Dr Alek Nikolic Reveals The Best Skin Care Regime For Your Forties
So we have said a sad farewell to our thirties but at the same time we are looking forward to our forties. You have established yourself in this life and know where you are going. Your focus may have changed to concentrating on your family, hobbies and passions rather than getting to every party.
Unfortunately our forties brings inevitable ageing changes including a reduced skin laxity, loss of the youthful glow, a sallow almost dull complexion, a reduction of the smooth texture, and an increase in visible pores and pigmentation. AND one tends to start noticing wrinkles more; especially around the eyes, frown, and forehead and even around one’s mouth and lips.
In your 40s, expression lines between your brows and around your eyes and mouth don’t disappear like they did in your 30s. Your oestrogen levels are also tapering off so your skin will become dryer and the neck and décolleté area might start to look a little crepey as well.
[quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”]”With the correct skin care regime one can see noticeable changes even in our forties. Today’s scientific research in active ingredients has clearly demonstrated their benefits and skin rejuvenating capabilities. Higher strengths will be necessary and these are typically only found with doctor prescribed cosmeceuticals.”[/quote]
Your main ingredients should all aim at moisturising, cell stimulation, improving cell communicating, and exfoliating. Here is my recommended skin care regime for all skin types and for all budgets. Read how to find your skin type with these quick and easy steps: Recognising Your Skin Type. Read more on how to exfoliate your skin her: How To Exfoliate Your Skin
Your Ideal Skin Care Regimen:
[message]Step 1:[/message]
Cleansers: Remove, Prep & Reduce
A.M. & P.M. Application
Rinsing with water is not enough to clean your face. Even worse is using bar soaps and/or the use of hard granular scrubs and brushes. The skin’s mantle has a delicate pH balance and good cleansers effectively remove necessary dirt and makeup but at the same time they protect the skin’s barrier and mantle. When your face is clean, it allows the other products you use to work even better with both the morning and evening skin regimes. I recommend either an AHA (Alphahydroxy acid), PHA based (polyhydroxy acid) or a BHA based (salicylic acid) cleanser depending on skin type and concern. [quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”]”Very simply we are looking for a formula that removes makeup and lightly exfoliates the skin by removing the dead outer layer and improving the glow of one’s skin, preps the skin for the toner and skin care products and also reduces inflammation.”[/quote]
For our full list of our available cleansers please check here.
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
Sensitive Skin: NEOSTRATA FACIAL CLEANSER or NEOSTRATA CLARIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER or DERMACEUTIC ADVANCED CLEANSER
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: SKINCEUTICALS BLEMISH + AGE CLEANSING GEL or NEOSTRATA CLARIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER or EXUVIANCE CLARIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER or OBAGI NUDERM FOAMING GEL
Combination Skin: NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE EXFOLIATING WASH or DERMACEUTIC ADVANCED CLEANSER or DERMAQUEST C INFUSION CLEANSER
Normal Skin: SKINCEUTICALS SIMPLY CLEAN or NEOSTRATA FOAMING GLYCOLIC WASH or EXUVIANCE OPTILIGHT DAILY PREP
Dry Skin: SKINCEUTICALS GENTLE CLEANSER or EXUVIANCE GENTLE CLEANSING CRÈME or OBAGI NUDERM GENTLE CLEANSER
[message]Step 2:[/message]
Sunscreen: ‘Reflect’ That UV
A.M. Application
Use SPF daily to prevent further damage and choose a product that contains antioxidants to fight free radicals and help reverse some of the damage you already have. [quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”]”As always I highly recommend a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.”[/quote] These 2 mineral based ingredients should be seen as mirrors that reflect the harmful UVA and UVB rays before they can do any harm. For our full list of our available sunscreens with the above mineral ingredients please check here.
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
Sensitive Skin: SKINCEUTICALS PHYSICAL FUSION UV DEFENSE SPF 50 or DERMACEUTIC SUN CEUTIC 50
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: HELIOCARE SPF 30 SILK GEL or HELIOCARE 360 GEL OIL FREE
Combination Skin: HELIOCARE 360° AIRGEL or DERMACEUTIC SUN CEUTIC 50
Normal Skin: SKINCEUTICALS SHEER PHYSICAL UV DEFENSE SPF 50 or DERMAQUEST SHEERZINC SPF 30 SUNKISSED or HELIOCARE ADVANCED GEL SPF 50
Dry Skin: HELIOCARE 360° FLUID CREAM or HELIOCARE XF GEL SPF 50
All In One: Moisturiser and SPF: DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL SOLAR MOISTURIZER SPF30
[message]Step 3:[/message]
Anti-Oxidants: Repair and Protect
A.M. & P.M. Application
For day, before applying sunscreen, use an antioxidant-rich moisturiser, serum or lotion.[quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”] “There is evidence that antioxidants act synergistically with sunblock to help guard against photo damage and has shown to help with infrared radiation from the sun.”[/quote] Added to this bonus is anti-oxidants will also be able to undo some of the damage that’s already been done. Read more on anti-oxidants here: How Antioxidants Work and Adding Anti-Oxidants To Your Skin Care Regime
For our full list of available antioxidants please check here.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
EXUVIANCE ANTIOXIDANT SERUM PERFECT 10
NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE SERUM
DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE CREAM
[message]Step 4:[/message]
‘Plump that Volume’
A good moisturiser for the day and evening is more important in our forties than in our thirties. As we get older hyaluronic acid (HA) production in our skin starts to diminish. HA is an amazing molecule that has the ability to hold large quantities of water molecules and is found in almost all living organisms.
Using AHA (Alphahydroxy Acid) and PHA (Polyhydroxy Acid) in our moisturisers help to stimulate GAG’s (glucose amino glycans) that are vital for increasing HA production. Adding HA serums that boost the available concentration in our skins will have further plumping and hydrating effects especially for those with combination and/or dryer skin types. Furthermore our ‘forties skin’ requires a little more attention so a day and an evening moisturiser should be considered for optimal effects.
For our full list of available moisturisers please check here.
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
A.M. Application:
Sensitive Skin: NEOSTRATA BIONIC FACE CREAM or DERMACEUTIC REGEN CEUTIC or EXUVIANCE ULTRA RESTORATIVE CRÈME or EXUVIANCE MULTI-PROTECTIVE DAY CREME SPF20
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: NEOSTRATA FACE CREAM PLUS or NEOSTRATA OIL CONTROL GEL or NEOSTRATA OILY SKIN SOLUTION or DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL B5 MOISTURE MATT or SKINCEUTICALS DAILY MOISTURE
Combination Skin: DERMACEUTIC HYAL CEUTIC or DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL SOLAR MOISTURIZER SPF30
Normal Skin: DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL SOLAR MOISTURIZER SPF30 or OBAGI NUDERM EXFODERM
Dry Skin: NEOSTRATA ULTRA SMOOTHING CREAM or NEOSTRATA ULTRA MOISTURIZING FACE CREAM or NEOSTRATA BIO-HYDRATING CREAM
P.M. Application:
Sensitive Skin: NEOSTRATA ULTRA MOISTURIZING FACE CREAM or EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT or EXUVIANCE NIGHT RENEWAL HYDRAGEL
Combination Skin: DERMACEUTIC TURN OVER or DERMACEUTIC LIGHT CEUTIC or EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT or DERMAQUEST STEM CELL 3D COMPLEX
Normal Skin: EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT or DERMACEUTIC TURN OVER
Dry Skin: NEOSTRATA ULTRA MOISTURIZING FACE CREAM or EXUVIANCE ULTRA RESTORATIVE CRÈME or EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE HYDRAFIRM or OBAGI HYDRATE LUXE
All-Time Favourites & For ALL Skin Types:
NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE MATRIX SUPPORT SPF 30
DERMAQUEST STEM CELL 3D TINTED MOISTURISER
SKINCEUTICALS TRIPLE LIPID RESTORE 2:4:2
DERMAQUEST STEM CELL 3D COMPLEX
[message]Step 5:[/message]
Retinoids and peptides are two ingredient groups that you should add into your routine if you haven’t already. Peptides can help rebuild collagen, especially when used in combination with skin texture-improving retinoids like retinol. Add a retinoid to your regimen to help improve the overall texture and tone of your skin. The highest-strength retinoids are prescription only, but over-the-counter retinol is a close second. Everyone’s skin is different, so the strength you need will vary on an individual basis. Apply retinoids at night as retinol increases the skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Retinoids can be irritating on your eye area but I do recommend trying it out every 3rd night so that the skin around the eye also gets the rejuvenating effect of retinol. See the benefits of retinol: Which Strength of Retinol Do I Need? And SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 Uses and Treatment Guidelines.
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
Low-strength retinol products:
Depending on your skin type and/or concern, you can easily alternate them with our high-strength retinol products:
EXUVIANCE BLEMISH TREATMENT GEL
These strengths of retinol are also ideal for combining with day time or evening moisturisers with retinol for those who wish to layer them with stronger targeted formulas, or for those who can’t tolerate higher concentrations of retinol. Day time retinol moisturisers:
EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE DAY REPAIR SPF30
NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE MATRIX SUPPORT SPF 30
Moderate-Strength Retinol Treatments: The Next Step
SkinMiles.Com offers a variety of retinol formulas in the moderate-strength range:
EXUVIANCE OPTILIGHT TONE CORRECTOR
High-Strength Retinol:
Strength 0.5%:
DERMACEUTIC SKIN AGING & PIGMENT SPOTS HOME KIT
DERMACEUTIC ACNE-PRONE SKIN HOME KIT
Strength: 1%
EXUVIANCE SUPER RETINOL CONCENTRATE
Peptides:
DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE CREAM
DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE RICH
[message]Step 6[/message]
Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C Royalty
A.M. Application
Ascorbic acid—also known as L-ascorbic acid—has the most research of any form of vitamin C when it comes to benefits for skin. For that reason, ascorbic acid is the most used form of vitamin C in well formulated skincare products. When properly formulated, it helps create younger, firmer skin while fading signs of sun damage and post-acne marks.
Ascorbic acid is also a powerhouse when mixed with other antioxidants, or when used alone in higher concentrations, such as 15% or 20% or greater, amounts that can be great for treating extra-stubborn concerns (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008 & Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012). Read more on the benefits of Vitamin C here: Vitamin C for Anti-Aging & Brighter, Healthier Skin
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
EXUVIANCE VITAMIN C BOOSTER POWDER
OBAGI PRO C EYE BRIGHTENER EYE SERUM
[message]Step 7:[/message]
Neck and Chest (Optional)
There is no reason not to use your skin care regime products that you are using on your face on your neck and chest. However at SkinMiles.Com we do have products that are specific for the often forgotten areas: The Neck and Chest. These products are nice to have but definitely not a necessity.
Dr Alek Nikolic Recommends:
NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE TRIPLE FIRMING NECK CREAM
[quote author=”Dr Alek Nikolic”]”To make it as easy as possible I have placed the above steps in a table format that can be copied and pasted for quick reference.”[/quote]
I hope you found the article informative and helpful in starting an effective skin care regime in your forties.
Please feel free to send me any comments or questions you may have regarding your skin concerns or skin care regimes.
Kind regards
FOR ALL SKIN TYPES
|
Step |
Oily Skin | Combination Skin | Dry/Very Dry |
|
Cleanser |
Tip: Avoid bar soaps! | Tip: A gentle, effective cleanser can balance both dry and oily areas. |
Tip: Avoid drying or greasy formulas. |
| Anti-Oxidant
P.M. |
|||
|
Sunscreen: A.M. |
|
||
|
Moisturise |
Tip: Use an ultra-light formula. |
Tip: Apply moisturiser all over!
|
Tip: Use a more emollient |
| Moisturise P.M. |
|
Great information DR Alek i will be sure to tell all my friends
thank you Dr Alek for your thorough information AND budget consideration
Thanks for the feedback Jamie. Glad you liked the article and the budget skin care approach. Kind Regards Dr Alek Nikolic