We can’t stop skin from ageing, but there’s plenty we can do to reduce the look of ageing and prolong a fresh, glowing, younger-looking complexion for longer. How? With a few simple skincare hacks and lifestyle tweaks.
Is this really possible? Here at Face Dr, our team of skin experts think so. Our experts have decades of experience in the skincare world and have treated thousands of clients with ageing skin. We’re clued up about which products actually help smooth wrinkles, what you can do at home to keep skin looking younger, and the tips and tricks that actually help when it comes to ageing skin.
Here are our top tips for younger looking skin:
#1 Start using retinol
#2 Watch out for blue light
#3 Upgrade your exfoliation
#4 Hydrate
#5 Be gentle on skin
#6 Always remove your make-up
#7 Take care of your eyes
#8 Boost collagen
Looking for our favourite age-fighting skincare products or in-clinic treatments to help? We’ve covered that before. Now, let’s dive into how these tips can keep skin looking young.
How to tackle ageing skin
#1 Start using retinol
You may have heard of this anti-ageing ingredient already. Retinol is derived from vitamin A and can work wonders on ageing skin as it increases how fast your skin produces new skin cells. New skin cells always look younger, fresher and brighter.
Retinol also smooths and firms the skin to reduce the look of wrinkles, and it can actually help stop new ones from forming, too. It also exfoliates away dead skin cells to reveal a brighter complexion and it lightens any discolouration and age spots. The ingredient can even leave the skin looking firmer and more plump.
Look out for retinol in night creams, serums and eye creams. Begin using the ingredient slowly to build up your skin’s tolerance to it and speak with a skin expert to find the ideal strength for you.
One product to try is ZO Skin Health’s Wrinkle + Texture Repair which activates the skin’s natural renewal process and smooths and plumps lines and wrinkles.
#2 Watch out for blue light
We all know we shouldn’t go out in the sun without wearing sunscreen because of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. But did you know that the blue light emitted from our phones and laptops can be harmful to our skin, too? Blue light can lead to the same ageing effects as the sun, which include discolouration, dark spots, wrinkles and loss of elasticity and firmness.
To protect your skin from blue night, start by disabling blue light on your devices. You can do this on most smartphones, tablets and computers. You can also reduce the brightness of any screens you spend a lot of time in front of.
Next, be sure to always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen to block harmful light, including blue light and UV rays. Experiment with a few different sunscreens until you find one you’re comfortable wearing everyday. Alternatively, speak to a skincare expert to get the best recommendations, and save time and money finding the perfect sunscreen for your skin straight away.
You can also look out for products which include antioxidants, as these can help fight against harmful compounds like blue light and protect the skin. Antioxidants can be found in everything from serums to masks.
#3 Upgrade your exfoliation
Exfoliation is a key step in any anti-ageing skincare routine. If you’re not already exfoliating, incorporate some products into your routine like an exfoliating cleanser, serum or a scrub you can use a few times a week. This’ll help to remove dead skin cells on the surface of the skin that often cause a dull and grey looking complexion. Exfoliating can also help to lighten the look of age spots.
If you’re already exfoliating, it’s time to take it to the next level. Look for stronger products that will have more visible results. AHAs like citric acid and glycolic acid are great for a deeper exfoliation. Look into overnight peels and pre-soaked acid peel pads.
For brands, explore those with high-grade ingredients and a focus on safe yet effective exfoliation, like ZO Skin Health. This brand has exfoliating serums, cleansers and at-home peels to choose from.
#4 Hydrate
Our skin becomes more dry and less able to hold onto moisture as we age. This not only leads to dry skin and rough patches, it can also cause wrinkles and sagging, too. This means moisturising is even more important as we get older. More moisture in the skin can plump it up so it looks firmer, promote a glowing complexion and help to heal any dry patches.
Look out for hydrating serums you can add to your daily routine. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are two key moisture-boosting ingredients to include in your routine. You can also include a weekly moisturising mask that can boost moisture levels in the skin and leave it looking dewy.
#5 Be gentle on skin
This doesn’t just apply to using gentle products, you should also be gentle with your skin whenever you touch it. Pulling, tugging and generally being a little heavy handed with the skin can lead to wrinkles and sagging. So, when washing your face, be sure not to scrub too hard. When applying serums and eye creams in particular, don’t pull or tug the skin and apply with a light touch and always pat your skin dry with a towel instead of aggressively rubbing.
During the day, try not to touch your face too much. At night, consider sleeping on your back to avoid tugging skin on your pillow. Plus, you can switch your pillowcase for a silk one that’s softer on the skin and doesn’t pull on it as much. Bonus: it prevents hair from frizzing, too!
#6 Always remove your make-up
It’s all too tempting to simply get straight into bed at the end of a long day instead of going through our skincare routine and removing make-up. But this can actually age the skin. That’s because our skin heals and renews itself as we sleep. With a layer of make-up on, it’s much harder for the skin to do this. Plus, not removing make-up can lead it to clog the pores which causes acne, breakouts and blemishes.
Invest in a high-quality cleanser that can remove make-up, dirt and oil from the skin without drying it out. Be strict on yourself and never let yourself go to bed with your make-up still on, your skin will thank you.
Some products to try include:
- ZO Skin Health’s Exfoliating Cleanser for an extra-dose of anti-ageing exfoliation
- Obagi’s Foaming Cleanser for those with oilier skin or those prone to breakouts (Get in touch with hello@myfacedr.com if you’re interested in this product)
#7 Take care of your eyes
No, this tip isn’t about eyesight, it’s about the skin around your eyes. This skin is very thin and therefore the first to show signs of ageing. Dark circles, puffiness, fine wrinkles and crow's feet can all give away more of your age than you may want.
Start by investing in a high-quality eye cream that can add moisture back into the skin and deliver age-busting ingredients. Look out for thick rich creams that’ll soothe and add hydration. Vitamin C, retinol and hyaluronic acid are all great ingredients to look out for in eye creams which can help to smooth wrinkles, reduce discolouration and make the area look brighter and younger.
Eye creams are designed especially for the eye area as the skin here is much thinner, sensitive and more prone to irritation. While using regular products around your eyes may not cause any issues for some, for others it can lead to redness or dryness, which makes the skin around the eyes look darker and fine lines look even more pronounced.
#8 Boost collagen
Collagen is one of the main proteins that make up our skin and it's responsible for giving skin its structure, firmness and plumpness. Our collagen production naturally declines as we age though, leaving the skin looking saggy, wrinkled and flat. Luckily, you can boost your collagen supplies.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by taking collagen supplements. You can find collagen supplements in many different forms, like tablets or powders. You can buy it in most healthcare shops or pharmacies. These supplements can help to boost our body’s natural supplies and leave skin fuller, tauter and, ultimately, more youthful. Be sure to speak with your pharmacist or GP before taking supplements to make sure they’re for you.
Need an expert opinion?
Those are just a few of the things you can do to slow skin ageing and combat signs of ageing you may already have. But everyone’s skin is different and we all need a slightly different approach. That’s why we recommend speaking with a skincare professional to get advice tailored for your skin type, severity of ageing, budget and exact concerns.
Here at Face Dr, we offer free online consultations where you can speak with one of our skin experts about ageing skin. In a 30-minute video call, they’ll analyse your skin and recommend products, ingredients and other things you can do to tackle your exact concerns. We only ever recommend products that we know work, so you can trust you’ll see age-fighting benefits in no time. However, if you decide the recommendations aren’t for you, there’s never any obligation to buy.
Our team is always on hand to answer any questions you might have about how best to take care of your skin. Plus, our experts can recommend an exact skincare routine you can follow to smooth wrinkles, boost firmness and promote a youthful glow.
