The 9 common mistakes women over 50 make with their skin, according to an expert.

Are you a woman in your 50s? With skin? On your face? Please, join us. 

Now, we want to preface this by saying that when it comes to skincare, we don't like bossing people around and telling them what they should and shouldn't do. The beauty game is very much a 'you do you' kind of space.

Everyone's skincare concerns and goals in their 50s are different - while some people will deal with pigmentation and breakouts, others will experience more on the fine lines and wrinkles front, and so forth.

But! In saying this, there are a few core 'rules' experts say we should follow...

Watch: Here's seven ways to improve your skin while you sleep. Post continues below.

So, what kind of changes can women in their 50s be making to their skincare routine? 

We hit up skin and cosmetic doctor Dr Imaan Joshi from Skin Essentials and asked her what she recommends doing to keep yours in good shape. 

Along with some of the usual suspects like not practicing sun safety (quite possibly THE most important thing you can do for your skin), and smoking, here are all the surprising mistakes women over 50 make with their skin.

1. Not removing makeup daily.

Let's start with one of the most basic things Dr Joshi said we should all be doing - no matter what age you are.

Wash. Your. Face.

At the end of the day our faces are covered in dirt, sweat, SPF and makeup, so doing a proper cleanse at night is a non-negotiable. In fact, with all that stuff sitting on your face every day, we don't understand why you wouldn't want to give your skin a proper cleanse. 

Not cleansing your face at night not only wreaks havoc on the health of your skin (see: blocked pores, breakouts, irritation), but it actually AGES your skin, too. Not ideal.

2. Not using retinol.

One of the most powerful active ingredients to introduce into your routine? Retinol. 

As we age, our cell turnover slows down, which can lead to a duller complexion and more prominent fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinol helps speed up this whole process, going deep into the skin to encouraging collagen production for brighter, smoother and plumper skin. 

"Add in a retinol that you can tolerate to help increase cell turnover and aid with fine lines and wrinkles," Dr Joshi said.

If you've never tried retinol before just remember to go “low and slow" - that is, opt for a low concentration and gradually incorporate it into your routine.

"Skin dullness, large pores, fine lines and irregular skin tone can be improved with active skincare incorporating a combination of retinol, vitamin C, AHA/BHA, [and] vitamin B3 for example, but be mindful your skin may not need or like them all," said Dr Joshi.

On that note...

3. Going too hard on exfoliants and actives.

As we wander into our 50s, Dr Joshi said we can expect things like skin dryness and increased sensitivity to actives if we don't take care with onboarding them slowly.

"Go easy on actives, especially if tolerance hasn’t been built prior as skin becomes thinner, drier, and the barrier more easily damaged."

If this happens, you can end up with a whole heap of different skin concerns - such as irritation, breakouts, redness and itchy, flaky skin. 

4. Believing that fillers can lift the skin or erase wrinkles

According to Dr Joshi, this is one of THE most common requests patients make when asking for more filler. However, despite what you might have heard, dermal fillers cannot actually 'get rid of wrinkles' or sagging skin. 

"In a volume-depleted person, when we add filler, we are replacing lost volume and restoring sagging, deflated tissue back to where it belongs," said Dr Joshi.

"As a result of this, a subtle lift is apparent - not because we have done any lifting, but because we are lifting skin folds back to their correct anatomical position."

"With this in mind, we simply cannot restore a 45 or a 50 or a 60-year-old face to one in its 20s or 30s with its cherubic qualities."

5. Forgetting your neck and hands need SPF, too.

For the love of sweet baby cheeses, apply your sunscreen from your face to boobs, people! Face to boobs. 

Oh, and hands. Don't forget the hands.

According to Dr Joshi, this is one of the biggest mistakes she sees people making - with patients regularly coming through her clinic doors with dark spots and uneven skin tone from decades of sun damage.

"Extend sunscreen beyond the face to the neck, décolletage, and hands," said Dr Joshi.

6. Not moisturising enough.

Dry skin occurs at all ages, but skin that is 50 and over is VERY good at being dry.

The loss of hormones during menopause (oestrogen) can result in fewer natural oils, an increase in sun damage and decreased cell renewal - all leading to dryer, rougher skin.

One of the main issues Dr Joshi said she focuses on with patients in their 50s is the importance of hydration. "Moisturise more than you think you need," she says.

Not moisturising enough will not only leave your skin thirsty but also more prone to wrinkles and poor skin texture.

So, find a moisturiser that works for your skin type and use it liberally.

7. Falling for the hype around certain treatments.

Important: Be wary of the marketing goblins in the cosmetic industry. They can cover things in glitter and lights and try to make us believe some insane claims. And while deep down we often know that's utter BS - sometimes they catch us out.

"There are many [cosmetic] procedures and machines being marketed to this age group," said Dr Joshi. "Many of these treatments are equated to a face and neck lift, but they are just that - marketing."

This includes "believing that a single procedure can be equivalent to surgery - for example HIFU, thread lifts, etc," Dr Joshi adds.

So, where does that leave us?

Well, when it comes to non-surgical modalities, Dr Joshi said, "In truth there’s no single method to address five or six decades of ageing. If it’s possible non-surgically, it takes time and effort."

If it ever sounds too good to be true - it probably is.

8. Not protecting the collagen you have.

According to Dr Joshi, "The biggest mistake we can make in our 50s is not protecting the collagen we have."

Our collagen depletes by up to 30 per cent in the five years around menopause, said Dr Joshi, which is why so many women express shock at how quickly they begin to lose laxity in their face. 

So, what can we do to fix it?

"Prevention truly is better than a cure," said Dr Joshi. "While it’s better to start with ways to age well a decade or two earlier, it’s truly never too late to begin with what you have, where you can, and to build on that. So, protect the collagen you have and if you’re so inclined, add to it if you’re able and willing."

There are also medical options (like hormone replacement therapy) that can be used to treat oestrogen deficient skin and other menopause symptoms.

"There’s a lot of fear among women about Menopausal Hormone Therapy, or MHT. Apart from the well-known benefits in women with significant symptoms at perimenopause, MHT may also help with skin quality." 

However, it's best to chat to your doctor first and find out if it's right for you.

9. Underestimating the importance of sleep for good skin.

Your skin. It needs rest. And she'll only really get it while you're sleeping. 

Dr Joshi said adequate sleep is essential to skin health because it's where the skin repairs itself and makes collagen while we sleep. So don't skimp on this!

A solid eight hours of sleep each night can do some very good things for your skin.

Did you miss The Skin Summit presented by Mamamia? Get on-demand access to the best skin experts in the world. Whether you love nerding out over a 12-step skincare routine or still use a bar of soap, the summit is the secret to the best skin of your life. Streaming directly to your couch.  Catch up on-demand here →

Feature image: Instagram/@drimaanjoshi