The Best Skincare Routine for Your 30s
As you welcome your 30s, it’s likely time to level up your skincare routine. In this new chapter, there may be some slight noticeable changes in your skin you want to address–like the first signs of crow’s feet or dark circles under your eye–or you might also be thinking about preventive measures you can take to minimize skin aging.
But for many looking into skincare in their 30s, it can be hard to figure out where to start.
If you’ve found yourself wanting to build your skincare routine but are totally stumped on how to begin, we’re here to help. Read on to learn about everything from how your skin is changing to what the best skincare routine for your 30s should look like.
- How Does Skin Change in Your 30s?
- Is 30 too late to start a skincare routine?
- Step-By-Step Skincare Routine for Your 30s
- How to Build a Skincare Routine in Your 30s
- Our Favorite Skincare Products for Your 30s
- Build a Routine Your Skin Deserves
How Does Skin Change in Your 30s?
The skin you have in your 30s is probably a bit different from the skin you’ve had in the past. As you age, changes in your hormones, collagen and elastin production, and other processes can trigger a range of changes in your skin.
Dull skin
From your childhood to your late 20s, your skin cell turnover (the rate at which skin cells shed and regrow) cycles as fast as every 14 days. In your 30s, your cycle turnover slows down, exposing new, fresh skin cells every 28 to 35 days.That means your skin takes longer to renew dead tissue, leaving your skin looking a bit duller than it used to.
Flushed red skin
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can appear as you age into your 30s. Rosacea manifests itself as a constant facial flush that can also appear on the ears, chest, and back. Depending on the severity of the rosacea, it can also thicken skin and cause raised bumps. Women with rosacea should seek an anti-aging skincare routine that caters to their sensitive skin.
Random dark spots
Hyperpigmentation is caused by the decades of UV exposure you’ve enjoyed over the span of your lifetime. These random dark spots are caused by low-grade sun exposure that sends your melanocyte cells into overdrive. With your skin cell turnover suddenly much slower, you’ll find it takes a lot longer for these dark spots to fade without a little extra help.
Cystic acne
Surprisingly, your days of dealing with acne may not be over. Back in your formative teenage years, your hormones were all over the place, working to transform you from a child into a young woman. Now, your hormones are in flux once again, which can result in cystic acne.
Dry skin
Has your skin become more dry lately? Your slower skin turnover rate plays a role here, too. Older skin cells are more difficult to keep hydrated, resulting in a lingering layer of dry skin that takes longer to remove. Additionally, your production of sebum, skin’s natural moisturizer, and ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid both slow down. Together, these factors result in dry skin that’s seemingly impossible to hydrate.
Less bounce
Have you begun noticing that your face now looks a little different in photos? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but somehow your skin appears less plump? Those pesky hormones that once did your skin good in your 20s decrease dramatically in your 30s. The drop in estrogen and hyaluronic acid production can lead to losing volume in your cheekbones and along your jawline.
Proteins, such as collagen and elastin, also break down faster with age and are slower to reproduce. This reduction in speed is what causes wrinkles, crow’s feet, under eye bags, and laugh lines to form more rapidly.
Skin irritation
You’ve likely found that your skin is generally more sensitive, too. In your 20s, you may have been able to use just about any product, but in your 30s, those stalwarts may lead to skin irritation, redness, dry patches, and other unpleasant side effects.
Is 30 too late to start a skincare routine?
While there’s no need to panic about fine lines or sunken eyes, it’s never too late to begin taking preventive measures to combat the signs of aging. While you won’t be able to magically turn back the clock, the great news is that you can slow down future aging and skin damage with a simple skincare routine.
Step-By-Step Skincare Routine for Your 30s
Maintaining a skincare routine in your 30s starts with commitment. To address the effects of aging and keep your skin looking bright, full, and youthful, you’ll need to make time for a twice-a-day skincare routine.
Morning routine
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Wash your face. Work a gentle daily cleanser into your skin with your fingertips using circular motions. Rinse off with warm water and dry with a soft, clean cotton towel.
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Exfoliate your skin. Take a quarter-sized dose of your favorite exfoliant and gently apply to your face with the same circular motion. Be careful to avoid applying too much near your eye area, as most exfoliants contain ingredients that could cause irritation. Massage the exfoliant into your skin for 30 seconds to a minute before rinsing off with warm water. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.
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Apply serum. A little goes a long way with a bottle of serum. Apply a thin, light layer of anti-aging antioxidant serum to every inch of your face.
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Use eye cream. Apply a small dollop of lightweight, hydrating eye cream to your ring finger, then apply to the skin around your eyes in a tapping motion. Allow to soak in for a few seconds before applying moisturizer.
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Rehydrate with moisturizer. Even though exfoliants feel great and leave your skin healthy and clean, they’ll leave your skin dry if you forget to follow up with a replenishing moisturizer.
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Protect with sunscreen. Creams should always be applied from the lightest fluids to the heaviest, so a daily sunscreen should be the last product applied behind serums and moisturizers. Apply a generous amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to protect your face from harmful sun exposure.
Evening routine
Your nighttime skincare routine remains relatively simple. These three steps will prep you and your skin for a good night’s rest so you can wake up to a youthful complexion:
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Wash your face
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Use an untinted eye cream
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Rehydrate with moisturizer
How to Build a Skincare Routine in Your 30s
Wondering how to prevent aging skin? The first step to slowing down the clock is making sure you have a complete toolbox equipped with the essential products. At a minimum, your skincare routine should include these products:
Mild cleanser
Dermatologists recommend opting for mild cleansers over medicated cleansers, which can cause more damage than restoration. Keep in mind that skin becomes more sensitive with age, so being gentle to your skin has a long-lasting payoff.
Antioxidant serum
Packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, plant extracts, and more, antioxidant serums work to fight off free radicals that cause visible wrinkles and aging. Antioxidants also harness the power of pollution protection, keeping your pores safe from anything nasty in the air.
Exfoliant
One of the most vital steps to your anti-aging skincare routine is proper exfoliation. Exfoliants work to speed up your skin cell turnover cycle by sloughing off dead skin and stimulating collagen and elastin production for a revitalized glow.
Moisturizer
Hydration is key in rejuvenating your skin to its former glory. Look for moisturizers that can help improve skin health in addition to hydrating.
Sunscreen
Fight the development of dark spots by having a protective layer of sunscreen on every day. Whether it’s sunny or cloudy, make sure you’re always wearing sun protection. While any sunblock is better than nothing, we recommend wearing a broad-spectrum, mineral sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. This is especially important for women with rosacea.
Toner
Though your skincare routine could be complete without this bonus item, a toner is a wonderful addition that really ties your regimen together. Keep in mind that, if you have sensitive skin, this is a step you should probably skip.
For those without sensitive skin, toners are capable of soothing and tightening your complexion while balancing out excess oil production. Be sure to have a good idea of your skin type and its unique needs before dousing on the toner.
Our Favorite Skincare Products for Your 30s
Now that you know how to build a skincare routine for your 30s, it’s time to select your products. Good news: we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on to explore our best skincare products for your 30s.
Barrier Pro™ 1-Step Cleanser
A part of our Barrier Pro™ Collection, the Barrier Pro™ 1-Step Cleanser is the first step to unlocking your best skin yet. This morning-and-night cleanser supports the skin’s microbiome and promotes gentle exfoliation, helping to combat the slowing skin cell turnover in your 30s, and leaving your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.
It’s also fragrance free and non-comedogenic, making it great for those with sensitive skin.
Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer
This clinically-tested moisturizer is designed to replenish hydration and support skin health. Free yourself from the cycle of damage and evolve to maintain a healthy skin barrier every day. You’ll be left with plumper, smoother, firmer, and more youthful looking skin.
Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer was rated the best barrier cream by New Beauty 2025 and received the Cosmopolitan Holy Grail Beauty Award for best day cream in 2024.
Pep Up® Collagen Boost Face & Neck Serum
Combat fine lines and wrinkles with Pep Up® Collagen Boost Face & Neck Serum. Formulated with 10 powerful peptides, potent antioxidants, and deeply hydrating ingredients, this serum helps support collagen and elastin production, boost moisture, and defend against free radicals for smoother, firmer skin.
Even Up® Multi-Correction Serum
Even Up® Multi-Correction Serum features Lumira ingredient complex. This patented formula is clinically tested to address pigmentation and skin discoloration. Other ingredients, such as Venuceane, Revinage, and Unilucent PA 13, support melanin balance and help brighten your complexion.
If you struggle with dark spots and hyperpigmentation, this serum should be a part of your skin regimen for your 30s.
Total Eye® 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35
No matter your skin type, anyone in their 30s can benefit from a gentle and protective eye cream. Total Eye® 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35 can help improve the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles. Plus, it protects your delicate eye skin from future sun damage with SPF 35.
Apply morning and night, or even throughout the day for a much-needed refresh!
Sunforgettable® Total Protection® Face Shield Flex SPF 50
This tinted sunscreen offers demi-matte coverage and comprehensive protection against UVA/UVB rays, blue light, pollution, and infrared radiation. Sunforgettable® Total Protection® Face Shield Flex SPF 50 has flecks of encapsulated pigments that adjust to your skin tone for a perfect match.
It’s also free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, oils, dyes, and fragrances, making it a safe addition to your skincare routine.
Total Protection® No-Show™ Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
Total Protection® No-Show™ Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 is a lightweight all-mineral sunscreen that provides comprehensive environmental protection from UVA/UVB, blue light, infrared light, free radicals, and pollution.
It’s even been given awards by InStyle, NewBeauty, Health Skin, and Women’s Health.
Build a Routine Your Skin Deserves
Whether you’ve experienced changes recently or haven’t thought about your complexion much until now, a skincare routine is an essential part of combating aging and protecting your skin. With the help of Colorescience’s skin treatments formulated with proven ingredients, you can create the best skincare routine for your 30s and be well on your way to healthier, younger-looking skin.