As we age, our bodies go through a wealth of changes. Unfortunately, aging is a part of life, and while there is no way to reverse the aging process, there are skincare products that can slow the effects of aging on the skin.
As recently stated in Real Simple, our skin goes through changes at every stop on the aging journey. What once was smooth, clear skin in early childhood may begin to lose elasticity, show wrinkles and sun damage, and grow thinner as we age.
With each change, we must shift our skincare routine to stay on top of the new developments. Perhaps in one’s twenties, they could go days without taking their makeup off or using a skin cream and see nary a pimple. However, as our skin ages, products and processes we may have counted on in our youth will begin to be less effective.
The skin is the perfect representation of the overall aging process. It is our largest and most visible organ. As we age, our body gets slower at repairing damaged skin cells, which results in the physical manifestation of aging. Keeping these physical signs at bay can be done in several ways.
Slow Aging With Skincare:
Frequent Sun Exposure Quickly Ages Skin
Depending on our age, the products we choose to stave off the signs of aging on our skin will vary. However, a good SPF is critical no matter how old we may be. The signs of sun damage may not rear their ugly heads until years after dangerous exposure. Therefore, the most important thing we can do daily is reduce sun exposure and invest in the proper UVA/UVB protection with SPF. A plain SPF 30 sunscreen, a moisturizer with at least SPF 30 protection, or a foundation with SPF 30 protection is recommended to keep your skin shielded from harmful UV rays.
Prolonged exposure to UV rays without proper protection can cause spots, premature wrinkles, drying of the skin, freckles, and pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions. These adverse effects accumulate over time, leading to prematurely aging skin.
Read more about sunscreen in An In-Depth Chat about Sunscreen with Dr. Liia Ramachandra.
Vitamin A and Retinol
Retinoids, including retinol and tretinoin, are known for their effectiveness in reducing the signs of aging. These compounds from vitamin A are known to have properties that improve the look and feel of one’s skin. These potent ingredients hydrate and work to repair the damage. Many companies will include these age-fighting compounds in overnight creams and serums, allowing them to work while you sleep.
The science behind retinoids is cellular turnover and a boost in collagen production. These improve the regeneration of new skin cells and the supple nature of your skin, fighting back drying that can quickly age skin.
Suggested read: Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Trio- My thoughts after using it for 5 months
Vitamin C & Hyaluronic acid
Another well-known age-fighting vitamin is vitamin C. Most often used to fight off the common cold, vitamin C can also help one’s skin look younger and fresher by reducing the appearance of dark age spots and smoothing fine lines.
Hyaluronic acid tackles the dryness issue with skin aging, restoring moisture to one’s skin. In addition, integrating vitamin C and hyaluronic acid into one’s skin routine early can help build a foundation of hydration, volume support, and fine line reduction.
Check out our favorite face serums here: What is Face Serum and Why Do You Need One Today?
Changing Your Routine
As mentioned, our skincare routines must pivot as we age. It may feel like just as you got rid of the teenage acne that followed you well into your thirties, it’s time to start worrying about the wrinkles around your eyes and the flaky skin around your nose. However, if we anticipate these shifts in routine, we can get ahead of age-related skin changes.
As we head into our thirties, we may need to add a nightly retinol-containing cream to our bedtime routine. Of course, proper washing is always important to prevent clogged pores, but moisturizing becomes more and more essential as our aging skin loses hydration.
Into our forties and fifties, integrating products that help pump up collagen and help the loss of fat deposits under our eyes — which causes the tell-tale aging “droop” — can assist in supporting our skin to look less than its advancing age. Eye creams can be an essential addition to the nightly skincare regimen.
Suggested read: At-Home Skincare and Facial Tips from Expert Sabrina Bradley
When we turn sixty or seventy and enter our senior years, the focus on hydration will be vital to maintaining younger-looking skin. People who may not have been as diligent as they should have been with SPF protection should take care to not only make this a regular part of their daily skin routine but to keep an eye out for signs of skin cancer, which can increase as we age.
As we enter our senior years, investing in denser creams that pack a bigger punch in terms of hydration and collagen support may be necessary.
Here’re the Best Skincare Trends You Can Follow and improve your skincare routine.
The human lifecycle is full of twists and turns, and our skin is with us for that whole ride. We expose it to the sun, water, cold, makeup, and all manner of stressors as we age. If one focuses on protection and support for their skin when they purchase products, they can enjoy a youthful-looking complexion well into their golden years.
About the Guest Author:
Dr. Liia Ramachandra is the founder and CEO of EpiLynx, a Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free, Vegan, and Clean Skincare company that addresses the need for skincare options for those who have skin sensitivities, allergies, or autoimmune conditions. Dr. Ramachandra has a Doctorate in Pharmacy and is a Ph.D. in Chemistry. Her interests lie in finding the best solutions for people like herself who have struggled with skin problems.
We can not stop the aging process, but with proper rituals and products, we can definitely slow it down. Do you have any special tips to slow aging with skincare? Please share with us below!
