The ultimate guide to mature skin: Everything you need to know after 40 (2025)

Mature skin needs extra care to stay hydrated, firm, and looking its best – this guide covers everything you need to know from skincare routines to makeup tips and non-invasive mature skin treatments

Ageing is inevitable – and a privilege – but that doesn’t mean it makes the ageing process any easier to handle.

As we get older, our skin, hair and body changes in lots of different ways to varying degrees – dryness, sagging skin, fine lines, wrinkles, thinning hair, fluctuating hormones and more.

And because skin in your 40s, 50s, and beyond behaves differently than it did in your 20s and 30s, it means your skincare routine and even lifestyle needs to adapt.

In this guide, we’ll cover what mature skin is, how it changes, and the best ways to care for it, from skincare and makeup tips to lifestyle habits that can help you maintain a radiant, healthy complexion.

FURTHER READING:How your skin changes in each decade of your life – and what to do about it

What is mature skin?

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Mature skin is a term used to describe skin that has gone through the natural aging process, typically beginning in the late 30s or early 40s. However, skin aging is influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors, so the timeline differs for everyone.

What happens to skin as we age?

Several biological processes cause skin to change over time:

• Sagging and loss of elasticity: From your mid-20s (seriously…) the amount of collagen you produce starts to drop by about 1% per year. By the time you hit 40, your skin has significantly less structural support, leading to sagging and wrinkles.
• Slower cell turnover: When we’re younger, our skin renews itself every 28 days on average. By the time we reach our 40s and 50s, this slows down to 40-50 days which can leave skin looking dull and uneven.
• Thinner skin: When you combine the drop in collagen, which acts like scaffolding for the skin, and slower cell turnover, it causes the outer layer of the skin to become thinner and more prone to damage, bruising and slower healing.
• Less oil: Sebaceous glands produce less oil as we get older which not only leaves the skin looking and feeling dry, but it can weaken the skin barrier. Hormones can also play a role in how much oil you produce, which also impacts the hydration of the skin as we age, and these hormones fluctuate.
• Sensitivity: As the skin becomes drier and the skin barrier becomes weaker, the skin may react more easily to ingredients or environmental factors. Even if they haven’t in the past.
• Hyperpigmentation: The older we get, the more our skin is exposed to the sun. Purely just by being alive and outside. This, coupled with shifting hormones can cause dark spots to develop more frequently.

FURTHER READING:Remove dark spots on face, hands and body with our pick of the best dark spot correctors

The best skincare for mature skin

The best skincare for mature skin should focus on addressing each of the changes above.

If you have wrinkles and fine lines, use retinoids to stimulate collagen production and hydrate with hyaluronic acid and ceramides. You could even consider professional treatments like microneedling or laser therapy.

If you’re suffering from dryness, switch to a gentle, non-foaming cleanser, apply a hydrating serum before moisturiser and you can use a humidifier in colder months.

If you have hyperpigmentation, opt for Vitamin C and niacinamide to fade dark spots, apply SPF every day to prevent further darkening. You can also get professional peels or laser treatments.

If you’re skin is sagging, use peptides and collagen-boosting ingredients. Facial massage and microcurrent devices can help tighten skin over time and in-office treatments like radiofrequency can stimulate collagen production.

This advice is summarised in the table below:

Morning skincare routine for mature skin

1. Gentle cleanser: Avoid harsh foaming cleansers that strip moisture. Look for cream or oil-based formulas.
2. Hydrating toner: Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin can help skin retain moisture.
3. Antioxidant serum: Vitamin C helps brighten skin and protect against environmental damage.
4. Moisturiser with peptides or ceramides: These ingredients strengthen the skin barrier and keep it plump.
5. Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher: Sun damage accelerates ageing, so daily sunscreen is non-negotiable.

Evening skincare routine for mature skin

1. Double cleanse: Remove makeup with a cleansing balm, followed by a gentle cleanser.
2. Exfoliating treatment (2-3 times a week): Look for lactic acid or PHAs for gentle exfoliation.
3. Retinol or bakuchiol: Helps boost collagen and speed up cell turnover.
4. Hydrating serum: Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide work well to replenish moisture.
5. Rich night cream or facial oil: Seals in moisture and provides overnight nourishment.

FURTHER READING:Skin serum, facial oil or moisturiser: What’s the difference and which one do you need?

The best makeup for mature skin

Makeup sits differently on ageing skin, so making small adjustments can help you achieve a smoother, more radiant look.

• Foundation: Opt for lightweight, hydrating formulas with a satin or dewy finish. Full-coverage matte foundations can settle into fine lines. Check our best foundation for mature skin, or best foundation for mature skin over 60 guides for recommendations.
• Primer: A hydrating primer can prevent foundation from looking cakey.
• Concealer: Choose a lightweight formula to avoid creasing under the eyes. We explain how to use concealer on mature skin here.
• Blush: Cream blushes blend more naturally into mature skin compared to powders.
• Eye makeup: Avoid heavy eyeliner and opt for soft, blended looks to lift the eyes. We have a range in our favourite eyeshadow looks for different eye shapes guide.
• Lips: Use hydrating lipsticks or glosses to prevent dryness and cracking.

You can learn more about the best makeup for over 60s mature skin or more in our over 50s beauty hub.

The best professional treatments for mature skin

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There are a number of professional treatment options if skincare isn’t working well enough, or fast enough, to tackle your mature skin changes. We go into more detail about each one on our best treatment for mature skin guide but in summary:

Laser resurfacing

Laser treatments use focused light energy to stimulate the production of collagen and improve the skin’s surface. They remove the outer layer of skin while heating deeper layers to trigger the production of collagen.

Best for: Fine lines, pigmentation, sun damage, acne scars

Chemical peels

Chemical peels use acids to exfoliate the top layers of skin, encouraging new cell growth and improving skin tone and texture. It involves applying a chemical solution containing AHAs (glycolic, lactic acid) or BHAs (salicylic acid) to the skin. These acidsbreak down dead skin cells, allowing new, healthier skin to emerge over the following weeks.

Best for: Dull skin, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, acne scars

Microneedling

Also known as Collagen Induction Therapy, microneedling uses a device with fine needles to create micro-injuries in the skin. Tiny needles penetrate the skin, triggering a wound-healing response and this causes the skin to produces more collagen and elastin, making it firmer and plumper over time.

Best for: Fine lines, sagging skin, acne scars, enlarged pores

Botox and dermal fillers

While Botox and fillers are often mentioned together, they work very differently in targeting wrinkles and sagging skin. Botox is an injectable neurotoxin that temporarily relaxes facial muscles which stops them moving, which in turn stops them forming wrinkles.Dermal fillers instead use hyaluronic acid or “collagen-stimulating substances” to restore lost volume and smooth deeper wrinkles.

Best for: Nasolabial folds (smile lines), hollow cheeks, and thinning lips

FURTHER READING:How to make your lips bigger naturally and apply lipstick like a pro – no fillers required

Which treatment is best for mature skin?

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