Over time, it’s natural for your skin concerns to change. A dermatologist-recommended skincare routine for your 50s includes products that help promote elasticity and firmness and leave you with a healthy-looking glow. From a hydrating essence that helps strengthen the skin barrier to a versatile LED mask that integrates facial massage, our top picks are designed to target signs of aging and are essential to a regimen for mature skin.
According to plastic surgeon Dr. Melissa Doft, one of the main concerns for those in their 50s is the loss of collagen. “As you age, your collagen is reduced by 1% per year, and after menopause the reduction can be up to 30%,” she says. The result? Skin that is less firm and more vulnerable to fine lines and damage. To round up the top products and devices, we’ve tapped deputy editor Jane Sung as well as several experts for the best skincare routine for women over 50.
Vitamin C Serum: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
LED Face Mask: Therabody TheraFace Mask
Hydrating Essence: Ilia The Base Face Milk
Nourishing Face Oil: Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum
Non-Irritating Retinol Cream: Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
Rich Night Cream: Cellcosmet Ultra Vital
Firming Eye Cream: Furtuna Skin Eye Revitalizing Cream
Collagen-Boosting Face Mask: Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask
Smoothing Neck Cream: Alastin Restorative Neck Complex
Face Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
Vitamin C Serum
A Top Pick That Addresses Fine Lines While Brightening Skin
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
As you age, skin becomes more prone to fine lines, pigmentation and inflammation, and some vitamin C serums only tackle the discoloration. We named this serum from SkinCeuticals the best vitamin C serum because it’s one of the most potent products out there with a high concentration of vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid. It doesn’t just brighten skin; it also works to reduce inflammation and free radical damage to reveal a more smooth and even complexion.
LED Face Mask
An Expert-Backed Device For Multiple Skin Concerns
Therabody TheraFace Mask
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Gregory Brown is a huge fan of LED face masks, saying that this type of light therapy can help to stimulate collagen production, improve skin texture by promoting cell turnover, reduce age spots, brighten hyperpigmentation and more. While all of those concerns can be addressed with topical skincare products, incorporating an LED mask can help to enhance their efficacy. This one is FDA-cleared to help treat signs of aging using red, infrared and blue light. An additional feature of the TheraFace Mask is that it’s enabled with vibration therapy to help alleviate facial tension.
Hydrating Essence
A Serum-Moisturizer Hybrid That Helps Strengthen The Skin's Barrier
Ilia The Base Face Milk
This milky essence features hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and microalgae. It also helps to strengthen the skin barrier with lipids, fatty acids and sterols. When all those ingredients come together, this helps to smooth out texture while also giving skin a more plump look and feel. Dermatologist Dr. Loretta Ciraldo vouches for the luxurious feel of this milk, too.
Nourishing Face Oil
A Vitamin-Rich Oil Infused With 22 Botanical Actives
Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum
Dermatologist Dr. Anar Mikailov recommends a face oil for mature complexions. “Mature skin tends to be drier, so a facial oil can add a layer of occlusion to help minimize transepidermal water loss,” he says. While this product is labeled a serum, it contains 22 nutrient-rich botanical actives, including grape seed oil, hazelnut seed oil, rose flower oil and more. After cleansing, rub five to six drops in your hands to activate the serum and gently press the formula into your skin.
Non-Irritating Retinol Cream
A Potent Blend That Smooths And Firms
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
This high-potency cream has all the collagen-producing and line-smoothing benefits of retinol without being too harsh or aggressive—plus it’s our top pick in our roundup of the best retinol creams. Oat, willow bark and licorice extracts help to soothe the skin while a triple peptide blend helps to strengthen and firm it. Doft says that if you add just one product to your routine in your 50s, it should be a retinol like this one to help strengthen skin and increase elastin production.
Rich Night Cream
Strengthen Skin On A Cellular Level
MOST POPULAR
Cellcosmet Ultra Vital
Swiss beauty brand Cellcosmet is loved by celebrity aestheticians and editors alike thanks to its inclusion of proprietary cellular extracts that boost hydration and firm the skin over time. It also includes a marine-derived postbiotic complex that strengthens the skin barrier to protect it from the harmful effects of pollutants and blue light. It’s expensive, but a little goes a very long way, and customers say the rich cream absorbs quickly, doesn’t leave any greasy residue and gives their skin a beautiful glow.
Firming Eye Cream
A Pick That Targets Dark Circles And Puffiness
Furtuna Skin Eye Revitalizing Cream
Featured in our best eye creams story, this vegan, cruelty-free product is packed with powerful ingredients that target dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and more. It contains lilac stem cells and hyaluronic acid to lift, brighten, plump and depuff the skin. The gentle formula has been ophthalmologist-tested and is safe for use on the eyelids, brows and temples.
Collagen-Boosting Face Mask
A Deeply Hydrating Treatment
Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask
A great option for those struggling with extreme dryness or irritation, Tata Harper’s face mask contains 1,000 different sizes of hyaluronic acid to enhance penetration into the skin. It also contains tremella mushroom to lock in moisture and help with collagen production. Use this regularly, and chances are you’ll start to see a more plump and smooth complexion. People with easily-irritated skin will also appreciate that the gel formula can feel calming on the skin.
Microcurrent Device
A Tried And Tested Top Microcurrent Tool
NuFace Trinity+
Brown says that microcurrent tools like this one help to stimulate the muscles, toning and lifting sagging areas. “Like an LED mask, using one of these can help complement skincare products that contain active ingredients by enhancing their efficacy,” he says. This cult-favorite device is beloved by aestheticians and Forbes Vetted editors alike (see our in-depth Trinity+ review here). It glides smoothly over the face with a light vibration that almost feels soothing and relaxing. This set comes with a conducting gel as well as a serum to apply afterwards.
Smoothing Neck Cream
A Brightening, Tightening Neck-Firming Cream
While the skin on the neck may seem identical to the skin on your face, Brown says it’s not. “Neck skin behaves much differently physiologically,” he says. “There are limited treatment options available for improving the quality of the skin in this area, so skincare is crucial.” He recommends a targeted treatment like this one from Alastin, because it nurtures and helps tighten the skin, also brightening the appearance of pigmentation.
Face Sunscreen
A Gentle Formula That Protects From UVA And UVB Rays
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46
Doft recommends diligent sunscreen application because it helps to reduce further UV damage. EltaMD’s UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 earned top marks from our tester with sensitive skin who appreciated the finish and easy application (read our full review of the best face sunscreens). The formula also contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide and vitamin E to help strengthen and nourish the skin.
MORE FROMFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Af Forbes Vetted, we’ve published many beauty articles. This includes skincare-specific topics like the best skincare routine for your 40s and the best anti-aging serums.
- This article was written by beauty contributor Neha Tandon, who has over six years of experience covering lifestyle topics.
- All picks were approved by Forbes Vetted deputy editor Jane Sung, who assigned and edited this story.
- We tapped plastic surgeon Dr. Melissa Doft, dermatologist Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Gregory Brown, dermatologist Dr. Anar Mikaiolov and dermatologist Dr. Omer Ibrahim for their expert knowledge on skin changes in your 50s and the best products for that age.
How We Chose The Best Skincare For Women Over 50
To select the best skincare routine for your 50s, we used our market knowledge to narrow down picks, referred to our own thoroughly-researched articles on a variety of skincare categories and also took into account dermatologist recommendations.
- We researched top ingredients, treatments and formulas, then asked experts for their opinions on them.
- In our selection process, many products have been tested firsthand by Forbes Vetted editors and contributors.
- The experts we interviewed provided their top picks as well as input on the best tips for selecting skincare in your 50s.
