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When is the Best Time to Start an Anti-Aging Skincare Routine?

As you age your skin experiences changes such as loss of elasticity, fine lines, wrinkles and dryness (1). Everyone's skin is different, and these changes will occur at different times, but you can help slow down and reduce the appearance of aging skin with a healthy lifestyle and a good skincare routine (1). Discover skincare routines and Cetaphil’s gentle moisturizing products. 

close up of person's eye with dry skin

When to start anti-aging skincare?

It’s never too early to start a good skincare routine and make good choices to help keep your skin hydrated, soft and healthy-looking. If you’ve never had a skincare routine before, read our article Anti-Aging Skin Care: How to Best Care for Your Aging Skin.


Starting a routine early can help prevent premature aging. A good approach is incorporating broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of at least 30 into your daily routine. UV rays can lead to premature aging of your skin, so using sun protection every day is vital to helping maintain youthful-looking skin (2).


As we age, our skin undergoes a natural aging process marked by a decline in collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, as well as our skin’s natural barrier not working as well. This leads to thinner, drier and less elastic skin, which results in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles (1).


Skin changes can also be impacted by other factors, including exposure to UV radiation, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices such as diet, alcohol and smoking (1,2).

What is the best skincare for aging skin?

The best skincare products for aging skin are those suitable for your skin type and those that include specific ingredients to help reduce the signs of aging. Your routine should include a good cleanser, serum, moisturizer, sun protection and exfoliator.


Key ingredients often found in anti-aging products include retinol, peptides, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid. Let’s take a quick look at these ingredients:

Sweet Almond Oil is used in many anti-aging skincare products and can help to smooth and soften dry, rough skin textures. 

Peptides form many proteins in your body, such as elastin and collagen, which help to keep your skin barrier healthy-looking, bright, hydrated and more youthful-looking (1,4). Peptides, such as those that form the protein keratin, can help with skin brightening, hair shine and improved skin texture (4). Learn more in our article A Beginner’s Guide to Peptides in Skincare.

Vitamins can also help hydrate and smooth skin (5). Both niacinamide (vitamin B3) and panthenol (vitamin B5) are often used in skincare products for aging skin to help with hydration, skin tone and skin barrier protection (5,6). Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightening Cream contains niacinamide and tocopherol (vitamin E) to help even skin tone while protecting the skin’s moisture barrier, so skin looks smoother and more radiant.

Hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in our skin, but its surface levels reduce as we age (1). Hyaluronic acid can help to boost your skin’s hydration, providing you with a smooth skin texture. This ingredient can also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as skin dryness (7,8).

How to take care of your skin as a teenager

It’s a good idea to start a skincare routine as a teenager because it’s important to create good habits early! For teenagers, like everyone else, sun protection is vital to protect skin against UV exposure. 


Additionally, because of the release of hormones during puberty, teenagers often experience increased skin oil (sebum) production which can lead to pores becoming blocked by excess oil, dead skin and bacteria, resulting in acne (8,9). Therefore, it’s important therefore to eat a balanced diet, as there is a known link between high sugar foods and acne (8,9). Equally important is to regularly cleanse your skin. 


Remember to choose products which are suitable for your skin type. For example, if you do have oily skin, try Cetaphil PRO DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer. This lightweight lotion provides SPF 30 protection and is a non-greasy formula which absorbs quickly and preserves the skin’s moisture barrier for a shine-free, matte finish appearance. 


Read our article How to Get Clearer Skin to find out more. 

How to take care of your skin in your 20s

Your twenties is a good time to start a proactive anti-aging skincare routine every morning and night. You may spend more time socializing in your twenties, but remember that it’s important to remove your makeup every day during this often busy stage of your life. 


Cetaphil Makeup Removing Wipes are very handy to remove your makeup on the go — these ultra soft wipes contain aloe vera, chamomile, and green tea botanicals, which can help soothe and condition your skin.

How to take care of your skin in your 30s

When you reach your thirties, you may start to notice the first visible signs of skin aging. 


If you notice a change in tone or texture of your skin, Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightening Cream can help to improve your skin's luminosity and reduce the appearance of dark spots. This lightweight cream is formulated with niacinamide and natural skin brightening extracts.

How to take care of your skin after 40 and 50

It’s important to continue your skincare routine with anti-aging skincare products when you reach your forties and fifties. Menopause, which usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55, can cause significant skin changes due to dropping estrogen levels, resulting in dry, thinner, less elastic skin (5,9). Studies show that adult skin loses about 1-1.5% of its collagen every year and during the menopause 2.1% a year (5,6).


Therefore, you may need richer moisturizers, targeted serums and additional treatments to address age spots, fine lines and wrinkles.


Additionally, as we age, our skin renewal rate tends to be slower which leads to a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface (1). Start your anti-aging skincare routine with a gentle cleanser, such as Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Gentle Renewing Cleanser to help improve your skin texture and gently promote skin surface renewal.


Follow with Cetaphil Healthy Radiance Brightening C-Serum which can be used to boost skin radiance, improving hydration and illuminating your complexion to provide a look of being well rested. This hydrating serum can help to improve your skin’s luminosity to reveal radiant, glowing, healthy-looking skin.


After applying the serum, use Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer in the morning to hydrate your skin. As a broad-spectrum SPF moisturizer, this daily use face moisturizer protects against harmful UVA and UVB rays.


At nighttime, apply Cetaphil Hydrating Night Cream before going to bed, so you can wake up to skin that looks rested and rehydrated.


Keeping the skin around your eyes hydrated can also help to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, so try Cetaphil Optimal Hydration Eye Serum for youthful, radiant-looking skin around the eyes.

The bottom line

It’s never too early to start an anti-aging skincare routine — getting into good habits with your skincare will help your skin to stay healthy-looking through the decades. As you age, your skin needs may change, but by protecting your skin against UV rays, eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and keeping your skin nourished and hydrated, you can help prevent some signs of premature aging and help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as you age.

References

  1. Ganceviciene R, Liakou AI, Theodoridis A, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Skin anti-aging strategies. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012.1;4(3):308-19. doi: 10.4161/derm.22804.
  2. American Academy of Dermatology Association. 11 Ways To Reduce Premature Skin Aging. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/reduce-premature-aging-skin Accessed May 10, 2023.
  3. Mukherjee S, Date A, Patravale V, et al. Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clin Interv Aging. 2006;1(4):327-48. doi: 10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.327.
  4. Gorouhi F, Maibach HI. Role of topical peptides in preventing or treating aged skin. Int J Cosmet Sci, 2009;31(5):327-345. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2494.2009.00490.x
  5. Pham-Huy LA, He H, Pham-Huy C. Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health. Int J Biomed Sci 2008;4(2):89-96. PMID: 23675073.
  6. Reilly DM, Lozano J. Skin collagen through the lifestages: importance for skin health and beauty. Plast Aesthet Res. 2021;8:2. doi:10.20517/2347-9264.2020.153.
  7. Stettler H, Kurka P, Lunau N et al. A new topical panthenol-containing emollient: Results from two randomized controlled studies assessing its skin moisturization and barrier restoration potential, and the effect on skin microflora. J Dermatolog Treat. 2017;28(2):173-180. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2016.1214235.
  8. Bukhari SNA, Roswandi N, Muhammad W, et al. Hyaluronic Acid, a Promising Skin Rejuvenating Biomedicine: A Review of Recent Updates and Pre-clinical and Clinical Investigations on Cosmetic and Nutricosmetic Effects. Int. J biol macromol 2018;120(Pt B):1682-1695. doi:120. 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.188.
  9. Ogé LK, Broussard A, Marshall MD. Acne Vulgaris: Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2019;100(8):475-484. PMID: 31613567.
  10. Vora RV, Gupta R, Mehta MJ, Chaudhari AH, Pilani AP, Patel N. Pregnancy and skin. J Family Med Prim Care. 2014;3(4):318-324. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148099.
  11. National Institute on Aging. What is Menopause? https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-menopause# Accessed September 19, 2023.