How to care for mature skin

As we age our skin changes and so does its needs - and we may find we need to switch up our skincare game to get the best from our mature skin. 

Mature skin becomes drier and loses its ability to bounce back in the way it does when you’re younger.

Mature skin is every bit as beautiful as younger skin, but we might want to tweak our skincare routines to give our skin what it craves as it ages, and lavish it with the care it deserves. 

Our face is a reflection of our lives, our highs and lows, joys and stresses, and as such, mature skin should be nurtured. But mature skin doesn’t require loads of time and lotions to keep it looking radiant, just a little targeted attention. Here’s the lowdown on mature skin and how to care for it.

Mature skin is generally defined as skin that is showing signs of ageing. People 40 and over are usually considered to have mature skin, but this is a broad definition - some people’s skin shows signs of ageing earlier, while others exhibit them later. 

Mature skin is the result of the passage of time on our bodies’ biggest organ, while external factors also play a part. 

Chronological ageing is the body’s natural response to growing older. Photoaging, however, is the result of sun and free radicals damage that accelerate the ageing process, particularly in exposed areas, such as the face and arms.

Over time, harmful UV rays and environmental factors damage skin cells, and skin that has been exposed to them is more likely to mature sooner. 

Your biological age may be different from your ‘skin’ age. While those over 40 are deemed to have mature skin, some people’s skin may show signs of maturity earlier. Lifestyle factors, including stress, smoking, diet and lack of sleep, as well as environmental factors such as sun damage and pollution, greatly influence mature skin. 

As we age, our skin loses its bounce and elasticity as collagen production, that’s the protein in our body that helps to keep skin firm, supple and plump, starts to slow. After the age of 20 or so, we lose around 1.5% of our collagen every year (faster in smokers and those frequently exposed to the sun). As collagen levels fall, the skin becomes saggier, and wrinkles and fine lines become more visible as the skin loses structure, elasticity and with it, its youthful glow.

Antioxidant coenzyme Q10 is found naturally in the body where it is used by your skin for growth and maintenance. Levels of CoQ10 in your body decrease as you age.

Explore our NIVEA Q10 Power range, which supports the skin’s production of Q10, giving mature skin a natural boost. Our Q10 power range - which includes night creams, eye creams and body lotions - protects cells from further damage and slows the ageing process by firming, nourishing and brightening.

Retinol stimulates collagen production and can help mature skin get its glow back. Over the counter retinol as found in most skincare products, comes in varying concentrations and formulas, from night creams to serums. Retinol works by stimulating faster skin cell turnover (which becomes slower as we age), leaving rejuvenated, baby-soft skin. Retinol does, however, make the skin extra sensitive to the sun. 

Our NIVEA Pure Bakuchiol range is a plant-based alternative to retinol that boosts collagen and revives tired skin. As it is gentler than retinol, it can be used during the day as well as at night. 

Mature skin often suffers from dullness. Antioxidant vitamin C can help restore a healthy brightness to tired-looking skin. Vitamin C works by interfering with pigment production and protects skin from environmental pollution and inflammation. It can even improve the effectiveness of SPF - a daily essential for mature skins. 

Mature skins lean towards dryness, which can suck out glow and leave a dull and flat looking complexion. Hyaluronic acid (it’s not really an acid), is another substance found in the body replicated in many skincare products. As we age, our body produces less hyaluronic acid, essential for binding water and plumping up the skin. Consequently, the skin feels tight, looks dry and dull and lines start to appear.

Products with hyaluronic acid act as a comfort blanket for the skin, lubricating and cushioning and are a real boon for mature skins.

Mature skin isn’t one kind of skin - it emposses many different skin types, including oily, combination or dry - and the best moisturiser for mature skin is the best one that works with your skin. 


Choosing a moisturiser with a powerful active ingredient designed to comfort mature skin will give your complexion the extra nourishment it needs. NIVEA Q10 Power moisturisers are a good place to start as they visibly firm skin and reduce wrinkles in seven days, while boosting that all important collagen production that plumps up tired-looking skin. 

WEAR SUNSCREEN 

Daily skin care for mature skin should involve protecting your skin from the sun’s UV rays, which damage the elastin and collagen in your skin, accelerating the signs of ageing. 

The earlier in your life you begin wearing an SPF daily, the better protected your skin will be as you age. You can’t reverse the signs of sun damage, but you can prevent further signs of overexposure to the sun. Apply an SPF even on cloudy days and in hot weather, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and pop on a pair of sunglasses if it’s bright - repeated movements such as squinting can cause wrinkles.