Fifty may be “the new thirty,” as the saying goes, but when it comes to your skin care routine, using products specifically for mature skin will help keep you looking your healthiest and happiest. As you move into your fifth decade, you might be wondering:

• How does my skin change in my fifties?
• Should my skin care products change in my fifties?
• Do I still need to wear sunscreen in my fifties?
• What if I still have acne in my fifties?
• What are the best anti-aging products for 50-plus?

Turning fifty is the perfect time to invest in skin care products that meet your skin’s changing needs. Common concerns for mature skin might include drooping skin around the eyes and jawline, neck laxity, age spots, loss of firmness and deepening wrinkles.

How Does My Skin Change in My Fifties?

Estrogen levels fall during menopause, causing the skin to become thinner and less able to maintain moisture. Menopausal skin also loses collagen—about 30% in the first five years of menopause—which can cause sagging and turn fine lines into deeper, more visible wrinkles.

“In your fifties, you might also notice that your skin takes longer to heal after a wound or injury,” says board-certified-dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Because of the hormonal changes of menopause, you might also notice pigmentation issues such as melasma. This is the culmination of what years of sun damage have caused, so it isn't exactly that it happened overnight, but it came over time. Fortunately, there are many good treatments for it!”

Should My Skin Care Change in My Fifties?

Your skin care should definitely shift to meet your skin’s changing needs in your fifties. Incorporating products with active ingredients such as peptides and retinol into your skin care routine can help boost collagen production, soften wrinkles and reduce the appearance of discoloration, such as age spots.

:The skin on your neck and around your eyes tends to show age most intensely," Dr. Schlessinger says. That makes your fifties a good time to add a dedicated eye cream and neck cream to your routine if you haven't already done so.

Do I Still Need Sunscreen in My Fifties?

Yes, absolutely. “Sunscreen is important at every age to protect against the sun’s damaging rays,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “Even if you were a lax with sun protection in your earlier years, don’t assume the damage is already done. You can still change your habits now and start wearing sunscreen daily to prevent skin cancer and future signs of aging. But it is absolutely essential that your sunscreen isn't the 'generic' brand in the local drugstore. Better sunscreens produce better results.”

The 10 Best Skin Care Products for Over 50

Are you still wondering "What are the best skin care products for people over 50 years old?" From effective anti-aging serums to neck creams and more, our experts have details their top picks for dermatologist-recommended skin care products for those over 50.

1. LovelySkin Gentle Cream Cleanser

This cream-based cleanser simultaneously helps remove all traces of makeup and gently exfoliates skin without overdrying thanks to meadowfoam seed extract, olive oil extract and afaLUXE™, a dermatologist-developed molecule with vitamin C and Dead Sea minerals.

If you’re noticing bouts of hormonal acne—not uncommon during menopause—instead try LovelySkin Clarifying Gel Cleanser, which not only encourages natural exfoliation but also works to gently treat acne using salicylic acid, glycolic acid and afaLUXE.

2. Emepelle AM/PM Duo

Skin care line Emepelle is specially formulated to target menopausal skin thanks to MEP Technology, a patented ingredient that helps restore the natural function of estrogen-deficient skin without hormones.

This duo includes two treatments, a serum for daytime and a cream for night. They both feature MEP as well as hyaluronic acid to help hydrate skin, niacinamide to support an even skin tone and peptides to help improve skin laxity. The night cream also contains retinol to help lessen hyperpigmentation and smooth wrinkles.

3. Neocutis Lumiere Firm Riche Extra Moisturizing, Illuminating & Tightening Cream

A powerful anti-aging eye cream is a must-have in your skin care lineup for mature skin. This eye treatment is formulated with growth factors and proprietary peptides to help firm sagging under-eye skin, reduce crow’s feet and lessen the appearance of dark circles. It also contains wild yam extract to help smooth rough texture and glycerin, a powerful humectant that help increase the moisture level in your skin.

4. Revision Skincare Nectifirm Advanced

Using a dedicated neck treatment that’s specifically formulated for mature skin can go a long way to help reverse the signs of aging skin on your neck and decolletage. This smoothing neck serum by Revision Skincare contains red microalgae to firm, lingonberry extract to strengthen the skin and a blend of peptides and proteins to help spur collagen production for younger-looking skin.

5. PCA Skin Intensive Age Refining Treatment

Incorporating a retinol-based treatment is a smart move for those with 50-plus skin, as this powerful active ingredient helps boost collagen production and slow down photoaging. This treatment by PCA Skin contains 0.5% pure retinol combined with hydrators and antioxidants, which all work together to support skin's protection against future damage and reveal younger-looking skin by stimulating cell turnover. It’s fast-absorbing and gentle enough to use daily while still producing noticeable results over time.

6. EltaMD UV Restore Broad-Spectrum SPF 40

This nourishing sunscreen from EltaMD works double time with anti-aging benefits as well as mineral sun protection. Transparent zinc oxide helps protect skin from UVA and UVB rays without leaving a white cast behind while squalane helps boost your skin’s ability to retain moisture and ginger root extract helps fade existing sun damage. Available for purchase in untinted or tinted formulas.

7. SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum

This next-generation iteration of SkinMedica’s original TNS Serum is formulated to target advanced signs of aging. With two tripeptide complexes instead of one and 450 growth factors instead of 380, the Advanced+ formula works to help reduce wrinkle depth and increase firmness. It’s also fragrance-free and contains probiotics to support your skin’s microbiome.

8. DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum

If you’ve tried retinol for anti-aging and found it irritating, this concentrated serum is one option the LovelySkin experts recommend as an alternative. It’s powered by a peptide blend and Age-Repair Defensins, synthetic growth factors developed by DefenAge to help activate a healing sequence in your skin’s cells by boosting collagen production to reveal firmer, brighter, smoother-looking skin.

9. NuFACE Trinity PRO Facial Toning Kit

This professional-grade device is a worthwhile complement to your lineup of topical skin care products. In the same way that lifting weights tones your body, the NuFACE Trinity PRO helps contour and tone the muscles in your face using microcurrents—400 milliamps, to be exact. It’s clinically proven to firm and lift problem areas such as the jawline with five minutes of use for sixty consecutive days.

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