So you’re 30, flirty, and thriving, but your skin is facing new challenges. Signs of natural and environmental aging will start to become noticeable throughout your 30s, which could be showing up on or in your skin as fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and even volume loss. Frustratingly, you may also be experiencing hormonal breakouts or late-in-life acne from pollution or a change in the hardness of the water that you’re washing with (for example, you might have moved cities).
But 30 is still, of course, remarkably young. If you implement good habits now, you’re setting your skin up in great stead for the decades (and skin damage) ahead. When it comes to protecting the skin against sun damage or aging, prevention is (as always) the best bet. “Generally speaking, in the 30s, I tell my clients, you really should focus on protecting your skin,” says Lisa Chevalier. (Chevalier, M.M.S., PA-C, is a board-certified physician associate as well as founder of SoVous.)
I’ve chatted to 11 dermatologists and skin-care experts about the steps to start incorporating throughout your 30s, from serums to target specific skin-care concerns to pregnancy-safe products to use if you’re trying to conceive in your 30s. And I don’t think you need to spend a fortune on skin care, so I’ve made sure to include budget options throughout — my hope is that you can build an entire routine for less than $150. By the way, I’ve started from scratch here, so if you already know which basic skin care you like, you can skip straight ahead to retinols, serums, and eye creams.
Cleanser
For your first step, the cleanse, pick something that’s not too stripping. Products like this simple, gentle cleanser from CeraVe are ideal, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kseniya Kobets. It contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which draws moisture back into the skin as it cleanses impurities away. Remember that if your skin feels tight after washing, your cleanser is probably too aggressive — or you’re cleansing too frequently. When it comes to how often you should be cleansing, opinions among dermatologists are mixed. It’s agreed that a cleanse before bed, to wash away any pollution, makeup, and SPF, is a key step, but cleansing in the morning depends on how your skin feels. If you’re oily and crave that cleanse in the a.m., then go for it, but if your skin feels stripped bare and dry, then sticking to the evening only is likely the right call.
Now that you’re set with your everyday cleanser, you can consider prefacing that step with an oil cleanser to first thoroughly remove your makeup (this is also referred to as “the double cleanse”). And for those of us looking for added benefits for our 30s skin, oil cleansers are more than just effective makeup dissolvers, says Jeannel Astarita, an aesthetician and owner of Just Ageless, a body sculpting and skin-care studio in New York. For example, the seabuckthorn oil in this one by Living Libations is anti-inflammatory and has been shown to improve skin elasticity over time. Because it’s so gentle, it also works as a primary face wash, especially if your skin is sensitive and dry. As Astarita reiterates, “The No. 1 mistake I find people make in their 30s is using a cleanser that’s too harsh and strips their skin.”
Toner
Toner is a key product for beyond-the-basics skin care, says New York dermatologist Dr. Michele Green. As the second step in your routine, immediately after cleansing, it removes any lingering residue and dirt (again, think of our increased acne proneness at this age). But it doesn’t have to be overdrying, like those stinging, alcohol-based toners we used as teens. The best ones now are alcohol free and can suffuse a just-washed face with ingredients like exfoliating acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories.
This Kiehl’s choice contains a soothing extract from the petals of the calendula flower, as well as the moisturizing wonder-herb burdock root.
A few times a week, Astarita likes to add in P50 (the famously stinky hybrid toner-exfoliator) because it works for a variety of 30s-specific concerns — excess pigment, wrinkles, sensitive skin. You can pour a few drops onto a cotton pad and dab all over your face post-cleanser: “While it exfoliates,” Astarita says, “lipids hydrate your skin, which leaves you with an amazing glow.” Just keep in mind, as with any exfoliating product, according to Astarita: If it leaves you red, it’s too harsh.
Moisturizer
CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marnie Nussbaum’s pick, is recommended for all ages but especially for those of us in our 30s when our skin becomes drier than it once was. You’ve got three powerhouse ingredients working for you here: the ceramides are lipids that fortify your skin barrier, the outermost protective layer; the hyaluronic acid draws in moisture; and niacinamide is an antioxidant that calms the skin and reduces sun damage. And if you’re among those who see breakouts come on in their 30s, you don’t have to worry about this light formula clogging your pores.
If you’re planning on incorporating a retinoid into your routine (more on that below), you might need a moisturizer that’s more of a heavy hitter. That’s because retinoids (along with vitamin-C serums, toners, and exfoliants) can all potentially irritate the skin. If your skin is in need of some serious moisture, La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast Baume is designed to soothe the driest of skin. It’s also approved by the National Eczema Association, so it’s suitable for sensitive skin types. From personal experience, this is the only thing that soothed me through a retinol purge.
Sunscreen
Every dermatologist I interviewed for this story (and any skin-care story) has stressed the importance of an SPF. Of course, combating aging is not the primary reason to limit UV damage — as Dr. Jeremy Brauer, a board-certified dermatologist, highlights, around 90 percent of skin cancers are related to the sun. But even in the dead of winter, SPF should still be applied. “It’s skin protection from any source of light,” says Dr. Kobets. “I tell my patients, ‘If there’s going to be a zombie apocalypse and we’ll live in the basement with the lights, you’re still going to have to wear sunscreen.’”
This mineral sunscreen from EltaMD uses natural active ingredients to form a physical barrier between you and the sun. The dermatologists I spoke to recommended it time and time again. They also prefer mineral sunscreens in general over chemical options as they’re less likely to exacerbate acne. They’re also more eco-friendly. Some mineral sunscreens have been known to leave a pasty residue, but Dr. Nazanin Saedi, M.D., FAAD tells me that EltaMD “feels like silk going on and is perfectly seamless, transparent, and lightweight.”
Serums
Serums contain high concentrations of active ingredients and are designed to target particular skin issues. Here, I’ve included two of the most popular skin-care serums dermatologists told me that they recommend to their patients in their 30s. They comprise of vitamin C, which helps with a real variety of skin-care complaints, and hyaluronic acid, to help keep the skin (which loses moisture as we get older) quenched. These slot in after you cleanse (and possibly tone), before you moisturize.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and its skin-care benefits are numerous: It protects the skin from free radicals (which break down collagen), brightens dark marks and the overall complexion, as well as diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. The reason why the Skinceuticals serum is so pricy is that it contains 15 percent of the main active ingredient L-ascorbic acid (which is the sweet spot between 10 and 20 when it comes to vitamin-C serums). It also has a patented formula, and an ingredients list that includes vitamin E, which is great for hyperpigmentation, and ferulic acid, which helps neutralize those free radicals. Finally, it comes stored carefully, making it less likely to spoil (vitamin-C serum is notoriously volatile.) Again, the price point is high, but as Strategist beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst explains: “I’d rather spend close to $200 on a vitamin C I know is going to work than waste money on a bunch of less-expensive products that may or not be doing their job.”
Of course, there is a dupe. The vitamin-C serum from Maelove also contains 15 percent of that main ingredient of L-ascorbic acid and comes just as responsibly stored. Like the Skinceuticals one, it contains vitamin E and ferulic acid. But while it’s beloved, it can’t beat the Skinceuticals serum that’s been recommended to us dozens of times.
As we age, our skin gets drier. So the simple moisturizer that you used in your 20s might need a bit of help: That’s where hyaluronic acid comes in. “It’s a humectant, so it holds on to water molecules in the skin,” explains Dr. Kobets. The Vichy hyaluronic acid was recommended to me by two dermatologists. “It has all the nutrients and minerals from the proprietary volcanic water that Vichy owns in France,” says Dr. Corey L. Hartman, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama. “It does a good job of hydrating the skin and also calming any inflammation.” (Hyaluronic acid doesn’t hydrate on its own, though — it then needs to be sealed in by a moisturizer.)
I also like this cheaper option from the Ordinary. It contains five forms of hyaluronic acid, and my skin eagerly looks forward to when I smear a few drops all over after cleansing (and especially after I tone).
Retinoid
Retinoid is an umbrella term for a group of compounds derived from vitamin A, including retinol and retinal. It’s a form of vitamin A that breaks down into retinoic acid in the skin and promotes cell turnover. It can aid in reversing skin damage, help with signs of premature aging (like fine line and wrinkles), and even be used to treat acne. If you’ve not already incorporated some into your skin-care routine, your 30s are an ideal time as it can be used preventatively to slow down signs of the aging process and help to boost the collagen that your body has naturally started to produce less of. However, retinol can be very irritating, and there’s often a purge period after introducing it to your skin where you can break out or notice inflamed, dry skin.
This is particularly true if you’re also using vitamin C — four of the dermatologists I spoke to recommended introducing them to your routine one at a time, and then never at the same time of day. Use your vitamin C in the morning, then your retinol before bed. Retinols slot in after your serums, before your moisturizer and SPF. Retinol increases your sensitivity to sun damage, so sticking to wearing your SPF daily becomes even more key.
Aesthetician and owner of Just Ageless, Jeannel Astarita prefers this retinoid cream because it’s “powerful but very well tolerated on even the most sensitive skin. Nothing compares to it.” She recommends starting use twice a week, at night only, and increasing frequency gradually as your skin adjusts. And as with any retinoid cream that generally makes skin more sensitive, “always use sun protection.” Dr. Corey L. Hartman, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology, is also a fan because, he says, it offers prescription strength results minus the irritation, thanks to its hydrating lotion formula.
In the lower-price realm, Astarita also likes this double-action Glo Skin Beauty serum, which may not be quite as gentle on sensitive skin but is about half the price of her top pick above. Here, glycolic acid works on the top layer of the skin, exfoliating the dead cells that cause dullness. Meanwhile, the retinoid works a little deeper, increasing cell turnover as well as collagen production.
Pregnancy
All of the dermatologists I spoke to stressed that retinoids are not appropriate for use during pregnancy. “Your skin is a little bit more sensitive when you’re pregnant,” says Dr. Carmen Castilla. “You’ll want an alternative to retinol like bakuchiol. Bakuchiol is an ingredient that has some evidence behind it to say it has a similar efficacy to retinol.”
Before I talk you through alternatives, some more general skin-care advice for Dr. Castilla around pregnancy. “Vitamin C is safe during pregnancy, so you can continue to use that, and then of course you have to be very careful with your sunblock during pregnancy. A lot of women are prone to melasma, or discoloration on their skin during pregnancy. So ensure that you use that sunscreen, and then if you start to see any pigmentation issues, using a sunscreen with a tint will give you even more protection and potentially prevent any discoloration or melasma from getting worse as well.”
Hartman is also a fan of this serum from Isdin, which contains the popular retinol-alternative bakuchiol. The ingredient, which is made from the babchi plant, acts like a retinol and offers the same anti-aging and skin-brightening benefits. “It’s my favorite all-in-one product for the busy professional or mother,” says Hartman. “It’s in a moisturizing oil serum that provides just the right amount of moisture and that dewy look that everyone wants.” It also contains two antioxidants — melatonin and vitamin E — which work together to repair damage from environmental stressors.
At a more affordable price point is this retinol-free cream from Sonage. It also contains bakuchiol, as well as skin-barrier-protecting ceramides and entirely noncomedogenic ingredients (so it shouldn’t break you out).
Eye cream
It’s never too early to start using an eye cream, says Chevalier. “Eye creams can help hydrate the delicate skin around the eyes and reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines,” she explains.
Chevalier’s recommendation just so happens to be our favorite eye cream at the Strategist. It’s hydrating but lightweight and contains plenty of nourishing and brightening ingredients. “This cream contains dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline and sunflower-seed oil for moisturizing, vitamin C for brightening, and peptides for reducing fine lines and wrinkles.” It also contains goji fruit, which provides additional antioxidant benefits, and cucumber-fruit water, which calms the skin, she explains.
A more budget-friendly option comes from RoC. It contains retinol and helps target the signs of aging that might be beginning to show in your 30s, like wrinkles and crow’s feet.
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