Why preventative skin care in your 20s is so important

“Where do you see yourself in ten years?” If you’re something like me, the question is enough to send you into a panic-inducing spiral. Although you have no idea what your personal life and career will look like in a decade (which by the way is) totally okay), guts agree that it’s a good idea to have a ten year plan for your skin.

“Prevention is better than a cure,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist in New York, who attributes the quote to Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus. ‘In most things, health and beauty are paramount. The more you protect and pre-treat your skin with the right ingredients and formulas, the better you are at combating signs of aging. “

As we age, changes in our bodies begin to appear on our skin. Our natural production of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin slows down, leading to fine lines, wrinkles and laxity of the skin. While it is important to use your routine to plan ahead at any age, Dr. Engelman notes that it is especially relevant as you approach your third decade. “By the age of 30, ceramide production drops by 46 percent, and we lose about 1 percent of our collagen annually,” she says. ‘[By this point], many have built up enough sun damage or environmental damage to cause visible signs of aging, and how you treat your skin – by further promoting or preventing damage – determines how you age. ”

Below she shares the seven products that should become permanent parts of your preventative skin care routine in your 20s.

1. Cleaning brush

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While most guts will tell you that it does not matter if your cleanser costs $ 8 or $ 800 is important is the way you use it. Dr. Engelman recommends foaming with a sonic cleansing brush, which provides gentle exfoliation and removes dead skin cells to let products sink into the skin. This one uses light vibrations and soft silicone hairs to gently cleanse your skin without removing or damaging the barrier.

2. Vitamin C serum

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“Vitamin C serums are my best way to prevent anti-aging and sun damage,” says Dr. Engelman, and this one is the best money can buy. It has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C on the market, making it a powerful antioxidant that brightens the skin tone, evens out and repels free radical damage. The addition of vitamin E means that it is also ultra moisturizing and ideal for treating inflammation.

3. Sunscreen

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No matter how old you are, sunscreen is the the most important part of any skin care routine. “Sunscreen every day is essential,” says Dr. Engelman. “The effects may not be visible now, but signs of all the days in the sun will accumulate later.” She is a fan of this SPF 50, which provides protection against UVA and UVB rays, plus pollution, and has an enzyme complex that helps strengthen your skin while you wear it. Whether it’s for preventative skin care in your twenties or protection until the ’90s, the magic number with SPF is 365 (that’s how many days a year you have to hit it).

4. Eye Cream

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The skin around your eyes is the thinnest in your body, which means it starts to show signs of aging faster than the rest of your face. As a result, Dr. Engelman suggests adding eye cream to your routine by the time you reach 30. These use peptides to stimulate the production of collagen in the environment, plus antioxidants, which reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve the skin. elasticity.

5. Divorce

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Regular exfoliation is important at any age, but can be especially helpful in your 20s and 30s once wrinkles start to show. “Peels will use a mixture of acids to lift pigmentation and reduce fine lines,” says Dr. Engelman. This cultivar toner is not exactly a peel, but uses a intense a combination of acids (meaning it is not for sensitive complexions) to melt away dead skin cells and reappear your skin completely.

6. Retinol

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If you are going to integrate just one ingredient from this list into your preventative anti-aging routine, make it a retinol. The vitamin A-derived product is responsible for stimulating cell turnover, replacing the dead, dull cells on the surface of your skin with fresh, healthy ones. Dr. Engelman suggests using a light retinol at least three nights a week, like this one. And if your skin is too sensitive to tolerate the intense activity? Apply a thin layer of moisturizer before your retinol serum for an extra protective barrier.

7. Moisturizer

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“Dry skin can age prematurely, so it is important to keep the skin hydrated with a moisturizer,” says Dr. Engelman. She adds that the skin usually regenerates between 22:00 and 02:00 while we sleep. This means that your evening routine is the best time to apply a heavy hydrator that will help your skin recover. This triple-action formula contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin, all of which will help your facial quality disappear and help with preventative skin care in your 20s and beyond.

Curious about what a gut uses in her own routine? Watch the video below to find out.

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