When Should You Start Using Anti-Aging Skincare Products

There is no hard set rule as to when you should start using anti-aging skincare products, however, natural collagen production (for example) starts to slow down after the age of 20. Collagen is responsible for providing structure, support, and strength to the skin. However, a person produces about 1% less collagen in the skin each year from the age of 20. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should suddenly start using all of the anti-aging skincare products available, it’s to have an awareness.  Equally important is if you are starting to notice changes in your skin, such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, dullness, dry skin, rough skin texture, uneven skin tone, etc. then it might be time to consider some ‘anti-aging’ products. Here’s how and what you should consider adding to your skincare routine.

Best skincare routine for in your 30s

In your 30s cell turnover becomes a lot slower, as does the collagen production (which we discussed earlier, decreases from your 20s!) In our 30s our skin has been exposed to lots of UV rays and sun exposure, so SPF is more important than ever. Ensure that you are using a good SPF every day to protect your skin against the harmful ways and pollutants and free radicals that it’s exposed to on an everyday basis. In your 20s your skin might not have suffered from a few late nights, and even going to bed with a full face of makeup on. However, now in your 30s a good cleansing routine involving a double cleanse in the evening is vital. 

Importance of cleansing

Why is cleansing so important you ask?! Firstly, you want to ensure that you are cleaning your skin properly without stripping it. Secondly, now that you are in your thirties you might be investing more in skincare and to ensure you are getting the most out of your serums and antioxidants you need a clean base to soak up all of those lovely activities. Finally, one of the most important things to be religiously done on a nightly basis is a double cleanse. As discussed above, because SPF should be part of your daily ritual and it has protective qualities, it’s best to cleanse the face twice to not only wipe away the dirt from the day but also to ensure that your SPF has been properly removed before going on to layer your nighttime skincare products which you want to work as effectively as they possibly can. 

You need eye cream, too

Eye cream is something that you might have not been using in your 20s, but something that you might benefit from in your 30s as it is one of the first areas to show signs of aging. However, a lot of the time what is inside your eye creams will be exactly the same as the lotions you use on your face, meaning you can get away with not buying both. If you chose to use your current skincare products around the eye area as well, just take extra care to gently pat and massage these products in as the skin around your eyes is the most sensitive part of your face. 

Meet the mighty retinol

Retinol is one of the few researched based skincare ingredients that is proven to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the skin. Retinol is part of a group called Retinoids that can help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They can also help to stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin - giving skin a ‘glow’ and helping to improve skin color. This is why Vitamin A (Retinol) has grown in popularity among professionals and consumers in recent years.  While this miracle vitamin is fantastic if used correctly, it is important to be aware that it also has the potential to cause skin irritation and peeling. While this might seem off-putting there are steps you can take to ensure that you don’t experience these side effects. The first is to ensure that you SLOWLY introduce retinol into your skincare routine. Remember this is an ingredient that your skin hasn’t been exposed to before, therefore, it needs time to become familiar with it. With this in mind, start to introduce it into your evening routine once a week, building it up to twice and then three to eventually every day. The reason to always use it at night is that you don’t want it interfering with any antioxidants or active ingredients (such as acids) that you might be using in the morning, this will then minimize the risk of irritations.  If you do however find that in the first instance that you do experience some irritation, it might be a good idea to look into Bakuchiol, which is a plant-based retinol and a more gentle alternative for those with sensitive skin.  Just like we might start to notice changes in our bodies when we enter our 30s, so too will we notice changes in our skin. Perhaps you start to develop acne that you didn’t previously have in your 20s. If in doubt, always seek expert advice from a professional who will be able to guide you through changes.

Best skincare routine for in your 40s 

Hopefully, by the time you reach your 40s, you would have been carrying out a good ‘anti-aging’ skincare routine in your 30s that will have set you up and put you in good stead for what you will have to tackle in your 40s.  Dryness and dry skin are one of the main concerns for women approaching menopause. In your 40s it’s more important than ever to continue to focus on promoting collagen and elastin in skin. With the dryness look out for skincare that will hydrate dehydrated and parched skin. Hyaluronic Acid is an ingredient to consider adding to your skincare routine because of its ability to retain moisture and hydrate the skin. 

Start with massages

Equally important is still SPF and retinol (if you haven’t started already) it’s never too late to start incorporating it into your skincare routine. Something to be mindful of is that skin is also thinner in your 40s so the key is to be gentle with it and avoid any harsh scrubs and acids, you can still achieve glowing skin without these.  Another thing to consider is that your lymphatic system will be starting to slow down. This system is responsible for getting rid of any toxins which can result in more puffiness around the face - particularly the eye and cheek areas. Help your lymphatic system by massaging your skincare into your skin. Not only will the massage help to get the system moving, but it will also increase circulation bringing blood to the surface to give you an instant glow and pick me up.  Ensure that you are still using products containing antioxidant ingredients, such as Vitamin C - a is powerful antioxidant, that prevents oxidative damage by binding to the free radicals caused by UV radiation and pollution. Remember, protection is key to preventing the signs of aging!  Below are some good basics to use as a starting point for what a skincare routine in your 30s & 40s should look like: 

1. Two types of cleansers (one for the morning and an additional one for the evening to remove makeup/ access dirt and oil as part of your ‘double cleansing routine’) 
2. A moisturizer best for your skin type
3. SPF
4. An antioxidant serum - to help with free radicals and support the skin 
5. Eye cream
6. Retinol