in that they address other issues that are common in aging skin. If you’re looking to moisturize while helping the appearance of sagging skin, try the Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer, which is rich in coconut oil, shea butter and grape seed oil to hydrate the skin for a lifted and tightened look. If skin that feels plumped and refreshed is on your wish list, try the Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Hydrator.
Treat Your Eyes: If you’re starting to see the first signs of crow’s feet, upgrade your skin routine to incorporate a smoothing eye cream. Hydrate the fragile area around the eyes with the Marine Flower Peptide Eye Cream which contains shea butter and oils to return moisture to the skin.
Sun Care: Sun and UV rays can have adverse effects at all stages of life. To protect your skin, rain or shine, sun care products with at least SPF 30 are your best ally. Our Bright Skin Moisturizer SPF 40 targets the appearance of dark spots and provides all-mineral protection from UV rays.
Watch Natalie talk you through the ingredients and products that will help your 50-plus skin:
Product Picks
More Products For Your 50s
Looking for more recommendations? Our Product Support Team has a few more suggestions that could work well for you at this stage.
If you're dealing with extremely dry skin, there is no better source of hydration for mature skin than the Firm Skin Acai Moisturizer. Rich in shea butter and skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, this lovely cream virtually erases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with its delivery of intense hydration thanks to the inclusion of BioComplex2™, a booster of antioxidants, Coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid.
If you're dealing with breakouts, one easy remedy is our Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster-Serum. This extra strength brightening serum contains tea tree oil and willow bark which helps the complexion appear more youthful and calm.
One more way to improve skin elasticity is adding Bamboo Firming Fluid to your over 50 skin care routine. Formulated with strengthening agents like bamboo and coconut, this effective serum also includes our Natural Retinol Alternative to smooth the appearance of wrinkles and Swiss Green Apples which reduce the signs of aging. These key ingredients work together to visibly tighten the look of skin and help you appear fresh and ageless.
You can also supplement your routine with regular facial treatments at your nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner. Experts can target your new concerns and make sure you’re giving your skin exactly what it needs. What changes are you spotting in your skin due to aging? Let us know in the comments below or share with us on social media.
Not in your 50s? Find skin care information for your age group:
- Skin Care Routine For Your 20s
- Skin Care Routine For Your 30s
- Skin Care Routine For Your 40s
- Skin Care Routine In Your 60s And Beyond
This post was originally written in January 2020.