Crucial Skin Changes in your 40s

Our forties seem to be game-changing years when it comes to our skin. Hada Labo TokyoJapan’s top selling skincare brand - has found that 48% of women noticed more lines on their face when they hit this decade, with 39% noticing more dryness and 34% spotting a lack of elasticity.

It’s certainly a turning point for our skin care regime too as the Hada Labo Tokyo research discovered how more than half of women changed their skincare routine when they hit their forties with 88% of women who are not yet 40, anticipating making changes when they hit this age.

Sadly, the same research has found that fewer than one in 10 of us always feel happy with our skin’s appearance. As we age, our skin- the body’s largest organ- naturally loses moisture, which can cause wrinkles to form. Lifestyle factors such as smoking and pollution can also cause changes to our skin as can our dietary choices. Plus, hormonal changes can also have an impact on our skin such as the hormonal changes that occur during the menopause.

The Menopause

This huge hormonal life change tends to occur in women aged between 45 and 55 and it can cause noticeable changes in the skin’s appearance.

During perimenopause - the period leading up to menopause - a woman’s ovaries produce less oestrogen, causing an imbalance with the hormone progesterone. It’s oestrogen that helps skin to maintain its plumpness and moisture, so when we lose it, our skin can dry out, this lack of oestrogen also means lower collagen levels.

Collagen helps our skin remain firm. It’s important to work with these skin changes that are caused by the menopause, so we can help keep our skin in great condition.

Change in Routines

Our daily routines really have experienced a serious shake up in recent years, mainly due to the lifestyle changes that were borne from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the latest Hada Labo Tokyo research, over a quarter of women feel their routine has changed a lot due to an increase in working from home.

Nearly half of women are washing their hair less, 43% have noticed a change in their sleep patterns and 40% have changed the hours in which they have meals. In fact, 42% blame a poorer diet for negatively affecting their skin health.

Along with wholefoods, antioxidant-rich diet, packed with colourful fruits and vegetables, cleansing facial skin twice a day is vital. A quick cleanse is fine in the morning, but a deep cleanse is essential in the evening. Try massaging cleanser into facial skin for a minute or two before removing.

Sun Damage

UV light from the sun can also play a big role in the health of our skin. Worryingly, research shows that 67% of women don’t use a daily sunscreen. Plus, on warm summer days in the UK, 38% admitted that they would only apply sunscreen once before they leave the house, and nearly a quarter of women admit that they don’t carry around sunscreen during the summer months.

Try applying sunscreen to your face at least 3 times a day.

Too Much Screen Time

Always on zoom calls? We’re scrunching up our faces as we sit on calls, leading to more fine lines and wrinkles. All the light from our screens can also lead to a dull appearance, with the rise in working from home only contributing to the rise in zoom calls and screen time.

Anti-ageing Skin Facial Sheet Mask

A DIY facial massage at least twice a week, works the 40 or more muscles in the face. The more you move them, the more lifted, tightened and toned they become, busting stress at the same time.