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Ageing is a natural part of life — in fact, being lucky enough to age is a privilege in and of itself. It’s impossible to completely eliminate the signs of ageing, and trying to look 21 at 51 is an endeavour destined to create frustration and insecurities. However, it is possible to age gracefully, even when collagen production starts to decrease — learning to avoid the activities and habits that highlight the ageing process and implementing some simple skincare ingredients in your daily routine can help you grow comfortably in your skin.
These simple skincare products will support your skin as it ages, so that by the time you’re 51, making you look like someone who is thriving. The important thing is, of course, self-love and moderation. There’s no point chasing an eternal fountain of youth that doesn’t exist, but there is a point in protecting the health of the largest and most exposed organ in your body. Please note that this is not strictly professional advice, and remember, it’s crucial to do your own research and testing to find the products that are right for you, and talk to a healthcare or skincare professional about changing your routine. Consider details as specific as which products can be used together — for example, vitamin C and vitamin A products should not be applied together.
SPF
The most important step in your routine is a strong SPF, or sunscreen. Sun damage is the biggest accelerator of skin damage, including hyper-pigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines — not to mention, skin cancer. This is why most Korean skincare is big about SPF.
There are two types of UV radiation that we get from the sun: UVA and UVB. UVA causes both tanning and signs of ageing, whereas UVB causes sunburn and redness. Both types of radiation cause damage to your skin cells’ DNA, which can lead to skin cancer and things like sun spots and wrinkles. This is why you’ll sometimes hear people say that there is no such thing as a healthy tan: that’s because the type of radiation that causes tanning also directly causes cancer. If you’re into the tanned look, try experimenting with fake tanning solutions, rather than the real thing.
You’ll also want to make sure that you’re reapplying sunscreen throughout the day, particularly on days with a high UV rating, or if you’re at the beach or the pool and taking a dip in the water. There will be advice on the packaging of your sunscreen — it’s always best to follow this.
Vitamin A or Retinols
When it comes to vitamin A skincare products, you’re normally looking at getting either a retinol or a retinoid. Retinoids are typically stronger and require a prescription — for example, in both the UK and Australia, you can only get tretinoin (a popular retinoid cream) through a doctor. However, retinol skincare products are accessible over the counter.
Retinol is used to treat both acne and wrinkles, and does many wonderful things, including increasing your skin cell production, increasing collagen production, and exfoliating your skin to renew its upper layer. As vitamin A is a strong skincare ingredient, you’ll want to slowly introduce it into your routine (perhaps starting off once every few days, and increasing it to once a day over the course of several weeks), and use buffering layers such as moisturisers in between the retinol and your skin. It can cause dryness and redness in some people, so if you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to try different products until you find one that your skin tolerates.
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Vitamin C
Our skin is in constant contact with ‘free radicals’, or toxins, including from air pollution, sun radiation, and even from the inside of our body such as from the metabolism. Vitamin C is an antioxidant ingredient, which means it protects the skin from free radicals, which can otherwise damage your skin. Therefore, introducing a vitamin C into your daily routine can help combat the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, and acne, or acne scarring.
Vitamin C also has anti-inflammatory properties which can improve any discolouration or redness, as well as improving your skin’s overall texture and health. It is also often an ingredient well-tolerated even by people with sensitive skin (although consider starting with a low strength product), so if you’re struggling with the strength of retinols, retinoids or vitamin A products, vitamin C may be a good place to start while you explore your options with other products.
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that nothing we can do will ever fully stop the physical signs of ageing, and to try to do so is usually a recipe for disaster. These ingredients are products that you can add to your daily routine to support the health and condition of your skin, and help you age in a way that makes you feel graceful and confident. One of the many benefits of skincare is the way a good routine can feel therapeutic and calming — we can’t control everything in the world, but being able to choose what you put in and on your body can do a little bit to help you feel like you’re in ready to take on the world every day.