WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO START USING ANTI-AGING PRODUCTS?
2 July 2024
We’ve all heard that prevention is better than cure, and your skin is no exception. While it’s never too late to start taking care of your skin, it’s best to start early so you can reap the benefits long-term. There’s no reason to wait until you’re out of your 20s and 30s to start protecting your skin from signs of aging. But there is some debate over when exactly you should start using products that target those signs.
In this article, we’ll discuss what to focus on when you are starting to use anti-aging products, no matter what age range you are in. So, keep reading if you’re looking for advice on when and how you should start using anti-aging products!
It’s never too early to start establishing your skincare regimen Did you know that facial treatments can be started as early as age 10? Pre-teens are experiencing a lot of changes in their body and can benefit from starting facials, especially when they’re experiencing breakouts. Facials can help keep future breakouts from forming and help clear existing blemishes. They also encourage healthy skin by removing dead skin cells and reducing oil production with extractions, which can promote blackheads and whiteheads. Taking care of this early on will help you stay ahead of the game when it comes to anti-aging.
If you’re age 18 or younger, it’s important to start a basic regimen that includes a cleanser, moisturizer, exfoliator, and SPF. Unless advised by a professional, this basic regimen does not need to include ingredients like retinol or peptides because they may be too harsh for younger skin. The goal of this basic regimen is to keep your skin clean and moisturized so it will stay healthy longer than if you skip moisturizing at all times.
Starting your anti-aging regimen when you are in your early 20s. If you’re in your 20s and thinking about starting an anti-aging routine, now is the time. Your skin has never been more resilient, so building up a good base will help ensure that it stays that way for years to come. You also have plenty of time to experiment with different products and approaches before committing to any one method or brand.
You should also be mindful of how you’re taking care of yourself during this decade: being healthy overall will help your body maintain a youthful appearance more effectively than if you were unhealthy or stressed out all the time.
In addition, hyaluronic acid should become your skincare bestie as it will make your skin glowy and hydrated in this decade—and with good reason! Hyaluronic acid has been shown to improve barrier function and increase dermal thickness for younger-looking results at every age level.
HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVE PRODUCTS WITH HYALURONIC ACID:
Bio Hydra Infusion
Power Serum
Power Lift
Firm-a-fix Nectar
Uplift Eye Gentle Firming Gel
Makeup Melt In your 20s, you should also focus on taking care of your skin from within by eating well and drinking lots of water. And no matter what age you are, use sunscreen every day if you’re going outside, even if it’s cloudy out.
HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVE PRODUCTS WITH SPF:
SPF Solar Shield 30 Oil Free
SPF Solar Shield 30 Hydrating
SPF Solar Shield 30 Classic Tint Starting your anti-aging regimen when you are 25+ When you reach 25 years old and up, that’s when the real fun begins! You can start using vitamin A (retinol), alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), retinoids, and peptides. These ingredients will help prevent wrinkles from forming and treat existing ones.
HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVE PRODUCTS WITH RETINOL:
Pro Retinal Plus Treatment
Pro C4 Retinol Serum
Pro Retinol Crème
By the time you are in your 30s and 40s, if you’ve already found a skincare routine that works for you, you’ll want to stay on track with it. If you haven’t as yet, it’s still not too late. This is also a great time to consider adding LED treatments or microdermabrasion sessions at least once a month to help rejuvenate your skin and keep it looking fresh and healthy.
Takeaways On Anti-Aging Skincare To wrap up our discussion on anti-aging, we want to leave you with a few things to think about. First and foremost, prevention is key. It’s not just what products you use, but how you live your life. If you’re eating well, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and exercise, and not stressing out—you’re already doing 60% of the work! But we know that’s easier said than done sometimes.
So if you need help establishing a consistent routine or finding some other ways to relax and take care of yourself, consider seeing an esthetician regularly. They can help you with everything from knowing which products are best for your skin to setting up a skincare routine that works for your lifestyle (and budget).
Finally: remember that there are no shortcuts in this game. If it’s worth having, it’s going to take some time and patience on your part—but it will be worth it when you look at yourself in the mirror and see the results of years’ worth of dedication and commitment to taking care of yourself!
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.