The beauty products you should be using with each additional birthday.

Image: iStock.

What most of us are after in life (aside from love, happiness and all that jazz) is a no-fail skincare routine that doesn’t involve 20 steps or dropping $400 on a singular face cream. One that will make us appear like the most radiant version of ourselves.

So many questions, and now for some answers. Here is how to get and keep great skin at any age.

30s.

So you spent your entire twenties diligently and religiously applying sunscreen on a daily basis? Me too, me too (*cough*). For anyone else, this is the time when that early sun damage (hey, rashies weren’t a thing in the ’80s) shows up in the form of uneven skin tone, sunspots and pigmentation.

Game plan:

Kick start a routine now that you can stick to no matter your relationship, career or offspring situation. As a minimum: cleanse morning and night and apply a moisturiser with sunscreen during the day.

In the evening, a serum is a great addition to address any sensitivity or dryness issues, and follow with a night cream. Now’s the time to add in an eye cream at night if you haven’t already. Don’t neglect your décolletage (ever!) and exfoliate two – three times a week depending on your skin type.

SPF all day, every day

We all know this one, but it’s the one step that makes the biggest difference in later years. We now know that UVA as well as UVB rays can affect us through car and office windows, so as a minimum, apply a daily moisturiser or foundation with a high SPF. Or if you prefer, layer sunscreen before your moisturiser. Bonus tip from my mum who has hands like an infant: apply it to the back of your hands too, it’s an easy area to forget about.

"Layer sunscreen before your moisturiser." Image via iStock.

Cream cleanser

That foaming cleanser that suited your skin your twenties? Ditch it. Now is when you want a rich, creamy formulation that won’t dry out your skin.

40s.

This is the decade that we notice the biggest changes to our skin. A quick glance in the mirror reminds us we are no longer twenty-something, but we wouldn’t want to be. The '90s was an excellent decade to be alive, but we’re happy to keep the Hyper-colour t-shirts and ra-ra skirts in the past, thank you very much.

Switch to a more active cleanser

Not ‘active’ in the sense of going back to a foaming cleanser, no no no. What your skin needs now is a cleanser packed with powerhouse ingredients like fruit enzymes to address dullness and uneven skin tone.

If you wear a lot of makeup or primers, cleansing with an oil cleanser is an excellent choice for your skin now. If you’ve been exfoliating twice a week, up it to three. But as freshly exfoliated skin is more susceptible to the sun’s harsh rays, save it for the PM hours.

Add in an antioxidant serum

Crow’s feet, frown lines and loss of radiance are common concerns in our forties, but we can address these by adding a serum with antioxidants to our nighttime routine. Formulas that include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, co-enzyme Q10 or Hyaluronic Acid will be the most effective.

50s

While we may welcome getting older (hello newfound confidence to say what we REALLY think) we don't always love the accompanying duller skin.

Our fifties are the time when the most hormonal changes are happening to our bodies. Thanks to low levels of estrogen during and post-menopause, our skin cell structure changes. Noticeably in the form of dryness, loss of elasticity and smoothness, dark spots and circles.

Moisture, moisture, moisture

Moisturisers have come along way since that cold cream you used to buy in a jar at the local chemist. If you find the one you’re using isn’t delivering results in terms of making wrinkles appear less pronounced, try a moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid formula instead.

Oil, not just for cars

You might want to switch to an oil cleanser or facial oil to help address dryness, especially if you experience a tight feeling after cleansing.

You can also add a few drops of oil (think jojoba or rosehip) to your regular night cream for an added moisture hit.

60s

Grandkids might be on the scene, but you’re about as far from the ‘grandmother’ moniker as you are a blue rinse. Our skin stabilises again after the upheaval menopause wreaked in our fifties, so what it feels like right now should relatively stay the same in future decades - bar any sensitivity issues.

Lighten up

As uneven skin tone and discolouration are an issue heading into our sixties, consider trying a spot treatment product that specifically target pigmentation. Among the best ingredients to look for in a treatment product are liquorice extract and Vitamin C.

For skin lighteners to work their magic, you absolutely cannot skip the sunscreen. For the best results use two - three times a day, after you cleanse/exfoliate and before you apply serum/moisturiser.

How do you take care of your skin?