This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
It’s time to start thinking about our skincare routine for the colder months ahead, dermatologists tell us, and it’s especially important for women over 40. While everyone should take proper steps to protect their skin from the sun and other environmental factors, mature beauties who want to promote a healthy glow, prevent faster wrinkling and skin cancer should especially take precautions in their routines.
To help you make sure you are preparing correctly and putting your skin health first, doctors and dermatologists have shared two steps in your morning routine that you should never skip: sunscreen and vitamin C serum (and yes, these are supposed to be done every day, year-round!)
Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Angela Casey, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of youth skincare line Bright Girl and Dr. Anna Chacon, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and writer at My Psoriasis Team.
The Top 2 Skincare Steps You Should Never Skip, According to Experts:
1. Sunscreen
The most crucial step in any great anti-aging morning skincare routine is "sun protection," Chacon says, adding that "everyone should consistently use sunscreen as the last step after skincare and before applying makeup."
To prevent premature wrinkling and fine lines caused by sun damage, the daily application of sunscreen is vital.
Casey agrees, and notes that "prevention is truly the best medicine when it comes to your skin health." Implementing a skincare routine that "cleanses, moisturizes, and protects your skin" will lead you on the path to a healthy and glowing complexion (with much less wrinkling and fine lines than if you skipped this step), she notes.
She deems sunscreen to be the "non-negotiable final step," following vitamin C serum (we'll get into that in a second), and that you should choose one with an "SPF 30 or higher with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection."
"The best medicine for your skin's collagen is prevention and sunscreen," she says. A broad spectrum sunscreen "protects from both UVA and UVB rays," and she suggests selecting one with "SPF 30 or higher." This, she says, "prevents the UV rays of the sun from penetrating into your skin and causing collagen and elastic fiber breakdown."
2. Vitamin C Serum
After waking up in the morning, the first step that Casey recommends is "washing your face with a pH-balanced, gentle cleanser using lukewarm water." This step, she says, refreshes the skin and removes any sweat and debris that may have accumulated overnight.
Next, you are to apply an essential antioxidant serum, such as vitamin C. "Antioxidants are an important morning skincare step as they arm your skin to be prepared for all of the environmental pollutants and irritants that we encounter throughout the day," Casey adds. "Think of antioxidant serums as an extra layer of protection on your skin," she suggests.
Additionally, Chacon points out that wrinkles can be "lessened using a vitamin C serum," while also protecting your skin from sun damage when used under a sunscreen.
"Fine and large wrinkles on the face and neck are less prominent after using a vitamin C formulation on a daily basis for at least three months," she continues. "Skin texture and appearance are also improved."
An antioxidant like vitamin C is important to use in your skincare routine over 50, Chacon concludes, as it "works to shield your cells from the damage caused by free radicals, which are chemicals your body produces when it breaks down food, is exposed to tobacco smoke, or is exposed to radiation from the sun, X-rays, or other causes."
Sunscreen, of course, is just as vital, and using these two steps together can work wonders for not only sun protection, but also a healthier glow overall!
