As we age, skin becomes duller and lacks vitality. While that may be a frustrating eventuality, the good news is that there’s plenty we can do to mitigate it. The best brightening products for mature skin take a multi-pronged approach.
Vogue’s pick of the best brightening skincare for mature skin at a glance:
While some utilise a host of AHAs to gently remove dead skin cells that contribute towards dullness, others use potent actives like vitamin A to improve cell turnover and vitamin C to increase collagen production and improve radiance. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best brightening products for mature skin with some help from an expert dermatologist.
- Jump to the products
- Meet the expert
- Why does skin become dull as we age?
- What actives are especially good for brightening mature skin long-term?
- What about any ingredients for a quick brightening fix?
- Are there any actives that should be avoided as we get older?
- What about mature skin that’s sensitive?
- What should a brightening routine look like for mature skin?
Below, Vogue’s edit of the best brightening skincare for mature skin, from Korean beauty favourites to trusted retinol serums and radiance-boosting creams.
- Product type: Pads
- Ingredients: Lactic acid, salicylic acid, panthenol
- Usage: Use morning or evening after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: You may have seen these bestselling pore pads all over social media, but if you’re looking for fresher, more radiant skin that’s easily achieved, then they’re really worth the hype. Each of the pads is pre-soaked with AHAs and BHAs, including lactic acid and salicylic acid, making them a great option for those experiencing dullness as well as congestion. While helping to unclog pores and refine texture, the formula also contains an anti-sebum complex that gently mattifies.
- Product type: Serum
- Ingredients: Niacinamide, crystalline peptide, zinc PCA
- Usage: Every morning after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: if you struggle with enlarged pores, congestion and dullness, niacinamide is a good ingredient to look out for. This new serum, from British skincare authority Medik8, uses 10 per cent niacinamide alongside a peptide complex to tackle stubborn blemishes and post-acne hyperpigmentation effectively. There’s also zinc PCA on hand to help regulate oil production and keep skin looking bright and glassy, not greasy.
- Product type: Moisturiser
- Ingredients: Glyco-Repair™, acetyl tetrapeptide-9, niacinamide, eperuline, bioceramide 603, ectoin
- Usage: Daily after serum
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: A smart anti-ageing cream inspired by regenerative lasers, the formula uses potent actives that trigger barrier repair and help stimulate collagen production and improve skin quality. As a result, redness is reduced, lines and wrinkles become softer over time, and skin recovers its bounce.
- Product type: Serum
- Ingredients: Vitamin C, azelaic acid, plankton liposomes, red algae
- Usage: Every morning after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: The combination of exosome-delivered azelaic acid and slow-release vitamin C makes this a great serum for not only brightening but reducing any redness and inflammation too. The smart delivery system ensures the powerful actives are delivered carefully but efficiently into the skin without irritation, which means you’ll see results (think better radiance and a more even tone) without having to worry about anything else.
- Product type: Serum
- Ingredients: Hydroxypinacolone retinoate, bakuchiol, soybean extract, squalane, vitamin E
- Usage: In the evening, after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: If you’re not already using a retinoid in your skincare regimen, it’s not too late to start. A great place to start is with Skin Rocks, whose retinoid offering is straightforward and easy to understand. As for its benefits for mature skin, there are plenty, from improving radiance and reducing dark spots to firming lax skin and improving cell turnover.
- Product type: Moisturiser
- Ingredients: Shikuwasa lime extract, noni juice extract, shell ginger, nonapeptide-1, bio-fermented hyaluronic acid
- Usage: Daily after serum
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: A moisturiser formulated to strengthen the skin barrier, improve resilience to ageing factors and hydrate the skin deeply. As well as a peptide to kickstart sluggish ceramide production, there’s also a proprietary complex full of botanicals, which are chosen for their ability to dampen down inflammation that can accelerate the signs of ageing.
- Product type: Cleanser
- Ingredients: Ceramides, jojoba oil
- Usage: Daily morning and evening
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: Not just a great option in terms of affordability, this super gentle cleanser is especially good if you suffer from sensitised skin. Packed with its signature ceramides to improve comfort levels in the skin and keep things feeling supple, it’s also highly effective as a first step cleanser, removing dirt, make-up and SPF particles. Massaging it into the skin for two minutes will ensure you also give blood flow a boost, which will, in turn, improve the health and vitality of the skin.
- Product type: Mask
- Ingredients: Papaya extracts, pineapple extracts, bladderwrack, niacinamide
- Usage: After cleansing 1-2 times a week
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: Elemis has created this creamy exfoliating mask as an effective way of achieving better radiance and reflection without the need to scrub away at skin. This soothing mask uses pineapple and papaya extracts to slough off dead skin, all the while moisturising and revitalising skin.
- Product type: Toner
- Ingredients: Azelaic acid derivative, fermented grape extract, arginine, rice milk, liquorice root
- Usage: In the morning, after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: A gentle exfoliating essence that you can use daily is a godsend for skin that needs a regular brightening boost and improved glow. This toner is gentle enough to resurface skin, smooth texture and reduce dark spots without causing irritation or sensitivity. Look out for its launch at the end of the month.
- Product type: Sheet mask
- Ingredients: Glycerin, adenosine
- Usage: After cleansing, morning or evening
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: Mature skin that looks dull is often lacking in essential moisture. If you’re in need of a quick but intensive brightening boost, these clever Korean-inspired gel masks are great to have on hand. Over the course of 90-minutes (wear one until it turns from opaque to clear), the mask pushes its ingredients into the skin, locking in moisture and improving hydration. A great option to have up your sleeve for events or while you’re travelling.
- Product type: Serum
- Ingredients: Lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, Tasmanian pepperberry extract
- Usage: Every morning after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: For those looking for both a short and long-term brightening solution, lactic acid is a key active to get to know. As well as being a gentle exfoliating AHA, it’s also a humectant, which means it draws moisture into the skin and helps give it a radiant, plumped look. When combined with hyaluronic acid as in this formula, the results are pleasingly dewy.
- Product type: Serum
- Ingredients: Coenzyme Q10, ubiquinone, ascorbyl phosphate, ethyl ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, cacao seed extract, shea butter, mango butter
- Usage: Daily after cleansing
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: The standout star from this botanical Australian range, this serum uses four different types of stabilised vitamin C to help brighten, strengthen and protect skin from oxidative damage. Thanks to other extracts like shitake mushroom, which are loaded with antioxidant-rich beta-glucans and hydrating B vitamins, skin is left plumped and protected in equal measure.
- Product type: Cleanser
- Ingredients: TFC5™, prebiotic blend, biolipid complex, tsubaki oil, saccharide complex, chlorella algae extract
- Usage: Daily, every morning and evening
- Why it’s Vogue-approved: This is a great cream cleanser that’s gentle on the skin barrier and helps rebalance oily or congested skin as well as removing make-up, dirt and grime. In addition to controlling shine, reducing blemishes and unclogging pores, it leaves skin smooth and hydrated and perfectly prepped for the rest of your skincare routine.
FAQs
Why does skin become dull as we age?
“There are two main physiological reasons,” explains dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto. “Firstly, cell turnover slows down significantly. In our 20s, our cells renew every 28 days, but by our 50s, this can take up to 60-90 days. This leads to an accumulation of dead cells on the surface, which prevents light from reflecting evenly, resulting in a matte, dull appearance. Secondly, we lose micro-circulation. As we age, the number of capillary loops in the skin decreases, reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the surface. This leads to a loss of that pink, healthy ‘glow’ we often associate with youth.”
What actives are especially good for brightening mature skin long-term?
“Retinoids (vitamin A) remain the gold standard,” explains Mahto. “They speed up that sluggish cell turnover, forcing newer cells to the surface. Alongside this, vitamin C can be very beneficial – it inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase, which controls melanin production, helping to fade age spots and pigmentation. It also acts as an antioxidant to prevent further dullness from environmental damage. Finally, AHAs like glycolic or lactic acid are excellent for breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells to reveal the brighter skin underneath.”
What about any ingredients for a quick brightening fix?
For an immediate effect, Mahto suggests lactic acid. “It is a larger molecule than glycolic acid, so it exfoliates gently while simultaneously pulling moisture into the skin (it is a humectant). This gives an instant plump, dewy look. I also rate enzyme masks (often containing papaya or pineapple enzymes). These digest dead skin cells on the surface without the abrasion of a scrub, leaving skin instantly smoother and more reflective.”
Are there any actives that should be avoided as we get older?
“I advise caution with harsh physical scrubs,” says Mahto. The reason? Mature skin is thinner, and the barrier is more fragile, she explains, so abrasive scrubbing can cause micro-tears and inflammation, leading to redness rather than radiance. “Be careful with extremely high-strength stripping alcohols often found in toners for oily skin,” she cautions. “Mature skin naturally produces less lipid (oil), and stripping what little is left will only accentuate fine lines and make the skin look flat and dry.”
What about mature skin that’s sensitive?
“If the skin is sensitive, we swap intensity for consistency,” says Mahto. “Instead of aggressive acids like glycolic, look for PHAs like gluconolactone. They have a much larger molecular size, meaning they penetrate slowly and don’t sting, but still offer that brightening exfoliation. Azelaic acid is another excellent option. It brightens pigmentation and smooths texture, but is also an anti-inflammatory, so it calms redness while it works. It is generally very well tolerated by reactive skin.”
What should a brightening routine look like for mature skin?
To help you find the easiest and most effective brightening routine for mature skin, Mahto breaks it down. A simple, effective routine would be:
- AM: Cleanse - preferably with a cream texture. Follow with a vitamin C serum, then a moisturiser and/or sunscreen with an SPF of 50. Oily skin types may find their sunscreen is moisturising enough so can forgo the moisturiser in the morning.
- PM: Double cleanse, once to remove makeup, sunscreen, pollution and second cleanse to clean skin. Next, go in with a retinoid (start low and slow) or an AHA/PHA exfoliant (on alternate nights). Follow with a lipid-rich moisturiser (containing ceramides) to support the barrier.
“Consistency is key here,” she adds. “You won’t see results overnight, but over 12 weeks, the change in luminosity will be significant.”
Meet the expert
- Dr Anjali Mahto is a consultant dermatologist at Self London
