First of all, can I just say that I hate the word "anti-aging". As the years pass and I continue on my "aging" journey, I would rather lean in on my gratitude for life, health, and, yes, my skin. Growing older is a beautiful blessing - I want to be PRO-aging instead of anti-aging.
Having said that, as we grow older, the needs of our skin shift and grow. Our skin's natural repair and recovery process begins to slow down. Therefore, we need to adjust our skin care routine (and lifestyle) to meet those changing needs. For example, our skin cells naturally produce Hyaluronic Acid. Sadly, as we age, this process slows down. Hyaluronic Acid can hold up to 1,000x its weight in water and is critical to helping your skin retain moisture. This improves skin elasticity and firmness, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and enhances overall skin radiance. That's why, as you get older, you want to supplement this decrease in production with a skin care routine that includes Hyaluronic Acid.
When Ben Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", I don't know if he had skin care on his mind, but it absolutely applies to your skin. We often forget that the skin is our body's largest organ and needs some real good loving.
Here are 5 tips to slowing down your skin's aging process while still in your 20s:
- CLEANSE. Use a gentle cleanser and wash your face with warm water before applying any other products. Also, please don't go to bed without removing your make up. This is what adulthood means.
- MOISTURIZE. Hydration is super important for the overall health of your skin. Do not be scared to moisturize your face if you have oily, acne-prone skin - keeping your skin hydrated will actually reduce your breakouts and soothe irritated skin. Use a moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid for maximum absorption and retention.
- GET FRIENDLY WITH ANTIOXIDANTS. Antioxidants will become your new BFF. Antioxidants eliminate harmful free radicals that are produced due to environmental factors like UV rays, smoke, pollution, etc. These free radicals are toxins that accelerate the damaging aging process in your skin cells. When looking for a product with powerful antioxidants, make sure they include both fat-soluble and water-soluble antioxidants.
- WEAR SUNSCREEN. We cannot emphasize this enough. UV rays from the sun are damaging to your skin. They cause your skin to work extra hard and then produce a toxin by-product called "free radicals". Get into the habit of applying a sunscreen daily. Use a day serum with zinc oxide for sun protection, apply a layer of sunscreen, and do NOT use tanning beds. Ever.
- DRINK WATER. EXERCISE REGULARLY. SLEEP. This last tip is more of a "given". Scientists have studied and documented the benefits of simple things like drinking water, sleeping enough, and maintaining an active lifestyle. These benefits apply for whole body health including your skin.
What are some of your tips to keeping your skin healthy and preventing skin damage?