The 5 best cleansers for older skin
Cleansers become more important for glowing skin as we age. Our expert reveals her top balms, lotions and gels that will also soothe and combat dehydration.
Cleansers become more important for glowing skin as we age. Our expert reveals her top balms, lotions and gels that will also soothe and combat dehydration.
For most of my adult life, choosing a cleanser has felt like an unbearably dull bit of admin. Unlike their scene-stealing cousins – moisturisers and serums – cleansers totally lacked what young people call “main character energy”.
No promising glow, lift or transformation, they had only one job: to diligently remove makeup and then quietly exit the stage before the hero products sashayed down the red carpet to take the applause.
But somewhere along the way, my skin decided to rewrite this familiar script. Cleansers, the products I’d consigned to a lifetime role of uncredited extra, suddenly began to demand star billing.
And the reason for this? As skin matures, it becomes drier, thinner and less resilient. So, cleansers have to do a lot more than simply remove make-up. They’re the opening act to your whole skincare regime, the starting point for eliminating fine lines and dehydration.
Therefore those skin-stripping cleansers I’d been loyal to since my youth – a skincare era in which it was perfectly acceptable for my mother to ask, “Is your face burning, darling?” – needed to be relieved from duty with immediate effect.
It was time to call in some more age-appropriate helpers. Ones with less harsh formulas that would also work overtime to make my skin look glowing and plumped. And the best news? I'm not keeping these genius finds to myself.
Prepare to fall in love with cleansing balms. The hydrating, oil-based formula of a balm is a total game changer for us over-50s, and Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (1) (RRP £52) is easily one of the best. Not only is it a joy to apply – it glides on like silk to melt away every trace of grime – it’s also packed with a ton of skin-nourishing ingredients, such as smoothing elderberry oil and skin-soothing starflower oil. And the spa-like lavender scent is next-level luxury.
If you’re after a balm on the slightly less pricey side, meet my new best budget cleanser friend, Elf Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm (2) (RRP £11.99). Beautifully lightweight and effective at gently shifting stubborn make-up like mascara, it’s also fabulously hydrating thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid and ceramides to repair the skin’s barrier. Bonus points for the adorable little application spatula.
If you have sensitive skin, I’ve got you covered with La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser (3) (RRP £16.50), an ultra-gentle formula with a milky consistency that’s gorgeously soothing. Enriched with thermal spring water and glycerine to repair and soften skin, this one does the hard work of cleaning without leaving a hint of tightness. A cleanser that whispers rather than shouts.
Some people swear by gel cleansers. I’ve never been a huge fan, but that all changed the minute I got involved with Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cleanser (4) (RRP £9). It had me at the foaming formula building into a satisfyingly creamy lather. But what really sealed the deal? The inclusion of skin-quenching glycerin and hyaluronic acid. It also delivers on the cleansing front, and left my skin looking impressively glowy.
Another gel cleanser that’s forced my rethink is the bestselling Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse (5) (RRP £25). A serious multitasker, it exfoliates while cleansing, and also contains brightening, smoothing and moisturising properties, making it ideal for over-50s. A winner when it comes to tackling signs of ageing, such as dullness and uneven texture, this one is also vegan friendly. And don’t get me started on the delicious citrus scent.
So, that’s cleansing taken care of on the complexion front. But what about the rest of your cleaning to-do list? In the words of the late, great US comedian Phyllis Diller: “Housework can’t kill you, but why take the chance?”
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