After a long hot summer, it’s the rare woman over 60 whose skin won’t benefit from a little TLC. As August winds down, it’s time to check our faces and rethink our morning and evening routines. Our three-step program, which includes changing the products we use, will help you on the way to an end-of-summer skincare rescue.

How summer-to-fall seasonal changes affect your skin

During the summer, our skin benefits from the higher humidity (which we otherwise loathe), which keeps it hydrated and softig. As autumn arrives, the humidity drops, and the air becomes drier. As this dry, cooler air arrives, skin begins to lose moisture. For women over 60 skin dries out even more quickly; thinning skin is a poor moisture barrier. Even if you conscientiously applied sunscreen throughout the season, swimming and sweating can strip skin of its natural moisture defenses.

Dermatologists note that it’s not just outdoor air that can wreak havoc on your complexion. Air conditioning in summer and indoor heating in fall and winter also can be very drying.

Our three-step skincare rescue for the end of summer

The main difference between skin on our face and the rest of our body is that our faces are more exposed to the elements.  It is also the area of skin that is most visible so we pay more attention to it.

While we can’t do much about the aging processes that lead to wrinkles, crow’s feet, and sagging neck and jowls, we can help our skin recover from the stresses of summer by preventing the evaporation of natural moistures and exfoliating to promote skin cell renewal.

Our skincare rescue for women over 60 has three easy steps.

Step 1. Exfoliate 

When you exfoliate the top layer of skin cells, you remove the older, grayer-looking cells to reveal the newer, brighter skin underneath.  Obviously, Mother Nature does skin renewal best but you can help her along with some excellent face products.

When summer turns to fall, it’s a good time to exfoliate–two to three times a week–before bedtime.

You can exfoliate facial skin with either a scrub (manual exfoliation) or a Retin-A cream (chemical exfoliation).

Chemical exfoliation doesn’t mean that the product contains chemicals. It simply means that it stays on your skin for an extended period rather than being rinsed off like the manual products.

Even though exfoliating dry skin may seem counter-productive, it’s not.  A gentle scrub or Retin-A cream three times a week actually stimulates oil glands.  Just as important, they will help to slough off the outer layer of skin, revealing newer skin cells underneath.  Just remember to use your barrier cream before going to bed and a moisturizer with SPF during the day.

Eight Saints Ten out of Zen

Ten out of Zen microdermabrasion in a jar uses peeling agents of ground olive seed, cranberry seed, and bamboo fiber to accelerate cell turnover and deliver antioxidants and bio-flavonoids to the new healthy skin layer.

In a crowded market with over-hyped “miracle ingredients”, Eight Saints drilled down to 8 key ingredients that generate the majority of the benefits for your skin: This is a clean company based in Maine and they will happily refund your purchase if you don’t love it. Buy it on amazon.com.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Dr. Murad is a pioneer in research into helping the body hold water in the cells more efficiently.   His scrub allows for gentle exfoliation, helping to reveal softer, smoother skin, and encourage cell turnover.  Available on Amazon.com

Step 1.2 Exfoliate with Retin A cream

Retin-A is a particularly good product for women over 60 whose skin is thinning and showing wrinkles. Retinols not only slough off dead cells like an exfoliant, they increase skin cell production, help unclog pores, and increase collagen production, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a fresher, plump appearance.

An article in the New York Times, The Thing About Retin-A: It Works by Sally Wadyka, says that “within the walls of products and tiers of claims, one ingredient still stands out: Retin-A.”

Use Retin-A as an alternate treatment between the evenings when you use an exfoliating scrub.

Remember that prescription Retin-A will be the most potent and OTC Retin-A creams will be less effective because they contain less of the product.  However, if you haven’t used a Retin-A cream before, it is better to start with a milder drugstore version.

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum

This retinol product is well known to beauty editors and aficionados because of its unique, potent solution of time-released Microencapsulated Retinol. At 1.5% strength, it helps to gently exfoliate the skin with a continuous burst of retinol all night long.  Available on Amazon.com

RoC Retinol Correxion Max Daily Hydration Cream

According to the company and Amazon reviewers, RoC Retinol Correxion Max Daily Hydration Cream hydrates the skin for 48 hours and visibly softens wrinkles over time.  This fast-absorbing moisturizer contains glycerin  and hydrating hyaluronic acid. According to the company’s tests, users saw continued improvement over time.  Buy it on amazon.com.

Step 2. Barrier cream

Many of us use a lighter moisturizer in the summer. Anything else feels smothering. But once fall arrives and our skin encounters drier air, it’s time to switch back to barrier creams.

Barrier creams contain occlusive ingredients that increase the skin’s moisture by acting as a physical barrier that discourages water loss.

The classic cosmetic occlusive agent is petrolatum, or petroleum jelly (like Vaseline). It is a by-product of petroleum products and was first used as a cosmetic ingredient in the late 1800s. The most effective occlusive agent, it can prevent up to 98% of water loss from the skin.  Occlusive ingredients are ideal for dry and very dry skin types.

Some occlusive ingredients can clog the pores.  One of the advantages of being over 60, however, is that we can use these rich night creams and generally not have to worry about breakouts.

Epionce Medical Barrier Cream

 

Epionce is a medical barrier cream that contains petroleum and glycerin and a host of natural oils.  It has an 85% rating on Amazon.  Many of the Amazon reviewers maintain that Epionce is the best barrier cream they have ever used and, as evidence, there are numerous repeat buyers.  Available on Amazon.com.

Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream

Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream—powered by clinically proven ingredients like ceramides and peptides—amplifies your skin’s ability to retain moisture instantly and over time by rebuilding its protective barrier. Triple Lipid Complex mimics skin’s barrier to lock in moisture. Hyaluronic acid, glycerin & red algae provide instant hydration. This formula contains no fragrance, essential oils, silicones, phthalates, microplastics, parabens, sulfates, PEGs, and gluten. It is safe for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, vegan and it’s cruelty free.  Buy it on amazon.com

Both Skinfix and Etude House are barrier creams designed to apply as night creams.

Both are heavy on occlusive ingredients.  Your daytime moisture won’t need to be a barrier cream as this would be too rich to wear under makeup. Just be sure that your daytime moisturizer has an SPF of at least 15 or higher, even if you wear a foundation.

Step 3. Don’t forget the SPF…

Protecting your skin from the sun shouldn’t just be something you think about when you go to the beach; sunscreen should be used year-round, rain or shine. Since sun damage can happen even when there’s cloud cover, continue using SPF under your makeup.

Rejuvaskin Mineral Facial Sunscreen

Daily sunscreen greatly reduces your risk of skin cancer.  Our beauty editor loves this brand and uses the Rejuvaskin Mineral Facial Sunscreen daily in the summer   It is made with reef-safe and people-safe ingredients.  It has an SPF of 32 and prevents sunburns, UV damage, hyperpigmentation & melasma, and premature aging. It is perfect for under makeup because it is quick drying and there is little to no white cast, rare among mineral sunscreens.  And it has no scent so you don’t get that cloying, sunscreen-y smell.  Buy it at amazon.com. 

Related: and “The right sunscreen can save your life. Here’s why…”  

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