Will spending a lot of money buying the best skincare products and following religiously lengthy beauty routines give us flawless skin and delay ageing?
Well, indeed, well-formulated skincare picked according to your skin type and condition can truly transform your skin, but good habits before even talking about products are essential.
In this article, we share 9 essential skincare tips without using any skincare product that will make your skin look and feel great, inside and out.
1 | CHANGE PILLOWCASE EVERY 3-4 DAYS Pillow cases collect bacteria, oils, and residue from skincare products, increasing the chance of breakouts, irritation and redness. Wash your pillowcases (and linen) with a mild detergent and change them 2 times a week. PS: pure fine cotton and silk are the best choices of pillowcases fabric.
2 | GET REGULAR BEAUTY-SLEEP Your body needs sleep to feel rested, so the skin does too. A night of good sleep will make the skin look brighter, less dull and minimize dark circles under your eyes.
3 | WASH + DISINFECT MAKEUP BRUSHES AND SPONGES Every time you use your makeup brushes and sponges, you transfer bacteria from your skin that will stay on the brushes and possibly grow. This could lead to possible breakouts and worsening of acne. Wash your brushes weekly and disinfect them regularly,
4 | DON’T PICK PIMPLES OR TOUCH YOUR FACE TOO OFTEN Squeezing pimples can push pus (aka bacteria) deeper into the skin, causing cause more inflammation, swelling and redness. It will also disrupt the skin barrier, create a new wound, and increase the risk of infection and scarring. Touching your face with unclean hands can spread dirt and bacteria from your hands to your face, increasing the chance of clogged pores and breakouts.
5 | USE LUKEWARM WATER INSTEAD OF COLD OR HOT WATER If you wash your face with hot water, the risk is to dry out your skin, which can lead to issues with your skin barrier function; if you use cold water, excess oils are not dissolved in cold water, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.
6 | ADJUST YOUR MOBILE PHONE SETTINGS TO REDUCE BLUE LIGHT Blue light can interfere with our sleep cycle, and can lead to changes in the skin cells, speeding up the aging process. Too much blue light could also lead to pigmentation.
Smart devices offer a built-in Blue Light (Night Shift mode) feature to change the screen’s colour temperature. The warmer the color, the more blue light is filtered. There is also a variety of apps available too.
7 | REPLACE FACE MASKS IDEALLY EVERY 4 HOURS Prolonged face mask-wearing can lead to the accumulation of oils, dirt and sweat on the skin, and these things together causing skin irritation, redness, and acne (maskne). It can also cause skin irritation on the nasal bridge, chin or cheeks.
8 | WEAR A HAT + SUNGLASSES (+SPF) WHEN OUTDOORS Unprotected sun exposure is one of the causes of accelerated skin ageing as well as it increases the chance to develop skin cancer.
While limiting the exposure to direct sun and broad-spectrum SFP are essential, getting into the habit of wearing a sun hat and UV protective sunglasses can make a difference.
9 | HAVE A BALANCED DIET, LIMIT ALCOHOL AND AVOID SMOKING Moderation and balance is the key to optimum health. Our Mantra:
More greens, more raw food, more water – less alcohol, less sugar, less dairy. And no smoking.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
