Your skin type is unique, but how skin ages is a more universal experience. Exposure to UV light and oxidative stressors, such as pollution and smoke, contribute to the development of fine lines and wrinkles, dullness and dark spots on all skin types. The best way to maintain a youthful appearance at every age is to choose anti-aging skin care products that incorporate a handful of effective ingredients and commit to a daily routine. Starting in your mid-20s is ideal, but it’s never too late and with consistent use, you can treat and protect skin to keep it firm, even-toned, radiant and hydrated throughout every decade. From your 20s to your 60s, here are the 5 best anti-aging skin care ingredients to put on your radar.
Anti-Aging Ingredient #1 - Vitamin C
A multi-tasker that can help skin of all ages, this antioxidant ingredient is considered an essential of anti-aging skin care. There are a few Vitamin C derivatives that can show up on a beauty product’s ingredient list, but L-ascorbic acid is the gold standard that’s been thoroughly researched and proven to prevent free radical damage which breaks down collagen and contributes to sagging, dullness and dark spots. Whether you’re in your mid-20s, and just beginning to commit to an anti-aging skin care routine, or are entering your 60s and looking for a powerhouse to boost your complexion and help minimize signs of advanced aging, choose a serum and use it twice daily. A concentrated formula containing between 8% and 20% L-ascorbic acid makes the best anti-aging serum. The watery texture can penetrate the deeper layers of the skin more readily and is the ideal way to reap all the benefits this hero active has to offer.
Anti-Aging Ingredient #2 – Retinol
Retinol is another powerhouse active ingredient universally recognized as a must-have in any anti-aging skin care routine. A form of Vitamin A, it can help to enhance collagen production, improve skin texture, and plump fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also a go-to for acne treatment because it helps to regulate sebum production which can reduce breakouts.
Retinol is available in different percentages, and its usage is best understood as a journey to healthier and firmer looking skin. If you’ve never used retinol before or have sensitive skin, you should start out with a low dose, such as a 0.3% cream. If you’ve used it before, have tolerant skin or more advanced signs of aging, you can try a 0.5% formula and then eventually graduate to a 1% cream. Some people can find retinol irritating, so taking a ‘slow and low’ approach with the active is always best to allow skin to adjust.
Anti-Aging Ingredient #3 - Peptides
As we age, two vital components of our skin naturally deplete. The production of both collagen (the substance in our skin that gives it a firm look and feel) and elastin (which is responsible for elasticity) begin to slow in our mid-20s, allowing for sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles to appear. But peptides can play an important role in rebuilding firmness and bringing some bounce back. Here’s how: peptides are the building blocks that make up proteins in our skin, and collagen and elastin consist of proteins. Small strings of amino acids form peptides, and they can penetrate deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Look for anti-aging skin care products with peptides to deliver the structural support your skin needs.
Anti-Aging Ingredient #4 - Growth Factors
A protein secreted by our cells, growth factors are inherent to our bodies and play a very important role in forming a resilient, healthy-looking skin structure. From birth and into our twenties we produce generous amounts of these proteins that help with cell growth and function. But in later decades, as production declines and cell turnover slows, skin can become duller, thinner and more fragile. Formulated throughout the GrenzCine collection to revitalize a mature epidermis, Vivier’s polyamine growth factor ingredient (Polyamine-DAB) uses amino acid compounds naturally present in the human body to stimulate your body’s own growth factors. Available in a serum, an anti-aging cream or eye cream that’s ideal for anyone with mature skin, the innovative ingredient has been clinically proven to improve firmness, hydration and thicken the skin while boosting volume lost due to aging.
Anti-Aging Ingredient #5 - Mineral Sunscreen
Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light destroys collagen and elastin fibres and is responsible for large amounts of premature aging, from the acceleration of fine lines and wrinkles to the development of hyperpigmentation. More importantly, exposure to UVA and UVB rays are responsible for skin cancer. Often mixed in a SPF formula, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the two mineral sunscreen ingredients that can help to protect skin from all of the above. The minerals work by creating a shield on the skin that reflects UV light to minimize the damaging impact. And, because the actives aren’t fully absorbed into the skin, these formulas are often preferred by dermatologists for inflammatory skin types, such as sensitive or acne-prone skin. Start using a mineral sunscreen lotion as soon as you can and make it a daily habit, it’s the best anti-aging cream you can invest in. Photodamage can start to show up as early as your twenties, especially if you had a childhood of bad sunburns, but there’s no age limit on protecting skin and preventing future damage.
Now that you know the 5 must-have ingredients to look for in anti-aging skin care products you can start building a routine that will lead to a more youthful, healthy-looking complexion.
