Walk into any drugstore, go to the skincare aisle, and you’ll see a mind-boggling array of products promising to make your skin look younger, firmer, brighter, and smoother.
“YES!”, you think to yourself, “I’m going to ninja my way to youthful skin. Miracle in a bottle, baby.”
Then you start reading the labels. And each product seems to have a different list of “active ingredients” which makes it nearly impossible to know which one will work best with your skin.
Faced with so many choices, is it surprising that we just shrug our shoulders and go back to what “mom used to use” and grab a bottle of Olay or Ponds?
No more. You are going to get a great mini-education on the best anti-aging skincare ingredients so that you get your money’s worth out of each bottle.
Best Anti-Aging Skincare Ingredients For 40-Year-Olds
Fine Lines & Wrinkles – Preventative
Ingredients: Broad-spectrum sunscreen; antioxidants serums
In the fight against fine lines and wrinkles, there is no better defense that broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen. Apply it daily (after moisturizers) to face, neck, chest and hands before going outside.
Products containing vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), vitamin B3 (niacin) and green tea can help prevent and repair skin damage.
Product Recommendations:
- TruSkin Vitamin C Serum (Multi-Tasker)
- Art Naturals Vitamin C Serum (Multi-Tasker)
- TruSkin Tea Tree Clear Serum (Multi-Tasker)
- Niacinamide Vitamin B3 Cream Serum
- Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
- Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer
Fine Lines & Wrinkles – Repair
Ingredient: Retinol
The best bet to treat and repair fine lines and wrinkles are vitamin A derivatives like retinol, which helps keep moisture in the skin.
Product Recommendations:
- Art Naturals Enhanced Retinol Serum (Multi-Tasker)
- YEOUTH Retinol Serum 2.5% with Hyaluronic Acid
- derma e Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate Creme
- TruSkin Retinol Serum
Fade dark or brown spots
Ingredients: SPF and hydroquinone
Dark spots are caused by damage from the sun’s UV rays. These spots can worsen as with age or with more exposure to the sun. (Like why certain dark spot just come out during the summertime.)
Regular SPF 30 will protect against dark spots becoming darker, while products containing 2 percent hydroquinone are moderately effective at fading age spots. If you can find an SPF 30 sunscreen blended hydroquinone, that is the best because it multi-tasks.
Product Recommendations:
- Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
- Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer
- Radha Beauty Retinol Moisturizer Cream (Multi-Tasker)
Bags under your eyes
Ingredient: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and caffeine
The loss of elasticity and collagen causes skin to sag. Products with hyaluronic acid can help smooth out skin, especially when combined with vitamin C. In addition, when you hydrate the skin with moisturizer, it’s plumper and will appear tighter and more light reflective. Also, if you are looking for a quick fix, products with caffeine help draw water to the surface of the skin, making it temporarily improved.
Product Recommendations:
- Baebody Eye Cream
- InstaNatural Hyaluronic Acid Serum
- Moisturizer Day and Night Cream by ATAL (Multi-Tasker)
- Purederm Collagen Eye Pods
- TruSkin Vitamin C Serum (Multi-Tasker)
Puffiness around eyes
Ingredient: Vitamin K
If you have puffiness, use an eye cream with vitamin K because it improves the blood flow in the veins around your eyes. As more blood flows, the puffiness will decrease.
Product Recommendations:
Lift and firm overall skin
Ingredient: Retinol
Retinol boosts skin’s collagen production which helps make the skin look more firm and plump. While retinol is available over the counter, it is wise to discuss which percentage and products have the right concentration and stability for your skin.
Product Recommendations:
- Art Naturals Enhanced Retinol Serum
- YEOUTH Retinol Serum 2.5% with Hyaluronic Acid (Multi-Tasker)
- derma e Anti-Wrinkle Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate Creme
- TruSkin Retinol Serum
- Moisturizer Day and Night Cream by ATAL (Multi-Tasker)
Dry and flaky skin
Ingredients: Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides
When you skin loses water, it can appear flaky and dehydrated. Use a moisturizer with multiple ingredients to increase hydration. Glycerin acts as humectant drawing water to your skin. Hyaluronic acid is a very powerful hydrator. Ceramides hold the moisture in.
Product Recommendations:
- Face Food Moisturizer (Multi-Tasker)
- CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
- Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment
Dull skin
Ingredients: Shea butter, cocoa butter, and hemp oil
When your skin is moisturized, light reflects better on it, making it look younger and healthier. Pick moisturizers with these ingredients to help skin have all-day moisture.
Product Recommendations:
- Aveeno Positively Nourishing Comforting Whipped Soufflé
- Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion Shea + Enriching Cocoa Butter
- Dove Cream Oil Shea Butter Body Lotion
Lifestyle Changes for Awesome Skin
- Always wear sunscreen. Sun damage is cumulative (so, yes, all that time in the sun in our teens with vegetable oil is coming back to haunt us), so any time we spend exposed to UV light speeds up the process. Limit time in the sun and wear broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen every day.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking increases carcinogens to your skin and ages it prematurely. Even the “only-once-in-awhile” cigarette speeds up the process.
- Love water. Drink at least eight glass of water per day. Water helps flush out toxins and keep us hydrated. Hydrates skin is healthy skin.
- Avoid sugar. Sugar can increase acne (even in adults), plus it contributes to other issues like weight gain and sore joints.
- Embrace the rainbow. Nourish your skin from the inside out. Eat lots of fruits and veggies that are filled with vitamins and antioxidants to promote youthful skin.
- Sleep. When we are tired, our skin shows it. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Final Advice about Skincare
- Skincare products only work if you use them. Create a morning and evening routine to ensure consistent and proper use, because unfortunately, they don’t work if they are left in the container.
- Have realistic expectations. Products are not the same as procedures. Creams, serums and moisturizers can make a difference, but they can not make you look like you are 20.
- If budget is an issue, start with a multi-tasker. If you have a smaller beauty budget, look for a multi-tasker. Vitamin C serum, retinol and hyaluronic acid are all multi-taskers – I’ve made sure to mark them in the article above.
- Give it two months. Most skincare products take time to show results. Give a new product two-months before deciding to switch to something else.
Does your current skincare have these ingredients? If not, what products are you going to try first?
Other Resources:
Best Anti-Aging Masks & Moisturizers From Drugstores
Foundation You Should Wear When You Are 40-Years-Old
Recommended Skin Care Routine When You Are 40-Years-Old
