As I’ve got older my morning skincare routine has become very important to me. While I’m never going to escape fine lines and wrinkles completely I can build a skincare routine using products I love to help me look and feel better about myself.
And it doesn’t have to be ultra expensive products to give you glowing, smooth skin. I use skincare products that suit my budget at a particular time, and I’m very happy with the way my skin looks.
This post sets out my 5 step morning skincare routine I use on a daily basis, even when I’m on holiday. It sets my face up for a great base for makeup, and if I’m going makeup-free it still makes me feel good. And once you get into the routine of doing it, it only takes 5 minutes.
Read more top tips on ageing gracefully here.
Note: I’m 59, fair-skinned and have a few fine lines around my eyes. I have a dry skin type and occasionally have dark circles around my eyes.
Key Active Ingredients for Dry Mature Skin
As you move into your 50s dry skin benefits from the following skincare ingredients:
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (or AHA’s)
these exfoliate the skin, getting rid of dead skin cells, and include these ingredients:
- Glycolic Acid: which is good for collagen production (helps plump the skin giving it a more youthful look) and resurfacing the skin, and
- Lactic Acid: which helps minimise dark spots and soften fine lines
Polyhydroxy Acids (or PHA’s)
similar to AHA’s and also exfoliate the skin but are better for more sensitive skin in need of hydration. They also set the skin up for better penetration of the next product to be applied.
Hyaluronic Acid
not an exfoliant but is good for hydration of dry skin and helps lock in the moisture
I try to use products that include these active ingredients wherever possible.
My 5 Step Morning Skincare Routine
Step 1: Cleanse
Step 2: Tone
Step 3: Eye Serum
Step 4: Face Serum
Step 5: Moisturise
I’ve been using the skin care products mentioned, first thing in the morning, for at least 6 months but I do try different products regularly throughout the year.
You can also watch a video of my most recent morning skincare routine here:
Step 1: Cleanse
The first step in my routine is to cleanse my face. As I always take my makeup off the night before my skin doesn’t need much cleansing first thing in the morning so I usually only use one product to make my face feel fresh and awake. The products I’ve been using recently include:
Lacura Vitamin C Brightening Daily Cleanser with PHA has a lovely orange smell and a creamy consistency. I apply it to damp skin, massage it into my face and then wash it off with warm water. This cleanser states it will give you a brightened and energised complexion and it really does make my face look brighter. However It does say this isn’t suitable for sensitive skin and I feel that if I use it every day it tends to dry my skin out a little, so I’ve been alternating it with:
PCA Skin Creamy Cleanser which is a more gentle cleanser and states it is good for ageing skin. It includes antioxidants such as Sunflower Seed Oil and Lilac Leaf Cell Culture Extract as well as Rose Hip Seed Oil and Aloe Vera Leaf Juice. It also has a lovely spa-like scent to it and make my face feel soft and smooth. Again I apply to damp skin, massage in and remove with warm water.
Step 2: Toner
I’ve been using the Lacura Healthy Glow Glycolic Toner. I always thought a toner was just an extra cleansing product but as this one has Glycolic acid, it also gently exfoliates the skin and helps stimulate collagen. It really does leave my skin feeling smooth, plumper, and glowing. This Glycolic Toner also includes Aloe Vera and Ginseng and has a lovely subtle floral scent. Using a cotton pad you apply it to face, neck and decollete every morning. I would definitely continue buying this really good toner, at £3.99 it’s well-worth it.
Step 3: Eye Cream /Gel
This next step is definitely an optional step in my skin care routine. I really don’t feel like my delicate eye area needs an eye cream regularly, but I occasionally use one if I’ve had a few late nights and the dark circles appear under my eyes.
If I do use an eye cream my product of choice is The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Eye Cream-Gel. Ingredients include black cumin, camelia and rosehip seed oil plus a caffeine complex. It’s aim is to help reduce dark circles, reduce fine lines and depuff eye bags. I’ve never really noticed a lot of difference with any eye serum I’ve used but it usually makes me feel better.
An eye cream should be used only on the area your sunglasses would cover, not your whole face!
Caroline Hirons, author of the book Skin Care, states you should always use an eye cream before applying serum or moisturiser because you won’t be able to avoid getting them on the eye area and the eye cream would just be going over the top of it. Great tip that makes a lot of sense. It’s actually well worth having a look at this book if you’d like to learn more about skin care from a real expert.
Step 4: Face Serum
I always used to skip this step and have only started using a face serum in the last 4 years and I feel it’s made so much difference to the texture of my skin. The Lacura Q10 Renew Multi Intensive Serum with Hyaluronic Acid I’m using really hydrates and makes my skin feel smooth. The bottle states it helps smooth skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and I definitely think that’s true. And at 59 my skin needs all the hydration it can get!
According to dermatologists, for best results a serum should be used before moisturer. This is because a serum contains a higher concentration of the active ingredients which penetrate your skin and a moisturiser on top of the serum helps to lock them in. https://www.prevention.com/beauty/skin-care/a42055256/what-order-to-apply-skincare-products/
Step 5: Moisturizer
I couldn’t live without my face moisturizers and has always been the last step in my morning skin care routine for many years. Even with the face serum my skin doesn’t feel completely hydrated until I add my daily moisturizer.
I usually use The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Day Cream which feels really luxurious on my skin. This product claims to replenish mature skin and bring back youthful luminosity. I don’t think it will turn back the clock but it’s definitely a moisturiser that feels good on the skin.
Recently I’ve also been using:
Polaar Eternal Snow Youthful Promise Cream which is equally as good but slightly more expensive. The active ingredient in this product is the Nunatak arctic flower which is full of antioxidants and apparently very useful for slowing down the ageing process of your skin. I received this product in an advent calendar and would buy it again or put it on my gift wishlist.
Note: I never apply the serum and the moisturiser to my entire face, I always avoid the eye area.
And that’s my simple 5 step daily skincare routine.
Sunscreen
As I live in the UK and work from home I don’t worry a lot about sun damage on a daily basis. However if I’m on holiday or going to be outside for the day and will get a lot of sun exposure I would definitely add a final step of applying sun screen on top of my moisturiser.
You can read more about sunscreen for mature skin here.
If you have oily skin or combination skin then these morning routine posts may be more beneficial to you:
5 Step Morning Skincare Routine for Oily Skin
Best Skincare Routine for Combination Skin