The Skincare Products You Should Use Before Turning 30

"Sunscreen should be worn daily unless there is zero chance of the person having sun exposure that day," says Dr. Wechsler. "It should be applied 30 min before sun exposure for chemical sunscreens and anytime for physical ones." 

Her pick: Chanel's UV Essentiel SPF 50. "I discovered it when I started consulting with Chanel on their skincare line in 2010.  I love it because it has 17.1% zinc oxide, which blocks both UVA and UVB rays, and because it's the most cosmetically elegant sunscreen I have ever used," she explains. "It doesn't clog pores, doesn't have a greasy feel, and it's sweat-resistant."

A moisturizer that's a light gel or lotion will hydrate younger skin without feeling heavy or greasy like Neutrogena's hyaluronic acid-back formula. "Hyaluronic acid acts like a sponge to pull in hydration to the outer skin layer," says Dr. Zeichner. 

Your face isn't the only place that needs hydration. Dr. Zeichner suggests making body moisturizing a part of your regular skincare routine. A lotion with petroleum jelly in it like Vaseline's will do just the trick. "Purified petrolatum provides a protective seal over the skin to prevent water loss and allow dry skin to repair itself," he explains. 

Although our skin's circadian rhythm tends to make it more dehydrated at night, it's still important to moisturize in the morning, too. Dr. Wechsler recommends using a product during the daytime hours that also offers SPF 50 protection. We love Aveeno's lightweight formula, which hydrates skin in addition to improving texture, tone, and glow. 

"Once you hit your late 20s, some things don’t change—like the importance of wearing sunscreen. “Sunscreen is by far the most important anti-aging product you can use,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 protection like La Roche Posay’s.” 

Along with your morning and evening moisturizers, start incorporating a vitamin C serum into your routine. 

“As you move into your 30s, antioxidant defenses start to decline. Antioxidants are like fire extinguishers that prevent free radicals from damaging collagen which lead to wrinkling,” explains Dr. Zeichner. “Layer an antioxidant beneath your sunscreen in the morning to give an added benefit in the morning. Some antioxidants like Vitamin C found in Elemis’s serum also helps improve skin tone, as it interferes with abnormal pigment production and can lighten dark spots.”

Going into your 30s, if your concerned about fine lines and wrinkles, retinol will become the hero product in your routine. "This vitamin A derivative stimulates collagen production to repair damaged skin and improves the appearance of wrinkles,” Dr. Zeichner explains. “It essentially thickens the skin's foundation.” Choose a mild form of retinol like RoC's Night Cream which will be gentle enough for someone who's just starting out with retinol products in their late 20s-early 30s.