The top skin care tips in your 30s

Treat common skin care and ageing concerns in your 30s with these expert tips

marie claire Contributor / May 25 2017

The first signs of ageing start to crop up on your complexion once you enter your third decade, so paying extra attention to using the right skin care products is vital. We consulted skin specialists for their time-freezing tips to maintain a glossy, glowing complexion in your 30s.

Dehydration

“Like the 20s, dehydration at this age is either situational or linked to innate dryness, plus your skin can start to take on a scaly texture,” says Edouard Mauvais-Jarvis, Dior’s scientific communications director. “The ageing process has also begun, with fine lines and wrinkles often making their first appearance, which tends to alter the quality of skin and make it less springy.”

What to do: “A topical retinoid is a good starting point,” says Dr Shobhan Manoharan, laser and cosmetic dermatologist at Brisbane Skin and Westside Dermatology. “For dynamic wrinkles and lines, you can start using Botox in small doses to prevent more severe and permanent wrinkles.”

Try: Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum

Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum

Unevenness

“Enlarged pores are still present, and are either a reminder of the combination-to-oily skin you had in your 20s, or a sign of past sun overexposure,” explains Mauvais-Jarvis. Melasma is also common, “particularly for those with darker skin, and is due to a combination of hormonal factors and sun exposure”, says Dr Manoharan.

What to do: Daily SPF is a must and “avoid hormonal contraception and HRT if possible as these may exacerbate melasma”, advises Dr Manoharan. “Utilise fading agents like retinoids and alpha hydroxy acid peels.”

Try: Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar

Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar

Inflammation

Rosacea often presents or worsens during this decade. “It is a genetic condition due to a hyperactivity of the facial skin’s small vessels, and can result in a tendency to blush/flush, pimples, fixed redness on the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin, dilated capillaries and even thickening of skin on the nose and other parts of face,” explains Dr Manoharan.

What to do: You can’t cure rosacea, but you can control it. “These patients often have extremely sensitive skin, so use a soap-free wash and a light moisturiser and avoid precipitating factors [spicy foods, alcohol, sun exposure],” advises Dr Manoharan. Also, don’t rub, irritate or exfoliate sensitised skin.

Try: Avène Eau Thermale Anti-Rougeurs Fort

Avène Eau Thermale Anti-Rougeurs Fort

Main image credit: Getty

A beauty editor and vitamin C fanatic who has worked across a range of print and digital publications, including Stellar, marie claire, Gritty Pretty and Badlands Journal.