Skin Care By The Decades: Your 60s
Discover expert tips for healthy skin in your sixties!
Whether your 60s have you feeling relaxed, confident or sexy, taking care of your skin is still key, and Dr. Michelle Hines, Director of Product Formulation and Global Upstream Research, has all the science-backed beauty tips and skin care facts you need for looking 60 and fabulous in this last installment of our Skin Care by the Decades series! If you’re not in your 60s yet, read one of these articles for information that you can apply to your daily routine for healthy, glowing skin!
Skin Care by the Decades: Your 20s
Skin Care by the Decades: Your 30s, 40s and 50s
Skin Care Routines 101
Safe Skin Care Facts
How does my skin change in my 60s?
Here are a few of the ways your skin changes in your 60s:
• The skin is thinner and more fragile.
• Cell turnover slows, diminishing the skin’s natural radiance and leading to the accumulation of dry, dead skin cells on the skin surface.
• The top skin layer, the epidermis, thins and becomes more translucent, resembling crepe paper, with wrinkles and creases becoming much more noticeable.
• The skin produces less oil after menopause, making it harder for the skin to stay moisturized and resulting in dry skin.
• Skin’s natural collagen and elastin production is reduced, leading to loss of skin resilience and elasticity. This also deepens existing skin creases and new lines appear.
• Large, pigmented spots, also called age spots, may also appear in sun exposed areas of the skin.
• In addition, the jawline and lower face begin to sag due to the loss of collagen and changes in skin volume.
What does a good skin care routine look like in my 60s?
To combat the effects of skin aging, a consistent regimen with gentle cleansing, enhanced hydration and protection from the sun are more critical than ever.
CLEANSER
The skin surface is composed of fatty acids that are needed to support the moisture barrier. Some cleansers can remove these natural skin fatty acids which could lead to an increased loss of skin moisture. So be gentle to your skin when cleansing. When you cleanse, make sure you use a cleanser that leaves skin feeling hydrated.
MOISTURIZER
Hydrate your skin every day, especially right after cleansing, to help restore the skin’s moisture barrier. Select moisturizers containing ingredients to help reduce skin dryness. Choose day creams with SPF to protect thin skin from ultraviolet rays. And select night creams containing ingredients like retinol and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to support skin proteins, like collagen and elastin.
SUN PROTECTION
You still need to protect your skin even at this stage in your life. The skin becomes more delicate as we age so it’s more important than ever to protect skin from damage caused by the sun.
OTHER MUST-HAVES
•
Mild exfoliation is a key step for removing dead skin cells which can dull skin and limit skin hydration.
• Identify
serums with peptides to support specific skin protein production, especially collagen and elastin.
•
Vitamin C and niacinamide (B3) to help reduce skin discoloration.
PRODUCT SUGGESTIONS
•
Daily Regimen: Try using
TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Set as your go-to skin care set. With a foaming cleanser that feels ultra-rich and gentle, a peptide-powered serum that helps reclaim your triangle of youth, a daytime moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF, nighttime moisturizer with retinol, and an eye cream that targets visible deep lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, it’s an amazing regimen for anyone who is experiencing more advanced signs of aging!
•
Exfoliation: Go deeper with glycolic acid-powered
TimeWise Repair® Revealing Radiance® Facial Peel, an advanced exfoliating formula that leaves skin looking brighter, improves texture, and reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
•
Skin Tone Helping Serums: Add
TimeWise Replenishing Serum C+E™ to firm, brighten and protect skin with vitamins C and E or
TimeWise® Tone-Correcting Serum to experience a first-ever brightening breakthrough in the patent-pending
1 Perfectly Bright
® Complex, which contains navy bean extract, niacinamide and an algae extract.
SKIN CARE TIP: SHOW YOUR EYES SOME LOVE
Thin skin around the eyes needs moisturizing creams formulated with specific peptides that support collagen and elastin production to help reduce eye-area wrinkles, and soothing botanicals to support the moisture barrier. If you’re not using a product with a sculpted metal applicator tip like the TimeWise Repair™ Volu-Firm™ Eye Renewal Cream, make sure you use your ring finger to gently apply the product and minimize tugging and pulling.
What are your best tips for aging gracefully in your 60s?
Make sunscreen part of your daily routine. Even if your goal isn’t to have younger-looking skin or to use anti-aging products, older adults should continue to wear sunscreen. Sun protection helps reduce the risk of developing skin cancer so it’s important to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.
Don’t forget your neck and décolleté! All skin is susceptible to aging, especially areas that are exposed to ultraviolet rays. When applying skin care products to your face, you may also want to apply them to your neck to help improve the appearance of skin wrinkles, sagging and firmness.
What is the best way to deal with age spots?
Usually, age spots indicate that the skin has received a lot of
sun damage. If you’re looking for a quick fix, it’s possible to use
concealer and foundation to cover them.
Navy bean, niacinamide and vitamin C help reduce uneven skin tone and discoloration, helping contribute to skin brightness and a more even complexion. Skin care products containing
retinol can help minimize dark spots by increasing the rate of cell turnover. However, care should be taken as the use of high-concentration retinol can cause skin discomfort, so make sure you follow the recommended usage instructions.
Product Suggestions:
• Makeup for Quick Fixes: TimeWise® Luminous 3D Foundation is a great option because it’s a buildable formula that delivers 12 hours of moisture and evens out the look of skin tone. Pair it with
Mary Kay® Perfecting Concealer to conceal blemishes, age spots and minor skin imperfections.
• Brightening Serums: Products like
TimeWise® Tone Correcting Serum or
TimeWise Replenishing Serum C+E™ help minimize visible skin discolorations.
• Retinol-Powered Skin Care: TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Night Treatment With Retinol contains encapsulated retinol, and the
Mary Kay Clinical Solutions™ Retinol 0.5 Set is a great product choice as well!
I still have acne in my 60s! Why is that, and how can I fight it?
While teenage acne mainly occurs due to hormones, both stress and hormones are the biggest adult acne triggers. After menopause, hormonal imbalances can have a direct effect on acne breakouts. In addition, stress leads to production of androgen hormones and cortisol, both of which activate sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum, contributing to acne flare-ups. While you may be tempted to use acne treatment products designed for the oily skin of teens, mature skin is drier and less able to tolerate these stronger treatments. Consider products that contain salicylic acid which can help clear your pores without overdrying the skin. If your acne doesn't respond, consider making an appointment with a dermatologist to help address the problem.
How can I make my wrinkles less noticeable — especially around my lips?
While the simple process of aging is unavoidable and often leads to wrinkles, you can take steps to minimize the impact to the skin. As we age, lines and wrinkles are more pronounced on the forehead, between the eyebrows and around the mouth. Vertical lines around the lip area are the result of simple things like smiles and laughter that can stretch the skin, resulting in prominent creases over time. In addition, lifestyle factors like smoking and sun exposure can increase chances for developing wrinkles around the mouth with repeated muscle movements. To help reduce visible lines around your lips, simply extend your daily skin care routine.
Product Suggestion:
• Lip Care: Dry skin can exacerbate the look of fine lines and wrinkles, making lip creases appear deeper and more prominent, so be sure to use the White Tea & Citrus Satin Lips® Set. Use the Shea Sugar Scrub to gently exfoliate and polish lips to perfection and follow with the Shea Butter Balm to nourish and moisturize lips.
• Lip Primer: Use TimeWise® Age-Fighting Lip Primer to help to reduce the appearance of lines both on the lips and around the lip area.
I’ve noticed my skin getting drier as I get older. What is the best way to keep it moisturized?
As skin ages, it becomes thinner and more susceptible to moisture loss and external irritants. When bathing, be sure to use warm water and not hot water. Hot water can strip skin of natural oils which can contribute to skin dryness. Apply a creamy moisturizer formulated for dry skin at least twice a day to help infuse skin with a boost of moisture, and use a little facial oil throughout the day to give skin a healthy glow.
Product Suggestions:
• Emollient Cleanser: Use an emollient cleanser, like TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Foaming Cleanser, designed to be gentle to skin. The moisture-rich foam thoroughly cleanses facial skin while helping to retain natural lipids, so skin doesn’t feel stripped or dry.
• Moisturizer for Your Skin type: Try hydrating your skin with Mary Kay® Intense Moisturizing Cream if you have dry skin.
• Facial Oil: To help revitalize skin and leave it feeling hydrated and nourished, try Mary Kay Naturally® Nourishing Oil.
Skin Care For Sixty-Somethings
If you’re 60 and fabulous and want to curate the best regimen for your skin or just need to re-order your favorite moisturizer, contact or connect with a Mary Kay
Independent Beauty Consultant! As your personal skin care advocate, she can help you customize your skin care routine to fit your current life stage and share the latest makeup looks with one-on-one consultations and small gatherings — virtually or in person!
Dr. Michelle Hines, Director, Global Cosmetic Research & Innovation and Global Upstream Research, resides in the Dallas area with her son Justin and her two dogs, Dash and Lilly. She is actively involved in volunteer efforts with charitable organizations that serve other women. She loves
TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Eye Renewal Cream because of the moisturization it provides around her eyes to reduce the crepiness, and she loves its cooling applicator.
