Skin care in women over fifty is an important part of someones everyday routine. As we age our skin changes. There are so many reasons for this, for instance there are environmental reasons, aging reasons, and even nutritional reasons,  but skin care in women over fifty is really important. Our first line of defense against the environment is our skin. It is there to protect us against the cold, the heat and other things.  There are a few things about aging we would like to happen a little more slowly, so taking care of our skin is not just because of age, but because is important to everyone.

What Happens to Skin In Women Over Fifty

As we get older our skin thins. That layer of skin we called baby fat really does thin out. As it thins out more of what is lying underneath there is exposed. The thinner layers of skin also exposed blood vessels directly under the layers. We also have something called connective tissue in our skin.  When the connective tissue gets thin, our layers of skin become more fragile. Skin will tear more easily and will droop more. All of this adds to the need for women over fifty to develop better skin care. It needs better care.

Over the years we may have spent too much time in the sun. Sunlight can really damage our skin. If you lived in a climate that is extremely warm or cold our skin can be damaged.

The oil glands that caused a lot of problems during puberty are not helping us so much now. You can’t just turn that faucet on and off. Sometimes I wish we could. Those oil glands used to cause pimples, now the lack of oil causes dry skin. Keratosis develops (rough patches).

All of those changes lead us to the need to do something different. Maybe you haven’t taken really good care of your skin up to this point.  Or maybe you just looked in the mirror and realized things have CHANGED!

Wrinkles Are Just Part Of the Problem

Skin Care In Women Over Fifty

Skin care is important at every age but at 50 we have been exposed to a lot of different things. I want to focus on the way we take care of our skin and especially our face. What do we need to do to take care of our face at age 50?

Cleanse Your Face

We do not have to use the same cleanser used during our teens or twenties. Women over 50 do not produce the same amount of oils we used to. Now is the time to find a gentle cleanser that foams nicely but removes the dirt and grime from the day. Also rinse well after cleansing with a gentle facial soap. Neutrogena and Cetaphil both have nice gently facial cleansers.  Both are gentle without drying your skin out.

Exfoliate

We just do not get rid of dead layers of skin the way we used to. So we need help doing that. The exfoliate should also be a gentle one. Over exfoliating will not do your skin any good. Gently exfoliating with remove old dead skin cells and brighten our face. Skin care in women over fifty must include an exfoliating product. I actually use St. Ives Apricot Scrub. 

Moisterize

After cleansing and exfoliating add some moisture back in the skin. Replenish and refresh with some moisture rich cream that also has an SPF > than 50. 

Just the thought of cool water falling on a dry surface is refreshing.  When moisturizer is used on dry aging skin it can be very helpful. Moisturizer makes the appearance of  wrinkles diminish, but there is nothing that will completely get rid of wrinkles.  Moisturizers that have retinols in them seem to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles as well.  Make sure your moisturizer has spf >than 50 in it.  There are many, many brands that help the skin, just using them constantly can improve the appearance of your skin.  Remember we are not twenty anymore.

Drink Water

Yes drinking water can help your skin. The cells in your body need water. Drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water will do your skin good.  That means if I weigh 150 lbs, I should drink about 75 ounces of water a day.  Not only will your skin thank you, but also your heart, kidneys and other organs.

Stay Out of the Sun

If you can not stay out of the sun, then use products that have SPF >than 50.  Protect your face, it is the only one you get. Most damage from the sun we did in our 20s, but we must still continue to protect it.

So the steps that every woman over fifty should take to keep her skin looking beautiful.

1. Cleanse each night and morning thoroughly.
2. Exfoliate gently.
3. Moisturize.
4. Apply sun protector.
5. Drink plenty of water.
6. Get enough rest.

Yes getting rest affects our skin.  Getting rest affects everything. Sleep is important so try to do it well. There are many other things you can do to prevent deterioration of your skin at the age of 50.  Some are drastic things you can do. This list is certainly not exhaustive. Taking care of yourself is important. I do believe in aging gracefully and enjoying where you are, but I also believe in taking good care of your skin.  These are some simple practices that women over fifty should do to take care of the skin. Nothing here is drastic or difficult and the products listed are fairly inexpensive. Give yourself a 10 day challenge and see if your skin doesn’t improve. Studies say that anything you do for 10 days becomes a habit. Hopefully this will become a good habit for you in your life and daily skin care. Honestly, Janet