The Right Time to Start Using Anti-Aging Products

Aging is not something any of us can avoid, but with anti-aging products you can look your best as you do. The problem is, most of us don’t know when to start using such beauty products. Most men and women assume that you won’t need them until you start seeing lines and wrinkles, but that’s not exactly true. Anti-aging means you want to prevent that from happening. In some cases, waiting for the wrinkles to show is waiting too long. Follow these guidelines to make sure your anti-aging routine is what it should be.

Slow Down, Don’t Reverse
Anti-aging products are not really supposed to reverse anything, and that’s a reality we’re all going to have to face. They’re not “un-aging” products after all. The key to a good age-prevention routine is to start early with care that protects the skin from damaging factors. This isn’t some industry lie trying to sell more cream. After all, don’t you want to protect your skin from damage as much as you can? When you see lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, that’s damage already at play. You can reduce it’s appearance but you’ll never be able to un-do it. There’s no magic eraser.

That said, anti-aging is more about slowing down the process and giving your skin more time to thrive. It’s not a gimmick, it’s actually possible. So, now that you know what anti-aging products are really about, what should you be doing to help slow things down for yourself?

Anti-Aging in Your 20s
There’s no magic age to start with anti-aging, but you should at least begin to think about how you take care of your skin in your 20s. While some are still fighting oil and acne, there should be some attempt at skin protection at play during this decade. Instead of obsessing about lines and wrinkles, choose preventative measures and pamper yourself a little bit. Enjoy the beautiful skin you have and do whatever you can to keep it that way.

Cleanse your face twice a day and never go to bed with your makeup on! Start building a good skincare regimen that you can do each day. Then, be sure to add these products to your routine:

• a good facial moisturizer appropriate for your skin type, preferably with antioxidants
• a gentle exfoliating scrub used once a week to prevent dead skin buildup
• an SPF of 15 or more for daily wear

Anti-Aging in Your 30s
As you enter your 30s, your skin needs a little more help. Elastin and collagen start breaking down around this age, meaning your skin is going to lose some of its firmness. You’re also older, so you’ve sustained more exposure to UV rays, free radicals, pollutants, and other damaging factors by now.

You should continue using the products listed above for 20-somethings (changing formulas to suit any changes in your skin type) and start thinking about what else you can do. Step up your age-prevention game with these products:

• a firming serum to help your skin continue to make the collagen it needs
• an antioxidant serum to boost your protection levels

Anti-Aging in Your 40s
Keeping those wrinkles at bay? Good for you! Keep up all that hard work by continuing to use the recommended products already mentioned and maintaining a good care routine. This is no time to get lazy and leave your skin susceptible to damage. Skin in your 40s loses even more elasticity, may become severely dry, and even begin to look uneven in tone. You may have fine lines cropping up here and there as well! We’re now out of the stage where prevention and maintenance are a priority, and instead, should be focused on slowing the aging process.

Add some extra prevention power to your skincare regimen with these products:

• an anti-aging moisturizer with retinol to fight lines/wrinkles
• an eye cream to boost hydration and elasticity
• a serum to even out skin tone and erase UV damage

Follow this progression throughout your skin’s aging process to make sure you keep that youthful glow as long as possible!

References:
15-Minute Beauty. Anti-Aging 101: Where to Start?
Daily Glow. When Should I Start Using Anti-Aging Products?

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