Skincare routine for 30+
As one of the most important age milestones of your life, hitting your thirties can feel daunting, exciting and over/underwhelming all at once. I remember people telling me that your thirties is your best decade and not believing them (I thought they were just saying it because they were old and I was young), but now I stop to reflect, it has been pretty cool so far. You certainly have more confidence and care WAY less about what people think, even if your body and skin is changing every day.
Now at the ripe old age of 33 and well and truly in my thirties (am I mid-thirties yet? I still go with early thirties but I guess that won’t be accurate for much longer), I’ve had to rethink my skincare routine to keep up with how my skin has developed and changed as I’ve aged.
Skin in your thirties
Here are some of the main differences I’ve noticed in my skin as I get older:
- Lines around my eyes, mainly very tiny ones under my eyes and some light crow’s feet. The under eye ones are frustrating as I also get bad dark circles (I blame running a startup for 3 years), so if I’m covering up with concealer it can crease in the wrinkles. Nightmare.
- Pores look bigger.
- Sun damage from my years as a careless teenager on Greek islands is really starting to show. My forehead seems to have got it the worse, with light little indentations that are very obvious in certain lights. We’re not talking full on thick lines here, but most facial expressions reveal them (especially surprised and happy. Naturally I try and stay unfazed and grumpy but that’s tough to keep up all day).
- Skin on my neck and chest feels thinner and gets dry/patchy very easily.
- Less spots (yay) but certainly drier skin on the whole.
Skincare routine when you’re in your thirties
Here’s how I’m tackling said problems:
- Eye lines are a tough one as the skin in that area is super thin and delicate so you don’t want to do anything to aggravate it. Up until recently I haven’t really believed in eye creams but that’s changed now (more to follow from BYBI very soon…) and I do think that specific eye treatments are worth it. Right now I like to create my own as part of my nighttime routine; I combine a few drops of Bakuchiol Booster for its collagen boosting properties with a tiny bit of Babe Balm. Babe Balm is usually too thick to use on the face unless you have very dry skin but it has Coenzyme Q10 which is a protein that’s brilliant for firming. Together they help plump my little lines whilst intensely hydrating which is important as the drier your skin is, the more obvious things like lines will be.
- I’m not sure if there are any ways of actually reducing the size of pores but ensuring they stay decongested and clear will reduce the likelihood of blackheads, which make pores look more obvious. The salicylic acid in Crystal Clear is an acid that effectively cleanses deep into your pores, ensuring they don’t become clogged or blocked. I cleanse with it every night.
- For the forehead lines I reach for the most powerful of the BYBI range: a combination of Bakuchiol Booster and Supercharge Serum. Bakuchiol stimulates collagen production which supports the structure of the skin and helps promote elasticity, plumping out those lines. Supercharge Serum is fantastic for areas of damaged skin including sun damage, sun spots and hyperpigmentation as it helps increase skin cell turnover, ensuring your freshest, newest skin is on top.
- I find that regularly using a Gua Sha helps keep skin looking supple, especially on my neck and chest where it can look a bit papery. I did a video on using a Gua Sha with the BYBI Boosters here, I use the same technique on my neck and chest with plenty of Bakuchiol or Supercharge Serum.
- If your skin is ever feeling dry honestly all you need is Night Nutrition. This is great if you’re in your thirties as not only does it intensely moisturise, but it also has proteins that rebuild and repair your skin overnight, so it’ll get to work on areas of damage that become more obvious when you get older. It’s also just a gloriously creamy moisturiser that’s delicious for skin of all ages.
I’d like to finish by saying that the changes in your skin as you get older are a mark of your experience and I’m not suggesting that you try to reverse these things. My crow’s feet and eye wrinkles are from laughing, my forehead lines mark many a good holiday. Your skin will age just like the rest of your body, I think the key to your best skin whatever your age is keeping it healthy and nourished.
Written by Elsie, BYBI Co-Founder