No Experience Necessary: A Beginner's Guide to Anti-Aging

With hundreds of anti-aging products on the market that all promise to lift, tighten, brighten, smooth, and so on, starting an anti-aging skin care routine can be as overwhelming as noticing your first wrinkle—but, with our beginner’s guide to anti-aging, it doesn’t have to be.

An anti-aging skin care routine should really start when we are young, as the sun plays a large factor in aging skin. Applying and reapplying sunscreen on our faces and bodies is absolutely vital in decreasing signs of early skin aging—like, dark spots and fine lines. Look for a sunscreen that has broad-spectrum protection—meaning that it can protect the skin from the sun’s damaging UVA and UVB rays, like La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Face. With a formula that is fast absorbing and has a matte finish, this SPF can be great for everyday use under makeup or on its own.

Along with broad-spectrum SPF, moisturizer is a must in any anti-aging skin care routine—and using both in tandem can help to make a noticeable difference in your skin’s appearance as you get older. We recommend using an anti-aging cream, like Lancôme Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Day Cream. The cream is formulated for all skin types and can lift, firm, and tighten the appearance of your skin, while leaving it feeling ultra-hydrated. This day cream is also formulated with SPF 15 for protection against those UV rays. If you are looking for something that is on the lighter side, but can still give you hydrating results, try Vichy Aqualia Thermale Dynamic Hydration Power Serum. This moisturizing serum can help distribute and lock in water to all facial zones and helps to promote a radiant, glowing complexion.

In addition to hydrating your face, neck, and body, on the outside, you should be sure to hydrate yourself on the inside as well. Skip the sugary drinks of your youth and opt instead for plain old H2O. Need a little flavor in your beverage? Check out our 3 spa-inspired fruit and herb water recipes.  

If you haven’t already upped your skin care game, now is the time to start. Whether you’re dealing with wrinkles and fine lines, dark spots, or the loss of volume that can occur as you get older, there are anti-aging skin care products out there that can help you address each concern. You’ll want to use an eye cream, night creams with lots of anti-aging goodies inside, and invest in skin care serums. One we love is SkinCeuticals Phyto+ Serum. This hydrating botanical serum can work to diminish the look of unwanted discoloration in a hyaluronic base that can leave the skin feeling—and looking—soothed and radiant.

When it comes to aging, our bad habits could be the root cause of some early signs. Eating junk food, smoking, laying out in the sun all day, and not getting enough sleep could all be responsible for premature signs of skin aging, so it is best to leave them behind in your youth—and if you are young, cut them out now, your future self will thank you.