What Your Skin Needs at Every Age: A Complete Skincare Timeline

As an esthetician, I hear these questions all the time:
❓ “At what age should I start using this serum?”
❓ “How young is too young for a facial?”
❓ “Does my teen need a skincare routine?”
❓ “I just turned 30—should I be switching things up?”
❓ “I’m 50… why am I still dealing with acne?!”

In this blog, I’ll answer those questions while I walk you through what skincare products and goals to focus on at different stages of life. Of course, everyone’s skin is unique, so this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—but it’s a great guide to help you understand what to expect and how to care for your skin at any age! I packed a ton of information and recommendations in here so you can save this as a resource for all stages of life.

scrub me secret: What is the best age to start getting facials? If you or your child is a pre-teen or teen (ages 12-17) experiencing acne and breakouts due to puberty/poor skincare routine, this is a great time to start getting facials every 4-8 weeks from a trusted esthetician. If your skin is fairly clear and breakout-free, you can wait until you are 18- early 20s to start seeing an esthetician regularly. Starting early helps you get to know and preserve your skin for the future.

Skincare for 11 and Younger

What to focus on: Building good habits and protecting skin from the sun when necessary.

What your goals are: Routinely taking care of your skin is a good habit to get into. When we are younger, our skin doesn’t need a lot; use a gentle facial cleanser at night and SPF every day if you live in a sunny place or when you are in the sun for multiple hours at a time. That’s all you need! If you want to play around with more skincare, try a hydrating mask.

Don’t fall into following trendy skincare routines and using too many products. This is a time when your skin has lots of collagen and elastin and continues to make it, so there is no need to use collagen products, retinol, peptides, or any other items that are meant to strengthen and regenerate collagen and elastin. Also, for most, you are not experiencing breakouts, congestion, and/or acne during these ages, so there is no need to use acne products, toners, or items with salicylic acid.

scrub me secret: beware of the negative effects of using certain skincare ingredients too early on in lift. Using ingredients like salicylic acid, ahas, harsh exfoliants, acne cleansers, and products with retinol can damage your skin barrier, especially when you use them when they aren’t even necessary.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡) : A gentle cleanser with high-quality ingredients is a great choice because you can safely use it AM and PM without sensitizing your skin or stripping the barrier. Using a daily moisturizer with mineral SPF is safe for children and instills daily sun protection habits. If you want to experiment with fun skincare, a jelly hydration mask is a great choice. It’s simple, safe, and fun to use, and it makes your skin soft and glowy!

Skincare for 12-18

What to focus on: Keeping your skin clean and congestion-free without unbalancing your barrier or over-exfoliating. And if needed, treat and heal your skin’s hormonal acne or other kinds of acne. You should already have built good habits about UV defense (SPF).

What your goals are: To keep your skin breakout and congestion-free during this time when we typically start to produce more oils and when you’ll most likely explore more sports and physical activities where you will sweat. This is also a time when you might experiment with makeup and will need to double cleanse your skin and clean your makeup brushes properly. These are the ages when we go through puberty, which can commonly cause acne. This age range is a great time to start learning how to properly cleanse your skin and then rebalance it with the right moisturizers and/or hydration serums. The goal for treating acne or cystic acne, if you are experiencing that, is to kill bacteria, minimize breakouts, and heal your skin.

At times, when you are experiencing congestion like clusters of blackheads, whiteheads, or full-blown acne, it’s important to start seeing a professional to help you decongest your skin and heal your acne. Performing extractions at home, meaning trying to push your blackheads out or pop your pimples, can lead to more breakouts or future scarring. I started seeing an esthetician for breakout-clearing facials when I was 13. My mom was kind enough to take me, and I am forever thankful.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡) : During this time of puberty and more opportunities for congestion, it’s a nice idea to add a slightly exfoliating item like a PHA or AHA tonic or a product that provides a deeper cleansing for pores. If you are starting to experience acne or clusters of breakouts at this time, it’s a good idea to switch to a BHA or BHA/AHA cleanser. A lightweight, calming moisturizer pairs nicely with the introduction or gentle exfoliants or pore-cleansing ingredients. Remember, even if your skin is congested or has acne breakouts, do not skip your facial lotion; you want to keep your skin balanced. This is a time when it’s good to experiment with toners and see if a healing/hydrating one or an astringent one is better for you. If acne is stubborn, I have found blue LED therapy to be so helpful.

scrub me secret: Large whiteheads, acne, and cystic acne are totally normal, but we do want to get to the root of what’s causing the breakouts and try to remedy that as well as treat the acne topically. you want to find a professional who is educated in acne and can get to the root of it and offer ways to clear and heal it.

Skincare for 19-25

What to focus on: Keeping skin healthy and clear and preserving it for the future. This is also a point in time where you should establish a relationship with a dermatologist you trust and schedule yearly skin checks. You may need to continue some of your acne care into this time of your life if you are still experiencing breakouts.

What your goals are: Now that you have built great habits of cleansing, balancing moisture and hydration, and applying proper SPF, it’s time to start preserving your collagen and elastin. Our body will slow down and stop the process of making more of these proteins for our skin around our mid-twenties. This is why we want to focus on peptides that are like building blocks for collagen and elastin and vitamin C that preserve our healthy skin. This is also a time when you can start using some more aggressive ingredients like retinol or dive into professional treatments like microneedling, nano-needling, LED therapy, or chemical peels. Always follow the guidance of skincare professionals when incorporating those more aggressive ingredients into your routine.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡) : I think vitamin C serum is a must-have for daily defense and preservation of your healthy skin cells. A vitamin C that’s gentle on your skin yet effective is what I recommend. Peptide serums and hyaluronic acid serums are also great additions at this time in life because they help you strengthen and preserve your collagen and elastin cells. Daily SPF is a must! And extra points for using a blue light-blocking or pollution defense mist.

scrub me secret: why daily spf? SPF not only defends against sun rays but also sneaky sun rays that come through windows and clouds. It also defends against certain light rays that emit from our electronic devices and damaging rays from fluorescent lights.

Skincare for 26-35

What to focus on: Continuing to preserve your collagen and elastin while adding more ingredients and treatments that reverse the damage that may have been caused in your early twenties. If you feel more financially stable, it’s a great time to invest in skincare treatments or an at-home LED red light therapy device.

What your goals are: Prioritizing consistent AM and PM skincare, along with incorporating ingredients and treatments that support skin cell regeneration and protect against free radical damage and lifestyle stressors like poor sleep, diet, and travel. Focus on ingredients that boost cell turnover, antioxidants that defend against environmental and other damage, and treatments that enhance microcirculation for healthier, more resilient skin.

This is a time when daily vitamin C is super important, so if that isn’t a part of your routine already, get on it! This is also a time when you should start using any other serums, moisturizers, or masks that contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help to have and maintain healthy skin. Facial massage is amazing for creating an oxygen boost in your skin and the microcirculation we want for cell rejuvenation. Professional treatments like microneedling, nano-needling, lasers, LED therapy, and professional exfoliation are all worth exploring during this time.

scrub me secret: As time goes on, we want to build upon and adjust our skincare routines. At this point in time you’ll have built up to double cleanse, toner, serums, moisturizer, and SPF. You can either choose to add new serums or treatments to your routine or switch some items out. I always opt to start switching some items out once I have more than 2 toners and 3 serums on top of basics like cleansers and moisturizers. Like, maybe you were using a skin-clearing toner, and now you can switch to an antioxidant-rich one. Or maybe you had a healing serum, and now you want to use it for cell turnover. Be smart about what you choose to have in your routine!

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡) : This is a great time in life to invest in facials and establish a good relationship with an esthetician you trust and think will always keep up on their education. Play around with adding retinol or bio-retinol, if you haven’t already, for microcirculation. Collagen regeneration serum is an excellent addition to your routine. Weekly deep exfoliation is also super beneficial.

Skincare for 36-45

What to focus on: Maintain the current level of attention and care for your skin while addressing any new changes due to hormonal fluctuations or general aging.

What your goals are: Continue to adjust your skincare routine to cater to what your skin needs and likes. At this point in time, you should have an established skincare routine and have an idea of what skincare ingredients your skin benefits from. Some people (especially women) will experience more hormonal changes at these ages, possibly leading to hormonal acne. I feel it’s best not to dump your entire skincare routine and switch to acne products if you start seeing acne pop up out of nowhere. You can add an acne spot treatment or blue LED therapy. Or you can try adding in an acne cleaner that you use 4-6x a week. The key is not to overly treat your skin and sensitize it.

Remember, changes in your skin during this time or in your next decade are normal. Navigating these changes and caring for your skin the best is always so much easier when you have a trusted esthetician or skincare professional to help guide you by letting you know how to adjust your skincare routine and what the best, most effective, and cutting-edge treatments are.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡) : No need to change up your skincare routine too much from your previous decade. At this point, you double cleanse, have a great cleanser, toner(s) you like, serums with ingredients that you know what they do, moisturizer, and SPF. You can add an eye cream or a nighttime facial oil or invest in an at-home LED device. Using your retinol or other cell turnover/exfoliating skincare items 1-2 more times a week than you previously have can be a good idea at these ages. Lastly, to address new hormonal acne (if you have it) you can add an acne spot treatment, use blue light therapy, and use a BHA mask or cleanser 2-3 times a week.

Skincare for 46-55

What to focus on: Making sure skin cells and tissues are stimulated and strong so you can look healthy and lifted. Also, treat any dark spotting that appears on the surface of our skin as we age.

What your goals are: Stimulating your collagen and elastin cells and driving nutrients to your skin tissue is the main goal during this time. You also always want to remember daily sun protection, but this should be a well-remembered habit by now.😉 As skin continues to lose collagen and elastin and circulation/oxygen/lymphatic flow slows down, you’ll need to protect your proteins and boost circulation. How do we do this? Facial massage, LED, oxygenating treatments, nutrient-rich serums and masks, and effective professional skincare treatments.

Now, let’s talk about dark spots. As we age, dark spots may start to appear on the surface of the skin. When you see new dark spots or dark pigment on your face, neck, or body, it is most likely pigment from damage you incurred years in the past that is just now making its way to the surface of your skin. Sunburns and spending a lot of time out in the sun when you are young results in these dark spots later in life. Cell turnover ingredients that also reduce fine lines and wrinkles help treat these dark spots; ingredients like kojic acid and tranexamic acid are also effective pigment-lightening ingredients.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡): Ingredients/products you can add to your skincare routine at this time (if you aren’t already using them) are mushroom extracts, tripeptides, tranexamic acid, niacinamide, kojic acid, and enzymes. These are a list of ingredients that have benefits like regenerating proteins and brightening skin. If you want to add more anti-aging ingredients, choose the mushroom extracts, tripeptides, or enzymes. If you’d like to brighten dark spots, choose tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and/or kojic acid. Continue to get your monthly or bi-monthly facials, massage your face at home or use your favorite facial tools, and treat your skin with LED therapy and professional treatments that create microcirculation.

scrub me secret: I know it sounds cheesy, but remember to love yourself always. As long as your skin and body are healthy and you feel healthy and good, you will reflect beauty. lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, dark spots- none of that is what dictates our beauty. Put good energy out into the world and treat your skin and body well; that’s most important.

Skincare for 56+

What to focus on: Keeping your delicate skin hydrated, moisturized, and strong.

What your goals are: Giving your skin the moisture and gentle care that it needs at this time. Always remember to keep up your yearly dermatologist skin checks. As time goes on, your skin will produce fewer oils that keep your skin soft and nourished, and it won’t be able to heal itself as quickly as it once did. Your goal will be to use nutrient and moisture-rich products, gentle cleansers, and AHA’s. Treat your skin very delicately.

During these ages, healing ingredients like manuka honey, tamanu oil, blue tansy, and rose hip, just to name a few, are excellent ingredients to use. Infrared light plus red LED therapy is also a great treatment for strengthening and healing your skin.

Esthetician-recommended skincare items (a couple suggestions from me 🧡): Adding antioxidant, healing, and hydrating facial moisturizers, oils, and masks to your skincare routine is such a great idea for this time in life when your skin is delicate and probably lacking natural moisture. As I mentioned above, I love facial lotion with honey, this hydration mask with blue tansy, and rosehip facial oil. There are other skincare items like nutrient-rich oils with vitamin A, that are perfect for strengthening aging skin. If your skin is changing and starting to feel more sensitive, it is a good idea to switch from a chemical/mineral blend SPF to a fully mineral blend SPF if you aren’t using one already. In my experience as an esthetician, chemical SPFs tend to make sensitive skin itchy and red.

Scrub me secret: If you are interested in inspiration for your skincare routine, here is my current routine, plus a facial gua sha massage routine I often do for myself.

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