Anti-Aging Skincare

Skincare in your 20's
Experts agree that skin starts to age around 20 years old, when your skin starts to lose collagen, and recommend that you start the road to prevention early. The first step to reduce signs of premature aging is daily sunscreen use. Sun exposure contributes greatly to the skin’s aging process.

The number one complaint among women in their 20s is acne but it's largely avoidable. Most 20-somethings break out because they use dehydrating products that strip their skin of natural oils causing oil glands to overproduce, resulting in pimples. Use gentle and mild cleansers that won't dry out your skin. Use moisturisers that have and SPF of 15 or 20, and that gives you both UVA and UVB protection. Retinol or antioxidant serums are also great as nighttime treatments for fine lines, stimulating collagen, and treating acne.

Skincare in your 30's
Even if you've taken great care of your skin, you'll probably start noticing fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the eyes and mouth. Dark-skinned women might notice discolouration and uneven skin tone; fair-skinned women might see some hyperpigmentation (brown spots) and ruddiness. Skin becomes thinner and finer, there's some loss of collagen, and cell turnover has begun to slow down, making your complexion look a little dull.

You'll see an immediate improvement if you exfoliate. You're getting enough exfoliation if you're using a retinoid at night but if you're not, or if your skin isn't too sensitive to handle it, add a cleanser, moisturiser, or night cream with glycolic or salicylic acid. Avoid harsh scrubs, look for ones with synthetic microbeads, which are gentler than those containing larger, irregularly shaped ones.

In addition to SPF 15 or 20 with UVA/UVB protection, your moisturiser should contain antioxidants, like green or white tea, pomegranate, or vitamin C, which will protect your skin from damaging free radicals. Start wearing an eye cream daily. For dark circles, use one with hydroquinone, vitamin C, or botanicals that brighten, like kojic acid, soy, or liquorice; for puffiness, look for one containing caffeine; for extra moisturisation, use products with hyaluronic acid.

Skincare in your 40's
Those great beach holidays you took in your 20's are showing up on your face. You're beginning to see cumulative sun damage in the form of blotchiness, red spots, and ruddiness. Expression lines between your brows and around your eyes and mouth don't disappear like they did in your 30s. You're also losing more collagen and elasticity, and your skin retains less moisture. Because it doesn't reflect light evenly, your complexion is losing some of its glow.

It's time to add moisture and collagen-building ingredients like peptides. For cleansers, use cream rather than gel cleansers morning and night. Supplement your broad-spectrum moisturiser with a couple of creams, lotions, or serums containing at least two types of antioxidants, such as lycopene, green tea, or soy, alternating them every other day. You'll get a wider benefit from switching off, because different antioxidants address different problems. Or, if your skin is beginning to look crepey, try a formula with peptides, which have been shown to strengthen collagen. Treat dryness with a rich moisturising cream that contains hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, shea butter, or oils.

For nighttime treatments, use retinol products as they reduce brown spots, increase exfoliation and collagen production, thicken the epidermis, and can reverse precancerous sun damage.

Skincare in your 50's and beyond
Don't even think of retiring from the skincare game. 50 is the new 40 and it's never too late to prevent sun damage and to stop the progression of damage you may already have. As you age skin cell turnover is slow; the most significant change you'll notice in your complexion is dryness and loss of elasticity. Expression lines no longer disappear after you stop smiling or squinting; pores are more visible, especially on the nose and cheeks. You're likely to have developed spider veins and hyperpigmentation (age spots), and precancerous spots from sun damage. Menopause can cause a multitude of skin problems, including extreme dryness, acne, and rosacea.

Moisture should be your main concern in your 50's and beyond. Look for products that contain peptides, retinoids, or alpha hydroxy. Use cream cleansers that hydrate as well. Choose a moisturiser that contains SPF to keep the skin hydrated and protected. Because ingredients like retinoids can make skin more sensitive to the sun, daily use of sunscreen is a must.

For day, apply a peptide-rich serum under your SPF daily to help build collagen. Look for one that also contains antioxidants to fight free radicals or hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Hyaluronic acid is a serum that helps skin absorb and hold onto moisture. It effectively plumps up the skin.

Exfoliation is a must as we age. You should exfoliate both your body and your face weekly, more often if your skin gets dry, itchy, and flaky especially in colder climates. Be sure to use a dry brush to exfoliate before you shower because moisturiser goes on much more smoothly if the skin is exfoliated.

What about your eyes? The skin around your eyes is very thin and will only get thinner as you age. Eye creams are especially formulated, thicker versions of your typical facial moisturisers and are best applied at night.

Thick, moisturising creams and oils will also help lock moisture in. Always apply at night and in the morning under your makeup.