For me, turning 50 was not just a milestone birthday – it was a chance to reassess how I could better care for myself, from health and style to beauty. But with fine lines deepening around my eyes and mouth, a sagging neckline and some annoyingly droopy jowls, I felt the most urgent need to change my daily skincare routine. While these changes are natural and age isn’t an ailment we need to treat, I personally wanted to take practical steps to help slow some of these effects and feel my best.
As women age, their estrogen and testosterone levels decline, which accelerates collagen and elastin loss, said Dr Sachin S Parikh, a Palo Alto-based plastic surgeon. “The result is loose skin or skin that sags, particularly along the jawline, neck, and under the eyes,” he said. “Sun damage that accumulated over decades can also become increasingly visible in your 50s. Age spots, hyperpigmentation and broken capillaries that were quietly developing beneath the surface now appear.”
As a lifestyle editor, I’ve tried my share of products and home beauty devices that promise to erase wrinkles, tighten sagging skin or achieve that dewy “glazed doughnut” look I see in all my social media feeds. Do any of them work miracles? I’m afraid not. But some of them can help reduce signs of aging.
After weeks of relentless experimenting and listening to the experts, I’ve settled into a new skincare groove. Of course, with so many different devices, products and steps, it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly how or what worked best. But what I can tell you is that at brunch this weekend, a pal I’ve known for more than 25 years turned to me and said, “Your skin looks great, by the way.” And that, my friends, is how you know you’re doing something right.
Beauty devices
Anti-aging devices – think light-therapy masks and microcurrent devices – have grown in popularity in recent years. Red and near-infrared light therapy can support skin health and healing, says Parikh, but keep your expectations in check. “These devices are FDA-cleared for certain indications, like improving mild to moderate wrinkles or acne, but they must be used consistently,” says Parikh.
Thankfully, I wasn’t looking for a drastic change that, for the most part, could only be found at an in-office treatment. I was looking for a relatively quick, low-effort routine that I could stick to. Here are the products that worked best for me:
Megelin Duo-Lux Laser&LED Light Therapy Mask
Megelin
Duo-Lux Laser&LED Light Therapy Mask
from $549
Collagen production was one of the main things I was interested in when it came to red light therapy, and Dr William Harris, a Beverly Hills–based plastic surgeon, said multiple studies indicate it can help with this, in addition to reducing inflammation and improving circulation. “I look at red light as an additive option in the toolbox of skincare maintenance to help improve healing and slow facial/neck aging,” he says.
At $549, the Duo-Lux was a splurge, but owing to a sale, its approval by the FDA and positive reviews, I decided to try it out. Unlike LED-only masks, Megelin has laser diodes, semiconductor devices that produce laser light, which purportedly offers concentrated focus and deeper penetration. Dr Michelle Lee, another Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon, said specific wavelengths matter when choosing a red-light therapy device. “Wavelengths of 600–650 nanometers (red light) and 800–900 nanometers (near-infrared) stimulate mitochondrial activity and support collagen production at a cellular level,” she said. “Clinical studies indicate that this can improve skin texture, elasticity and overall quality.” The Megelin has 660 nm red light and 830 nm near infrared, sitting squarely in those specs.
The soft silicone rested comfortably on my face – a plus since the manufacturer recommends wearing it at least every other day, up to 30 min at a time. It has three modes in addition to anti-aging – anti-inflammatory, spot-fading and skin rejuvenation – which you can toggle through using the included controller. I started at the lowest level of power for 10 min and am now up to the third level for 15 min. Though it wasn’t groundbreaking, I did feel an added warmth when I made the change. I like to don this when I get into bed, and I may have scared the bejesus out of my husband and kids a few times – but I can read while I wear it, so I’m less concerned about the optics. Sometimes I’ll even throw it on while I’m working on my laptop.
After four weeks of consistent usage, I’ve found fine lines around my eyes and mouth are just a little finer, and the wrinkles in my forehead have faded. My skin feels firmer, too, which I was not expecting. Nope, this will not rise to the level of Botox or plastic surgery, but its modest results still feel worth it.
Megelin
Duo-Lux Laser&LED Light Therapy Mask
from $549
Foreo Bear 2
My biggest concern at 50? My neck, which Lee says often ages faster than the face. “The skin is thinner, there’s less structural support, and the platysma muscle [those vertical cords that are visible on the neck as we age] is in constant motion. On top of that, modern habits like constantly looking down at our phones create what we now call ‘tech neck.’ Lastly, the neck is often neglected in skincare routines.”
Cindy Vo, a registered nurse at Serenity Aesthetics & Wellness in San Francisco, said microcurrent devices – devices that deliver a low-level electrical current that mimic the body’s own bioelectric field, or electrical activity – might be worth a try. “The science suggests it can re-educate facial muscles, improve lymphatic drainage and support ATP production,” she said. “Patients often see a lifting and contouring effect, but it’s cumulative and requires regular maintenance.”
I started using the Bear 2 twice a week, and have recently upped my usage to at least every other day, in the morning after I wash my face. Its hot pink silicone hand-piece is easy to hold and massaging my neck and jawline only takes about five minutes. The Foreo app hosts a library of treatments for different parts of your face, and I can seriously feel the effects of the microcurrents as I’m using it, which amounts to mild twitching of muscles and a slight tingling. Foreo sells a $59 conductive serum with hyaluronic acid and squalane that acts almost like an ultrasound gel, which allows the current to penetrate your skin. There have been times when I try to skimp on this and end up getting uncomfortable shocks and pinpricks. Unfortunately, this can get expensive after you finish the included bottle.
I am a huge fan of this device, and since I’ve been consistently gliding it across my neck, I’ve noticed my skin is tighter and more contoured. Most importantly, it’s quick enough that it’s easy to use it consistently.
Foreo
Bear 2
from $339
Revo Face Genie
Don’t feel like spending a ton of dough? I get it. This wand-like device is the most affordable of the bunch, and it combines red light therapy and microcurrent in a 10-min facial. It comes with three LED light modes: tighten (red light); brighten (green light) and soothe (blue light). The curved head has a massage feature, and the device’s heat feels great on your skin.
I tend to use the red light on my forehead, mainly on days I don’t use the light therapy mask, and the green light to depuff in the morning. I’ve recently been giving it to my 17-year-old son when he’s dealing with acne breakouts, and he’s seen some real results from the blue light. The Face Genie comes with a generous tub of collagen jelly, which works like the conductive serum for the Bear 2.
Revo
Face Genie
from $89
Skincare products
When it comes to skin care products, every dermatologist and plastic surgeon I consulted agreed on one thing: sunscreen is non-negotiable. Dr Tanja Phillips, a Montclair, New Jersey–based dermatologist, sees fine and deep lines, as well as sagging skin and dark spots, as the shared experiences we have over the age of 50. And this typically happens regardless of race or ethnicity. “However, if you are great at wearing sunblock of SPF 30 or more, your skin may age slower than others,” she says. Many people over the age of 50 get their first pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions on their skin. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will get skin cancer by the age of 70.
Over the last decade or so I’ve started to spend more on my facial products, however I like to think that since up until I was 40, I hardly bothered with anything other than Neutrogena face wash, so it evens out. That said, I’ve tried to include some well-reviewed, lower-cost options as well.
Niod Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist
Niod
Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist
$52
Niod is one of my favorite brands because, rather than marketing jargon, the packaging offers explanations of ingredients and technologies. These geeky, niche products have the same parent company as cult-favorite The Ordinary.
This light, seagreen-colored treatment spray combines antioxidants and hydration to help shield my face. According to incidecoder.com, an independent ingredient analysis site, the included Superoxide dismutase (SOD) helps protect your skin from some nasty elements, such as UV rays and pollution. I spritz it on right after my shower every morning without fail and always feel refreshed. Plus, over the 6 months I’ve been using it, I’ve noticed less redness and puffiness in my skin. At 8oz, each bottle lasts about a year, which, at $52 a bottle, I greatly appreciate.
Niod
Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist
$52
Brush On Block SPF 30
Brush on Block
SPF 30
from $34
As mentioned, sunscreen is an absolute must for any beauty regimen, no matter your age. This brush-on translucent mineral powder sunscreen glides on without mess, and I can apply it handily without a mirror. It’s water-resistant for over an hour, sits well under make-up, and includes zinc oxide with no nasty white cast. Plus, it’s refillable, so there’s less waste.
Brush on Block
SPF 30
from $34
Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum
Dermalogica
Biolumen-C Serum
from $99
“Vitamin C is one of the most evidence-based skincare ingredients we have,” said Downie, the New Jersey-based dermatologist. “It functions as a powerful antioxidant, helping to neutralise free radicals generated by UV exposure and pollution, both of which accelerate skin ageing.”
Vitamin-C complex has been my go-to daily morning choice for years now, and Dermalogica feels well worth the splurge. Downie says that formulation is critical, as “Vitamin C is notoriously unstable and can become denatured when exposed to light or air, meaning packaging, concentration and delivery systems matter enormously.”
Dermalogica uses ascorbyl methylsilanol pectinate and aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate, two derivatives the brand says help restructure the chemically unstable vitamin C, so it will not oxidize or discolor over time. That makes it better able to neutralize free radicals from pollution, smoke and sun exposure, which can damage collagen in your skin.
I love biolumin-C because it’s non-sticky, it absorbs super quickly and is smooth enough to sit under any other product. One drop will do you, which further makes it worth the cash, and sometimes it makes my skin look so glowy, I feel confident going sans makeup.
Dermalogica
Biolumen-C Serum
from $99
Budget Pick:
Derma-E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum
Derma-E
Vitamin C Concentrated Serum
from $15.20
Sali Hughes, a Guardian beauty columnist, recommends Derma-E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum. “The texture, rich with vitamin E, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, glycerin and fruit oils, borders on the oily, making for a comfortable ride under sunscreen, no extra moisturiser required,” she writes.
Derma-E
Vitamin C Concentrated Serum
from $15.20
Milk RX Advanced Better Aging Dual Eye Treatments
Milk RX
Advanced Better Aging Dual Eye Treatments
from $68
Give me a two-fer, and I’m yours forever. This jar holds both a thick under-eye cream I use morning and night and an “eye-lifting serum”, which I massage onto my brow bone in the morning. Though it’s certainly not magic, I do notice a slight lift on my lids right after application, something I had never thought about before.
Milk RX
Advanced Better Aging Dual Eye Treatments
from $68
Budget Pick:
The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
The Inkey List
Caffeine Eye Cream
from $12
Dubbed The Filter’s best budget eye cream, this caffeine-laden formula is lightweight and depuffs under-eye skin. According to Sabine Wiesel, a Guardian beauty editor: “You can almost feel it getting to work as you apply it, the caffeine stimulating blood flow and temporarily tightening skin.”
The Inkey List
Caffeine Eye Cream
from $12
Marini Skin Solutions Reboot PDRN Face Serum
Marini Skin Solutions
Reboot PDRN Face Serum
from $160
I usually start my nighttime routine with this clear serum, labeled as highly regenerative. PDRN is derived from salmon and was originally used to help wounds heal in clinical medical settings. The problem is that its skin absorption, when used topically, has not been proven (many people have it injected or used in professional microneedling). I do know that it helps hydrate my skin overnight.
Marini Skin Solutions
Reboot PDRN Face Serum
from $160
Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD Reset The Cream
Lancôme
Absolue Longevity MD Reset The Cream
from $155
I grew up in the 80s, obsessing over Lancôme products and worshiping the glowing beauty of its spokesperson, Isabella Rossellini. So it’s a perfect full-circle moment to see her back at the brand at 73 as the face of the new Absolue Longevity MD line. This super-rich cream was created specifically for folks over 50, and I slather it on as the last part of my nighttime regimen. It’s thick, and it feels luxurious on my face, so though I can’t clock daily changes, I always wake up feeling smooth and refreshed. Its main active ingredient is Urolithin A, a postbiotic metabolite that helps clear out the old mitochondria cells to make way for new ones, according to Nature.
Lancôme
Absolue Longevity MD Reset The Cream
from $155
JLo Beauty Firming Neck Serum
JLo Beauty
Firming Neck Serum
from $69
Who better to take advice from than the youngest-looking 56-year-old I’ve ever seen? Jennifer Lopez recently launched a new a skincare line and I am loving this luxurious serum, packed with ingredients such as red algae, hyaluronic and peptides, the latter of which has been shown to help stimulate collagen. I use it morning and night. And in conjunction with the Foreo Bear 2 microcurrent device, I feel like it helps create a smoother, tighter neckline.
JLo Beauty
Firming Neck Serum
from $69
Trinny London Plump Up Dermaroller
Trinny London
Plump Up Dermaroller
$78
When this 0.5mm home microneedling kit launched in the UK in 2023, it sold out in under a month. Trinny made those of us in the US wait until 2025 to get our hands on the 0.33mm version of the product, which is a cosmetic-grade size rather than a medical device, and therefore does not need premarket clearance from the FDA. I use this once a week, though the company suggests using it three times, and I am always amazed at how my face literally glows the next morning. One thing to consider: it was designed to be used with the pricey, $89 Plump Up serum, so that will cost extra once you run out – but it also saves me an expensive trip to the facialist.
Trinny London
Plump Up Dermaroller
$78
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things: