ANTI-AGEING

With so many products promising to erase wrinkles, tighten skin, and defy signs of ageing in numerous ways, it is hard to know what really works. We have created this hub to eliminate the guesswork, with information rooted in research instead of misleading claims. Discover top tips for younger looking skin, plus a variety of formulas and ingredients to seek out based on your skin type and specific concerns.

The #1 Age-Defying Tip

Protect your skin with sunscreen. Research shows UV exposure accounts for at least 80% of visible signs of ageing, these include discolourations, wrinkles, and sagging skin. This may sound like old news, but statistics show that a large portion of the population is still not putting this essential step into daily practice.

Need motivation? Think of it this way: You can buy all the best anti-ageing products in the world, but if you are not protecting your skin from the sun, you are undoing all that hard work you have placed into your skincare routine and wasting your money.

You should make the most out of it with an anti-ageing sunscreen that delivers antioxidants and other beneficial ingredients for extra environmental defence.

Select an Anti-Ageing Cream for Your Skin Type

Before we get into specialised ingredients, we will need to go over the basics of how to choose an anti-ageing cream that will suit your skin type. Lots of anti-ageing products on the market err on the side of rich, heavily emollient formulas, and while that works well for dry skin, ageing skin is not a one-size-fits-all concern. In fact, you can have oily or acne-prone skin in your 50s and well beyond, and this requires a different kind of texture to meet your skin’s needs.

Here are a few examples of what to look for, based on your skin type:

• For oily skin: An anti-ageing gel-cream or lightweight serum works great without the risk of making skin feel greasy or clogging pores.
• For dry skin: Rich anti-wrinkle creams are optimal for locking in moisture and boosting hydration.
• For combination skin: Pick consistencies that fall somewhere in the middle, like a light facial lotion for ageing skin.
• For “normal” or “neutral” skin: Your skin will be compatible with almost any texture — choose whatever feels best!

No matter which skin type you have, the common thread is that everyone’s skin needs a well-rounded mix of antioxidants (non-fragrant plant extracts, vitamins), skin-restoring ingredients (such as retinol, peptides, niacinamide), and replenishing substances (like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, omega fatty acids, and ceramides) to tackle the signs of ageing via multiple pathways. These can be delivered in many forms throughout your skincare routine, from your toner to your serum to your eye cream. From there, you can take things to the next level by adding highly specialised treatments that address specific concerns, as we have highlighted in the next section.

Targeted Anti-Ageing Treatments for Your Concerns

Targeted anti-ageing treatments allow you to home in on your exact skin concerns quickly and effectively. While there are many brilliant skin-restoring and skin-replenishing ingredients to choose from, the superstars below stand out for their specific age-defying properties, and they are well established via independent studies. Look for the ingredients that address your top priorities.

• Peptides for skin that has become lax and needs firming support.
• Vitamin C to brighten dull skin and diminish uneven skin tone and spots.
• AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) exfoliants to remove built-up dead skin and smooth texture (something everyone can benefit from).
• Hyaluronic acid to visibly plump and hydrate skin.
• Concentrated antioxidants to fight off environmental stressors that weaken your skin’s ability to look younger.
• Niacinamide for enlarged, sagging pores (what some people call “orange peel” skin).
• Phytoestrogen ingredients to restore density to crepey, thinning skin.
• Retinol for fine lines, wrinkles, and just about every other sign of ageing!

This is just a snapshot of what you can do with the right skincare routine to keep your skin looking youthful. Take a deeper dive with our expert anti-ageing articles in this hub.

Shop for our range of popular anti-ageing products here.

References for this information

Molecules, May 2014, pages 6,202-6,219
JAMA Dermatology, May 2018, pages 561-568
Aging Research Reviews, January 2015, pages 8-21
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, July 2016, pages 16-22
Cosmetics, May 2017, pages 1-14
Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology, September 2015, pages 463-470
Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, June 2018, pages 260-265
Journal of Evidence-Based, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, October 2017, pages 816-823
Free Radical Biology and Medicine, February 2019, pages 399-407
Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, March 2018, pages 367-378
Journal of Controlled Release, 2019, pages 190-201
Archives of Dermatological Research, January 2017, pages 275-283