28-year-old Elizabeth has been noticing for some time that her face has lost a lot of its beauty. Hyperpigmentation and wrinkles are also seen on her face. At first, she was a bit upset, but later decided to start anti-aging skincare. However, she didn’t know how to start. Many people have the same confusion as Elizabeth. When skincare is not started on time, aging signs appear on the skin at an early age. But if you follow a few steps, this problem can be significantly reduced. In today’s article, I will tell you how to start anti-aging skincare at the beginner level.
How to Recognize Aging Signs?
It is normal to see aging signs with age, but many people’s skin may show signs of premature aging. Preventing these signs will greatly delay the aging process. Let’s take a look at all the signs that, if visible, indicate that your aging signs have appeared:
When wrinkles appear on the skin
When skin glow is lost
If the skin becomes excessively dry
If skin hyperpigmentation occurs
If dark spots appear on the skin
Changes in skin texture
If pores are visible
What Causes Aging Signs?
The aging process is natural, but due to several habits in our daily life, wrinkles and fine lines appear on the face long before their time. Let’s learn about those reasons:
UV Rays:
The sun’s UV rays are very harmful to our skin. They break down collagen and elastin proteins in the skin, which accelerates the aging process. Sometimes these rays can even cause skin cancer.
Genetics:
Your, mine, and everyone else’s body contains genes that control our biological activities. How quickly our skin shows signs of aging is also determined by these genes.
Crash Diets:
A healthy diet helps our skin retain its smoothness and glow. If the diet is high in sugar and carbs, or involves eating fast food or unhygienic food in excess, it will negatively impact the skin. Crash diets leave our bodies nutrient-deficient, leading to premature aging signs on our skin.
Stress:
Stress affects us physically, which we don’t easily understand! Hormone levels that fluctuate in the body due to stress are one of the causes of premature aging signs.
Not Taking Regular Skincare:
Regular skincare is very important to get healthy and younger-looking skin. Those who don’t apply sunscreen properly or don’t keep their skin moisturized often see aging signs appear very quickly on their faces.
Lack of Adequate Sleep:
When we sleep, our body goes through a restructuring process. At the same time, new cells are regenerated in the skin. At the end of the day, the skin must rest, right? So, less sleep is not good for your skin, which is responsible for rapid aging signs on our skin.
Change in Temperature:
Both very hot and cold temperatures are harmful to the skin because they reduce skin moisture, leading to wrinkles and dryness! Those who stay in AC all day, if they do not keep their skin properly hydrated and moisturized, their skin will be affected quickly.
When Should Anti-Aging Skincare Be Started for Beginners?
How many of us are aware of our skin before aging signs appear? We think that when we age, we will get wrinkles on the skin. There are many anti-aging creams to remove these signs. If wrinkles appear, then I will use these creams to remove them!
But these ideas are completely wrong. Because of these ideas, skin pigmentation, wrinkles, and fine lines are not easily removed. So it is important to be aware while there is still time.
Collagen holds the texture of our skin. Besides, this collagen helps to prevent wrinkles on the skin, and strengthen hair and nails. After 20 years, its production gradually decreases. In some cases, this period may be shorter or longer. Therefore, between the ages of 22-25, anti-aging products should be added to the skincare routine.
Many say an anti-aging skincare routine should be started in one’s 30s or 40s. But you may not get good results if you start anti-aging skincare at this age. So the sooner you start, the better the skin will be.
Anti-Aging Skincare Routine for Beginners:
Many people think that they will start anti-aging skincare today, but they don’t understand where to start. So those who are absolute beginners can follow these steps in an anti-aging skincare routine:
1. Cleansing
Cleansing is the first step in skincare. We must use a good quality cleanser to remove sweat or dirt accumulated on our skin. Sunscreen or makeup is applied before going out in the morning. So, if they are not properly cleaned from the skin before sleeping at night, the pores can become clogged. To ensure aging signs are not seen on the skin prematurely, the rest of the steps of skincare should also be started after cleansing in the proper way.
When choosing a cleanser, look for anti-aging ingredients such as green tea, aloe vera, antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. These ingredients protect the skin by reducing the signs of aging. Generally, we all use a cleanser according to skin type. If your skincare routine includes an oil-based cleanser, be sure to follow it with a foam or gel-based cleanser. In this way, the double cleansing method should be followed.
2. Toning
Toning is a very important step in the skincare routine. A toner prepares the skin so that other skincare products can be better absorbed into the skin. Other skin benefits due to toning are:
Balances the skin’s pH level.
Maintains skin barrier and texture.
Repairs roughness.
Retains skin elasticity.
Tightens pores.
Removes impurities.
3. Apply Serum
There are various types of serums available in the market, including some anti-aging serums. These serums should be used regularly. For those looking to start anti-aging skincare, serums with safe ingredients include:
Vitamin C Serum:
Vitamin C, rich in antioxidants, is very helpful in reducing aging signs. This ingredient works from within the skin to give a healthy glow, keeps the skin fresh, reduces skin redness, and helps to achieve even-toned skin. When the production of melanin in the skin increases, problems like sunspots, aging spots, and freckles appear. Even if acne heals, acne scars remain. Vitamin C works quickly to solve these problems.
Retinoid Serum:
Retinoids are very effective in preventing aging. They increase skin collagen and reduce skin wrinkles. However, many people experience skin irritation when using retinoids. So, read the label carefully before using retinoids and be sure to do a patch test before use.
Rules of Use:
You can gradually increase the dose of retinoid without using it daily. Start with once in the first week, twice in the second week, three times in the third week, and so on. This will gradually get your skin used to the retinoid serum. Retinoids should be used at night for the best results. Sunscreen must be used before going out in the sun the next day.
4. Moisturizing
The moisturizing step in an anti-aging skincare routine should not be neglected. As we age, our skin’s natural sebum production decreases, causing the skin to become dry. Lack of proper hydration can lead to skin problems including fine lines, wrinkles, and dark patches. To reduce these problems and keep the skin hydrated and radiant, collagen and elastin-rich moisturizers should be used.
5. Apply Sunscreen
It is mandatory to use sunscreen to protect against the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen not only protects the skin from sunburn but also prevents premature aging signs and reduces the risk of skin cancer. If the protective part of skincare is left out, no matter how much skincare you do, it will not be long-lasting! The scientific reason behind this is that the skin’s collagen protein breaks down under the influence of sunlight, which makes the skin thin and dry.
For summer, you can opt for oil-free, gel-based sunscreen. Sunscreen is available in different forms (gel, powder, cream, lotion) depending on skin type. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours!
Age Spots and Precautions:
Don’t neglect age spots. Be careful with age spots because they can be a symptom of skin cancer. Any skin changes should be seen by a dermatologist. Non-cancerous spots can usually be lightened with skin bleaching products.
Some More Tips:
To avoid dark circles and wrinkles under the eyes, you can use anti-aging eye cream.
Drink more water.
Always try to eat healthy food.
Use face packs and face masks once or twice a week.
If it seems too much trouble to follow each step of an anti-aging skincare routine, you can start with any step first. Then, gradually try to add all the steps to your skincare routine. Remember, regular skincare will keep your skin looking younger and healthier even 8-10 years from now.
