As facial skin ages, it has different requirements. When you’re young, you can usually get away with a pretty basic product armoury, and don’t need to worry about fussy regimes or potent active ingredients (unless you're battling breakouts or acne of course).

As the years go by, your skin will start to give you external signals as to what it needs—unless you're very sensitive, this will probably be ingredients and formulations on the more active end of the scale, such as AHAs and vitamin C.

You'll be looking to turn dullness into a glow, diffuse fine lines and wrinkles, fade pigmentation and increase cell turnover, encouraging lots of lovely new collagen. Firming, tightening and lifting is also likely to be on your skin rejuvenation wish-list.

With endless beauty product lines claiming to be the holy grail of ‘anti-ageing’—a term in all honesty we’d prefer to avoid here at EV—we’ve done the hard work for you and selected some of the hardest-working products out there to suit a more mature skin type.

The cleansers

It may be cheap but don’t let that fool you, as CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser containing three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, does the job quickly and effectively—EV's beauty team are huge fans.  For something a little more luxurious, we also rate the divine-smelling Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, which gets deep into the pores to dissolve makeup and remnants of the day while leaving skin beautifully soft and hydrated.

The toners

The cult Caudalie Beauty Elixir is used by makeup artists who use it on models’ skin backstage at runway shows, but we guarantee you’ll also love this suits-all plant-based mist which hydrates and sets makeup in a single spritz.  Packing more of an active punch, Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic is an exfoliating tonic formulated to encourage brighter skin. It contains gentle yet powerful lactic acid (AHA) to tighten and hydrate for an even, energised complexion without irritation.

The moisturisers

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is dubbed the ‘get sh*t done cream,’ for a reason—it contains signal peptides, growth factors and supportive amino acids for an immediate improvement in sun damage, tone, texture and firmness. If loss of collagen is your bugbear, Vichy LiftActiv Collagen Specialist Daily Moisturiser has been designed to target visible signs of ageing linked to collagen loss, while firming and boosting radiance.

The night creams

We are fans of the top rated Olay Regenerist 3 Point Firming Night Cream which helps skin recover while you slumber, thanks to powerful vitamin B3 and amino peptides which hydrate, firm and improve skin texture. For something a little more active, The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Overnight Treatment includes up-and-coming ingredient tranexamic acid at 2%, along with 2% vitamin C to brighten, target hyperpigmentation, uneven patches and dark spots.

The serums

Aimed at women aged 35+ and with 90% certified organic ingredients, Green People Age Defy+ Hydrate & Renew Serum features 21 actives that work to boost skin metabolism, improve skin structure, firmness and elasticity, and increase hydration by 30%. You’ll also find plant extracts in Clarins Double Serum, all of which stimulate five functions: hydration, nutrition, oxygenation, regeneration and protection. Your skin will most definitely approve.  

The masks

Need an intense moisture fix? SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque features hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5 and other ingredients that help re-establish the skin’s water balance and drench  dehydrated skin with moisture. Massage ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy onto face, neck and décolleté before retiring and let the plant-based ingredients, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and essential oils get to work replenishing dry and dehydrated skin.  

The treat

Treat your skin with the award-winning Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Powerfoil Mask (8 x 25ml), which helps to repair and reset the look of skin with innovative PowerFoil technology. The foil-backed sheet mask creates a protective barrier, allowing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid to penetrate and lock in moisture. Each treatment also contains a double dose of the beauty editor’s favourite Advanced Night Repair Serum, which is a powerful moisture magnet in itself.