8 Skincare Tips For Men Over 50
If you’re like most guys, you cruised through your 20s and 30s without giving much thought to your skin. Sure, you might have slapped on some sunscreen and used a moisturiser from time to time, but your skin probably wasn’t high on your list of priorities.
It’s typically as we move into our 40s that we start to notice changes to our skin. These may be subtle changes at first, followed by more significant signs of aging.
Instead of cursing Father Time - and your younger self for ‘neglecting your skin’ - now’s the time to focus on a solid skincare routine. Remember that just like it’s never too late to eat a little better or lose a few pounds, the same principle applies to looking after your skin.
How do I take care of my skin in my 50s?
As you enter your 50s, your skin’s performance has a habit of rapidly slowing down. For example, in your 20s it takes around 14-21 days for your skin cells to regenerate and reveal youthful-looking skin. In your 50s, that timeframe blows out to between 60 and 90 days. This calls for some extra special attention!
While you shouldn’t be afraid of aging, there are things you can do to enhance the health of your skin. Here are the skincare tips that every man over 50 should familiarize himself with:
Tip 1: Wash your face before bed
Yes, this sounds like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many guys skip this step. And a simple splash of water doesn’t cut it! For the best results, you need to be using a facial cleanser that strips away dirt, unclogs pores, and hydrates your skin.
Use a cleanser like VITAMAN Face and Body Cleanser that contains white tea leaf extract and witch hazel. This will provide your skin with a nourishing clean while helping to prevent future breakouts.
Tip 2: Exfoliate
As we get older, it takes longer to shed dead skin cells that can linger on your skin. This can leave your complexion looking tired, dull, and just plain blah! The solution to this is regular exfoliation.
Exfoliation will not only help your skin to look its best, but it will also mean that whatever products you’re applying afterward will be better absorbed into the skin.
Tip 3: Wear sunscreen every day
Prolonged exposure to the sun can damage your skin’s collagen, which can also lead to dark spots and redness across your face. Additionally, UV rays from the sun are responsible for just about every wrinkle you experience as you get older.
To reduce the signs of aging - and your risk of developing skin cancer - it’s important that you start wearing sunscreen every day (and not just when you’re in the sun). This means you need to get into the habit of applying a lightweight SPF 30+ moisturiser daily.
Tip 4: Moisturise your mug
As you age, your skin typically starts to lose moisture and become more prone to lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. This is why you should always apply a moisturizer to your skin after washing or cleansing.
Even if your skin is naturally oily, don’t skip the moisturiser. Just look for an oil-free formula that gives your skin the hydration it needs while keeping sebum (which is the stuff that causes your oily face) under control.
When shopping for a moisturizer, look for products that contain ingredients like vitamin A and retinol. VITAMAN Face Moisturiser will help to stimulate collagen levels, reduce redness and irritation, and improve your skin’s overall texture.
Tip 5: Improve your facial muscle tone
Your skin relies on collagen, which is a fibrous structural protein, for its strength and firmness. As opposed to women’s skin, the collagen in men’s skin is quite dense. This is why we tend to wrinkle later in life than women. However, when we do inevitably wrinkle, we do big time!
Your skin’s elasticity also has a habit of declining over time. If you’re noticing that your face is starting to head south, you can give your skin a lift by introducing a pro-collagen cream into your skincare routine. Additionally, you should consider cutting back on the booze (sorry lads). This is because alcohol dilates the blood vessels in your face, which places pressure on the collagen and elastin in the skin’s dermis.
Tip 6: Use an eye cream and anti-wrinkle cream
Eye-creams are an excellent way to combat dark spots, which may appear under the eyes. The active formulas and ingredients that are used to fight these symptoms include caffeine or green tea. These combinations work by making the dark spots and circles beneath your eyes appear significantly lighter.
Anti-wrinkle creams combine core ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and peptides - which your skin lacks due to the natural aging process. These ingredients increase your skin’s collagen, brighten, and plump your complexion, and reduce wrinkles. This results in healthier skin and a more youthful appearance.
Tip 7: Hit those dark spots
Dark spots can happen at any time but invariably become a bigger issue as we get older. This can be put down to inflammation - which can be caused by previous bouts of acne and eczema - and damage from the sun.
To treat and prevent dark spots, it becomes even more important to apply sunscreen daily. You can also add a serum that is specifically designed for treating dark spots. This will help to fade existing spots and even out your skin tone.
Tip 8: Make some lifestyle changes
As with many things in life, your skin is a reflection of your overall health. Lifestyle factors like stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger problems. To manage stress, consider your workload, making time for leisure activities, and incorporating relaxation techniques into your life.
Your diet also has a proven effect on the skin. For example, a diet high in sugar can lead to a hardening of collagen, which can result in your skin become tighter and cracking.
Other lifestyle factors that have a bearing on the health of your skin include sleep, exercise, and whether or not you smoke.
How can a 50-year-old man look younger?
Once you hit the magic age of 50, your body’s collagen - the stuff that keeps your skin plump - starts to decline. This and your skin’s elasticity, which helps your skin to combat the natural process of aging, begin to deteriorate more quickly.
Sure, you’ve heard it before, but sun exposure is the leading cause of visible aging. This means that, while lifestyle factors such as sugary foods and smoking are bad for your skin, skipping the SPF is a whole lot worse!
Cleansing your skin morning and night should always be followed by a moisturiser. This will help to hydrate your skin and stimulate your body’s production of collagen.
If you want to really lift your skincare routine, consider investing in an eye cream or anti-wrinkle cream. While these products won’t necessarily work miracles, they can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as make your skin look fresher.
What is the best anti-aging skincare for men?
As a global leader in men’s skincare since 1999, VITAMAN will help you retain that youthful glow well past your 50th birthday. Our range of natural skincare products are power-packed with organic ingredients that leave you with smoother, softer, youthful-looking skin.
Proudly born and bred in Australia, VITAMAN’S range of cleansers, moisturisers, scrubs, serums, and skin protectors are perfect for all skin types, including sensitive skin.