Having had really bad skin in high school, I am now obsessed with my skin. I don’t meant to toot my own horn, but I have tried every product on the market and spoken to most dermatologists in the city, and the results have been astounding. I have compiled a list of the most common advice I received, specifically for skincare for ages 25-35.
The first thing I learned is that it is NEVER too late to start use daily sunscreen. Even when it is raining, you won’t catch me without my SPF 30 or higher! Wear a hat and sunglasses wherever you can, even if you are just inside the house – UV rays are not 100% blocked by windows. If you hate the reapplying process, which is what always gets me, invest in a mineral brush-on sunscreen. It goes on like a facial powder, and is such an easy thing to carry around in your purse. There is no excuse for poor sun protection!
The next thing I learned, is that moisturizer is key. You can use a $10 cleanser – ultimately, its more or less just fancy soap – but invest in a very good night cream. You don’t need a thousand products for different places; unless you have particular concerns about your eyes, just one good moisturizer is enough. Sephora has some great products, but you are better off going to a proper skincare clinic, and getting something more tailored to your specific skin type. If you don’t have a very high budget, Cerave has some great creams that many dermatologists recommended to me for a reasonable price.
The last thing I wanted to share, is that Retinol is the elixir of youth. It will remove fine lines, clear acne scares and even your complexion, all within a few months. If you’ve never used a retinol product before (and again, go to a skincare clinic for this one), go for a lower dose – 0.25% is still extremely powerful. I made the mistake of jumping straight into 0.5% and trust me, it wasn’t pretty. Even at a low percentage, your skin will take a while to get used to the product, so only use it as it can be tolerated, even if its just once a week to start. As well, retinol makes you more sensitive to UV rays, so be extra careful with that sun protection!
Beyond those three pieces of advice, the expertise I have been given had varied greatly. Most doctor’s have told me to stay clear of Botox until at least my 30s, but thats mostly because I have been very vigilant in my sunscreen application – those with deeper wrinkles and specific concerns can generally start Botox earlier without adverse effects. Treatments and peels, unless medical grade, do more for the soul than they do for the face – I did not meet a single registered dermatologist who told me that regular facials were an important part of skincare. For specific concerns (i.e fine lines or sun spots), more recommended Fraxel facials which, although pricey, can work miracles. Aside from that, the main thing I have learned from all of my research and discussion is that everyone’s skin is unique, but the above three rules are paramount. Every single person – and I’m talking 50+ skincare specialists – couldn’t stress the point hard enough: sunscreen, sunscreen, SUNSCREEN!
The Lovely Life 