The best skincare for women over 50 might not be able to stop the hands of time and gravity from leaving their marks, but they can be helpful for anyone reassessing their approach to addressing signs of ageing. Think everything from deep wrinkles, sun spots, crepe-y texture and loss of volume, all of which present themselves most often from mid-life onward. Ahead, we tap the skincare pros to share their best tips, tools and strategies for building an arsenal of products for an ageless complexion.
Vogue’s top picks for the best skincare for women over 50
- The face moisturiser: Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, £230
- The vitamin C: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, £165
- The gentle cleanser: Tatcha The Rice Wash, £41
- The pH-balancing toner: SkinCeuticals Equalising Toner, £46
- The sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF50, £16
- The gentle exfoliant: Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, £79
- The facial massager: Joanna Czech Facial Massager, £180
- The face mask: La Prairie Cellular Hydralift Firming Mask, £175
Cleanse and tone
The best skincare for women over 50 begins with daily face washing. Mature skin should be treated with a mild, non-irritating cleanser that won’t strip the skin of its natural oils or irritate dry and sensitive types. For those on the drier side, New York dermatologist Dr Patricia Wexler cautions that because it’s usually sensitive, it’s best to use a face wash that provides good barrier protection with ingredients like ceramides. “After an initial oil cleanser to remove my make-up, I use a cream cleanser, then use lukewarm water to rinse and then I pat my skin dry with a soft cloth,” Wexler explains.
To help maintain the pH balance of the skin after cleansing, celebrity facialist Joanna Czech recommends using a pH-controlling toner, which can also supply an extra layer of moisture and act as carrier for the skincare steps that come next. The new class of hydrating toners are also worth considering.
SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner
This toner exfoliates skin to gently remove debris and dead skin cells, while rosemary, aloe and chamomile extracts soften and soothe skin.
Joanna Czech The Toner
Hyaluronic acid, plant sugars and fruit extracts come together to create the product’s signature Triple-Hydration Complex, leaving the skin barrier in an optimal state.
Tatcha The Rice Wash
This creamy cleanser gently washes the day away with an amino acid base, while Okinawa algae and hyaluronic acid deeply nourish skin and replenish its water reserves.
Dior La Mousse Off/On Foaming Face Cleanser
A lightweight, cream-to-foam cleanser enriched with water lily from the Dior gardens, it removes make-up, dirt and oil while soothing the skin.
Exfoliate, but don’t overdo it
In terms of exfoliation, both physical (scrubs) and chemical (AHAs and BHAs) may be used on mature skin, but proceed with caution. “Yes, exfoliation is necessary but don’t overdo it,” Czech instructs. “With women over 50, the outer layer of skin becomes thinner and more delicate.” To avoid aggravation, Czech recommends taking a minimal approach to physical exfoliation, which can cause micro-tears on the epidermis if you get carried away.
Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser
To buff away dead skin cells safely, Wexler recommends using a gentle scrub, such as Tata Harper’s Regenerating Exfoliating Cleanser with its apricot microspheres, no more than three times a week, and following it up with a calming elixir with soothing ingredients such as ceramides and chamomile.
Eminence Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser
Get rid of debris in one step, thanks to the formula’s ground olive seeds, botanical enzymes and AHAs.
M-61 PowerGlow Peel
For mild chemical exfoliation, try M-61’s Powerglow Peel squares which are pre-soaked with glycolic and salicylic acids, as well as acne scar-healing vitamin K and skin tone-evening bilberry extract. They are also gentle enough for daily use.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
This cult classic will instantly give you brighter-looking skin thanks to a 25 per cent AHA blend of tartaric, lactic and citric acids.
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Use face massagers to boost collagen
A daily facial massage does wonders for the skin at any age, but is especially transformative for mature complexions. These beauty tools work to sculpt the facial muscles (think more defined cheekbones and jawline) and reduce fluid build-up, as well as improve blood flow, cell turnover, tissue toning and boost collagen production. “Collagen is the support net of our skin. It’s what gives it its structural integrity and as it declines, skin becomes looser, sags and wrinkles form,” explains Rochelle Weitzner, founder and CEO of Pause Skincare, a line developed for women going through menopause. Because women experience a dramatic reduction in collagen synthesis after menopause, Weitzner designed a special tool to stimulate fibroblasts, which are the cells that produce collagen.
Using your fingertips or a tool, knead and contour the facial muscles, moving along the jawline and upwards toward the tops of the cheekbones, under-eye region and across the forehead. For an extra boost at the end, take Czech’s advice and wrap gauze around ice cubes infused with anti-inflammatory green or chamomile tea, then glide them over the skin.
Joanna Czech Facial Massager
Use the double-headed massager for just a few minutes a day to stimulate collagen.
Jillian Dempsey Gold Sculpting Bar
This 24-karat gold bar makes skin look and feel more toned in a flash thanks to vibrations that mimic that of a massage to help relax facial muscles.
Pause Fascia Stimulating Tool
Weitzner’s handy tool is designed to stimulate fibroblasts, which are the cells that produce collagen. Start by applying a moisturiser, then glide across your forehead, cheeks, lips, neck and chest. Use once daily.
Mount Lai
De-Puffing Jade Facial Roller
A mainstay in Chinese beauty rituals, jade rollers like this one by Mount Lai help to boost circulation and lymphatic drainage in a single use. It also features two roller sizes to get hard to reach areas.
Restore volume loss with face serums and moisturisers
Starting in your thirties and forties, hyaluronic levels begin to decrease, which is what makes fine lines and deep wrinkles more noticeable. When applied topically, hyaluronic acid can help replenish and retain cell moisture (it holds 1,000 times its weight in water) which is why it’s important to seek out the best hyaluronic acid serums and moisturisers, particularly in formulas targeting mature skin. Look for this and other nourishing ingredients like ceramides and peptides in hydrating serums and face moisturisers, which help restore the skin barrier with consistent use. It's also common for signs of ageing to show up around your eyes first; so look for the best eye cream to suit your needs alongside your moisturiser and serum.
Augustinus Bader
The Rich Cream
One of our favourite moisturisers for dry skin, Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream has developed a cult following. It replenishes skin's moisture levels and reduces the look of dark spots and fine lines thanks to an innovative blend of peptides, amino acids and nourishing agents.
IS Clinical Reparative Moisture Emulsion
Not too heavy, not too light, this just-right moisturiser uses pharmaceutical-grade botanicals, peptides and antioxidants to repair irritated skin, while hydrating and reducing deep set lines.
Skin Medica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator
“It not only delivers hyaluronic acids to the dermis, [but] its complex chains of different hyaluronic acids stimulate production of your own hyaluronic acid, increasing the resilience of your own skin,” Wexler explains of the creamy serum.
KateCeuticals Total Repair Cream
Kate Somerville’s anti-ageing KateCeuticals Total Repair Cream, which combines ceramides and a special peptide complex to calm irritation and minimise redness. Expect this to smooth texture, firm and make skin feel ultra-soft.
Protect skin with vitamin C and SPF
Another key ingredient for brightening up a dull complexion and erasing sunspots is vitamin C, which helps treat and fight against free radical damage that causes oxidative stress and skin ageing. The powerhouse antioxidant also works to fade away hyperpigmentation. “Begin with a low concentration of 10 per cent and increase to 15 per cent or 20 per cent as tolerated,” says Wexler of identifying the right concentration for your skin type in a serum or moisturiser. What’s important to note is that most potent forms of vitamin C are vulnerable to light exposure, and therefore the use of it must be in conjunction with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB coverage, which you should be using regardless. To protect skin against skin cancer and other damage (fine lines, deep wrinkles, blotchiness, discolouration and textural abnormalities) use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF30 every single day.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF50
La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios SPF is a lightweight, milky solution that sinks right into skin, delivering not only a quick moisture boost, but also broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection.
Elta MD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46
EltaMD UV Clear is one of the most dermatologist-recommended sunscreens out there. Pairing chemical and physical UV filters, it is designed to be safe on all skin types, prevent acne and reduce inflammation.
Skinceuticals C E Ferulic
This vitamin C serum counts many of our editors as fans. Powered by a potent blend of 15 per cent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E and ferulic acid, C E Ferulic targets wrinkles and fine lines with ease.
Beautystat Universal C Skin Refiner
This brightening serum has gone viral more times than we can count, and we’re sure it’ll happen again. The secret sauce is in the 20 per cent vitamin C-rich formula that’s blended with patented ingredients to keep it stable.
A mask to optimise it all
“For mature skin, face masks are wonderful for moisture and delivery of extra therapeutics,” says Wexler, noting that you can extend a mask to the neck and décolletage. You can also add in a specific mask for your under eye area; to find the best under eye patch for you, just choose according to your skincare concerns. If your skin is extra dry, or you want your complexion to be smoother and tighter for a special occasion, she recommends a high-powered tightening mask, like Natura Bisse Diamond Mask, that’s loaded with hyaluronic acid and peptides. For de-puffing, look to a cooling treatment, also packed with plumping peptides, such as Skyn Iceland’s Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels, which can be used to smooth forehead furrows and smile lines.
La Prairie Cellular Hydralift Firming Mask
Reduce the look of pores and redness in a flash thanks to this ultra-nourishing mask. Apply, then leave on for five minutes before rinsing for the best results.
Natura Bissé Diamond Extreme Mask
Use this leave-on mask at night and apply as a last step after your serum. Wake up with buttery-soft skin thanks to its cocktail of hyaluronic acid, retinol, niacinamide and copper peptides.
Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask
Apply to skin for up to three minutes, two to three times a week, then wipe away any excess; there’s no need to rinse. You’ll be left with soft, refreshed-looking skin.
Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels
Use these peptide-rich gel patches to reduce the look of laugh lines on the face. Apply once a week and leave on for 10 minutes at a time.
Consider retinol at night
Women in their fifties may want to add a retinol step to their night-time skincare regime. According to Dr. Erum Ilyas, a board-certified dermatologist with the Schweiger Dermatology Group in Pennsylvania, the ingredient is the most effective for tackling concerns associated with ageing skin, including fine lines, pigmentation, breakouts, redness, textural changes and thinning.
