You’ve known for a long time that the best skincare products are formulated differently for varying skin types, that is, dry, normal or combination skin. What you may have missed, is that there are products specially made only for aging skin, and they run a-plenty!
However, with a Beauty and Anti-Aging Industry currently valued at US$1.026 trillion, as estimated by the Global Wellness Institute, even if you knew the differences, chances are, you’ll have a hard time sifting through warehouses full of anti-aging products. Which ones do you need?
A look at Aging Skin
Is a neck cream necessary? Do you need an eye cream like Age Escape apart from your regular wrinkle cream? What functionalities should you demand from your anti-aging cream?
More questions such as these are valid even before making an actual purchase, most especially because it’s not unusual for anti-aging products to carry hefty price tags. Frankly, the honest answer to all of the questions above is, “it depends on your skin needs?” Of the factors that affect the products, your aging skin requires, the most significant determinant is your age.
Differently, aged skin need differently formulated products. You must recall how your 20-year-old skin was hardly dull and irritated. That was because all of the processes happening deep within your skin down to the cellular level were optimally functioning — skin cell turnover was efficient, and collagen levels were at their all-time high. Generally, with aging skin, that’s hardly the case, and the problems build up as you keep adding another decade to your age.
First, antioxidant levels begin to decline, making your skin more prone to early signs of skin aging. Next, senescence, or the body’s overall natural process of aging begins. At this stage, your cells start to churn less energy, causing a general slow down in cellular activities, including lower collagen level production. Then, the protective barriers break down, leaving the skin open and vulnerable to damage. As you age more, all of these root causes of aging amplify.
The Only 5 Anti-aging Creams you will ever need
Other than delaying senescence, your aging skincare regimen must also address environmental stressors, including UV radiation from the sun, which also age the skin.
With these in mind, there are only 5 anti-aging creams you really need, as follows:
1. Sunscreen.
Photoaging remains to be the top cause of skin aging, including premature aging. You can’t fight the signs of photo damage from showing up on your skin without complementing it with a preventive measure. Keep wearing your sunscreen.
2. Moisturizing / Age Defense Cream.
Aging skin is dry and dull. Dryness magnifies the signs of aging already etched on your skin. Worse, dryness makes your aging skin even more vulnerable to wrinkles and fine lines. Prevent more damage and make creases appear less noticeable with cream that’s packed with moisturizers.
Add more protection by checking your cream for antioxidants and peptides that help plump up the skin, leaving it to appear dewy and healthy. According to a study on “Skin Anti-Aging Strategies” published in the Journal of Dermato Endocrinology in 2012, the most helpful and most potent antioxidants to support anti-aging purposes are Vitamins C, B3, and E.
3. Anti-aging Eye Cream.
Not all people will need an anti-aging eye cream. If you have dry skin around the eyes, though, and you may not have it now, but it will be drier as you get older, sign up an eye cream which is specially formulated for skin around the eyes. Age Escape, for instance, contains retinol and ceramides which address wrinkles and hyperpigmented areas, and help better protect skin from damage by building on protective layers, respectively.
4. Overnight Regenerative Cream.
Also, “deep wrinkle cream” contains retinoids or prescription-only tretinoin. Use it separately or look for it in your wrinkle cream. Just a small amount, according to studies, can cause a significant improvement in the appearance of aging skin.
5. Neck and Décolleté Cream.
Another products which may not fit everyone with aging skin are neck and décolleté creams. If you have a highly moisturizing facial moisturizer or wrinkle cream, this product might not be necessary. However, if you are using lightweight, non-emollient solutions, then a neck cream is a must.
Conclusion
The only products you need to add to your aging skincare regimen must be able to mitigate the skin aging, that is, the sun’s UV rays, and senescence.