So you survived your 20s… Congratulations! Your 20s were a bit of a mess, and now that you're in your 30s, life is still a mess, but it's a different kind of mess. Especially for your skin.

"Your 30s are a time of … stress and hormonal swings that can wreak havoc on your skin," explains celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau. "The growth hormones start to slow down, so the skin won't repair itself as it did in your 20s; breakouts can often occur in the form of cystic acne." In your 30s, you might also be dealing with dark spots, acne scars, and fine expression lines that were never there before. "It's definitely time to take your skin seriously," says Rouleau. "The days of neglecting your skin are over."

But don't freak out—for every skincare concern that's likely to pop up in your 30s, there's an easy fix. We spoke with a handful of trusted experts who walked us through their best advice for skincare in your 30s. So pour yourself a glass of wine, and keep scrolling for the seven most important habits to integrate into your skincare routine in your 30s.

Many women avoid wearing makeup every day in order to let their skin "breathe," but according to Rouleau, makeup can actually help protect your skin. "I like to educate my clients to think of makeup as a skincare product," she says. Because UV damage is the number one cause of premature aging and most people don't actually wear enough sunscreen to get the true protection, Rouleau recommends wearing foundation every day "as an insurance policy." In other words, that layer of makeup serves as an extra barrier between your skin and its "worst enemy—UV light."

If you're worried about daily foundation clogging your pores, don't be: "As long as you're using makeup that's appropriate for your skin type, you shouldn't run into any problems," says Rouleau.

Estheticians agree that as you age, it becomes especially important to treat your neck and décolletage. "These are more delicate areas that show signs of aging first," explains esthetician Joanna Czech of Joanna Czech Dallas. "Your 'face' starts at your nipples and ends at your hairline."

And remember: Rubbing the leftover moisturizer from your face down to your neck isn't good enough. "While the intention is good, it's truly not helping that much in the quest for smooth, moist skin on the neck," says Rouleau. Instead, the neck deserves its own step in your skincare routine. "This means applying one application of moisturizer (with sunscreen during the day) to the face and then a second full application to the front and sides of the neck," says Rouleau. "This will ensure that the neck gets a proper coating of moisturizer and sunscreen to keep it looking soft, smooth, and damage-free."