Your life changes in your 30s. You’ve got the promotion but less time for yourself, and you’ve got your hands full with “adulting” responsibilities like taking care of kids, parents or both. And as if that weren’t enough, your skin is rebelling. Your cell turnover slows down causing dullness and discoloration. Your collagen and elastin levels are dropping off too. You may not see wrinkles yet, but your dark circles are showing more and your cheekbones are showing less. Life just isn’t fair, is it?

So we’ve got good news and bad news. Your skin needs more TLC in your 30s, but a lot of the products you used in your 20s just won’t cut it. Aside from basics like cleansing and moisturizing, you need to add more steps to your 30s skincare routine. You also need to start paying more attention to anti-ageing ingredients. Suddenly, firmer and tighter skin isn’t something you can take for granted, especially since you’re losing hydration (yes, even if you have oily skin).

The good news is that we’ve made this skincare change as simple as possible. We list the steps you need to add right now to keep your skin youthful not just in your 30s, but well into your 40s. Do this every day, and your 30s may very well be the time that you have the best skin of your life.

 Use a Hydrating Toner

Your skin needs hydration now more than ever. Your moisture barrier is weaker, so your skin is more prone to drying up especially in Singapore’s tropical climate. This makes you more prone to redness, irritation, flaking, and rough skin texture.

If you’re pregnant or on some kinds of birth control pills, the hormonal changes can also cause your skin to lose moisture faster. Lifestyle and habits (like late nights at work, stress, or dieting and diet pills) can also mess up with your skin.

That’s why you need a hydrating toner, no matter what your skin type is. Cleansers are always going to dry out the skin, because you can’t get rid of dirt and makeup without taking some of our natural skin oils with it.  A hydrating toner gives back some of that moisture, and preps your skin to absorb more of the essences and serums you apply on top of it.

Use a chemical exfoliator twice a week

If you have acne, you already know the importance of exfoliation – you’ve been so vigilant about clearing up your pores of dead skin cells. But now, exfoliation isn’t just a way of preventing pimples. Since your skin cell turnover has slowed down, your skin needs extra help in getting rid of the top layer to reveal new skin cells.

However, instead of face scrubs that contain a lot of grains or beads, use a chemical exfoliator with skin acids and antioxidants. They’re less irritating (because your skin is more sensitive now) and also have the added benefit of brightening your skin and lightening acne marks.

Skin Care Tips

 Add a skin brightening ingredient

This isn’t about lightening your skin, but brightening your skin. Even if you’re perfectly happy with your skin tone, you’re more prone to pigmentation that leads to sun spots, darker and more stubborn acne scars, and uneven skin tone. Pregnancy hormones can also cause melasma patches which are harmless but admittedly annoying to conceal. You’re busy growing a baby in your tummy – the last thing you need to worry about is your makeup!

Some of the best skin brightening products contain ingredients like hydroquinine, arbutin, kojic acid, vitamin C, licorice, soy, and linoelic acid. (If you’re pregnant or nursing, avoid hydroquinone.)   

Boost collagen production

There are many skincare products that will boost collagen production. There are natural skincare that uses plant extracts and organic oils. There are also prescription-strength products that use retinoids (considered the gold-standard in collagen production) and peptides. Some anti-ageing creams will also fight ageing on the DNA level, using growth factors and plant-derived stem cells.

 Whatever you pick, just remember: don’t wait until you see fine lines to start using anti-ageing products that boost collagen and elastin. It’s easier to prevent skin sagging and wrinkles than to treat them once they’re there.

And don’t forget to apply anti-ageing skincare to your neck and body, too! Your face isn’t the only part of your body that’s growing older, and you don’t want your wrinkled and leathery hands to give away your age.

Invest in the best eye cream

The skin under your eyes is very thin, and this is where your first lines and wrinkling will appear. As early as possible, invest in a good eye cream and apply it religiously. Sleepless nights, eye fatigue from squinting at a computer screen, or habits like rubbing your eyes whenever you take off eyeshadow and mascara can speed up the ageing process.

The best eye creams contain peptides, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants. If you have puffy eyes, get eye creams that contain caffeine which will tighten the blood vessels. 

 Use Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide

You already know why sunscreen is important, but now it’s as critical as brushing your teeth every day. Upgrade to a sunscreen with zinc ocide and titanium dioxide, which block not just UVA and UVB, but all light wavelengths of light that worsen age spots and wrinkles. 

Aside from this, remember to layer sun protection. Get makeup with sun protection, take oral antioxidants and supplements that fight sun damage, and get sunscreen sprays for easy and non-greasy reapplication.