How to take care of your skin in your 20s, according to pros
I’ll just put it out there: I’m 27. And at this age, as I near my 30s, I think it’s high time to take care of my skin seriously. There are many good habits I should practice and there are many products that I can utilize to maximize the anti-aging strategies.
In their 20s, people think they’re invincible and that they’re never going to age, but this is actually the time when we really need to develop good habits, because it will last us a lifetime.
However, knowing where to start with anti-aging can be very confusing. Some people say it is never too early to start. Others say that the more active ingredients you use earlier in life, the more sensitive and reactive your skin will be when you are older.
When it comes to your skin, maybe 30 is the new 20, after all.
So, to clear the air, Dr. Anilene A. Akiyama, an Aesthetic, Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine specialist, weighs in. “As early as you hit your 20s you can start using anti-aging products. During that age, the collagen production of your skin is not as efficient as it used to be,” she said. “Collagen and elastin are proteins found in the skin that give it elasticity and firmness, so it is vital that we continuously stimulate these.”
Why should 20-somethings take anti-aging seriously?
For the past few generations, anti-aging was predominantly targeted at women 30 and up. However, for millennials and Gen Zs, the presence of gorgeous celebs who seem to never age in addition to younger and younger women doing chemical peels seems to have brought anti-aging to a younger audience.
Additionally, we think we are starting to age faster than before. In an interview for Marie Claire, Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, a board-certified dermatologist said, “I am seeing more women in their 20s with lines and other stigmata of aging that previously hadn’t surfaced until the 30s.”
And there’s a reason for it: “I attribute this to the external factors that are aging us faster and at younger ages, including pollution, visible light and even irritants often from the multiplicity of products we are ‘experimenting’ with, which leads to irritation and in turn to collagen breakdown among other unwanted skin-aging changes.”
What are the best products and ingredients to look out for?
If we accept that our bad behavior is starting to age us more quickly, there are products and techniques we can use to take care of our skin in a healthy way. “Aside from retinoid, my favorite would be hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that’s found in our skin. This actually helps maintain a good level of hydration that keeps our skin soft and plump. While vitamin C not just boosts your collagen formation, it also sequesters the free radicals that causes premature skin aging. It also has anti inflammatory and lightening effects as it decreases melanin production, thereby correcting our dark spots,” Dr. Akiyama said.
Exfoliate your skin regularly, use a sunscreen every day, maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, kick-start an anti-aging routine, and use a gentle cleanser.
Shop these picks:
Femmue Lumiere Vital C is formulated with a gentle vitamin C derivative (ascorbic glucocide) to brighten and even skin tone, while moisturizing and calming skin with hyaluronic acid and panthenol.
111Skin Vitamin C Brightening Booster is a concentrated treatment targets signs of hyper pigmentation, age spots, and uneven skin tone, while reducing and preventing discoloration.
You can get both products at www.bffmanila.com.
What are good skincare habits to help us age gracefully?
If you want to ensure wrinkle-free skin in the future or simply want to maintain its long-term health, implementing these tips into your skincare regimen now is crucial: Exfoliate your skin regularly, use a sunscreen every day, maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, kick-start an anti-aging routine, and use a gentle cleanser.
But, above all, we think that the best goal is to age confidently with healthy looking skin and be the freshest version of yourself.
Banner image by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels