When should you start using anti-ageing skincare products?
While the term ‘anti-ageing’ may be a contentious one – after all, ageing is a natural part of life that should be embraced, not feared – there’s nothing wrong with knowing when and how to adopt a skincare regime that will preserve your skin’s youth and vitality in the long-run.
Adequate hydration, good elasticity, abundant collagen levels and smooth, even skin are the hallmarks of a healthy complexion. To maintain this, it can be helpful to introduce some anti-ageing products in your twenties. But your approach should be holistic – after all, what you put into your body is just as important. Eating nutrient-dense food, avoiding excessive sun exposure, maintaining good sleep hygiene, and learning how to manage your stress levels all have a significant impact on how well your skin ages.
So, if you’re wondering how to future-proof your skin, here is everything that you need to know.
Skincare in your twenties
It’s much better (and less expensive) to prevent skin damage while you’re young than it is to try and correct it later in life. Getting the basics right in your twenties means that later on, you can just add specific and targeted products to your regime. Avoid make-up wipes and invest in a good cleanser that effectively removes make-up and debris from your skin without stripping it. Use a chemical exfoliant at least three times a week and a nourishing moisturiser in the evening. Most importantly, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, even during the winter months.
You don’t usually need anything more than this in your twenties as your skin is still producing collagen and turning over skin cells effectively. Ultimately, the aim is simply to prevent damage and keep the complexion smooth, healthy, and radiant.
Skincare in your thirties
Now is the time to focus on building and maintaining your collagen levels. Collagen, the crucial protein that gives your skin structural support, starts to deplete gradually, and once lost, it’s hard to regain. This can result in the skin becoming wrinkled, tired and saggy, so reach for the powerful ingredients. This is where retinol comes in. Found in creams and serums, there isn’t much that retinol can’t do. It speeds up skin cell turnover and helps normalise skin function, so it will also reduce oil production if you’re acne-prone. If your skin has brown spots or pigmentation patches, a retinoid will fade them. If you have mature, wrinkled skin, retinol will smooth the surface and soften those wrinkles.
If you want to take it one step further, consider a collagen supplement drink with 10,000mg of hydrolysed collagen. This dose is clinically proven to make a difference and boost skin hydration.
Regular exfoliation is also key to maintaining skin luminosity and healthy cell turnover. Look for products that contain 5-10% glycolic or lactic acid. You may also wish to introduce a facial regime that involves regular chemical peels or HydraFacial’s to boost skin and help your products penetrate deeper.
Skincare in your forties and beyond
As you begin to approach menopause, you may find that your skin needs extra hydration. During this time, hyaluronic acid levels deplete, making it harder for your skin to hold onto its water content. Chances are, you’ve already interacted with hyaluronic acid during your skincare journey. But now is the time to start using it regularly. Doing so will help nourish and hydrate the skin and lock in vital moisture for a plump and radiant complexion. Creams rich in ceramides such as Cholesterol and fatty acids are also an excellent way to strengthen the skin barrier and maintain moisture. Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids will restore the skin’s natural barrier function to maintain essential hydration.
Not sure where to start with your skincare regime? A comprehensive Skin Health Assessment will help you understand what’s going on with your skin and the ingredients to focus on to get the most out of your skincare. Click here to book.
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Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.