Anti-Aging Products You NEED in Your 20s
In our 20s, skincare may seem like an “optional” part of the daily routine. You might think, why should I spend money on good quality products now while my skin is smooth and wrinkle-free? The truth is, the damage done to our skin in our 20s is generally what shows up as wrinkles, sun damage, uneven complexion, and blemishes as we age.
Beginning to exfoliate or use retinol for the first time in our 30s or 40s isn’t really going to change that appearance—it might slow down more damage, but most of it will be out of our control by then. So, what are the products that will protect your skin now so you don’t have to worry about catching up in the future? Read on!
Hydrating Cleanser
A cleanser that also hydrates as it cleanses, such as our Age Defense Cleanser, is key in your 20s. It’s important to keep skin clean in your 20s, so that the free radicals your face is exposed to on a daily basis don’t cause pigmentation and significant collagen loss in future years.
Our formula uses papaya enzymes and salicylic acid to slough away dead skin cells, reviving dry and aging skin. These ingredients both brighten and hydrate skin, leaving you with the clarity your skin needs!
Serums
As we said, maintaining collagen when you still have lots of it is just as important as rebuilding it later on. Vitamin C is huge for sustaining collagen production—and it also brightens your complexion— again, a win-win!
Our Vitamin CE Serum or Youth Serum are perfect for right after you use your cleanser and before you apply a peptide or moisturizer.
Retinol
Retinol is a major tool in the skincare toolbox: it builds collagen and reduces photoaging, and it increases cell turnover (a natural process that slows down as we age). That means clear, even, and firm skin! It’s important to use at least small amounts of retinol in your 20s because you want to get your skin used to it, allowing you to use prescription-strength retinol by your 30s and 40s.
We recommend Eye Cream with Retinol for starters, because the under-eye area is very delicate skin and can be the first place where we notice aging. When you’re ready to get started with using retinol in more areas, check out our Gentle Retinol.
Note: Retinol can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight—a good reminder to make sure you include a great sunscreen in your routine (more on that below)!
Exfoliate, Moisturize, Repeat
Exfoliation is critical for treating damage from the sun, smoking, or other irritants. A simple daily cleanse won’t get rid of these deeper-reaching free radicals, but an exfoliator will. Try our Exfoliating Scrub about once a week, see how your skin reacts, and increase (2-3 times weekly) or decrease (to at least once weekly) your exfoliation frequency accordingly.
All that said, it’s very important to make sure all exfoliating is paired with major hydration. Without a good moisturizer balancing out an exfoliation routine, we’ll end up with dry, irritated, and even wrinkled skin.
For first-time users of retinol or exfoliants, check out our Intense Hydrating Cream—it will deliver the hydration you need after adding the drying effects of retinol and exfoliation to your routine. For those who are already exfoliating, you’ll fall in love with our H.A. Hydrator with hyaluronic acid benefits.
Sunscreen
Maybe you’ve heard this a thousand times already, but just in case: wearing sunscreen every day is a skincare MUST! If you don’t do anything else on this list, start wearing sunscreen—today.
We talk about sunscreen—Physical vs Chemical Sunscreen: Which Option Is Right for You?; 5 Things That (Prematurely) Age Your Skin; Should You Still Wear SPF in the Winter?—a lot here at Mint & Needle. But that’s because it is not only hugely important for preventing wrinkles, visible damage, and loss of firmness in the skin, it is also critical for preventing skin cancer.
Plus, if you’re already investing in Botox injections for your anti-wrinkle needs, you’ll want to protect that investment (aka your beautiful face) with a quality sunscreen.
We offer two super protective sunscreens to cover all skin types. For those with dry, sensitive, or clear skin, pick up our Hydrating UV Defense; for those with oily or acne-prone skin, try our Oil-Free UV Defense.
Finally, if you’re starting from scratch, our Age Defense Regimen bundle makes all of the above super easy on you: one click, and you get products for all of these purposes, plus instructions for your new skincare routine come with the bundle.
So, are you ready for your future self to thank you for your glowing, timeless beautiful skin? Let’s get you a new skincare routine, while there’s still time to make a big impact!
