While aging and sagging skin are inevitable and normal, there are still ways you can highlight and maintain a youthful-esque, radiant and more vibrant look without surgery. A great anti-aging skincare routine requires diligence, consistency and protection from the sun’s rays (we know they feel good on your face but they can be dangerous!)
With that said, we spoke with skincare experts to learn more about 1 critical morning mistake many of us make that can exacerbate or speed up sagging skin rather than promote a youthful glow. Read on for crucial advice from Dr. Angela Casey, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of youth skincare line Bright Girl, Dr. Jose Mier, Founder of the Heliotherapy Research Institute and skincare expert, and Melissa Urban, licensed esthetician of beauty app Skinforyou.
The Worst Morning Mistake— Skipping Sunscreen and/or Another Step
The thing about a successful anti-aging routine is that you have to follow several important steps every morning. While we could stress the important of individual products on their own, Casey helps point out that they only provide the results you desire if they work together. This means that skipping sunscreen or any other essential step would affect the possibility of it working with your other products or efforts.
"Prevention is truly the best medicine when it comes to your skin health. Implementing a skincare routine that cleanses, moisturizes, and protects your skin will lead you on the path to healthy, glowing, gorgeous skin," Casey says. As a dermatologist and skin health expert, Casey says that she counsels her patients on the importance of minimizing inflammation in their skin. Inflammation leads to skin damage, and this can manifest as skin dullness, laxity, and sensitivity.
"Morning skincare habits should take into account the circadian rhythm of the skin," she continues. In the morning, the skin has completed its rest and repair phase, which occurs overnight. "Skin permeability is less in the morning compared to the evening, and blood flow to the skin slows. Penetration of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds peaks in the early morning hours," she adds, noting that all of these factors should be taken into consideration as we address morning skincare.
Mier agrees and notes that skipping sunscreen is perhaps the most dangerous mistake to make as "thin skin is caused by excessive sun exposure as it breaks the skin cells." Urban adds that forgetting moisturizer is just as crucial if you want a supple, more radiant complexion rather than a dry and rough one. "I think people underestimate the power of using a moisturizer daily," she says, "This truly is the trick of the trade when it comes to keeping your skin functioning at its best." Moisturizers help lock in moisture to keep our skin hydrated and our barrier strong and healthy. "If our barrier is damaged, our skin isn’t able to receive the benefits of other products we apply such as serums, sunscreen, retinol etc," says Urban.
Dr. Boyer of Farr Institute agrees that wearing makeup every day without considering the type of makeup you use or how you cleanse your face can lead to skin complications.
“Wearing make-up regularly without following basic guidelines may lead to a range of skin problems arising from clogged pores, allergic reactions, sun damage, and breakouts, including eye infections if you apply it around the areas nearer to your eyes and eyelids,” Boyer says.
“The best ways to reduce/prevent the side effects associated with wearing make-up on regular basis may include:
*Going for the right product that suits your skin type
*Use a moisturizer before applying makeup to maintain the protective layer of your skin and sunscreen afterwards to avoid the sun's damage.
*Consider the recommended steps and tips when you are done with your make-up like cleaning your brush and sponge, removing makeup before going to bed, and not sharing your makeup to reduce the risk of bacterial infection.”
Next, Casey says to apply an effective moisturizer, which helps "lock in the antioxidant serum and well and seals the skin barrier, offering protection and hydration to the skin." Finally, "sunscreen is a non-negotiable!" she stresses, noting to look for SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection.
