Finding the Right Skin Care for Your Age

The other day, I was perusing the skin care aisle at Target and encountered two tween girls in serious deliberation. Girl A held up a motorized facial scrubber and insisted that it was the secret behind her great skin (mind you, these girls were at that age where they still have peach fuzz on their cheeks). Girl B was torn. She probably thought that the price was a little too steep for her allowance, but she ended up putting the mini face-sander into her basket anyway. Did either of these girls need this thing? Most likely not. But why did they buy it? Because they weren't aware that this product was not meant for them.

I think the same thing happens with people our age, in our 20s, 30s, and 40s. So many products exist in the world of skin care, all making (empty) promises of youth and beauty, and many of us (myself included) get sucked in. Unfortunately, many of us are also not yet ready to use some of these products either. For instance, did you know that people in their 20s (and some in their 30s) should stay away from anti-wrinkle and firming creams? Many women (and men) use these products as preventative treatments, but that's not how these things work. Most of these products "firm" the skin by tightening it and, subsequently, making it thin. Imagine what would happen to your skin if you started using these products prematurely. It would be like getting a face lift right now, albeit not that drastic. In the long run, though, you'd end up having to use more product and resort to stronger and even more drastic treatments later on down the line.

TotalBeauty.com, an online resource for - you guessed it - beauty and beauty products, has some tips for age-appropriate skin care. They break down what kinds of products you should use between ages 20 through 50, and they also include some product suggestions. According to them, people in their 20s, for instance, really only need to wash, moisturize, and treat specific skin conditions, like acne. They don't recommend daily exfoliation until your 30s, and no wrinkle treatments until you reach your 40s.

Total Beauty also has a skin analysis quiz, which is helpful in determining what kind of skin type you have, so that you can make more informed choices for your skin care regimen.