I've practiced 5 personal “rules” for healthier skin for the past 20 years, and today I want to share my favorite anti-aging skin care tips with you. Hopefully you'll implement some or all of them for yourself! You can begin these tips at any age to help improve your skin's appearance and prevent further damage, but earlier is always better.
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5 Anti-Aging Skin Care Tips That Work
I was quite the sun-worshipper when I was younger, and I even had a job working in a tanning bed. Luckily, I got my act together pretty quickly and started looking out for my skin in my mid-20s. Developing skin cancer at 24 was a huge wake up call!
Trust me, it's much better to have healthy skin throughout your lifetime than to have bronzed skin when you're young, then pay the price with premature wrinkling, age spots, and skin cancer for the majority of your life.
May is National Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. Visit www.skincancer.org to learn skin care tips about prevention, early detection, and how you can get involved.
1. Use Sunscreen
Did I use sunscreen with an SPF 30+ on a daily basis and limit my time in the sun during harsh mid-day hours. I use Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 30 as my daily moisturizer and EltaMD UV Facial Broad-Spectrum SPF 30+ as my sunscreen. Sun Bum Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 is for my body!
Did you know you're supposed to add sunscreen LAST when you're applying skincare products in the morning? It comes after serums and moisturizers. I didn't know that for the longest time when I was younger and I always used to apply it first.
TIP: Look for a broad-spectrum SPF that includes zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, because that will protect against both UVA and UVB rays (source). UVA rays affect the deeper layers of skin and can cause premature aging, wrinkling, and age spots. UVB rays affect the top layer of skin and can cause sunburn and skin cancer.
Related: What's the Proper Order to Apply Skin Care Products?
2. Wash Your Face Daily
My skincare routine includes washing my face twice daily using a mild cleanser. I use my Clarisonic Mia Brush and Clean & Clear “Morning Burst” Hydrating Facial Cleanser in the morning and Clean & Clear “Night Relaxing” at night. Sometimes I'll swap the Clean & Clear out for CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser or Philosophy's Purity Cleanser.
TIP: Check out our Top Ten Do's & Don'ts for Teen Skin. They're great skin care tips that are applicable for any age!
3. Stay Hydrated
I drink large quantities of water and maintain a healthy diet overall. (It's about 80% healthy; I don't claim to be anywhere near perfect). I make sure to get at least 8 glasses of water each day, sometimes more. Here's a list I put together listing 10 of the Best Foods for Healthy & Beautiful Skin.
4. Avoid Bad Habits
I don't smoke, rarely drink alcohol, and I gave up the tanning beds years ago. I also try to avoid using straws, because they cause serious wrinkles around the mouth.
5. Have Regular Chemical Peels
I have chemical peels on a regular basis. I realize this one may be controversial, but they have been shown to help prevent the progression of skin cancer. (See here and here.) My dermatologist recommended them, so I do them.
I also regularly use Retin-A (tretinoin) a few times each week at night to turn over dead skin cells. I'm fully convinced that retinol, retinoic acid, and tretinoin-based products are the closest thing we have to an actual fountain of youth.
I take better care of my skin now at 43 than I did in my teens and 20s.
My Final Anti-Aging Skin Care Tip: Start Young & Never Stop!
GIRLS, take note: Most of our readers here are young girls who may not think this post applies to you…but if you aren't using sunscreen on a daily basis then it definitely applies! These skin care tips will work best if you get an early start.
The bottom line is that you can act to reverse and prevent future skin damage IF you make it a daily priority to care for your skin. Prevention is always your best option! Wear generous amounts of sunscreen and limit your time in the sun during harsh mid-day hours. Stay hydrated, and always focus on eating to nourish your body.
Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions about my anti-aging skin care tips or my daily routine.
Hi 🙂 I’m wondering what are the actual products you use and recommend for your skincare routine?
-thank you!
I use (prescription strength) Retin-A every other night, and I think that makes the biggest difference. I wash my face each morning with Clean & Clear, then apply Vitamin C Serum (Mario Badescu) and a tinted broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 41 (Elta MD) as my foundation. I use Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion scrub at night to wash my face before bed and apply serum then, too. (But my skin is tough and can handle microdermabrasion every night, while that’s too much for some skin types.) Sometimes I’ll do a face mask for about 15 minutes at night if I have time 🙂
Great tips!! I used to use that sunscreen all the time, I agree it is really good! I recently switched to Coola sunscreen and I am loving that as well! Also I can totally tell a difference in my skin when I am not drinking enough water!
Thanks for sharing your tips. While I never used tanning beds when I was younger, I definitely loved to suntan, usually with baby oil!
Ugh…I had my moments with the baby oil, too. If there was any trick I could use to look bronze, I tried it. 🙂
I so wish I hadn’t try to tan when I was in my teens. My pale skin would only freckle, then burn, but I kept on trying. Now, especially on my chest, I have some pretty bad sun damage. Now I’m super covered up with sunscreen everyday. Better late than never!