Anti Aging

[hania20]

Hey guys,

so i'm 22 years old and I want to start using anti-aging products now. I'm very strict with my skincare and I use a variety of hydrating products. I also have oily skin and I'm acne prone. I was looking around for some anti-aging products but I want something affordable. I would also like some advice if y'all have any in terms of night creams and eye creams. There is a debate whether or not night creams and eye creams are useful. I currently use the CeraVe night moisturizer after my serums and toner. 

[ellie50]

Great advice so far, I'll just add in regarding night creams. You're CeraVe is fine (ceramides and moisturizing). Heavy creams may cause milia. I tried heavy creams and had to go to the derm to get them removed. If I get one on my face, I will go at it myself (ssshhhh) but not around the eyes, it's too easy to damage the skin.

Great re: sunscreen wear! I come from the generation of sun worshipers and I'm paying for it with sun damage. Back then we thought it was good for your skin, especially if you had acne. Don't neglect protecting your eyes with sunglasses (also minimizes squinting, which in later years repeated eye movement forms wrinkles).

[zochimochi]

I highly agree with the sunscreen bandwagon, but I'm a mineral sunscreen gal now. I've heard a lot about chemical sunscreens and how they breakdown quickly (30 min) in the sun so if I could recommend Kopari's Antioxidant Face Shield (SPF 30). As for something Sephora carries, I haven't tried it, but I've heard good things about Saint Jane Beauty Luxury Sun Ritual Pore Smoothing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 1.7 oz / 50 mL I have a feeling this one would be good for you due to the pore smoothing properties.

Two brands (and products) I absolutely love and use regularly in my rotation is Sunday Riley Mini A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum 0.5 oz / 15 mL and the #fresh Lotus Anti-Aging Night Moisturizer 1.6 oz/ 50 mL . I started taking my skincare semi-seriously around the same time you did and recently I've been seeing the rewards from my efforts (I'm 26 now). 

Finding your "routine" and go to products is so much fun! 

*for reference I have normal to combination skin.

[WinglessOne]

@zochimochi  FYI, how quickly any UV filter breaks down depends a lot on the way a sunscreen is formulated. Example: avobenzone is the chemical UVA filter in all US chemical broad spectrum sunscreens (because the FDA won't let us have nice things like the newer stabler chemical filters used in Europe and Asia). Avobenzone is notoriously photo-unstable: sunlight easily breaks it down. That's why US chemical sunscreens also contain other ingredients, including additional UV filters, that make avobenzone photostable. You'll get more than 30 minutes of protection from a chemical sunscreen. 

Even if chemical sunscreens stopped working within an hour (they don't), most doctors recommend reapplying sunscreen throughout the day anyway. That's partly because many folks don't apply enough sunscreen in the first place, but also because all types of sunscreen—chemical, mineral/physical, and hybrid—can and will slide off your face as you sweat, wipe any part of your face, rest your face on your hand(s), walk in the rain, etc. throughout the day. 

And: hooray for being a devoted sunscreen user! More people should wear the hecking sunscreen all year long, regardless of weather or season. 👍 

[zochimochi]

@WinglessOne Thank you so much! I appreciate the knowledge, every day we learn something new 🙂 What sunscreen do you personally use or recommend if you don't mind me asking?

[WinglessOne]

No problem, @zochimochi ! One fun thing about skincare is that it's always evolving: new ingredients and compounds are created, new formulations are constantly tested, and previous ideas are sometimes changed. Heck, for a long time I followed the old "chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays, mineral sunscreens reflect UV rays" explanation until I came upon a study that showed both types of sunscreens work largely the same way (they both absorb UV rays, convert 'em to heat, and then release that heat from skin). Learning—even when it proves what I thought I knew is false—is fun! 

I use several different sunscreens throughout the year. It's not really a good idea to have so many sunscreens open at the same time (they do have expiration dates), but I like to test new-to-me products and alternate a few tried and trues. Here's what's currently in rotation: 

Chemical: 

• Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ - a reliable favorite; natural skin finish; the sunscreen I usually travel with 
• Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40 - a far less expensive Unseen Sunscreen dupe; leaves a shinier finish and feels greasier (to me) than Unseen Sunscreen; a good money saver 
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Hydrating Cream SPF 50+ - European sunscreen that contains newer UV filters unavailable in US sunscreens (I ordered it from Europe last year); shiny dewy finish; thick lotion texture that doesn't run into my eyes right after application 
• Eucerin Age Defense Sunscreen SPF 50 - leaves a moderately shiny finish; another thick lotion textured option 
• Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ - Korean sunscreen with newer UV filters than the US has; natural radiant skin finish; sometimes pools in the lines under my eyes and on my neck to leave very noticeable white stripes (one of the UV filters is a tinosorb that can sometimes leave a white cast on skin) 
• Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF 50+ PA++++ - I sometimes use this stick to reapply sunscreen throughout the day 

Mineral: 

• Native Unscented Facial Sunscreen SPF 30 - natural skin finish; leaves almost no white/grey cast on my "medium-deep to deep" skin tone 
• Dermstore Collection Daily Mineral Sunscreen Sheer Tint SPF 40 - available only at Dermstore's site; matte (but not super matte) finish; the tint exists only to mask any zinc oxide white cast, not to change your skin tone; the tint works well with my skin tone 

Hybrid: my favorites were both Japanese sunscreens, but they were reformulated with ingredients my facial skin doesn't like so I couldn't repurchase them. I've got a few new options coming my way, though, so I'll have more sunscreens to test soon. 

[amv23]

What does your normal routine look like? I wouldn’t stress about a specific “night” cream, just use a light weight moisturizer during the morning and at night use a thicker, ceramide or peptide focused cream. In terms of anti-aging, spf and retinol are your best friend. Since your young you can use bakuchiol products because they are non irritating but have good benefits. Retinol or retinal can irritate your skin or make you purge so I’d build up your tolerance slowly and read the instructions. Make sure to wear spf everyday!

[amv23]

Also eye creams are beneficial based on your concern. For hydration use your regular moisturizer. Dark circles use something with caffeine and for fine lines a retinol eye cream.

[CorgiMommy]

@hania20 the real anti-aging trick is wear sunscreen every day if you go outside.  That will keep your skin looking good.  Try Supergoop Unseen 

[hania20]

were you supposed to tag a product? but yes I wear sunscreen everyday.