• Skin Care & Beauty

by: Clara Young, May 20, 2020 Updated on May 28, 2020

When you've reached your 60s and beyond, your outlook on life may have shifted from discovering who you are, to knowing and embracing your true self. With these insights in hand, now you have the opportunity to focus on the things that make you happy. But your skin is not as elated as you are about the new milestone you’ve just arrived at. It’s getting dryer and thinner day by day, and achieving a fragile, papery quality. It gets easily irritated these days, turning red and blotchy for seemingly no reason at all. When you run your fingers over it, your skin feels rougher. While you’re pondering the best skin care products for a woman 60 years old and older, you notice more sagging, dark spots, crow’s feet, lines.

Sure, age is to blame for all this, but time is not the only villain – the sun is too. “Exposure to sunlight is one of the major causes for aging skin,” says Alicia Hawthorne, Eminence Organics Product Support Representative. “It may not have been visible in the earlier years but will show up later in life. It breaks down the elastin fibers causing skin to sag, stretch and lose its ability to bounce back.” 

We can’t undo the damage that’s been done, but what we can do is protect our skin and put the brakes on deterioration. The first order of the day is to wear sunscreen – SPF 30 or higher – everyday. Other general pieces of advice seem self-evident, and yet we often forget about them: Always source high-quality skin care for aging skin (including the best moisturizers you can find for older women), drink lots of water, exercise, get lots of sleep. Perhaps think of investing in a good humidifier. And, maybe, put on a little weight. The French actress Catherine Deneuve famously said some years ago that there comes a time when women have to choose between their figures and their face. As we age, we lose much of the fat under the skin of our cheeks, temples, chin, nose, and eye area. Extra pounds can keep our faces looking younger. It’s food for thought.

Now, as to the nitty gritty of a skin care routine for our sixth decade, the key is to be kind to our skin. Be gentle with it, patting it lovingly after you cleanse it. Dry off with luxuriously soft cloths, not abrasive terry cloth, for example. Pampering is important for mature skin. Indulge in the best skin care products you can find for 60 year olds and beyond - here’s what to look for when investing in the best skin care for dry, aging skin.

Cleanse

The first rule of thumb is not to wash your face too often. The fatty acids on your skin are precious and fleeting. Washing too often, especially with hot rather than lukewarm water, chases those fatty acids away when you need them most, and compromises the skin’s moisture barrier. When you cleanse, make sure you use a rich oil cleanser that leaves skin hydrated and dewy.

Tone

Toner is an essential step - not only to complete the cleansing process but also to further reduce the signs of aging. Combat the appearance of sagging skin by following up your gentle wash with a tightening and hydrating toner. 

Exfoliate

Gently and regularly sloughing off dead skin cells helps your skin absorb moisturizers better because they don’t have to battle through that extra layer of tough dead skin. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Use a mild chemical peel that includes lactic and glycolic acids. Not only does exfoliation reduce visible signs of aging, it firms up the skin too.

Mask 

The masking step is your secret weapon to improving the appearance of aging, using natural and botanical ingredients. A treatment like Eminence’s Snow Mushroom & Reishi Masque reduces puffiness, contouring and tightening the skin.

Treat

Peptides can diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and collagen improves the look of your skin’s elasticity. Both of these key anti-aging ingredients are in our Marine Flower Peptide Serum.

Moisturize

If there’s one thing you should do everyday for your skin, it should be moisturizing.If there’s one thing you should do everyday for your skin, it should be moisturizing. Moisturize a lot, and do it right after showering and bathing to restore the skin’s moisture barrier. Some of the best face creams for over 60s skin will contain shea butter, a fantastically emollient ingredient, and if the moisturizer includes SPF to prevent further sun damage, all the better. 

Night Cream

Moisturizing before going to bed is a smart way to protect against transepidermal water loss and lock anti-aging ingredients into the skin while the body is recharging. The best face creams for women over 60 work overnight, containing a natural hydroquinone alternative that targets age spots and hyperpigmentation while natural ingredients like stone crop and licorice root brighten the appearance of the skin.  

Eye Care

Aging takes a toll, especially on the thinner, fragile skin around the eyes. Give the eye area extra special care with rich eye cream that relieves the appearance of dry skin.

Cherish your skin at 60 and beyond. Taking time and care with it now will not bring back your youth, but something even better – beauty, grace and pure pleasure in the here and now. Learn more from an Eminence Organics spa partner, and find out about the availability of consultations, product recommendations and in-spa treatments.

Note: This post was originally published in May 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.