Hydrate the Skin: How to Keep It Youthful After 40s

After the age of 40, the skin starts showing signs of change, and its ability to retain hydration decreases, leading to the first wrinkles appearing.

To maintain glowing, youthful skin well into your 40s, it's important to establish a skincare ritual that provides deep, long-lasting hydration and to follow it consistently, ideally starting in your 30s.

In this article, you'll discover the strategies, key ingredients and mistakes to avoid for the most effective skincare ritual, as well as some skincare tips only beauty experts know.

How Skin changes after 40

As we age, skin changes and produces less collagen and elastin, becoming less firm and more prone to wrinkling.

The skin barrier also becomes more fragile, leading to an increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which can result in drier and more sensitive skin.

Environmental factors, such as heating, air conditioning and pollution, also contribute to skin dehydration.

Argan oil is a vegetable oil very rich in antioxidants that help fight the signs of ageing

Hydrating and Nourishing: What's The Difference?

Hydrating and nourishing are often confused, but they are two different actions that are both necessary for healthy skin.

Hydrating the skin means maintaining or adding moisture to the skin, both on the surface and deep down, making it firmer and more protected.

Nourishing the skin means providing lipids and emollient that are essential for the maintaining and strengthening the skin barrier, whose role is to prevent and reduce water loss while protecting the skin.

Well hydrated and nourished skin looks radiant, plumped, healthy and...youthful!

A nourishing cream provides lipids and emollients to the skin

Key Ingredients for Youthful Skin

• Hyaluronic acid
  Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. When added in different molecular weights (high, medium, low, ultra-low), it acts on both the surface and deep layers to hydrate the skin from the outside, while plumping it from the inside for a firmer and more youthful appearance.
  
• Ceramides
  These lipids strengthen the skin barrier and prevent dehydration.
  
• Niacinamide
  The ultimate functional ingredient reduces skin blemishes, stimulates collagen production, helps even skin tone and fights dark spots. 

Pherve's The Radiance Booster is a multifunctional facial serum containing Hyaluronic acid, Niacinamide, Centella asiatica extract, Glycerin and peptides derived from Rice protein to promote skin hydration and collagen production and help maintain skin elasticity over time.

• Vitamin C
  An antioxidant that stimulates collagen production, enhances skin radiance, evens out complexion and fights free radical damage.
  
• Retinol
  A Vitamin A derivative that promotes skin cell renewal, stimulates collagen production and helps reduce wrinkles, dark spots and laxity.
  
• Peptides
  Some boost collagen synthesis (e.g.. Palmytoil Tripeptide-1 ), others promote elastin production (e.g. Hydrolised Rice Protein), but all work to create firmer, more compact skin.
  
• Glycerin
  A humectant that attracts and retain water, preventing skin dryness.
  
• Panthenol
  Soothing and hydrating Provitamin B5 helps repair the skin barrier and keep skin soft.
  
• Vegetable oils (such as Argan, Jojoba, and Rose hip)
  Rich in essential fatty acids, they nourish the skin and prevent dehydration.
  
• Botanical extracts (such as Green tea and Centella asiatica)
  Combat oxidative stress and strengthen the skin barrier, protecting from environmental damage.

Choosing multifunctional cosmetics, each combining several of these key ingredients, helps ensure a consistent skincare ritual and allows for a synergistic effect, reducing both the number of products and steps required.

The Ideal Skincare Ritual to Hydrate the Skin After 40

As we all know, layering products on top of each other can do more harm than good.

The accumulation of preservatives in each product and the risk of using incompatible active ingredients in the same skincare session can reduce the effectiveness of the products applied and cause unpleasant skin irritation.

It's better to stick to a minimalist skincare ritual, using a few products with concentrated active ingredients and fewer steps to ensure consistency over time.

Morning Skincare Routine

Must-have Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, Ceramides, Niacinamide
Steps: 4
Products: 4

1. CLEANSING milk or oil-based cleanser to respect the skin's hydrolipidic film (also a simple rinse with lukewarm water is fine)
2. HYDRATING serum containing Hyaluronic acid and/or Vitamin C and/or Niacinamide, applied to the still moist skin
3. NOURISHING cream with ceramides
4. SUNSCREEN SPF 50

Evening Skincare Routine

Must-have Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Retinol, Niacinamide, Peptides
Steps: 3 or 4
Products: 3 or 4 (you can use the same cleanser and hydrating serum you apply in the morning and reduce the number of new products to 1 or 2).

1. CLEANSING milk or oil-based cleanser to remove make-up and impurities
2. MOISTURISING toner (OPTIONAL)
3. HYDRATING serum containing Hyaluronic acid and/or Niacinamide and/or Peptides, applied tom still moist skin
4. NOURISHING cream with Retinol and rich in oils and butters for particularly dehydrated skin

Extra Treatments (twice a week)

1. MOISTURISING MASK for a hydration boost
2. GENTLE EXFOLIATION to improve skin cell renewal

Lifestyle Factors that Affect Skin Hydration

While a consistent skincare ritual is essential, it's important to remember that your skin's health is also influenced by lifestyle choices.

While it goes without saying that smoking and drinking alcohol have a hugely negative impact on your skin, factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, and stress levels can all play a significant role in how hydrated and youthful your skin looks.

For example, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and incorporating foods rich in essential fatty acids (salmon, avocado, nuts) and antioxidants (berries, green tea) into your diet will further support your skin.

Regular physical activity increases circulation and promotes a healthy glow, while managing stress can prevent skin inflammation and breakouts.

Similarly, prioritising quality sleep allows your skin to repair itself, further supporting hydration and overall skin health.

By incorporating these habits into your daily routine alongside your skincare regimen, you can achieve more radiant, nourished skin that reflects your overall wellbeing.

Yoga is a good way to relax and unwind and help prevent skin problems caused by high levels of stress

6 Mistakes to Avoid when Hydrating Mature Skin

1. Excessive exfoliation 
   Limit exfoliation to 1-2 times per week to avoid damaging the skin barrier.
   Gentle formulas with fruit enzymes will leave skin fresh and glowing while removing dead cells.
   
2. Not using a humidifier at home
   Installing a humidifier in the room where you spend most of your time is particularly useful to prevent dehydration caused by heating or air-conditioning. Set humidity levels between 40%-60% to avoid overly  humid environments, which can encourage the growth of mould and bacteria.
   
3. Underestimating the importance of the hydrolipidic film
   Using aggressive cleansers or skipping nourishing creams can compromise the skin's natural protection, leading to increased dehydration.
   
4. Not using a SPF every day
   UV rays accelerate dehydration and photo ageing, and can penetrate through window glasses and clouds, so it's important to protect the skin every day, both indoors and outdoors.
   
5. Not maintaining a consistent skincare ritual
   Consistency is key when it comes to skincare. A dedicated routine, coupled with the right products, will give you the best results over time.
   
6. Not hydrating from within
   Drinking water helps, but that's not enough. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants can help maintain skin elasticity and hydration.

After 40, skin needs deep and constant hydration to look youthful and glowing.

By choosing the right ingredients, following a consistent skincare ritual tailored to its needs and using a few helpful tricks, such as multifunctional products, daily massage and healthy lifestyle, you can effectively counteract dehydration and prevent the sign of ageing.

P.S. Have you discovered something you did not know yet, or would you like to know more about a specific topic? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

It will give us an understanding of how we can help you achieve a more beautiful skin, yours!