Age 50+ Goals

At this age our skin craves COMFORT, CUSHION and HYDRATION. The goal is to STRENGTHEN the collagen that we have and REBUILD what we may have lost.

Our skin gets dry. Our skin will want comfort, cushion, reinforcement, hydration. We want to support thinning skin, declining estrogen and slower repair at this age. In office procedures that support the dermis, fat pad and collagen matrix deep down can be a beneficial addition to build support. Procedures are like structural reinforcement in addition to maintenance with everyday skincare.

MUST DO in your 50’s+:

  1. Vitamin C (1-2x daily as tolerated)

  2. Barrier-supporting moisturizer (morning and night) - ceramides, fats, colloidal oat 

  3. Sunscreen/SPF (daily)

  4. Retinoid 2-3x a week, 4-5x if tolerated. If you cannot tolerate a retinoid but you can tolerate a peptide, it may be a nice alternative.

  5. Peptides - cushion

  6. Growth factors - build density, fix texture, repair collagen

  7. Exfoliate with acids 1-2 times a week if tolerated - optional, consider lactic or mandelic acid, these are gentler. Acids can be drying/stripping if overused.

  8. Salicylic acid for acne and reduce gunk in pores - optional, consider a cleanser with SA instead of topical SA (gentler) 1-2x a week.

  9. Azelaic Acid -optional, for redness

  10. Tranexamic, Alpha-Arbutin, Kojic acid - optional, for dark spots, hyperpigmentation

    **ONLY START ONE NEW PRODUCT AT A TIME. Use it 1-3 times a week at first, as tolerated. If you are not irritated, you can increase frequency. After about a week you can start adding a new product. Too many products can be irritating so if this is happening, back off acids, actives, retinoids, peptides. Give your skin a break. Increase the use of retinoids as tolerated. Start with just 1-2 times a week and rest your skin in between. Only make one change at a time to your regimen.

Product Recommendations Age 50+:

Product Recommendations Age 50+:

Cleansers:

  • Bioderma Micellar Water

  • Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

  • Dr. Idriss  Soft Wash

Hydrating Toners

  • SK-II Mini Facial Treatment Essence

  • COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Vitamin C (1-2x daily):

Potent Actives Vitamin C (if tolerated, use in AM only, can use an inactive at night if tolerated): 

  • Skinceuticals C E Ferulic® with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid (gold standard)

  • Paula’s Choice C15 booster serum (15%)

  • La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C12 Serum (10%-12%)

  • Cerave Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum or VaniCream Vitamin C

  • Timeless Skin Care Vitamin C and E Ferulic Acid Serum 10% or 20% (start at 10% and work your way up)

  • L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Vitamin C Concentrate

Inactive Vitamin C (easier tolerated, less potent, can use two times a day if tolerated or active in morning and inactive at night if tolerated)

  • Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening 

  • Dr. Loretta anti-ageing repair serum

  • Dr. Idriss Major Fade Active Seal Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer 

  • Vanicream Vitamin C Serum

Serum Hyperpigmentation

  • Dr. Idriss Major Fade Hyper Serum

Serum Redness, these all have azelaic acid

  • Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Repair Serum

  • Dr. Idriss Depuffer Roll-On

  • Dr. Idriss Left Un-Red

Serum Hydrating

  • Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum

  • Experiment Super Saturated

Exfoliating Acids AHAs (1-2x a week, Mandelic Acid likely best tolerated):

  • Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment 🡪 Dry skin

  • Dr. Idriss Major Fade Flash Mask

Exfoliating Acids BHAs (Salicylic Acid):

  • ALPYN 2% Pore Perfecting BHA

Growth Factors:

  • Skinmedica TNS Advanced+ Serum (gold standard)

  • Allies Of Skin Multipeptide and GF Advanced Lifting Serum

Peptides 50+:

  • Alpyn Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer for Eczema, Barrier and Wrinkle Repair 🡪 Glycerin, Squalene, Ceramides, peptides

  • Allies of Skin Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment

Growth Factors and Peptides all-in-one

  • Allies Of Skin Multipeptide and GF Advanced Lifting Serum

  • Necessaire The Neck Serum (peptides)

Moisturizers 50+:

  • SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 Ceramides, Fats

  • Dieux Instant Angel Lipid-Rich Firming Moisturizer Glycerin, Squalene, Ceramides, Fats

  • Purito SEOUL - Luminous Ceramide Moisturizer Glycerin, Squalene, Ceramides, Shea Butter

  • INNBEAUTY Project Extreme Cream Anti-Aging, Firming, & Lifting Moisturizer ceramides and peptides

Sunscreen:

  • Dr. Idriss Disco Block

  • Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day

  • Beauty of Joseon Sun Relief with Probitoics+Rice

  • La Roche Posay Toleriane UV Face Moisturizer

  • Live Tinted Huegard 3-in-1Mineral Sunscreen

  • SuperGoop Sunscreen (Glow, Matte, Unseen and more)

  • Kosas Dream Beam Comfy Smooth Sunscreen SPF 40

Retinoids:

  • See Retinoid Section Under ‘Ingredients 101’

Sample Daily Regimen:

Try this regimen daily and adjust it to your needs as tolerated.

WHAT NOT TO MIX:

Vitamin C + Retinoid = OKAY but need to make sure you tolerate each on its own before you mix, careful with mixing ACTIVE vitamin C, try inactive vitamin C at night instead.

Retinoid + Exfoliating acids = can combine with caution, if you can tolerate, prob best to exfoliate 2-3 times a week

Retinoid + Benzoyl Peroxide = Don’t combine. Benzoyl peroxide can oxidize the retinol and render in useless. Even in cleanser form. Alternate nights, benzoyl 3 nights a week and retinol other nights if needing to use benzoyl peroxide for acne

Benzoyl peroxide + Vitamin C = makes vit C ineffective, Use your vitamin C in the morning and Benzoyl peroxide at night 

Vitamin C + copper peptides = copper peptides inactivate vitamin

Azelaic Acid sometimes irritating when mixed with acids, retinoids, kojic acid