Your body changes with every passing decade, and your skin is no exception. Which is why answering the question, "What is the best skincare routine for your 40s", is so crucial. For women facing menopause, the habits we form in this decade shape the way we look and feel as we age. With two decades of adulthood under your belt, you know who you are and what’s important to you, and your skincare should reflect that. So, what is the best skincare routine for your 40s? Well, it would look like embracing aging by prioritizing self-care and overall health. That’s why we’re taking a scientific approach to skincare in your 40s. From the best moisturizer for mature skin to targeted treatments for fine lines and wrinkles, we’re helping you create the best skincare routine for healthy, radiant skin in your 40s and beyond.Step One: Wash With a Hydrating Cleanser
Perimenopause means your skin will start producing less oil in your 40s, which means that the tried-and-true cleanser you trusted in your younger years may leave your face feeling dry and tight.The best skincare routine for women over 40 starts with a cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without damaging the skin’s moisture barrier or stripping it of its natural oils. Our Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil effortlessly dissolves impurities and makeup while adding a burst of squalane-fueled hydration. Meanwhile, nourishing antioxidants target stress and signs of aging, leaving the skin healthy and radiant.
Massage our Antioxidant Cleansing Oil into a dry face, then rinse with warm water to transform it into a silky, luxurious milky cleanser. Pat with a towel until your skin is almost dry, then follow with step two. Shop Our Cleansers and TonersStep Two: Use a Toner That Hydrates and Refines
A loss of estrogen during this decade may cause a loss of collagen and elasticity, making pores appear larger even though you’re not as oily as you used to be.Prep skin for moisture using a toner that effectively addresses uneven texture without overstripping, such as our Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner. Our alcohol-free toner uses white willowbark extract—a natural, oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid—to gently but powerfully refine pores. Meanwhile, caviar lime extract works its alpha hydroxy magic to gently exfoliate dead cells from the surface of your skin. All this happens without any drying or over-stripping thanks to our sugarcane-derived squalane, which balances the skin and leaves it smooth and hydrated.
Shop Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing TonerStep Three: Nourish Your Delicate Undereye Area
The skin beneath our eyes is naturally more delicate than on the rest of our face. So it’s no surprise that the most pronounced signs of aging to appear in our 40’s often pop up around the eyes as your skin’s natural moisture levels decrease.Smooth and visibly lift undereye skin with our Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream. Our award-winning formula visibly lifts on the first application thanks to paracress extract, a medicinal floral extract proven to lift and firm. Meanwhile, peptides signal the skin to produce more collagen, working together with marine algae to visibly improve fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a healthier, bouncier appearance.
Shop Squalane + Marine Algae Eye CreamStep Four: Target Signs of Aging
For many of us, our 40s are one of life’s sweet spots. With two decades of adulthood under our belts, we know who we are and are better prepared to act on that knowledge than ever before, and yet we still feel young. It’s essential to incorporate a targeted treatment serum when building a skincare routine for your 40s. We recommend reaching for the gold standard of anti-aging ingredients, retinol. This dermatologist-beloved ingredient speeds cell turnover to increase collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Unfortunately, more rapid cell turnover can sometimes cause irritation if you don’t have the right formula.Our Squalane + Retinol Night Serum uses two kinds of encapsulated retinoids to avoid irritation while delivering the most powerful retinoids you can get without a prescription. These proven-effective retinoid actives are gently released into your skin over the course of 8 hours alongside nourishing antioxidants and hydrating sugarcane-derived squalane. The result: all the skin-smoothing, dark-spot-improving benefits of retinoids with a boost of squalane-powered hydration.
During your nighttime routine, massage our Retinol Night Serum into completely dry skin and be sure to use sunscreen the next day.Shop Squalane + Retinol Night SerumIn the morning, target dark spots and prevent new ones from forming with our Squalane + Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum. Our shelf-stable formula contains 10% vitamin C to visibly brighten while fighting free radicals to prevent dark spots.
While many vitamin C serums can cause skin to feel tight and irritated, ours is carefully calibrated to minimize irritation while our hero ingredient squalane gently drives potent actives deep into the skin while boosting hydration.Our proven-effective serum also has a secret weapon: white shitake mushroom. This mushroom blend starts fading dark spots immediately and continues correcting discoloration with continued use.
Shop Squalane + Vitamin C Dark Spot SerumStep Five: Deeply Moisturize
The 40s are often a tipping point for showing signs of aging. Because of this, many of us pile on the active ingredients meant to target specific concerns. But using more of these ingredients doesn’tmean better results. Instead, piling on treatment products will cause irritation instead.Instead of focusing the number of active ingredients you’re using, we recommend prioritizing the key to healthy skin: hydration. Our Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer offers the best of both worlds by instantly quenching thirsty skin while boosting radiance using dermatologist-beloved vitamin C.
In this innovative soft, velvet face cream, sugarcane-derived squalane delivers a powerful boost of vitamin C and fermented lemon peel to instantly brighten while minimizing signs of aging, and fighting free radicals and pollution. The skin is left plump, nourished and hydrated with a lit-from-within glow.Shop Squalane + Vitamin C Rose MoisturizerAt night, follow retinoids with our deeply nourishing Squalane + Omega Repair Cream. This rich whipped cream is packed with omega fatty acids and ceramides—both of which are found naturally found in your skin’s moisture barrier. These ingredients work together with acai berry sterols to replenish your skin’s natural protective layer. Our formula also includes hyaluronic acid to pull water into the skin, providing deep hydration while visibly plumping fine lines and wrinkles.
Shop Squalane + Omega Repair CreamStep Six: Lock In Active Ingredients
Pairing your moisturizer with facial oil locks in moisture and fortifies the moisture barrier, helping ward off the damaging effects of environmental stressors such as bacteria and pollution. Our multi-award-winning Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil is renowned for its powerful ability to instantly brighten while firming the skin. Our uniquely stable, oil-soluble vitamin C deeply nourishes and provides antioxidant support to visibly improve skin elasticity and boost radiance while chios crystal oil adds bounce. Meanwhile, our superhero squalane provides crucial moisture while driving actives deeper into the skin, making them work harder.
Shop Squalane + Vitamin C Rose OilStep Seven (AM): Protect With SPF
Your 40s are the time when the effects of previous sun exposure start showing up on your skin. Now that you know better, use an SPF of at least 30 every single day. This is even more important if you’re using retinoids, as rapid cell turnover can expose immature skin cells to damaging UV rays.Our Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen provides broad spectrum, SPF 30 using non-nano zinc oxide that melts into any skin tone for invisible protection. It also includes soothing water lily and hydrating squalane to keep your skin from drying out and becoming irritated in the sun.
Shop Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral SunscreenWant to learn more about skincare by age? Check out our ultimate guide to the best skincare routine for your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.
