Anti-Aging Skin Care Products at Every Age, Per a Dermatologist

In my early 20s, I thought aging-related skin care concerns were none of my business—they were a problem for future me to figure out in 30 years. I have since spent a decade in the beauty industry, during which I’ve become expert-adjacent on the topic. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that prevention is the best medicine; you reap what you sow—a good skin care routine can pay off in a month but also in 20 years time.

I spoke to Rachel Nazarian, M.D., a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, to find out the must-have anti-aging products for people in their 30s through their 70s. 

Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for 30s

Skinbetter Science Intensive AlphaRet Overnight Cream

“Once you enter your 30s, your estrogen levels start to decline slightly,” making hormonal acne, free radical damage, and skin repair the priorities, according to Dr. Nazarian. Incorporating a nightly retinol cream or treatment is her top recommendation at this age. Skinbetter’s Science Intensive AlphaRet Overnight Cream “helps stimulate collagen production, which will combat the skin aging process that can cause fine lines and slight sagging to occur,” says Dr. Nazarian.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ Night Cream

Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ Night Cream also makes Dr. Nazarian’s cut. It’s formulated with a large amount of chemical exfoliants to improve skin texture and brightness yet is “gentle enough for most people, even those with sensitive skin,” she says. 

Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for 40s

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension Serum

In this decade, you’ll want to focus on “gentle skin renewal, decreasing inflammation, and targeting redness.” To achieve these ends, Dr. Nazarian suggests incorporating azelaic acid and salicylic acid. More specifically, she recommends The Ordinary’s azelaic acid serum to capitalize on the ingredient’s ability to decongest skin, unclog pores, neutralize redness, and even out skin tone. 

CeraVe SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin

Dr. Nazarian’s salicyclic acid recommendation is a no-brainer when you look at the science and benefits. As in this moisturizing CeraVe cream, beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) is able to penetrate past superficial layers to turn skin into a smooth canvas while fading age spots and hyperpigmentation. 

Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for 50s

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

In your 50s, “the emphasis is on improving cell turnover and encouraging new healthy skin to generate,” Dr. Nazarian says. Her pick is First Aid Beauty’s sensitive skin-safe Facial Radiance Pads thanks to the star ingredient, glycolic acid. Combined with lactic acid, this treatment buffs out wrinkles, increases collagen, and regulates sebum. 

Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for 60s

Dove Beauty Bar Soap for Sensitive Skin

Your skin barrier “naturally weakens as you age,” Dr. Nazarian says. So when you hit your 60s, you’ll want to work on strengthening it. Dove’s $6 (for a pack of 4) sensitive skin-safe bar soap does exactly that via glycerin, kaolin, and stearic acid. 

Senté Dermal Repair Cream

At this age, the other priority is the “stimulation of growth factors to boost skin’s natural repair pathways,” she says. Thanks to Heparan Sulfate Analog (a moisturizing ingredient similar to hyaluronic acid), green tea extract, and quinoa extract, this Senté cream is deeply moisturizing, inflammation-reducing, and wrinkle-fading. 

Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for 70s

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

Your epidermis’s hydration levels and ability to retain moisture decline exponentially as you age. By the time you hit your 70s, Dr. Nazarian says “heavy-hitting hydration” is of utmost importance. She recommends the iconic La Roche-Posay moisturizer for getting the job done. It has uber-high concentrations of ceramides, thermal water, and glycerin, which vastly improve skin’s overall suppleness in a matter of hours. 

Alastin Restorative Skin Complex Serum With TriHex+

Dr. Nazarian likes this innovative serum from one of Martha Stewart’s go-to skin care brands thanks to a formula that’s chock-full of “the big gun anti-aging ingredients.” Peptides, silver mushroom, niacinamide, and a few proprietary complexes make this a firming, lifting, tightening, plumping, and hydrating powerhouse.