As we age, our skin becomes more and more delicate, and may not be able to bounce back like it used to after using intense skincare products. Aging complexions might not be able to handle certain ingredients found in drugstore products, and using them can bring an array of undesired effects, experts say, like dryness, redness, peeling, etc. We checked in with dermatologists and skincare experts to learn more about 2 common drugstore product ingredients that women over 40 might want to avoid. Read on for tips and suggestions from Dr. Anna Chacon, M.D., dermatologist and writer at My Psoriasis Team, and Dr. Simran Sethi, M.D., founder of RenewMD Beauty & Wellness.
1. Benzoyl Peroxide
Often found in products designed to tackle acne, this common skincare ingredient can be too harsh on mature skin, Chacon explains. “As we get older, skin inherently becomes drier, due to less active oil-producing glands, and it doesn’t retain moisture and healthy fats,” she says, “Thus, when benzoyl peroxide is used on already weakened skin that is complicated by hormonally driven acne, it adds to the problem and not necessarily fixes it.” She notes that “over-scrubbing and over-stripping the skin of its components” damages an already compromised barrier leading to dull, dry, and irritated skin. Visiting a dermatologist can help you find ingredients to target acne at this age, she says, as many will find using benzoyl peroxide or the similar salicylic acid will worsen your skin’s ability to produce moisture, rather than effectively target acne.
2. Glycolic Gel
This ingredient is mainly found in products that help one exfoliate, but similar to the last type, this can also be too intense for aging skin, Sethi says. “Glycolic gel is capable of accelerating dryness in mature skin,” she says, noting it is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid and a common chemical exfoliant (a mechanical exfoliant is granular, for reference). “Glycolic gel is one of the stronger chemical exfoliants, and while it’s a much better choice for oily, acne-prone or typically younger skin, it can be too harsh and unnecessary for mature skin,” she adds. Mature skin naturally takes longer to renew skin cells and maintain a strong lipid barrier, she continues, and “glycolic gel ends up breaking links between healthy skin cells, compromising an already vulnerable skin barrier,” Sethi concludes.
