Anti-Aging Skincare in your Twenties

With all of the anti-aging products and ingredients out there it can be confusing to know where to start, especially if you haven’t established an anti-aging routine. While it may seem early, a solid preventative routine in your twenties is the foundation to maintaining youthful skin in the future. During your twenties your skin goes through a major transformation, slowing down its ability to produce new skin cells and collagen, key components in keeping the skin young. Get the basics down so that you may age gracefully with proper preventative care.

As a solid preventative routine is the foundation to youthful skin, cleansing is the foundation to your routine in general. We can’t help but emphasize how important a hydrating cleanser is for your skin, especially when keeping aging in mind. Use a cleanser that will break down makeup and grime without stripping the skin of moisture, because as you’ll come to learn, moisture is one of the most important parts of the anti-aging routine.

Equally important to cleansing is protecting. We’re all aware of the scary effects that the sun’s rays can have on our skin, but the sun is also the number one cause of skin aging. Because the majority of sun damage won’t appear until you’re in your thirties, it can be easy to skip out on the sun protection step. Most of us are all about instant gratification, but that’s not always how skincare works, so don’t wait until you see physical signs of sun damage to decide that it’s time to incorporate SPF. Start now and work it into your routine every day, all year because UV rays are always around.

Exfoliation may be something you already do, you may not even have considered it as part of an anti-aging routine. But, exfoliation actually has a lot to do with keeping your skin young, fresh, and luminous. Removing dead skin cells helps with skin cell turnover as your body changes and may not be able to fully support it. It also encourages daily collagen renewal, another component our skin starts to lack as we age.

One of our best-recommended methods of exfoliation is with AHA’s, specifically glycolic acid because it works to gently renew the skin. For a perfect peel at home, our Glow to Go Glycolic Acid Peel Pads make things easy and provide a burst of radiance, even if you’re short on time. Using AHA’s in a simple peel pad can also work to repair scars, dark spots, and other signs of hyperpigmentation, perhaps if the effects of the sun’s rays began showing sooner than expected.

Toning is also a very important aspect of exfoliation for anti-aging. Now that your skin is changing, you’re likely moving away from the anti-acne toners you may have used in your teens, and move towards acid toning for gentle and mild exfoliation. Not only does this work to improve cell turnover and improve skin texture, but it also minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores caused by a loss of elasticity. Our Harmony Glycopolymer Solution contains anti-glycation ingredients like amino-guanidine to promote rejuvenation, and it serves a radiance-boosting AHA toner.

Confused about glycation? We’ll break it down for you simply.  Glycation naturally happens when sugars in the blood attach to proteins and form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs have the power to degrade your skin’s collagen and elasticity, which is why fighting back against glycation with your skin care is a top priority.

There are a few staple pieces to think about when treating the skin and preventing aging: antioxidants, collagen, and peptides.

Antioxidant is a word that gets thrown around a lot in skincare, but essentially they are powerful ingredients that neutralize free radicals to protect the skin against oxidative damage brought on by UV exposure or environmental pollution. Think about it this way, when sliced apples are preserved, they are kept fresh with an antioxidant-packed formula to protect against browning and oxidizing - that’s how antioxidants work in your skincare.

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidant ingredients as it protects and brightens dark spots while strengthening the skin overall. Delivered in a lightweight water-based serum, our C Shield Smart Serum boosts elasticity and prevents sagging for overall brighter and tighter skin. Because Vitamin C also supports collagen production, it's almost always most recommended as a starter to an anti-aging skin routine.

Collagen is largely what makes up our skin’s elasticity, and as our body’s natural ability to produce it decreases, infusing it back into the skin is especially important. Not only does add collagen help with elasticity but it also reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. While Vitamin C is an amazing starting point, our Collagen Boosting Serum takes things a step further by providing collagen directly for added hydration resulting in more plump and firm skin.

Lastly on the treating side, we want to make sure you’re keeping peptides in mind, especially for the more gentle areas of your skin - we’re talking eyes. Because the skin around the eyes is the thinnest and gentle, the signs of aging generally start here. Your twenties come with a lot of late nights and early mornings, making tired eyes and dark circles unavoidable, but they don’t have to be the norm. Pack a powerful punch with peptides and reduce puffiness around the eyes with our R&R Peptide Packed Eye Serum.

Peptides can be another topic of confusion. Essentially, peptides are pieces of proteins, which are the building blocks of skin. The skin needs peptides to remain firm and intact, without them we start to see an increase in wrinkles and texture changes. We can support collagen production and address multiple signs of aging by introducing peptides directly to the skin. However, they don’t work completely on their own, but rather they work best in harmony with peptides and ingredients. This is why our ultra-rich, intensive eye serum combines five peptides and various botanical extracts to diminish the appearance of fine lines.

Moisturize

As we mentioned before, as you age your skincare has to age with you and adjust. The products that worked for you as a teen may not work for you now as your skin changes. You may not have needed a heavy cream before, but with age, skin can change in many ways, often times struggling to hold on to moisture. Upping your hydration in your twenties as your skin transitions and becomes drier often means incorporating an emollient night cream in the evenings. Sleep is an important time for your skin, which is why sometimes a thicker cream is needed to give your face the optimal amount of moisture before a night’s rest.

Our Biosyl Peptide Booster is a restorative wrinkle cream that combines those powerful peptides we mentioned before, with Epidermal Growth Factor to stimulate skin regeneration. This modern science stimulates the repair and growth of epidermal cells, reducing wrinkles and strengthening the skin. This potent moisturizer treats various aspects of aging while powerfully moisturizing, including hyperpigmentation and inflammation. The best part is that it never leaves behind a greasy residue.

Your twenties are the time to invest in an anti-aging treatment that goes a long way. While masks are the ultimate treat, they should always serve a purpose and there’s definitely a way to incorporate masking into your anti-aging routine. Update your masking to focus on preventative aging care. We recommend our Patagonia Berry Stem Cell Mask for its cream-textured stem cell technology that leaves the skin brighter and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It’s a cult-favorite among estheticians and consumers alike due to its antioxidant-rich plant stem cells that hydrate the skin. Stem cells have been trending for some time for their anti-aging benefits and they’re becoming increasingly desired in skincare. As your supply of stem cells naturally falls with age, making it harder for your skin to repair the damage, it becomes even more important to introduce stem cells back to the skin to stimulate the responses of aging. They can help your skin look younger and better defend itself against environmental stressors. Plant stem cells specifically have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, helping to protect against sun damage and prevent wrinkles.

Read More:

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• Astaxanthin - Great for Skin brightening and improving your skin texture