3 Skincare Tips I wish I knew in my 20s

3 Skincare Tips I wish I knew in my 20s

By our Founder - Marina Freeman

1. SPF is the #1 skincare product in my morning skincare routine.

I wish I knew earlier that using a moisturizer with SPF or SPF by itself in the morning is absolutely essential. It's no secret that wearing SPF can help prevent sunburns that can lead to skin cancer. Unfortunately, in my 20s, I didn't know that a quality SPF has a major bonus - protecting my skin from harmful UV rays that cause dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles. With the simple step of applying SPF every morning, we can help our skin reverse the signs of aging by improving the appearance of dark spots, improving the texture of our skin, and boosting brightness.  Even if you are staying inside the whole day or its rainy and cloudy outside, SPF is a non-negotiable skincare step in my morning skincare routine.                               

2. Retinol/Retinoid is a must-have skincare product for your nighttime routine. 

Way before I knew anything about skincare, I used to look for nighttime cream or lotion to use it at night after I wash my face. I am glad I did it because I was inadvertently receiving a product that most likely had some form of retinol in it. Retinols and retinoids (also known as Vitamin A) are key ingredients for boosting cell turnover. "They have years of scientific evidence backing their improvement of wrinkles, pigmentation, and of course, acne,” according to C. Birnbaum M. D. While we are using SPF in the morning to protect our skin, we should be using retinols and retinoids at night to repair our skin.                                                                 

3. Retinols and retinoids are two of the most effective products to fight wrinkles.

They penetrate deep into your skin to promote skin cell turnover and collagen. Your old skin cells are eventually replaced by new skin cells without wrinkles and dark spots. Retinols are widely available over the counter in various concentrations. They are typically gentler on the skin with fewer side effects, but it takes more time to see the benefits.                  

Retinoids on the other hand are mostly prescribed by physicians and tend to be more powerful than retinols. Its molecular structure allows skin cell turnover at a faster rate than retinols. Unfortunately, faster results also come with some side effects, like irritation, dry skin, and peeling.                                                                 

If you’re new to retinols and retinoids, dermatologists recommend starting slow.

First, introduce your skin to retinols and once your skin is used to them, start the lowest amount of retinoids. Some people never move to retinoids and that's totally fine. Sometimes the side effects outweigh the potential benefits of retinoids, but they’re an option to consider.

High price doesn't always equal high quality.

I used to think this way in my 20s and 30s simply for one reason: I didn't know anything about the ingredients and what to look for in the skincare products. Back in my 20s, I was looking for specific brands, which I still do, because I trusted some of them more than the others. There is nothing wrong with being a fan of a certain skincare brand. When it comes to an animal testing, and choosing natural or organic skincare ingredients, we tend to have different opinions and its totally fine. However, when we choose skincare products based on their ingredients, we can find amazing products that are in fact very affordable. Also, there are plenty of pricey products that are clearly overpriced and have only basic ingredients.