An inevitable truth: Post-menopausal skin becomes drier, rougher and thinner than in years past. You may also notice that things are starting to head south, line and wrinkles are deepening and hyperpigmentation is darkening. While you may be tempted to throw in the (face) towel, it’s not too late to take back your great skin. Chin up, ladies and gentlemen! The solution is simple: hydrate and repair. Focus your regimen on replenishing — and preserving — what once gave your skin its plump, youthful appearance, including moisture, collagen and elastin. Keep scrolling for product picks and tips that will ensure this decade looks as gorgeous as the last.

Cleanse

Choosing a cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without stripping your skin of its natural oils is key, as you want to protect the barrier. Look for washes that are suitable for sensitive types and use mild surfactants to get the job done. Even better are those fortified with nourishing antioxidants.

Skinveda Amlaki Chamomile Cleansing Crème ($27 in the shop) uses surfactants from apples and coconut and naturally-present salicylic acid from neem. Our 60-year old tester, Paula, reported "dramatic results" for inflamed, flakey skin with large pores.

At this age, when skin becomes thinner and more sensitive, you may also want to consider downshifting your exfoliating routine. Wean yourself off of strong alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid, and retinol products. A clarifying mask, such as Airelle Hydrating Mauka Mask ($90 in the shop), may prove just as effective.  Not ready to give up the stronger stuff? Use it every other night rather than daily.

Moisturize

Mature skin needs a powerful moisturizer. Without a daily dose (or two) of hydration, it can quickly become dry, tight and lined. That’s because the body’s natural concentration of hyaluronic acid — the carbohydrate responsible for keeping skin plump, supple and renewed — decreases with age. Applied topically, it has the capacity to attract and hold vast amounts of moisture. Other ingredients to look for are barrier-repairing ceramides, moisture-retaining squalane, which is a natural component of human skin sebum, and omega fatty acids.

You can use the same moisturizer you apply in the morning at night, such as, just be sure to layer on sunscreen during the day. Transderma M ($175 in the shop) has bio-identical ceramides and lipids and the main ingredient is squalane. This impressively hydrating moisturize is miraculously made without water or preservatives.

Another approach is facial oils. Heavy in hydration but light in feel, oils don’t have all the heavy emollients (think shea butter) or fillers that are often found in creams. Because oils are lipophilic, they travel though the lipid layer of the skin faster to prevent water loss and effectively seal in moisture. Consider one with antioxidants such as Your Best Face Private Reserve ($75 in the shop). A few drops are enough to cover your face and hydrate the skin.

Night Creams

Even if you have had a simple regimen all your life, now is the time to incorporate a richer or repairing night cream. Your Best Face Restore Night Treatment Serum  ($130 in the shop) is bursting with rejuvenating peptides, this serum moisturizes, gently resurfaces and brightens skin overnight. Ao Skincare Raw Nurture PM Treatment ($89.95 in the shop) is a restorative night cream that hydrates and heals your skin as you sleep with New Zealand botanicals, astaxanthin and manuka honey. It also features antioxidant bakuchiol, a retinol alternative.

Repair

Now is a good time to become task-oriented. Target your biggest skin aging woes with a hyper-focused treatment like those below. 

Jowls

Bone loss occurring around the cheeks and jaw can lead to what is commonly referred to as jowls. As gravity starts to affect the shape of your face, your skin, which is producing less collagen and elastin, becomes lax and begins to sag. An effective way to treat jowls at home is with ultrasound technology. As ultrasound waves pass through the skin, they prompt the vibration of the surrounding tissues, particularly those that contain collagen, and improve elasticity. Try Truth Vitality Lux Renew ($279 in the shop) with ultrasound and LED light therapy. At the end of a 12-week trial, 82.8 percent of participants showed improvement in skin firmness.

Sciote Omni Phyto-Cell Serum ($137 in the shop) is an all-in-one formula designed for users looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, dryness and uneven skin tone.

Deep wrinkles

For deep-set wrinkles that appear permanently etched, you’re going to need a powerful batter. E'shee Clinical Esthetic Cellular Repair Serum ($179 in the shop) uses the human growth factor FGF1, a proven wrinkle reducer. FGF1 triggers cells to produce new and undamaged ones, thus increasing the thickness, strength and plumpness of the skin.

A new find based on human stem cells and copper peptides and surely this year's heavy gun is KERACELL's Re-Cu-Perate  ($120 in the shop). It is perfect for wrinkle repair and rough sun-damaged skin.

Dark spots

Uneven pigmentation is one of the major changes associated with aging. Melasma, which is characterized by dark patches on the skin, is also common in older women as it can be triggered by hormonal changes. Before you seek out the fading power of a dermatologist's laser, consider topical remedies that help diminish dark spots. Azelaic acid and kojic acid have been shown to help lighten skin and are safer alternatives to hydroquinone. Resveratrol has been shown in clinical trials to reduce hyperpigmentation and it is front and center of Transderma R ($175 in the shop) and Medik8's r-Retinoate ($185 in the shop) brings retinols into the 21st Century.

Sagging eyelids

Droopy lids can happen to anyone for various reasons, but it’s most common in older adults because of the natural aging process. Look for eye creams that have temporary tightening ingredients like caffeine, as well as peptides that increase collagen to pull skin taut over time. Your Best Face Correct ($150 in the shop) uses tetrapeptide-2, often called Uplevity.  Tetrapeptide-2 is shown to contribute to the improvement of dermal cohesion — or in other words, it firms and lifts the eyelid skin.

Another option is AQ Eye Serum ($99 in the shop), based on a complex of growth factors for firming and with peptides for dark circles.

Don’t forget your neck and décolleté!

The elasticity loss in the skin and the slowing of fat cell regeneration leads to sagging of the neck, creases or “rings” that become more apparent and the years of sun damage that show on your chest. Sound familiar? KERACELL's stem cell based V-Shape Neck & Décolleté Cream ($100 in the shop) has two skin lightening peptides and an ingredient for lifting and shaping.