We all want healthy skin into old age.
But then, as the years begin adding up, we look in the mirror and say, “Hm. Whatever I’m doing doesn’t seem to be working.”
As the years pass, our skin changes. No matter who we are or how well we care for our skin, some changes occur.
Maybe we see fine lines showing up. Skin may lose some of its youthful bounce. That radiant glow starts to fade. Skin changes with age are undeniable.
We can’t completely stop these changes. With the right care, though, we can take care of our skin in a way that leaves us feeling vibrant, comfortable, and like our best selves.
Below, we explain why skin changes with age and give you seven powerful steps to nourish it for the long haul.
Healthy Skin Into Old Age—Why Does Skin Change with Age?
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and your first defense against the outside world. As you age, it undergoes several changes.
Collagen and Elastin Production Drops
These proteins form the structural framework of your skin. Collagen gives skin firmness and density, while elastin provides stretch and snap-back ability.
Collagen production begins to drop about 1 percent per year in our mid-20s, and it drops even faster during menopause.
Elastin, on the other hand, is produced in abundance when we’re young but then diminishes significantly with age. Unlike collagen, elastin isn’t naturally replenished at meaningful levels after early adulthood. Once it’s damaged or depleted (typically by the sun’s UV rays or environmental toxins), it’s difficult to restore.
As these proteins decline, skin becomes thinner and less firm. Wrinkles and expression lines become more pronounced. The skin starts to sag, particularly around the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
Skin Gets Thinner
The skin has multiple layers. The epidermis is the outer layer, and it becomes thinner and more transparent with age. The dermis is the middle layer, and it loses volume and moisture as fat, collagen, and elastin decrease.
This creates thinner, more delicate skin that is more prone to tearing and bruising. It’s also slower to heal from wounds and more sensitive to irritation from skin care products or environmental triggers.
Natural Oil (Sebum) Production Decreases
Oil glands (sebaceous glands) also slow down as we age. If you have oily skin, you may think this is a good thing. But it actually makes skin more prone to dryness, flaking, and tightness. Lower natural oil production means the skin can’t naturally protect itself from water loss.
This leads to itchy, tight-feeling skin with more prominent fine lines. It also increases the risk of inflammatory conditions like eczema or rosacea.
Skin Cell Turnover Slows Down
When we’re young, our skin cells are always renewing themselves. About every 28-35 days, we get a new surface layer of skin. But as we get older, this process slows down dramatically. By the 50s or 60s, the skin may take 45 to 60 days to renew itself.
Slower cell turnover results in skin that looks dull with uneven skin tone. It has an accumulation of dead skin cells on the surface layer, which means skincare products can’t penetrate as well, and you won’t get as many benefits from it.
Blood Flow Decreases
With age, circulation in the dermis decreases. Fewer nutrients and oxygen reach the skin cells, which can lead to a sallow or pale complexion, delayed repair from everyday wear and tear, and less radiance and vitality.
Sun Damage Accumulates
A lifetime of exposure to UV radiation, air pollution, harsh weather, and toxins can leave its mark on your skin. By the time you reach the age of 50, this damage has accumulated. It causes hyperpigmentation, sun spots, broken capillaries, and redness. It can also create a rough texture or even a leathery appearance on your skin.
External aggressors like UV rays and pollution also generate free radicals—unstable molecules that damage skin cells and accelerate collagen breakdown, leading to more wrinkles and sagging.
Hormonal Changes Increase
During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels drop. Estrogen is crucial for maintaining skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity. Its decline leads to faster collagen loss, increased dryness and thinning, and greater susceptibility to damage and irritation.
As you can see, there are a lot of changes that happen to the skin as we get older. To support mature skin, we need to nourish, protect, and calm it at every level. That’s where targeted, barrier-repairing skincare like CV Skinlabs comes in!
7 Ways to Enjoy Healthy Skin Into Old Age
First, we recommend choosing skincare without harmful chemicals, as these can disrupt skin and weaken or compromise the skin barrier. Instead, choose products that are non-toxic, barrier protecting, nourishing, and skin balancing. They will help keep skin inflammation, excessive dryness, and sensitivity at bay while helping to defend against premature aging.
1. Cleanse Gently, but Daily
Harsh cleansers strip your skin of its natural oils—something aging skin can’t afford to lose! On the other hand, cleaning with a gentle product can help maintain your skin’s barrier while removing environmental toxins that age you.
What to do: Use a creamy, non-foaming cleanser that soothes while it cleans. Avoid hot water, which further dries the skin.
Why it helps: Maintaining your skin’s lipid barrier keeps moisture in and irritants out, reducing inflammation—a major driver of premature aging.
Try: Rescue & Relief Spray post-cleansing. It’s gentle on the skin and won’t disrupt pH balance, but will help keep skin soft, balanced, hydrated and calm.
2. Replenish Moisture Morning and Night
Hydration is the cornerstone of youthful skin. As we age, our skin’s ability to retain moisture drops. The solution? Listen to your skin, and respond by replenishing moisture often and deeply.
What to do: Choose a moisturizer rich in ceramides, fatty acids, and plant oils like in our CV Skinlabs products to support skin health. Apply to damp skin to lock in hydration.
Why it helps: Hydrated skin appears plumper, smoother, and more vibrant. Plus, keeping the skin barrier healthy reduces sensitivity and redness.
Try: CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture, which multi-tasks as a face, neck, and scalp moisturizer that supports the barrier function and maintains moisture throughout the day. It includes beta-glucan, aloe, and CV’s propriety Tri-Rescue Complex to nourish and calm dry, reactive skin. It’s also rich in antioxidants which will help slow the aging process by neutralizing free radical damage and collagen breakdown, while enhancing the skin’s resilience and keeping the barrier healthy and strong.
3. Feed Your Skin from Within
Your skin reflects the health of your body as a whole. A diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and hydrating foods can dramatically improve the way your skin looks and feels.
What to do: Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables, particularly berries, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes. Include omega-3-rich foods like salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts. Meanwhile, cut back on sugar and processed foods, as they increase inflammation.
Why it helps: Antioxidants fight off skin-aging free radicals, and healthy fats support your skin’s lipid layer, keeping it supple and strong.
4. Protect from the Sun
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays is the main cause of premature aging. Even on cloudy days, those rays are working against your skin.
What to do: Use a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30 every day. Reapply every 2-3 hours if you’re outside. Look for mineral sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide if you have sensitive skin.
Why it helps: Sun damage breaks down collagen, accelerates wrinkles and increases pigmentation. Daily SPF helps protect your skin from these assaults.
5. Embrace Stress Reduction as Skincare
Chronic stress wreaks havoc on your hormones, which can lead to inflammation, sensitivity, breakouts, and accelerated skin aging. Every time you feel chronic stress, know that it’s affecting your skin!
What to do: Incorporate daily stress-reducing practices like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or nature walks. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night, as that’s when your skin repairs and regenerates itself. Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can dehydrate and irritate your skin and interrupt your sleep.
Why it helps: A calmer nervous system means lower cortisol levels—which translates to less inflammation, stronger immunity, and better skin repair.
6. Exfoliate—but Not Too Much
Remember when we said skin cell turnover slows down as you age? Exfoliation helps slough off those dead skin cells, allowing younger ones to rise to the surface. But too much exfoliation can damage aging skin’s already thin and sensitive outer barrier.
That can create a constant state of irritation that triggers the same inflammatory process that accelerates aging and breaks down collagen and elastin.
What to do: Use a gentle exfoliating product once or twice a week. Look for ingredients like lactic acid or papaya and pumpkin enzymes. Follow with an anti-inflammatory moisturizer like our Calming Moisture that will help calm inflammatory conditions, improve elasticity, and strengthen the skin barrier.
Why it helps: Proper exfoliation smooths texture, brightens dullness, and allows your serums and moisturizers to penetrate more deeply.
Try: CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture immediately after exfoliating to restore hydration and calm any sensitivity.
7. Switch to Barrier-Supporting Skincare
Preserving the skin’s moisture barrier becomes critical as we age. Many conventional products contain harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and drying alcohols, all of which can worsen aging signs.
What to do: Choose products specifically formulated for sensitive or compromised skin. Avoid anything with parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or synthetic dyes.
Why it helps: A healthy barrier keeps irritants out and moisture in. Skin that’s supported—not stripped—has the best chance of staying smooth, soft, and resilient.
Try: CV Skinlabs products were created with this exact philosophy in mind. Every formula is dermatologist-tested, made for ultra-sensitive skin, and packed with healing botanicals like calendula, reishi mushroom, turmeric, and bisabolol. All products are clinically proven to increase hydration, calm irritated red skin, and help restore a healthy skin barrier.
Healthy Skin Into Old Age—You Can Have It!
Aging is a gift, but prematurely aged skin doesn’t have to be part of the package. By making thoughtful, holistic choices, you can age with confidence and enjoy skin that feels comfortable and healthy.
How is your skin doing as you age?
Featured image by SHVETS production via Pexels.
