Skincare for Aging Well: when and where to start?
Everyone’s skin is different, so it can be hard to pin down the “ideal” time to start anti-aging skincare. Start early, and it feels unnecessary. Start late, and it feels like you’ve missed the ideal window. But skincare for aging well can really begin anytime, and it’s never too late to start. Re-evaluating your skin goals and adapting your routine is a process. Instead of trying to avoid or reverse aging, it can be beneficial to see it as strengthening and preventing future damage – and that can be done at any age.
Prevention
Regardless of your age, “prevention” means protection from environmental damage. Skin naturally starts to produce less collagen as we age, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, and looser skin. Exposure to UV rays and free radicals drastically speed up the breakdown of collagen, so wearing sunscreen is a daily investment in preventing signs of aging.
To protect your skin against both UVA and UBA rays, choose a sunscreen with an SPF and a PA rating. Make sure you use enough (don’t forget your neck), and reapply. Besides preventing wrinkles, wearing sunscreen helps prevent hyperpigmentation (age spots). At the end of the day, wash off all traces of sunscreen with a good cleanser and moisturize.
Looking for a go-to sunscreen? Find it in our sun protection collection.
Balancing
As we age, our skin tends to lose lipids and get drier, so using products with hyaluronic acid and other moisturizers helps plump skin and retain moisture. Top off your routine with ceramides to seal it all in. Besides adding more moisture, ditch any products that leave your skin feeling tight. A balanced cleanser with a low pH will keep your moisture barrier strong, protecting against stressors and keeping your skin from flip-flopping between oily and dry. You may find that you need to switch to more hydrating products as your skin changes, so don’t be afraid to re-evaluate what you’re using.
Need to change your moisturizing routine? Find a moisturizer that’s perfect for you!
Antioxidants
Strengthening your skin against pollutants and free radicals is something you can continue throughout your anti-aging routine. An effective way to do this is to use products with antioxidants. Resveratrol and flavonoids are great at protecting the skin from UV rays and environmental damage. These can be found in a range of botanical ingredients, from fruit extracts to green tea.
Vitamin C (often listed as ascorbic acid) is also at the top of our list: it encourages your skin to produce more collagen, fades age spots, and protects against free radicals. When you start, use it in lower concentrations (it can be irritating), and slowly add higher doses for more potent results.
Get your antioxidant daily dose with our collection of skincare with vitamin C.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is something you want to do even before you start to see signs of aging. Using a chemical exfoliant helps prevent acne, keeps pores clean, and smooths the surface of your skin. Using acids (AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs) a few days a week is a good way to start an exfoliation routine.
As we start seeing fine lines and hyperpigmentation, shifting to stronger exfoliants like retinoids speeds up skin turnover (producing new skin cells). Retinoids need to be approached slowly, as they can be irritating to some people. Start with a low concentration, once a week, allowing your skin to build up a tolerance. Use it in the evening and apply sunscreen in the morning - retinoids make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Not sure where to start? Browse our collection of retinol products to kick-start your routine.
Skin Goals for Aging Well
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to narrow down your skin goals for aging well. Here are our recommendations for helping your skin look and feel youthful:
Plump and firm your skin. Loss of moisture, fat, and collagen can make skin looser. Try products that help your skin hold moisture, strengthen your barrier, and boost collagen production to get it looking plump and firm.
Reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Noticing lines and wrinkles around your eyes, mouth, or on your forehead? Fermented ingredients, snail mucin, and anti-aging staples like ginseng help to deeply moisturize and repair trouble areas.
Slow down skin aging. Prevent damage that can cause signs of aging. Products rich in moisturizers and antioxidants keep your skin healthy and fight free radicals. UV protection is the best way to prevent age spots and collagen loss, so take time to find a sunscreen you feel comfortable wearing every day.