Start Anti-Aging in Your 20s

Last month, during the holidays, we were standing on a Christmas market for the webstore. While chatting with the women at the market, we noticed how many women thought that they were too young to start with anti-aging. A lot of women have this misconception that they should start using anti-aging products only when wrinkles and lines start to appear. But actually, it’s already too late to start with anti-ageing once wrinkles have appeared. Over-the-counter anti-aging products cannot remove wrinkles, they are best in preventing them, not removing them. Korean skincare is all about prevention. Today I wanted to elaborate on this and discuss how you can effectively prevent aging before it starts to show. Once you’re in your twenties, you should already be actively trying to prevent ageing. I set up a time line of what you can incorporate into your skincare routine ,according to your age, to keep aging at bay.  

Age 18-30

Although wrinkles and aging skin are not on your mind when you’re in your twenties, taking great care of your skin in your twenties is vital to retaining your skin’s radiance and vitality in the later years. Preventing aging is a lot easier than reversing aging (fillers, botox). The most important step to keeping your skin youthful in your twenties is using sunscreen. You don’t need to buy 250$ night cream just yet, you just need to be wary of your skin’s biggest enemy: the sun. Stay out of the sun as much as possible, wear hats in sunny days and keep your skin protected with an SPF of at least 20. Keep your skincare routine simple. Use hydrating products with added antioxidants (vitamins E and C) to keep your skin supple and lively, and don’t forget to moisturize your delicate under eyes with a nourishing eye cream. If you suffer from congested skin, use an exfoliant once or twice a week to get rid of dead skin cell build up and dull skin.

-SPF>20 every day
-Hydrating moisturizer (that suits your skin type) every day
-Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E, C, Resveratrol, Green Tea, etc) every day
-Eye cream every day
-Exfoliant 1-2 a week

_{A typical skincare routine for someone in their 20s
Klairs Mid-day Blue Sun Lotion, Neogen Bio-Peel Green Tea, Innisfree orchid eye cream, Neogen Real Fresh Foam Cleanser Cranberry, Klairs freshly juiced vitamin drop, COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream.}

Age 30-40

When you hit thirty, ageing skin will definitely be on the horizon. Our bodies stop producing collagen in our mid to late 20s. Around 30, our collagen levels drop 1-2% a year. This is when you start noticing light signs of aging. Your skin starts looking duller and less plump than it used to be and you’ll start developing small lines. The rate and severity of aging will greatly depend on your genetics and how you treated your skin in your younger years, but everyone will notice a decline in their skin’s overall appearance. There are 2 key ingredients that are useful to use at this age: collagen-stimulating products, and retinoids.

-Collagen synthesis starts to decline at your age, so your skin needs a little help with collagen production. There are many ingredients that can help or stimulate collagen formation, but the most common ones are: vitamin C, AHAs, copper peptides, and retinoids (read below).

-The golden standard for improving the skin’s overall appearance are retinoids. Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that are extremely effective in reducing small lines, dark spots, and wrinkles. Most retinoids are only available on prescription, so you have to discuss using them with your doctor. The only retinoid that is available in over-the-counter anti-aging products is Retinol. I actually wrote a blogpost about retinol and retinoids a couple weeks ago. If you’d like to know more about retinoids, click here.

-SPF>30 every day
-Hydrating moisturizer (that suits your skin type) every day
-Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E, C, Resveratrol, Green Tea, etc) every day
-Introduce Retinol into skincare regimen
-Introduce collagen-stimulating ingredients into skincare regimen
-Eye cream every day
-Exfoliant 1-2 a week

_{A typical skincare routine for someone in their 30s
Missha Essence Sun, Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser, Mizon AHA 8% Peeling Serum, Missha Vitality Eye Cream, Missha Vitality Cream, It's Skin CO Effector, Mizon Collagen Power Lifting Emulsion.} 

Age 40-50

Skin tends to get dryer and rougher throughout the years. Most people will benefit from a richer, more emollient moisturizer at this age. Use a non-drying cleanser and exfoliant to get rid of dead skin cells, especially when using Retinol. Keep using a sunscreen with high SPF every day, accompanied with active use of Retinol and antioxidants to keep your skin protected and radiant.

-SPF>30 every day
-Extra rich moisturizer (that suits your skin type) every day
-Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E, C, Resveratrol, Green Tea, etc) every day
-Active use of Retinol
-Active use of collagen-stimulating ingredients
-Eye cream every day
-Mild exfoliant 1-2 a week
-Non-drying cleanser every day

_{A typical skincare routine for someone in their 40s/50s
Neogen Bio-Peel Wine, Mizon AHA 8% Peeling Serum, Whamisa Foam Cleansing Cream, Missha Immortal Youth Eye Cream, Missha Immortal Youth Cream, Missha Immortal Youth Moisturizer, Missha Soft Finish Sun Milk.} 

Age 50+

Don’t stop your anti-aging skincare routine. Your skin can still be improved and protected. Use a dark spot corrector to keep liver spots in check.

-SPF>30 every day
-Extra rich moisturizer (that suits your skin type) every day
-Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E, C, Resveratrol, Green Tea, etc) every day
-Active use of Retinol
-Active use of collagen-stimulating ingredients
-Eye cream every day
-Mild exfoliant 1-2 a week
-Non-drying cleanser every day

With that being said, it speaks for itself that keeping a healthy lifestyle will benefit everyone of any age. Make sure you keep your body fit and eat healthily to slow down aging from the inside.