Creating and then maintaining a daily skin care routine is must when you hit your 20s. Even though your skin looks bright and dewy now, it's still a good time to start thinking about anti-aging.
Just because we don’t see signs of aging when we are in our 20s, doesn’t mean dark spots and wrinkles are not starting to form. We're likely and unknowingly damaging our skin because we can’t see the dark spots, wrinkles or dullness that are beginning to develop under the surface of the skin.
We were lucky enough to have Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, author of the book Heal Your Skin and Allure contributor, explain how to treat your skin while you are in your 20s so you can have beautiful skin now and forever:
Find a Regular Dermatologist
it’s important to establish a relationship with a board certified dermatologist so that you can have an annual mole check (the doctor is looking for skin abnormalities) and to clear up any persistent or difficult skin care issues like acne scars. For example, a dermatologist has options like Bellafill, the only FDA-approved dermal filler approved for the correction of atrophic acne scars, to help you fill in deeper acne scars.
Add a Daily SPF
If you are going to follow only one piece of advice in this article make sure it's this one. Using sunscreen daily will keep your skin looking young. As Dr. Shamban points out, we usually don't start to see sun damage until we are in our 30s but those wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots are forming already in our 20s.
By using a sunscreen on your face (don't forget the back of your hands, neck, and chest too) you are stopping that sun damage before it starts. Also keep in mind, just because it doesn’t look warm and sunny outside doesn’t mean you don’t need sun protection. No matter the weather, start each day with a moisturizer or sunscreen containing at least SPF 30.
Always pack sunscreen for days at the beach or Saturday hikes so you can reapply your sunscreen every few hours. Our favorite sunscreens include La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Tinted Ultra-Light Tinted Sunscreen Fluid for Face and Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Think about getting an eye cream with SPF in it in order to keep the delicate skin around the eye area looking soft and dewy for as long as possible. Try Supergoop! Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream with Oat Peptide SPF 37.
Invest in a Serum
Even though your skin needs a moisturizer daily (yes, even if you have oily skin) you should also start using a serum daily. Why? A serum will give your skin that extra boost it needs to glow. Choose which serum is best for you according to your skin care concerns. Does your skin need more hydration? Then try Eau Thermale Avène Hydrance Optimale Hydrating Serum. Dr. Shamban recommends Regenica® Rejuvenating Dual Serum since just this one product can minimize the appearance of large pores and give you smooth skin. If you don't have a specific skin care concern that needs to be addressed, add a serum with antioxidants in it to your routine in order to protect and nourish your skin.