When you’re doing research, a lot of the time, I bet that you’re looking for ways to achieve firmer, smoother, and more radiant skin, especially as you notice changes occurring in your skin over time.
While it’s great to look for new ways to improve your skin’s appearance..
It's equally important to consider the habits or practices you may need to abandon or avoid altogether.
To simplify things for you, I've compiled a list of the top seven mistakes I frequently observe women making in their skincare routines after 50.
Keep reading to discover each of these pitfalls, empowering you to shop with confidence and accelerate your journey toward healthier, more youthful-looking skin.
By Tindra Eriksson
Registered Nurse & Licensed Esthetician
1. You Use Products With Perfume & Fragrant Additives.
Perfume and other fragrances may seem like a delightful addition to skincare products, but they can wreak havoc on your skin.
Despite advancements in clean beauty, many brands still incorporate perfume, which can lead to various skin issues. This seemingly harmless ingredient can actually cause oxidative damage, increase photosensitivity (sun damage), and trigger inflammation.
Over time, consistent use of perfumed products can even contribute to collagen loss and accelerate the aging process.
To protect your skin, it's essential to steer clear of products containing perfume or fragrance. Additionally, it's important to be wary of seemingly natural scents like lavender & Citrus extracts which can disrupt the skin barrier and lead to increased sensitivity and dryness.
When scanning ingredient lists, watch out for names like Perfume, Fragrance, Lavandula Augustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil and various citrus extracts, such as Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract and Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract.
2. Water Can Dry out Your Skin & Dilute Your Products.
Water, commonly found in skincare products, may seem innocuous, but its effects on your skin can be quite surprising. While staying hydrated internally by drinking water is crucial for overall health, applying water topically can have unintended consequences.
Unlike quick showers where water exposure is brief, skincare products often remain on your skin for extended periods, allowing water to evaporate rapidly.
This evaporation process can leave your skin feeling parched, tight, and rough, exacerbating issues like dryness, flakiness, and sensitivity—particularly if you have mature skin.
Moreover, many skincare formulations contain high percentages of water, sometimes comprising up to 90% of the product. While water may serve as a cost-effective filler for manufacturers, it dilutes the potency of active ingredients, diminishing their efficacy.
While completely avoiding water in skincare formulations may be challenging due to industry norms, it's essential to be mindful of its presence in product ingredients.
When assessing skincare labels, keep an eye out for terms like "water" or "aqua" listed at the top, indicating a higher water content and potentially diluted product.
3.Your Products Might Be Old & Have Lost Effectiveness..
When you stroll down the aisles of a retail store browsing for beauty products, have you ever stopped to consider how long those items have been sitting on the shelf?
It's not uncommon for products to languish there for months or even years, quietly losing their potency over time.
You see, while many skincare ingredients boast impressive shelf lives, they aren't immune to the effects of time. Slowly but surely, active compounds and botanical extracts degrade, rendering them less effective with each passing day.
To compensate for this extended shelf life, manufacturers often rely on an arsenal of preservatives and additives, compromising the purity and efficacy of the product.
Next time you're perusing the beauty aisle, take a moment to scrutinize the brand's transparency regarding their production processes, batch frequency, and ingredient integrity.
By prioritizing transparency and freshness in your skincare choices, you can ensure that you're investing in products that deliver results you can rely on.
4. Your Products Contains Mostly Synthetic Chemicals
Your skincare products may be harboring a hidden secret: an abundance of synthetic chemicals. When you peruse the shelves of mainstream skincare brands, you'll often find a common thread among them—products laden with unnecessary additives and fillers.
While some synthetic ingredients serve a purpose in preserving product integrity and safety, the bulk of a skincare formula should ideally be sourced from natural, bioavailable ingredients.
Unlike their synthetic counterparts, natural compounds are readily absorbed by the skin, maximizing their effectiveness and minimizing the risk of adverse reactions.
Exposing your skin to a cocktail of unnecessary chemicals can lead to a host of issues, including irritation, inflammation, dryness, and even disruptions to hormonal balance. That's why it's essential to scrutinize ingredient lists and opt for products that prioritize natural, plant-derived ingredients whenever possible.
5.You Keep Layering Products on Your Skin
You might find yourself in a common skincare conundrum: layering product upon product in a quest to combat aging symptoms like wrinkles, fine lines, dryness and sagging.
While the impulse to pile on products is understandable, it can actually backfire in several ways.
As you age, especially during and after menopause, your skin becomes more delicate, prone to dryness, and thinner.
Consequently, bombarding it with a multitude of active ingredients and layers can overwhelm its delicate balance.
Moreover, when multiple active products are used simultaneously, they can interact with each other, potentially neutralizing their individual efficacy.
As a general rule of thumb, limit your routine to one active product in the morning and one at night. This approach allows for targeted rejuvenation without risking inflammation or other adverse reactions.
6. You Only Think About the Price When Shopping Beauty
It's understandable that price is a significant consideration when purchasing skincare products, especially in today's economic climate.
However, solely focusing on price may not always serve your skin's best interests in the long run.
Rather than viewing skincare as a mere expense, it's beneficial to reframe it as an investment in your skin's health and longevity.
Quality skincare products, particularly those formulated with high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients, often come with a higher price tag due to the meticulous production process involved.
While investing in these products may seem daunting initially, the returns can be significant. High-performance skincare can yield visible improvements in your skin's texture, tone, and overall health, potentially reducing the need for costly invasive treatments or procedures down the line.
Additionally, premium natural products are typically more potent and longer-lasting than their mass-produced counterparts, offering greater value for money over time.
7.Your Retinol is Doing more Harm than Good
You know, I absolutely adore retinol—it's like the superhero of anti-aging ingredients. But here's the thing: not all retinols are created equal, and some can actually do more harm than good.
Now, picture this: you're excited to try out a new retinol product, hoping for those fantastic results you've heard about.
But instead, you're left with redness, irritation, and sensitivity that make you wonder if it's worth it.
That's where the difference in formulations comes into play.
You see, many budget-friendly brands use pure forms of retinol that dive straight into your skin upon application. Sounds great, right? Well, not always. For those of us over 50, this fast penetration can lead to some serious discomfort.
But fear not! There's a solution: look for products with microencapsulated or time-released retinol. These fancy-sounding formulations deliver all the fabulous benefits of retinol gradually, giving your skin time to adjust without the drama.
And here's the kicker: the best retinol products aren't just about the retinol itself. Nope, they're packed with soothing and antioxidant-rich goodies that not only amp up the effectiveness of the retinol but also keep your skin calm and happy.
So, while it might be tempting to grab that budget-friendly retinol with only two ingredients, trust me on this one—investing in a quality retinol product specially formulated for mature skin is worth every penny.
Maybe It's Time for a Change?
I truly hope these guidelines serve as your trusty companions as you navigate the aisles of retail stores or browse through endless options online.
My goal? To empower you to make informed decisions, effortlessly selecting products that resonate with you and leave you feeling nothing short of fabulous.
So, whether you're swooning over NOOMI's offerings, which embody all the principles we've discussed, or exploring other brands, always keep these pearls of wisdom close at hand.
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And if you're itching to embark on a journey to cleaner, fresher skincare right this very moment, well, guess what? You can! Just a click away, and voila!
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And if you don't like them? Our generous guarantee means that you can just send them back within 60 days after purchase, opened or un-opened.
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BirchTech Hybrid
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Chaga Elixir
Chaga boosts collagen and hyaluronic acid production, resulting in a firmer, more supple appearance.
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