Life happens, and no one will ever blame you for
putting your career, kids, parents, happy hours, whatever before your
skin-care regimen. But if you haven't yet whipped your anti-aging
routine into shape, now's the time—because it only gets harder from
here. Just sticking with the basics, like moisturizing and dutifully
applying SPF like a champ, is no match for time, UV rays, genetics, and
gravity. But it's not all bad news (we promise). Really, you just need a
multi-faceted approach to take down the wrinkles and sun spots. With
these smart steps and powerful ingredients, you just might find yourself
pulling a Benjamin Button.
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1. A consistent AM and PM skin-care routine.
Not
only will that serious dedication to a set regimen help you decompress
after a long day (think of it as built-in self-care) but it can also
improve your skin. That's because most skin-care products take two weeks to a month
to begin showing results—and that's assuming you're using them
regularly. Not only will you be able to see benefits in the mirror if
you're actually using your products every morning and night, but
sticking with the same routine means that it'll be easier to figure out
which products aren't working once you start incorporating new ones.
2. A good, powerful eye cream.
"You look tired today" is one of those things no one wants to hear. (It's also rude, but that's another story.) One study showed that using a moisturizer with sunscreen, night cream, and
eye cream was significantly more effective in minimizing crow's feet
than just the moisturizer and night cream alone. Look for a hydrating
formula that has a cooling effect, which can take down puffiness, while
vitamin K erases dark circles.
[post_ads_2]3. Formulas rich in active anti-aging ingredients.
4. Antioxidants that complement one other.
After sunscreen, your number-one defense against signs of aging is antioxidants, which fight the free radicals that cause acne, wrinkles, and even dark spots. But antioxidants have another benefit: Certain ones work synergistically, boosting the efficacy of others, like vitamins C and E, ferulic acid, and even green tea extract.
This makes them the MVPs of the beauty world, and if you haven't begun
incorporating them into your routine, now's the time to do it.
[post_ads_2]5. Hydration, hydration, hydration
Age is just a number, but its consequences are not—like losing the oil glands and integrity of the moisture barrier
that keep skin moisturized. When your skin is dry, wrinkles and fine
lines can actually look more obvious (think of how a sponge seizes up
when it dries out). No thanks! So constant hydration is key. Make sure
your moisturizer—which you should be using both morning and
night—contains hyaluronic acid, a potent molecule that acts like a
moisture magnet; you can double up by layering a hydrating hyaluronic acid serum under it.
6. A regimen for your neck and décolletage
You
could have the facial skin of a newborn, but there's no point in that
if your neck and chest are wrinkled and freckled. And that's usually the
case, since that area is as exposed to sun damage as the face, but
rarely (if ever) gets the same amount of regular sunscreen applications.
The skin there is notoriously thin, too, so it deserves its own
dedicated skin-care products. Start using a neck cream, stat, or at
least extend your go-to moisturizers all the way down. And, of course,
start slathering your SPF there if you aren't doing so already.
