Your skin is the first place to show your age. But the products and techniques that keep it young change as the years add up. Whether you’re battling teenage acne or those first crow’s feet, you need the right weapons in your bathroom arsenal.
Consider this the intelligence that will arm you in the war against Father Time.
Teens
Some teenagers breeze through their years with no skin problems. For others it can be breakout ground zero, as the hormones coursing through your body cause your skin to OD on oil and sebum.
“The T-Zone is a focal area for young skin,” says Mankind skincare expert Terri Lowe. How to reclaim this T-shaped territory, which runs down your nose and chin and across your forehead? “Fight against excess oils, and keep your complexion hydrated.”
Lowe recommends equipping yourself with men-ü Matt Moisturiser as it’s grease-free, so stops shine but still locks in moisture.
Twenties
Your skin is like a pension: early investment pays dividends. “The more you take care of your skin now, the better it will look later on,” says skincare expert Andy Millward. “Prevention is always better than cure.”
To avoid an hour in front of the mirror every morning, opt for ‘all-rounder’ products. “The Lab Series Pro LS All-In-One Face Treatment soothes, moisturises and repairs,” says Lowe. “It’s an easy-to-use formula that satisfies all your skincare concerns.”
But products can’t do their work if you’re smearing them on grubby skin. “Cleansing is the cornerstone of keeping skin healthy,” says Millward. It’s how your body clears toxins, so needs regular scrubbing down to stay looking its best.
“CosMedix Purity Clean respects the integrity of the barrier function, plus contains 5% L-Lactic Acid to gently exfoliate and help keep your skin clear.” Spend 10 minutes deploying it now to ensure you’re still getting ID’d into middle-age.
Thirties
Your fourth decade is when late nights finally start catching up. And you find yourself peering more intently at those cracks appearing around your eyes. You need a heavy-calibre moisturiser to outflank them, like L’Oreal Men Expert Vita Lift 5.
“This combats the first signs of ageing, leaving your skin replenished and refreshed,” says Lowe. It also comes armed with pro-retinol, which research from the University of Michigan found undoes sun damage and helps to iron out wrinkles before they encroach too far.
“Combine it with Hydra Energetic Cooling Eye Roll-On, to fight dark circles,” adds Lowe. Now’s the time for laser-targeted defence.
Cell turnover slows down from your mid-twenties and collagen production decreases, says Millward. He recommends arming yourself with some anti-ageing weapons.
“Incorporating a vitamin A or retinol product into your nightly regime, like PC4Men Nighttime Repair, will help to increase the cell renewal cycle and stimulate collagen production to treat any fine lines and wrinkles.” Use after-dark operations to sabotage the ageing process.
Forties
Some fine lines and crow’s feet are natural, but to revitalise tired-looking skin, unleash the big guns. “Clinique for Men Maximum Hydrator activates and restores your skin’s moisture, reducing the appearance of wrinkles,” says Lowe. It’s your heavy artillery for when battle scars start to show.
From mid-thirties to early forties, men’s testosterone levels drop, which can leave your skin looking dull and tired. “Switch your regular antioxidant serum for something that contains tyrosinase inhibitors and skin brightening ingredients, like CosMedix Simply Brilliant,” says Milward.
Get waltheria extract, vitamin C, green tea and liquorice root extract into your munitions stores.
Fifties And Beyond
If you didn’t heed that prevention over cure advice, it’s not too late to send in reinforcements. “Protect your skin from the elements with Aesop Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream,” says Lowe. “This product shields your skin from environmental pressures and keeps it healthy and hydrated – whatever your age.”
That looseness you’re noticing around your eyes and jowls is courtesy of plummeting collagen, plus the cumulative effect of all those razor blades on your skin’s springiness. “Choose a slightly richer moisturiser – jojoba and shea butter-based is best – that is also rich in antioxidants, alpha lipoic acid and copper peptides,” says Millward.
“CosMedix Emulsion is one of the best on the market for mature skins, without being too heavy.” Step to it, soldier.
