How My Beauty Routine Changed After 50 (What I Do Differently at 60)

Nobody warns you that your beauty routine is going to change right along with everything else in midlife.

In my early 50s, the products that worked for me in my 30s and 40s just stopped working. My skin got drier (hello, menopause), my rosacea had opinions about everything, and the makeup I used to love started sitting on my face in a whole new way.

I’m in my 60’s now, and I still love a good serum, a fresh haircut, and getting dressed up for a night out. I just know myself a lot better. I know what’s worth the extra two minutes, what I can skip, and what makes me feel like ME when I look in the mirror.

So this isn’t a list of rules for women over 50. These are the real shifts I’ve made in my own routine, and the products that have earned a permanent spot on my bathroom counter.

1. Skincare Comes First Now

At 40, I thought mostly about what makeup I was putting on. At 60, I care a lot more about what’s underneath it. When my skin is hydrated and calm, I need less of everything else, and whatever makeup I do wear looks better.

The biggest shift for me was switching to products made for menopausal skin. I’ve been using Womaness since 2023, and it’s the line I reach for every single day.

Womaness Vitamin C Serum

I slather this on my face and skin daily. Vitamin C is a crucial ingredient for aging skin and at this price point, I don’t feel guilty about using it on my neck and arms too!

Womaness Overnight Magic Cream

My all-time favorite. It uses bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol, and I think it’s evened out my skin tone more than anything else I’ve tried.

Womaness Let’s Neck Serum

The neck is my problem area, and the cooling roller makes this one feel like a mini massage.

2. Sunscreen Is the One Step I Never Skip

I did plenty of damage to my skin as a kid. We know better now, and I’m out walking in the sun almost every day, so SPF is non-negotiable.

After my workout and shower, my routine is simple: vitamin C serum, then sunscreen, then a brush-on powder sunscreen for a little coverage. That’s often my whole “face” for the day.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50

It’s totally clear, and the first time I wore it I worried I wasn’t protected because I couldn’t feel it at all. Now I’m kind of obsessed.

3. I Wear Less Makeup (and I’m Fine With That)

I’ll be honest: most days I forget to put makeup on. I sweat every day, I teach classes, and a full face just doesn’t make sense for my life.

I still LOVE getting dressed up and made up. I just save the full routine for weekends and events now. On regular days, healthy skin, sunscreen, and a little color go a long way.

4. Gentle Wins Every Time

Rosacea taught me this one the hard way. Harsh scrubs, strong fragrances, and complicated 10-step routines are not my friends anymore. When my skin flares, I strip things back to the basics and give it a break.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

I pour a little onto a cloth to wipe off makeup. It’s gentle on my eyes, and it comes in a travel size that’s perfect for a carry-on.

Womaness Hydrating Cream Facial Cleanser

Gentle enough for my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, and my face feels soft after washing instead of tight.

5. Small Tools Do a Lot of the Heavy Lifting

Some of my favorite beauty “products” aren’t creams at all. They’re simple tools that take two minutes and make me look more awake.

Kitsch Dermaplaning Tool

Dermaplaning is just a fancy word for shaving your face. I’ve taken off my own peach fuzz for 20 years, and no, I haven’t grown a beard yet. Plus, it’s a little bit of exfoliation, so it’s a win-win.

Stainless Steel Ice Roller

I keep mine in the freezer for mornings after a late night. A few passes under my eyes and the puffiness calms down.

WavyWalk Red Light Face Mask

This is the newest tool in my lineup, and it’s the easiest way I’ve found to do something for my skin while I’m doing something else. It’s hands-free, so I just put it on and keep going.

Red light is one of those treatments with real research behind it, but it isn’t magic, and the results depend on using it consistently. If you have rosacea like I do, or you take medication that makes you sensitive to light, check with your dermatologist before you start.

6. My Hair Needs Different Things Now

Hair changes in midlife too, and pretending it hasn’t doesn’t make styling it any easier. What worked for my hair 20 years ago isn’t necessarily what it needs today.

These days I’d rather have a great cut that works with my texture than fight my hair every morning. I also lean on root touch-up between color appointments, because life happens.

Color Wow Root Cover Up

My go-to for covering roots between color appointments. It’s simple, quick, and comes in lots of color options to match your hair tone!

COLOR WOW Money Masque

This is how I keep my hair silky soft and smooth. If your hair feels drier or rougher than it used to, a good hair mask is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.

7. I Don’t Follow Beauty “Rules” Anymore

This might be my favorite change of all. I’m done being told what women my age should or shouldn’t wear.

A bright lip? Yes. A fun nail color? Absolutely. I may apply things differently than I did at 30, but turning 50 didn’t make half the makeup counter off-limits.

My philosophy is enhance, never erase. I’m not trying to look 30 again. I want to feel good in my skin, and for me that includes skincare, a great haircut, and yes, Botox. I wrote all about that in I Love Getting Older. I Also Get Botox. Both things are true!

If you like the sound of that, check out the three things I’m begging women over 50 to stop wearing.

8. I’d Rather Have Favorites Than a Drawer Full of Products

After 10 years at QVC, I’ve seen a LOT of beauty launches come and go. The older I get, the less interested I am in collecting whatever’s trending.

Now I want the products I’ll use until the very last drop. If something earns a permanent spot in my routine, that means more to me than having the newest thing.

You can see my full lineup in my favorite skin care for women over 50.

Why Your Skin and Hair Change After 50

If your routine suddenly stopped working, it’s not in your head. Your body changes, so listen to it.

Your skin loses collagen fast at first. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, women’s skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of menopause, then roughly 2% a year after that. Less collagen means less firmness and more fine lines. See why I add collagen to my morning smoothie every day!

It gets drier and thinner. As estrogen drops, skin holds onto less water. The AAD recommends a mild cleanser instead of soap and moisturizing right after you bathe, with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Sun damage shows up. Age spots and darker patches tend to appear on the face, hands, neck, and chest. The AAD says to wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day, winter included, and to get any new spot checked before you treat it.

Your hair can thin. Female pattern hair loss usually starts in a woman’s 40s, 50s, or 60s, and the first sign is often a widening part. If you notice it, see a board-certified dermatologist early, because treatment works best when you start at the first sign.

What the Research Says About a Few Popular Ingredients

Bakuchiol. This plant-based ingredient is the star of my Overnight Magic Cream. In a small 12-week study in the British Journal of Dermatology, 44 people used either bakuchiol or retinol. Both reduced wrinkles and dark spots about equally, and the retinol group reported more scaling and stinging. It’s a small study, but it’s encouraging if retinol is too harsh for your skin.

Vitamin C serum. I love how my skin looks with it. That said, a review in Nutrients found the human research on topical vitamin C is still limited, partly because it’s hard for skin to absorb. Think of it as a nice extra, not a replacement for sunscreen.

Hyaluronic acid and glycerin. These are hydrators that help skin hold water, and the AAD names both as good picks for dry menopausal skin.

A Simple Routine to Start With

You don’t need 12 steps. If you’re starting from scratch, this is the basic framework I’d suggest to a friend:

Morning

Rinse or use a gentle cleanser.

Apply a serum if you like one (vitamin C is popular).

Moisturize.

Apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, every day.

Night

Take off makeup and sunscreen with a gentle remover or micellar water.

Cleanse with a mild, non-soap cleanser.

Use a treatment if you want one, like bakuchiol or a retinoid.

Finish with a rich moisturizer, plus eye cream or lip oil if you use them.

Start where you are. Add one product at a time and give it a few weeks before you decide, especially if your skin is sensitive.

Quick Hair Tips for Midlife

The AAD’s healthy hair tips are a great starting point:

Shampoo your scalp, not the full length of your hair, so your ends don’t dry out.

Use conditioner after every shampoo. If your hair is fine, put it on the ends only.

Limit blow-drying and hot tools, use low or medium heat, and always use a heat protectant.

Feeling Like Myself Is the Goal

Moral of the story? My beauty routine got simpler as I got older, and I like it better this way. I want my skin to feel good, my hair to cooperate most days, and getting ready to still feel fun when I have somewhere to go.

You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Pick the one change that would make the biggest difference for you, whether that’s daily sunscreen, a gentler cleanser, or finally tossing the products you never use, and start there.

PS. Taking care of your skin is only part of aging well. Here are the 16 rules I live by at 60, from lifting heavy to buying the plane ticket.