As an Esthetician and even before I was licensed, I would commonly hear women say: “now that I’m getting older I really need to start taking care of my skin. What should I start using?” or the alternative & classic ( also, my grandmother’s favorite): “You’re way too young to be worried about wrinkles!” But let’s be honest Grandma, don’t you wish you had started earlier or at least been more informed on your skin at an earlier age? Caring for your body (or let’s say the largest organ of your body) shouldn’t be an rite of passage. Skincare doesn’t have an age minimum or maximum. We use and abuse our body throughout the years and unfortunately our skin being the outer exterior gets the brunt of it. The real message should be that preventing is far easier than reversing. Your integumentary system, a.k.a the skin, should be cared for just like any other part of your body. Maybe higher on your priority list than you’d think, after all it is the first thing people see!
Now that we’re all on #TeamAntiAge, here’s a few tips on how you can incorporate it into your daily routine:
1. Live your life but take precautions when you are in the sun!! This means SPF, limit your sun exposure, wear hats, sun glasses, and yes, maybe even driving gloves. You may laugh, but here are the facts: Did you know that more than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure? The risk of cancer doubles after 5 or more sunburns in a lifetime. Also, 80% of lifetime sun exposure is accumulated before the age of 18.
2. Antioxidants are your superheroes!!! Look for them in your products (and foods!) Antioxidants are free radical fighting which in turn prevents oxidative stress. This means they are able to stop a toxin from causing damage to healthy cells and tissue! Oxidative stress can damage DNA strands causing acne, accelerated aging, rosacea and even cancer. Common antioxidants to look for in skin care are: Vitamin A, C and E, DMAE, Co Q-10, Turmeric, Green Tea, Matcha, Hibiscus, RoseHips, Betacarotene, Cherry Blossum, and so many others! All of these will help your skin heal & repair quicker!
3. The 3 month rule! So let’s get into some skin science. You have a basic cellular turnover rate of 28 days. Basically this is fancy for “our skin is on a 28 day shedding cycle” and this slows down as we age. You need to use a product for at least 30 days before it will truly take an effect on your skin. After 60-90 days, you’ll start to see true results! Hence the 3 month rule. If your Physician or Esthetician has recommended a treatment product for you (something medicated or more powerful than OTC products) this rule can still apply!
4. Listen to the experts, not the influencers. In the 9th grade, I decided it was time to start a skin care regimen. So I went to target and picked up the Neutrogena Grapefruit Exfoliating Cleanser because Vanessa Hudgens used it in a commercial. I used it 3x daily and as you can imagine my skin was raw, irritated & felt like alligator skin. The point of that story is to learn from my horrible mistake. Make sure your skin care regimen is beneficial for your skin type & conditions! Go see a professional. A professional is all about the tried & true. An influencer is going to push what is trendy and let’s be honest, what they can make money off of.
5.“Girl, wash your face!” While Rachel Hollis may have meant it more metaphorically, I mean it literally. And no, makeup wipes don’t count. They will only remove surface oil, dirt, debris & make up that hasn’t completely soaked up into your pores throughout the day. But I’m proud of you if you are at least removing your make up because sleeping in your make up will not only age you 7 times faster, it also leads to higher chances of acne breakouts.
6. Out with the old, in with the new. Particularly your old, dead skin. Get rid of it. Exfoliating is key to age prevention! Remember all of that “cellular turnover rate” mumbo jumbo? Exfoliation at its simplest is how we keep a steady shedding cycle and how we get all the benefits from our penetrating products i.e, serums, ampoules, moisturizers! As always, too much of a good thing can make it something bad. Keep your exfoliation process to a minimal of 2-3 days per week at most!!
7. Last but not least don’t forget about your neck & chest. The skin on these areas age very similarly to the face. This means anything you do to your face should also be applied to your neck & chest (including SPF!)