It would be an understatement to say that there is a wide selection of anti-aging beauty products on the market. A myriad of options claim to offer everything from tighter skin to a brighter complexion. With so many choices, it can be an overwhelming task to decide what’s actually worth your money, but one good way to start is to rule out the products that are bad for aging skin—some of them may surprise you!
To help you along the way, we spoke to dermatologist Amelia Damse DO, MPH, FAAD, FASDS of Oceans Dermatology about the worst beauty products for women over 40. Believe it or not, she says some of the worst ingredients you can use on your face are found in none other than makeup removing wipes.
Makeup removing wipes
You may be surprised to hear that makeup removing wipes are actually one of the worst products to use on your skin. This is true no matter how old you are, but cleansing wipes can especially take a toll on aging complexions, which is why women over 40 should make sure to steer clear of this product.
Damse says the trouble with makeup removing wipes is the fact that they contain alcohol and a blend of detergents that are meant to cleanse your skin. This certainly gets the job done and wipes your face clean, but it also comes with a cost. "While alcohol is an excellent antiseptic, it tends to dehydrate skin by stripping it of essential oils, and it can also lead to irritation," Damse explains.
Those natural oils are essential to the health and protection of your complexion. Subjecting your skin to the harsh ingredients found in most cleansing wipes will ultimately do more harm than good. Damse notes that not only do these wipes dry out your skin, but they also lead to further irritation by "breaking down the proteinaceous/lipid layer that allows skin cells to stick together, in this way destroying the skin barrier." Yikes! We like our skin barrier just how it is, thank you very much!
Dehydration and irritation are bad enough issues on their own, but these complications are especially concerning when you consider their long-term effects on your complexion. Damse notes that the dryness and irritation caused by cleansing wipes "can actually accelerate and accentuate the appearance of wrinkles and make skin appear dull and dry." So, if you want to reduce signs of aging rather than make them more visible, it's probably best to go another route when it comes to removing your makeup and cleansing your skin.
Of course, it's always important to clean your face after a long day, especially if you wear a lot of makeup. Dehydration is no good for your complexion, but neither is sleeping with foundation on! Luckily, Damse offers a safer, less irritating alternative to makeup wipes: oil-based and water-based cleansers. "An oil-based cleanser or micellar water can be used to first break down oil-based makeup products, dirt, and debris," she says. "This can be followed by a water-based gentle cleanser for the ultimate skin cleansing experience."
Finally, always remember to moisturize to keep your skin happy and healthy. Damse says this step will "replenish any moisture removed from the skin during the cleansing process."
At the end of the day, what really matters is prioritizing the health of your skin, and harsh makeup removers put that at risk. When you swap those dehydrating ingredients for gentle, moisturizing products, your skin will stay as beautiful as it is healthy.
As Damse says, "There is nothing more effortlessly beautiful than hydrated, plump, and youthful appearing skin, and healthy cleansing and rehydrating habits are the easiest and most cost-effective way to get there." We couldn't agree more!
