This blog is all about the basic steps that you need in a good skincare routine for anti-aging. No extra fluff or confusion for you to wade through. If you are looking to start a skincare routine the below steps will be a clear and valuable guide for you. I have also recommended some skin care products that I have used on my aging skin as I have developed my own skincare routine over the past four or so years.
It wasn’t until I turned forty one that I actually started to look into what I could do to slow the aging of my skin. Although the damage happened over years, it was like one day I looked in the mirror and realized that my face looked like it had fallen forward. Saggy jowels, large under eye bags, and deep wrinkles seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
The reality was that all of this had been happening for a long time. I was just beginning to see the results of my neglect. If this sounds anything like you then read on. I set out on a journey to help my own skin and over these last four or five years I have learned a lot. I’m going to spell it out for you so that you have one source to reference to help you get started.
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The basics of a morning anti-aging skincare routine:
- A gentle cleanser. Cleansing is your first step both morning and night. You want to use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip your moisture barrier. This should be a no nonsense cleanser that does its job using safe, healthy, ingredients. My favorite gentle cleanser is VaniCreams’s Gentle Cleanser. Another great option at the drug store is the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. It is also an affordable no nonsense cleanser. These both have great skin loving ingredients and are safe to use on all skin types. They are also both budget friendly.
- Antioxidants. The next step in a good skin care routine is an antioxidant. The most popular of these right now is Vitamin C, but there are other good ones such as COQ10, and Resveratrol. Vitamin C can help to brighten skin and lighten dark spots which evens out the skin tone, while also providing antioxidant support to the skin to fight cellular damage. There are multiple types of Vitamin C on the market because many people have sensitivity to this ingredient. The vitamin C that I prefer and recommend is by Timeless. It is a 20% Vitamin C+E+Ferulic Acid. It’s only $17.95 on the Timeless website and less if you sign up for the monthly subscription. I have never had a bad reaction to this product and I have very sensitive skin. If you aren’t a Vitamin C fan then give Resveratrol a try. This powerful antioxidant also protects against free radicals as well as helping with lines and wrinkles. The Ordinary has a nice Resveratrol option at just $9 on their site. COQ10 has many of the same benefits as Vitamin C and Resveratrol but it also improves hydration. Our skin often becomes drier as we age and so anything we can add that improves this is helpful. I love the COQ10 formula from The Inkey List for $8.49. I apply both my Vitamin C and Q10 serums in the morning back to back as my first step after cleansing my face.
- Moisturize your skin. There are a lot of really great moisturizers out there at every price point. Both VaniCream and CeraVe make great moisturizers. Some great ingredients to look for in your daily moisturizer are ceramides, peptides, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid.
- Protect. Arguably the most important step to the morning skin care routine is applying your sunblock. We all know the dangers of skin cancer, but even aside from that the sun damages the fibers and collagen in your skin and causes photoaging. They say that around 90% of skin aging comes from sun exposure. If I could go back and tell my teenage self one thing it would be to stop “laying out” in the sun and to start wearing sunscreen.
That is the basics of a simple, budget-friendly, morning skincare routine. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. In fact, the easier you can make it for yourself the more likely you are to stick with it, and skincare is the long game. It’s a marriage, not a date. You have your ups and downs with it but you stick to it, every day, consistently, and you will see results.
The basics of an evening anti-aging skincare routine:
- The “double cleanse”. This time instead of just using your gentle cleanser, you are going to start off with a cleansing balm or oil. This is used to breakup and remove the makeup and sunscreen on your face from the day. You massage this into your skin for a few moments to give it a chance to break up all of those hard to remove ingredients. Then you can take a warm damp cloth and remove the balm. You will be surprised how much product comes off onto your wash cloth. If you are looking for a good cleansing balm then check out my blog on the best cleansing balms at every price point. There are some great budget friendly options out there. After you have removed the cleansing balm then you wash your face again with your gentle cleanser to get off any remaining product from your face.
- Use a retinoid. There are many variations of these and a lot of drug store companies have affordable retinol or retinal products. If you see a dermatologist you can ask for a prescription for Tretinoin which is the gold standard in anti aging. Long term use of a retinoid is the single best thing you can do (other than wearing sunscreen) to help slow the signs of aging on your skin. Once you have applied your retinoid give it a few minutes to be absorbed into your skin and then you are ready for the final step
- Moisturize. Some of you may buy a product that has retinol inside of a moisturizer and that’s great as it saves you s step (and who doesn’t want to save time?). One that I used consistently for some time and loved is Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair. If you are using a separate retinol product then put your moisturizer over it. This helps to avoid any of the irritating side effects that retinols can cause such as dryness and flaking. In general, at night you can use a heavier moisturizer than you did during the day, but this is a matter of preference and skin type.
There are so many products on the market now claiming to be the solution to our aging woes, but in truth you just need to incorporate a few good ingredients and be consistent in using them every day. Once you have established a good skin care routine and you have maintained consistency for a period of time, then you can look to start addressing specific concerns with other ingredients and slowly incorporate them into your routine if you choose to.
Remember that your skin won’t magically look like it did when you were twenty no matter what skin care products you use. You have to set realistic goals and be patient. I recommend taking a selfie, close up in good lighting, before you start your new routine. Then after thirty days take another one, and then thirty days after that another. That way you will be able to actually see the difference that your new skin care routine is making.
I wish you the best of luck on your new journey. Remember that true beauty radiates from inside of us, it’s not skin deep.
“Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.” – Coco Chanel.
[…] Scoop out a small amount of the balm. With dry hands begin to rub the balm together until it begins to break down into oil (this generally happens very quickly). Apply it to your dry face and begin to massage it in. This is a relaxing experience that I enjoy every single time. Once you have rubbed it into your face let it sit for a few minutes while you run a washcloth or makeup eraser under warm water. Then gently remove the balm from your face with the cloth. Now you’re ready for your second cleanse. If you would like to learn how to start a simple anti-aging skincare routine for yourself read my blog post here. […]