Your skin's needs change after 50 — a few stellar skin care products can help. (Getty Images)
At 52, I'm now squarely middle-aged, which means I wake up most mornings to a fresh "mature skin" beauty surprise. From eye bags to a crepey neck to "Wait, what happened to my jawline?" my skin care issues have changed since I was in my 30s and even my 40s. Truthfully, so much is shifting with my skin, I often don't know where to start addressing my concerns. Even as a beauty editor who tests anti-aging products for a living, the options can be overwhelming, and, on top of that, from my years of experience, I know most of these lotions and potions are junk or at least highly oversold.
Still, I do have a rotation of potent, star products from brands I trust, and I was surprised to find many of my go-to items on sale this week at Amazon — including beauty must-haves I use every night (looking at you, Differin Retinoid Gel!).
The selection below includes many of my favorites; a few even made it onto our list of best anti-aging skin care products. Best of all, they're available now for less — with some even holding steady at the lowest prices I've seen all year.
Illuminating, priming and affordable: Getting Martha Stewart's glow is as easy as adding this little wonder to your cart.
After testing dozens of over-the-counter options, this is the retinoid I use every night. Differin's adapalene gel was the first prescription-strength retinoid to become available over the counter. It's dermatologist-recommended and clinically proven to tighten and brighten skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines. This jumbo size rarely goes on sale — and it's currently a cool 36% off.
"I've been a Differin user for over six years at this point, and I swear by it," wrote an in-the-know user. "Most things that work as well as Differin are prescription-only. It actually works in a similar manner that some of the prescription-strength treatments do: by increasing the rate at which your skin cells turn over."
This is what you need if you're like, "I think tightening creams are BS but I also want to believe they are true because I currently dislike my neck." Gold Bond's firming cream is no frills but gets the job done (the job being firmer-looking, less-crepey skin). The formula is lightweight and on the thin side, but the product absorbs well and is gentle enough not to irritate sensitive skin.
Note: You'll need to use it consistently for about a month to see results, and it won't, of course, magically make you appear 25, but being able to snag this ample size for 26% off makes this product worth a go.
For months, I kept seeing ads for this "it" cream from K-beauty brand Zen Dew, and beauty influencers across platforms could not seem to stop raving about its wrinkle-plumping, face-rejuvenating powers. However, I know from experience that just because a product works for a naturally dewy 25-year-old does not mean it will do squat for my own perimenopausal dermis. I decided to test it myself.
Well, it turns out that it's actually great. It's made with 91% snail mucin (always a skin care boon) and includes a variety of high-quality ingredients like ectoin, which is known for smoothing rough texture and azulene, which helps calm irritation. It's also cruelty-free, paraben-free and delivered in sustainable packaging — much appreciated in an industry that creates so much waste.
But my favorite thing about this lightweight face cream is the results: My skin looked immediately glowy after using it, an effect that lasted the entire work day.
Would Drew Barrymore steer you wrong? The actress/talk show host is just one of thousands of fans of Olay's tried-and-true classic products, which include this coveted sculpting cream. The key here is hydration: So much of face and neck aging — including crepey skin — is caused by a loss of moisture, and this thick, almost viscous cream begins to add it back upon first use. It's infused with concentrated, moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, amino-peptides and vitamin B3, all of which help plump skin and reduce the signs of wrinkling and sagging.
Women over 60 especially love this drugstore staple, proclaiming: "Great help for moisturizing, I will be 73 this month and, believe me, it really helps keep the wrinkles controlled by plumping up my skin."
If you're looking for an all-over tightening, brightening, hydrating, complexion-smoothing night cream for face, neck and decolleté, you can't do much better than this clinically proven version by trusted brand RoC — especially at this price.
The popular cream is non-greasy and non-comedogenic and beloved by both dermatologists and celebrities alike (Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan). And, according to the more than 5,000 5-star Amazon reviews, ordinary folks are all over it too: "I'm in my 70s and this cream has been my go-to for years. It works on my skin!"
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.