Anti-aging Skin Care Products for 40s

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Skin care products play a key role to keep skin healthy and youthful, especially for 40s age. But it’s not always easy to find the best one that meets your skin most, this can be confusing experience. In fact, anti-aging skin care products are something overwhelming out there. There is no single formula, so it’s important to understand what you’re looking for. The following ideas may help you where to start.

What does the FDA say?

Skin aging is attributed by many factors, including; changes in the skin’s structure and environmental factors (e.g. exposure to sunlight and free radicals). Regardless of the nature changes as you age, it’s normal for anyone to want to look as good as possible. This creates a tremendous demand where anti-aging skin care products have become a large business worldwide.

One thing to understand about anti-aging skin care products, they’re not subject for approval by FDA (the Foods and Drug Administration). They are categorized as ‘cosmetics’ to beautify or make you look more attractive – they’re not formulated to treat /prevent health condition or significantly affect the function /structure of the body as well as ‘drugs’ category.

According to Federal law statement, cosmetic products are designed for; beautifying, cleansing, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance [1].  On the other hand, skin care products are classified as ‘drug’ if they’re designed to affect the body’s structure and function – or for use in the diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, treatment, or cure of disease.

Cosmetic products don’t need FDA approval before they can be bought consumers on the market. But sometimes what they claim go too far. Some products are advertised with ‘too good to be true’ promises.

For example, there are some cosmetic products (without FDA approval) with ‘drug claims’ to boost elastin and collagen production for firmer and more elastic skin. It’s also probably easy to find products that have included promises to treat facial muscle contractions, regenerate cells, reduce inflammation, or improve activity of genes. Even some promise the same results as injection or facelifts (surgery).

Be extra careful on the claims from the labels

FDA carefully monitors products with drug claims. While this helps you figure out which one to choose, there are still many companies use ‘soft’ claims in order to set expectations without attracting attention from FDA.

Remember, skin care products with ‘cosmetic’ category are a ‘surface’ formula for better attractive appearance. They’re no more than altering your skin appearance and have nothing to do with changes of your skin structure and function. If they claim more than this, they are a drug and need FDA approval.

For instance, the claim: anti-aging serum to ease wrinkles. If this serum is a cosmetic, it’s mainly designed to reduce the ‘appearance’ of wrinkles without affecting your skin structure. Wrinkles are skin creases – they are part of your skin and body structure. So, if the serum does reduce wrinkles, it affects your skin structure (here FDA approval is required).

Furthermore, some products have vogue statements. Understanding what they claim will help a lot to find the better skin care product purchases.

  1. The claim; to repair face of past damage. This statement is vogue. There is no specific information what kind of past damage it will repair. Or does it work for all of past damage?
  2. The claim; to dramatically fortify the skin. This intriguing claim could end with, because the claim actually doesn’t give any information what to expect from the product.
  3. The claim; to dramatically boost the skin’s levels of moisturization. Even though if the product really moisturizes the skin, there is nothing special. Even all products containing water can increase moisturization. The claim is much better if they provide specific information about how long the increase in moisture will last.

Using sunscreen & moisturizer is a must in your 40s

When it comes to the most effective anti-aging formula, sunscreen and moisturizer play a key role. Regularly using them will carry noticeable differences in long term.

There are lots of sunscreen and moisturizer products to choose from. But if you’re looking for anti-aging benefits, here are a few things to remember:

  1. Your sunscreen should protect your skin effectively. Use the following specifications; SPF 30 or higher for stronger protection against negative effects of sunlight, broad spectrum (required to protect the skin from both UV-A & UV-B rays), and water resistance to make it stay longer on the skin [2].
  2. Use moisturizer products low /free in silicone, free of synthetic fragrance, and made with natural ingredients (e.g. coconut oil, jojoba oil, or squalane)!

It’s very important to use sunscreen while outdoors in your 40s.  If necessary, reapply sunscreen every 3-4 hours when you need to spend long periods in outdoor environments. Apply sunscreen before moisturizer! For time saving idea, sunscreen products with moisturizer built in are also available.

Focus on the main aging-skin concern you need most

To figure out the main concern that your skin needs most, try first with only sunscreen and moisturizer. Use them alone without any additional ski-care treatments for a few weeks. This allows you to find a specific problem you need to focus.

When you focus on one concern (dark spots or wrinkles, for example), you’re more likely to get better results. Remember, there is no a single formula that works for all signs of skin aging. So pick and use a product that targets your main concern mostly.

For example, an anti-aging skin care product designed for dark sports is less effective for fine lines. Don’t use more than one different product – otherwise, you will have skin irritation or other negative reactions more likely (especially if you have sensitive skin).

What else to remember?

The desire to have a youthful look is priceless at 40s age. But this doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money unwisely – even a few lifestyle measures can help, too.  Here are other things you need to remember.

Your skin type matters

Whatever product you choose, make sure it’s safe and formulated for your skin type. Again, there is no product that works for everyone.

If your skin is sensitive, choose product with less varied ingredients and specifically designed for sensitive skin. For dry skin, don’t use products that provoke dryness and irritation (like retinoid)! Unfortunately, most anti-aging skincare products are aggressive and tend to cause irritation. But it’s probably OK to use products containing less-irritating /weaker retinoid (ask a dermatologist for more guidance)!

If you have oily skin, it could be tricky too, because there are many products containing oils and emollients. The good news, certain products are specifically formulated for oily skin. For example, try water-based products with salicylic acid or green tea extract. Salicylic acid acts as exfoliator. It is also a good ingredient to promote youthful skin since it stimulates skin renewal process.

Also, prioritize skin care products with the following benefits:

  1. Non-acnegenic / non-comedogenic, which is important if your skin is prone to acne.
  2. The product should have a clear, contact hotline for any questions.
  3. Hypoallergenic (this label means the product is less likely to cause allergic reaction).
Keep safe, do a patch test!

When trying a new product, it’d be better to test a small amount before entirely applying on the face. Even products with hypoallergenic label is not safe for everyone, sometimes they might also cause skin irritation.

To check whether or not a product is safe for your skin, drop a small amount and apply it to your inner forearm for several days. If there is no any negative reactions (such as itching and redness), the product is likely safe to use.

Don’t forget to follow directions. Some products could be counterproductive if you apply in wrong ways or more than directed.

Then allow the product to work (be patient). This may take a few weeks or months before you see an improvement.

Always listen to your body’s signals! Stop right away if you experience any unusual symptoms (e.g. tingles, stings, redness, or other negative reactions) – even though if you’re using a product with prescription.

Forget tanning

There is actually no cut answer for safe amount of tanning. But it’s clear that tanning causes a number of risks that outweigh the benefits. Even your body doesn’t start to tan until UV lights have pierced the skin. This may also mess with your DNA, increasing the risk of skin cancer [3].

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are classified into several types, including UV-A and UV-B (both can lead to DNA damage). Excessive exposure to UV rays may hurt the natural collagen of your skin, and this will make the skin age faster.

So other than putting an imitation color on your skin, tanning will take a serious toll on your skin health. That’s why forget it, especially in your 40s.

What else?
  1. Don’t only follow by the price tag. A school of thought says you get what you pay. But this doesn’t mean that expensive products are always working for everyone. Again, there are a number of factors you need to take into account.
  2. Look at proven efficiency. There should be a section for consumer testimonials, read them comprehensively to make sure the product will meet to your expectations. If necessary, search the product reviews on other sites.
  3. Check on the texture. A good anti-aging skin care product should leave the skin feeling supple and smooth (not oily or heavy) after application. Some products are welcome for free-trials, some are also offered with money back guarantees. Use these to find your best one more likely!
  4. A few lifestyle changes will also help a lot. These include; quit smoking if you’re a smoker, sleep well every night to allow your skin repair itself optimally, exercise regularly, and stay at a healthy diet.
Citations /references:

  1. https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm439270.htm
  2. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/aging/posts/anti-aging-skin-care-products-do-they-really-work
  3. https://www.livescience.com/62670-is-any-tanning-safe.html

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