When Should I Start Using Anti-Aging Products?
Anti-aging skincare products are some of the most popular in the industry, and for a good reason. These products can supposedly turn back the clock, help you recapture your youth to some extent, and even minimize the signs of aging in your skin in the future.
But how effective are anti-aging products, really? And if they are great solutions, when should you start using anti-aging products? Let’s break down the answers to both of these questions and more now.
What Are Some Active Ingredients in Anti-Aging Products?
Many anti-aging products use a variety of high-quality, active ingredients. These ingredients include but are not limited to:
- Retinol, which is technically a version of vitamin A. In a nutshell, retinol is a prime anti-aging skincare ingredient because it helps your skin cells regenerate more readily and without as much damage. As we get older, our skin cells become less capable of repairing themselves perfectly. Retinol helps minimize this effect even as we get older.
- Hyaluronic acid, which doesn’t directly affect skin aging but does help your skin retain moisture throughout the day. This helps your skin look and feel younger by sealing in moisture and preventing your skin from drying out. This is a key ingreident in Hope Health’s Hydrate skin moisturizer.
- Glycerin, which is also an excellent moisturization element. It draws moisture from deep within the skin to the surface, preventing the surface layers of your skin from drying out.
- Vitamin C, which is a vital antioxidant. Antioxidants like vitamin C can help soothe skin and reduce feelings of irritation. Hope Health’s Nourish skin serum is packed with antioxidants like vitamin B, C, and E.
- Ferulic acid, which is another potent antioxidant often found in some of the best facial skincare serums. This antioxidant is also found in many foods.
These anti-aging ingredients do certainly provide beneficial effects to your skin cells. While they cannot fully turn back the clock and make your skin as youthfully radiant and plump as it was when you were younger, they may minimize the effects of aging as you get older or help prevent new wrinkles and aging spots from cropping up.
When Is the Best Time To Use Anti-Aging Products?
So, if anti-aging products are worth your time, when should you use them? The answer: today.
In fact, there’s no bad time to start using anti-aging products. Many people believe that you should only use anti-aging products when you reach a certain age, such as 40 or 50: when you are in the middle age of your life. But nothing could be further from the truth.
In reality, you should use anti-aging products whenever you are able to. Given their active ingredients, anti-aging products work better the longer you use them consistently, and the more time your skin cells have with those beneficial ingredients.
Basically, if you treat your skin as well as possible when you are younger, your skin will look and feel better as you get older.
If you start using anti-aging products while you are young, you may experience a more graceful aging process. Your skin might accrue fewer wrinkles or aging spots and be less susceptible to certain aging conditions like hyperpigmentation.
However, if you haven’t taken the best care of your skin so far, you can still use anti-aging products starting today and potentially see major benefits. If you’re in middle age or older and your skin already has wrinkles or aging spots, never fear; anti-aging products can sometimes reduce the severity of those wrinkles and aging spots or prevent you from seeing more over time.
How Can Anti-Aging Products Help?
Most anti-aging products help in a few specific ways:
- They improve healthy cellular division. Each day, your body makes millions of new skin cells. These skin cells replace the ones you lose throughout daily routines. As we get older, our skin cells divide less perfectly. But certain anti-aging ingredients may help with this effect.
- They moisturize your skin. As noted earlier, dry, cracked skin is more susceptible to skincare problems. Moisturize, healthy skin looks and feels younger, and your skin cells may divide more readily as a result.
- They reduce free radical damage. Antioxidants like vitamin C do wonders for reducing irritation or itchiness across the skin, and they may also help with issues like skin rashes or pigmentation problems.
That said, you have to use anti-aging products consistently in order to see long-term results. Don’t expect a single application of an anti-aging skincare product to suddenly revitalize your skin and make you look ten years younger.
How Can I Use Anti-Aging Products Effectively?
Fortunately, using anti-aging products properly and effectively is easier than you may think. In most cases, you can simply incorporate them into your existing skincare routine.
For the best results, plan to use anti-aging products in between using a cleanser or toner and a moisturizer. For many, the optimal skincare routine looks like this:
- Start off with a cleanser or exfoliation product. These products remove dead skin cells, dirt, and debris from your pores, opening them up for other ingredients.
- Use a toner if needed. Toners can prepare your skin pores for receiving more ingredients and clean even deeper than most cleansers.
- Then use a serum or anti-aging product. Serums and other anti-aging products are best used at this stage since your pores are open and ready to accept as many helpful ingredients as possible.
- Lastly, round off your skincare routine with a moisturizer. Many anti-aging ingredients, like retinol, can dry out your skin. Using a moisturizer negates this effect and prevents you from losing more moisture throughout the day.
As with any skincare product, the best results will be seen if you use anti-aging products and ingredients regularly. We recommend incorporating anti-aging products into your skincare routine twice per day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
If done properly, you could see results in a number of weeks or months. Of course, you can also speak to a dermatologist for professional recommendations or assistance specifically tailored to your skin type and sensitivities.
One final note: be sure to do the “dab” test when using a new anti-aging product. This holds true for any new skincare product, in fact. The dab test just means dabbing a very small amount of a new skincare product on your cheek. Don’t spread it all around without doing this test, as it allows you to see whether any of the ingredients in the new product are reactionary or inflammatory to your skin.
Summary
Anti-aging skincare products are just the start of long-term, foundational wellness. Other products, such as our Organic Greens+ Supplements, are perfect for ensuring your body always has the vitamins and minerals as it needs to thrive — no matter your age.
Have more questions or want to find other ways to boost your skin and bodily health? Check out Hope Health’s online store today.
Sources:
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions | NCBI
How to test skin care products | American Academy of Dermatology