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Skincare today is significantly different from years ago. Today, you’ll see ingredients in products that used to only be prescribed by a dermatologist, but now, almost everything is accessible over-the-counter.

I can’t help but think that many may be left confused and overwhelmed by today’s skincare market. That’s why we’ve created this cheat sheet for you, simplifying active ingredients and what skin concerns they’re made for. 

First, let’s define what “active ingredient” actually means.

Products that have active ingredients in them are biologically active and are scientifically proven to treat specific skin conditions. Some active ingredients may be more potent than others while some are on the soothing side. Ideally, you should be patch testing all of your skincare products to avoid serious reactions. 

Now, here are the most common skin concerns and active ingredients that can help. 

ACNE

Ingredients

• Glycolic and Lactic Acid (AHAs): These active ingredients help peel away the top surface of the skin, removing unwanted gunk that are responsible for acne breakouts. 

• Salicylic Acid (BHA): Unclogs the pores breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells as well as reduces excess oil production, preventing breakouts. 

• Benzoyl Peroxide: Kills the bacteria underneath the skin, helps with dead skin cells shedding and controls excess oil production, increasing protection against inflamed acne breakouts. 

• Retinol: This ingredient also helps in unclogging the pores as it exfoliates the skin removing dirt, bacteria, oil and dead skin cells. This also allows new layers of skin to come through, improving acne marks. 

SIGNS OF AGING

Ingredients

• Ceramides: These are fatty acids that help promote cellular function, prevent permeability, protect against external stressors and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier by locking in moisture. 

• Peptides: Peptides are amino acids that make up proteins that are needed by the skin. It also boosts collagen production which promotes firmer, youthful skin. 

• Vitamin C: This is another ingredient that increases collagen production, it thickens the dermis (middle layer of the skin) promoting firmness and elasticity. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that fights against free radicals, further protecting your skin from premature aging. 

HYPERPIGMENTATION/UNEVEN SKIN TONE

Ingredients

• Vitamin C: This ingredient impedes melanin production, preventing hyperpigmentations and can help improve discoloration. 

• Glycolic Acid: With its exfoliating ability, this ingredient helps shed dead skin cells, promoting new layers of skin to come through. Gradually peeling off discoloured and pigmented skin. 

• Retinol: Also an ingredient that helps shed dead skin cells, retinol can improve uneven skin tone through regular cell turnover. 

• AHAs and BHAs (Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid and Glycolic Acid): These are ingredients that help peel away the top surface of the skin, producing new cells that are evenly pigmented. 

Allow 3 months of consistent use to see effects on the skin. 

We get it, it’s the end of the day and sometimes you don’t even have the energy to clean your face at all, but double cleansing makes a big difference in the health of your skin. So let’s break down why washing your face twice in the evenings is a must…

What is Double Cleansing and Why Do It?

You’re basically washing your face twice. The first wash is to loosen and remove all the debris sitting on our face. This is normally done with an oil-based cleanser. Oil-based cleansers help remove sebum, SPF and pollutants. Sunscreen, in particular, can be hard to break down with just regular soap and if not cleansed properly can leave a thin film on your skin. Next, wash your face with a water-based cleanser. This cleanser should be targeted towards your skin needs - for example, salicylic acid is a great ingredient in cleansers for people with oily or acne prone skin. This second cleanse will clean your skin down into your pores, which is great preparation for the active ingredients in your serums and moisturizers. 

Double Cleansing for Different Skin Types 

Double cleansing is beneficial for everyone. But, it’s most beneficial for those with oily skin and acne prone skin. Double cleansing controls excess oil and makes sure the bacteria is off the skin, preventing breakouts. Those with dry and sensitive skin may not see the need to double cleanse, but as long as you use gentle cleansers it will not harm your skin. 

How to Double Cleanse

It is best to double cleanse at night, to remove all impurities that build up during the day, allowing your skin to breathe and rejuvenate as you sleep. Double cleansing in the morning is not recommended and unnecessary, as it will make your skin dry and strip the natural oils your skin needs. 

• Oil-Based Cleanser 
• Start your routine with an oil-based cleanser.
• Massage the cleanser all around the face for about a minute. 
• Oil-based cleansers are ideal for all skin types, even oily ones. 

• Water-Based Cleanser 
• Once rinsing the oil-based cleanser and dirt off the face on the first round, you can move on to the water-based cleanser.
• Lather it up and also massage all around the face for about a minute.
• Rinse and pat dry the skin, gently. 

Do you ever look at your old photos and wish you had the same youthful look, but most especially, no eyebags and no dark under-eye circles? Yup, same here and I think it’s safe to say we’re not alone. 

Is it because you’re “team no sleep” or extremely stressed out, maybe both? There’s actually more to it than just those two. Aging and your genes can also cause dark under-eye circles. 

Let’s explore how dark under-eye circles happen and what you can do to minimize its appearance.

Sleep deprivation

Not getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night can exaggerate the look of dark circles. Your blood vessels dilate when you lack sleep and because our skin under the eye is so thin, the darkness becomes easily noticeable. 

Stress

When you’re stressed, it’s naturally harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It affects your sleep, your eating habits and it affects your body internally. It reduces blood flow, perpetuating dull and tired looking skin. It also disturbs production of new skin cells, which doesn’t allow your skin to look fresh and youthful. 

Aging

Our skin becomes thinner as we get older and considering that the skin under our eyes is already thin to begin with, it becomes even more fragile over time. 

Aging also causes a decrease in collagen and fat production, allowing the dark blood vessels to be extra visible under the eyes. 

Genetics 

Did you know that dark under-eye circles can be inherited? Unfortunately, it can be and it’s out of our control. 

Hereditary dark under-eyes can vary from: 

1. Melanin: pigment under the eyes and can be easily worsened through sun exposure.
2. Low collagen levels: without adequate levels of collagen, you’re naturally lacking elasticity allowing for thinner and drier skin. 
3. Allergies: inflammation from allergies can affect under-eye darkness. Veins become swollen, dilated and darker causing the under-eye to get darker and become puffier. 

Here are some tips to improve the look of your under-eyes and avoid getting told “you look tired” 

Use Retinol

Retinol is one of the most favoured ingredients in the skincare world because of how effective it is, especially for fighting signs of aging. 

With consistent and repeated use, retinol can help increase collagen production promoting the skin to thicken and to become firmer. Through this, the blood vessels will be less obvious and improve dark circles. 

If you have excess pigment under your eyes, lightening products such as vitamin C, Niacinamide, Alpha Arbutin, Azelaic Acid or Kojic Acid are the most popular in the market that you can get your hands on. These ingredients will lighten darker spots in your face, evening your complexion. 

Always wearing sunscreen is also the easiest and best way to treat dark-under eye circles. Especially with those melanin-rich skin, it’s harder to treat dark spots because of the increased melanin production. Because sun exposure can worsen dark spots, it’s important to apply SPF when exposed to sunlight and bluelight. 

Develop a healthier lifestyle

Sleeping well, eating healthy food and exercising are all beneficial habits for improving dark under-eye circles. 

Sleeping will allow your skin to rejuvenate overnight. 

Eating healthy foods especially high in vitamin E,  will help fight against free radicals and increase your skin's elasticity.

Exercising improves blood circulation, improving pigmentation because it causes less blood to pool under the eyes. Exercising overall positively impacts the skin’s appearance. 

You may have noticed your skin looking older than your actual age - that can actually happen. There are a lot of reasons as to why your skin may be experiencing premature aging, some things we cannot control (like actual aging) and there’s some that we can control (not moisturizing). 

Youthful looking skin is something we all aim for and it’s possible, but first, you should know what causes skin premature aging so that you can better tackle this issue. 

Here are reasons why your skin may be prematurely aging and what you can do about it:

Not Wearing Sunscreen 

UV rays are very damaging to the elastic fibers that maintain your skin’s firmness, allowing your skin to sag, promoting fine lines and wrinkles. Without SPF, sun exposure will cause your skin to deteriorate, taking away youthful skin. UV rays can penetrate through your windows, so it is still recommended that you apply sunscreen during the day regardless of staying in or going outside.

Blue light can also cause premature aging, damaging your skin cells which speeds up aging. So, even if you’re not stepping outside, your devices will cause the same damage as the sun would without SPF. 

Pollution 

This is one of the reasons that we cannot control. The pollution can cause free radicals to harm skin collagen and elastin, breaking down the essentials of a youthful skin. 

We still have some form of control in this situation - through skincare. There are ingredients that fight against pollution such as antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E) which neutralizes free radicals.

Dehydration

Dehydration inhibits skin cell turnover, allowing for clogged pores and dull complexion. Lacking proper hydration will cause decreased elasticity promoting fine lines and wrinkles 

You can use water-based products like Hyaluronic Acid which traps moisture in your skin. Limiting alcohol and caffeine intake will also help with this issue, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep as well. 

Poor Lifestyle Habits 

Smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol can cause rough skin texture and dryness, promoting lines and wrinkles. 

Smoking a lot can suffocate the skin because of the reduced circulation and oxygen level in the blood.It also causes blood vessels to become thin, unable to plump the skin.

Alcohol dehydrates the skin depriving skin the moisture it needs. 

Lack of sleep can also cause skin premature aging. Without adequate sleep, your skin doesn’t get enough time to replenish itself making your skin look very dull and tired.

If you’ve had acne before, you may have experienced the frustration of dealing with the aftermath. You know, those long lasting red or dark brown spots, after you just had to deal with pimples!

For the longest time, we referred to these spots as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and treated them as such. While that is correct, there’s actually another kind of spot that differs from hyperpigmentation (PIH) that’s caused by inflammation, it’s called post-inflammatory erythema (PIE).

There’s actually an easy distinction between the two: PIH is the dark, brown spots and when it’s red, it’s PIE. 

Here's how to deal with them:

POST-INFLAMMATORY HYPERPIGMENTATION (PIH) 
*Dark-brown pigmentation*

Who:

PIH are more common among darker skin (melanin-rich skin). 

What:

This kind of inflammation is a skin reaction not only from acne, but also from sun exposure, wounds or eczema.

The trauma/injury that the skin goes through causes an overproduction of melanin, creating the dark patches on inflamed skin.

Treatment: 

For treating PIH, you want to focus on treating discoloration, brightening and fighting against pigmentation. 

Ingredients to look for:

Retinoids, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid, Vitamin C, Arbutin and Hydroquinone.

POST-INFLAMMATORY ERYTHEMA 
*Red-pink pigmentation*

Who:

PIE are more common among lighter skin. 

What:

This kind of inflammation does not involve melanin.

This is a skin reaction due to damage in capillaries - the small blood vessels close to the skin’s surface area). 

Aside from acne inflammation, this is also triggered by picking or popping your pimples.

Treatment:

Treating PIE is similar to treating PIH, focusing on treating discoloration. 

Ingredients to look for: 

Retinoids, Niacinamide, Azelaic Acid, Vitamin C, Arbutin and Hydroquinone.

General Preventative/Treatment Tips

For both inflammation marks, make sure you are applying SPF daily. This will prevent the marks from getting darker. 

There are also laser treatments, chemical peels and microneedling that can fade the appearance of these marks. 

PIE and PIH can take a really long time to fade, be patient and consistent with your topical treatments to see effective results.

Blackheads, probably one of the most annoying forms of acne. They’re just there…so deep rooted. But it’s more common than you think. It happens to almost everyone at some point and it’s you're probably the only person who notices.

But if you’re serious about getting rid of your blackheads, you need to get serious about your skincare. If you already have a routine established, you might have to adjust it to tackle your blackheads.

Let's understand why and how blackheads form so we can prevent it from showing up again...

Our pores, especially when enlarged, accumulate dirt, dead skin cells and excess oil. The oil oxidizes making it black (hence, “blackhead”). It clogs up your pores, forming miniscule acne spots on your skin (commonly found on the nose or chin). 

Here are some methods you can do to remove your blackheads: 

Method #1 - Gentle Method

Use a cleanser with Salicylic Acid. The acid is great at breaking down dead skin and oil trapped in pores. A cleanser with this ingredient will, over time, gently remove blackheads (and whiteheads).

If you have sensitive skin, you may want to alternate using this cleanser with a gentle cleanser until you build tolerance to the acid.

Method #2 - Physical Extraction

Extraction

Although it’s not recommended to extract blackheads yourself, there is a way that you can do that at home.

*Wash your hands before*
Take a warm shower or if you have one, use a facial steamer.

A warm shower or facial steamer will open up your pores - this will prepare your skin for extraction. 

Moisturize 

Your skin will be easier to work with if your skin is soft and will keep the heat trapped in. 

Apply a warm-compress on the area.

Soak a towel in hot water, wring it, then place it on top of the area of blackheads you want to extract - leave it on for at least 5 minutes. 

Extract

You can use extraction tools or your fingers (do NOT use your bare fingers. Use gloves or use tissues). 

Position your fingers close enough to the blackhead, but be mindful not to block it, then gently squeeze. 

Tone

Once removed, apply gentle, alcohol-free toner to further clean the skin and  remove any dirt and bacteria.

*Limit your squeezes, if a spot seems extra stubborn - it’s best to leave it alone to prevent serious issues*

Prevention

If or once you’re free of blackheads, the essential part of preventing blackheads is to keep your pores unclogged and clean. Here’s how you do that: 

Exfoliate 

The most common and most recommended form of exfoliation is the use of chemical exfoliants. 

Chemical exfoliants include AHAs (glycolic and lactic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid). These acids break the bond between the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, chemically dissolving them and clearing out your pores. 

Exfoliating also helps with oil control, which is mainly responsible for clogged pores.

Retinoids 

Aside from their anti-aging powers, retinoids are great for unclogging your pores, and promoting skin cell development. 

Retinoids dries out the skin, also helping with excess oil.

Dermatologist

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, which allows new skin cells to thrive, and also promotes collagen production. 

Exfoliating provides a lot of benefits including: evening out your complexion, giving you glowing youthful skin, allowing better absorption of other skincare products and unclogging your pores.

Here’s a rundown on exfoliation: 

• There are TWO kinds of exfoliation: Physical and Chemical 

• Physical: This kind of exfoliation is a manual removal of dead skin cells by using face scrubs that have tiny rough particles. This can include sugar scrubs, coffee scrubs or peeling gels. Physical exfoliators can cause micro-tears in the skin, so be wary and gentle.

• Chemical: Don’t let the word ‘chemical’ scare you because in fact, chemical exfoliating can be better and more gentle compared to physical exfoliating. Chemical exfoliants strip away the dead skin cells by breaking the bond between them. 

Chemical exfoliants are commonly AHAs (lactic and glycolic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid). 

Which one should you choose?

Chemical exfoliators are often recommended because it’s much safer. However, you should always listen to your skin and choose whatever works best for you. Regardless of what kind you use, you should never over-exfoliate and exfoliate properly. 

How to exfoliate exfoliate properly:

• Start slow: The benefits are enticing, but make sure that you’re letting your skin adjust to exfoliants. Whether you’re using physical or chemical exfoliants, it’s important that you introduce exfoliating slowly, (about 1-2 times a week). Then you can increase application once tolerance goes up. 

If you have sensitive skin, it is highly recommended that you only up to 2 times a week.

• Don’t over exfoliate: Despite your increased tolerance to exfoliants, it’s never a good idea to over exfoliate. Exfoliating more than 3 times a week can aggravate the skin, stripping away your skin’s natural protective barrier and it can cause your skin to become overly sensitive. 

When to apply:

Apply your exfoliator after cleansing and before thicker serums and moisturizers. 

Use a cotton pad or your palms, going all the way down to your neck and chest. 

Allow a few minutes for the exfoliant to be absorbed by the skin before moving on to your next step. 

Because exfoliants are very drying, ALWAYS apply a moisturizer and other hydrating products after exfoliating to avoid flaky and dry skin.

When exfoliating during the day, ALWAYS apply sunscreen as your last step. 

• Skip: if you have other skincare products that are likely to sensitize the skin like: AHAs, BHAs and retinoids (anything else that contain acid). Spread out and schedule exfoliants on a different day when using acidic products to avoid irritation and skin damage. 

Also skip when you’re experiencing sun burns or any flare ups. 

• Stop: If you're constantly dry, irritated and red when exfoliating, you should stop. This is a sign of over-exfoliating or sensitivity to the product.

The skincare world is overwhelming. You can access information everywhere - Google, TikTok, Instagram... And it can get confusing when one person swears by one thing and another disclaims it.

Well, don’t worry we’ve done our research and we’ve simplified 'skincare' for you. What you’ll find in this article are common mistakes you should avoid. 

Not Knowing Your Skin Type

Knowing your skin type (normal, dry, oily, sensitive and combination) does wonders for your skin. Without properly knowing what your skin needs, you may be using products that are harming your skin instead of nourishing it. 

For example, if you have oily skin, you need to be looking at water-based moisturizers. You may be having an issue with excess oil because you’re probably using products that are contributing to sebum production. 

Or if you have sensitive skin, you should be looking at the simplest products that have minimal, gentle ingredients and are made for sensitive skin with no fragrance.

Ignoring Your Neck

If you have an established skincare routine and you have your go-to products that are working for your skin, make sure you drag that extra product from your face to your neck. 

Most people are too focused on the face. Ever see a girl with makeup on and she only puts it on her face, so her face and neck are two completely different colours?? It looks weird.

Your neck is delicate. It's vulnerable to stressors and premature aging. As you age, sun damage may become more apparent on your neck if you consistently put SPF on your face, but not your neck.

Doing Too Much 

Sometimes, less is more. If you have acne prone skin, the best thing to do is to simplify your routine, applying 5 serums and exfoliating every night will cause more irritation and will further anger your skin. 

Simply put - don’t over-wash, over-exfoliate or over-tone. 

Also, applying too many active ingredients on your skin may cause a clash prompting breakouts and irritation. If you have multiple products that contain active ingredients, find out if those ingredients are safe to combine, but better still is to spread them out. 

Only Wearing Sunscreen in the Summer

Sunscreen is only becoming more popular now because of social media. But it still hasn't become part of everyone's routine even though it's just as important as brushing your teeth everyday.

Whether you're young or old, start now and wear sunscreen DAILY. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy or if you’re just staying home, you need to be wearing sunscreen every day to protect your skin from sun damage like premature skin aging and skin cancer. The UV rays penetrate through clouds and through windows, so you can still get significant sun damage when you least expect it. 

Assuming People of Colour Don't Need Sunscreen

Yes, melanin does provide some protection so you don't burn as quickly, but that's just topical sun rays (UVB rays). It does not protect your skin from UVA rays, which penetrate beneath your skin putting yourself at risk of premature aging, or worse, skin cancer.

Also, having the assumption that you don't need SPF because you have coloured skin puts you at higher risk for not finding melanoma (ie. skin cancer) simply because you're not looking out for it. 

In a nutshell, sunscreen is for everyone, young and old!

It’s been so long since we were able to go on about our days with no masks but thanks for doing your part and preventing the spread of "the vid"! 

But let’s talk about what you can do to prevent any irritation and blemishes caused by masks. 

Daily wear of masks can wreak havoc on our skin, causing irritation, dryness and breakouts because of the bacteria, sweat and moisture from our breaths. 

Here’s a breakdown on how to prevent ‘maskne’:

Wash Your Mask 

If you’re using a reusable mask, you should be washing it daily. It’s best to wash it when you’re done being in the outside world and will just be hanging out at home for the rest of the day. Use a gentle laundry detergent to wash your mask and run through hot water. 

If you are using disposable masks, throw them away after wearing them. They are not for re-wearing. 

Mask Break

It is recommended that you let your skin breathe at least every 4 hours. Now, it’s important that you only take your mask off when safe to do so. So, when you get a chance to take the mask off, do so for about 10-15 minutes so that your skin can breathe and possibly cleanse and moisturize your skin. 

Choosing the Right Mask 

Avoid masks made of synthetic fabrics like nylon or sayon. These irritate the skin. Choose masks made of a natural and soft fabric such as cotton or silk. 

Don’t pick a mask that is too tight, this will add in irritating the skin, unnecessarily suffocating and rubbing it. There are newer styles of masks that seal in on the edges of the mask but allow more room inside that you can use (eg. fish masks).

Friendly reminder: put your mask on properly, no one wants to see that hanging nose outside of the mask! This doesn’t prevent you or others from spreading the virus. 

Skincare 

If you don’t have a skincare routine by now, you should. Like I said above, masks can irritate your skin to the point of breakouts, but you can prevent that by helping your skin’s natural barrier with a simple skincare routine. 

Make sure you’re cleansing twice a day with your gentle go-to face cleanser. This will ensure that any dirt and sweat that builds up on your mask, is off of your face. 

Moisturize your skin. Masks are very drying and promote lack of moisture because as we breathe, moisture builds up and the mask traps that moisture against our skin. 

Moisturizing will prevent this dryness, possible flare ups and other forms of irritation. 

Protect your skin with SPF. Just because half of your face is covered, doesn’t mean you’re free from applying sunscreen. UVAs and UVBs can still penetrate through your masks, so it is heavily recommended to still apply your sunscreen. 

We all want skin that we can feel good in and be proud of. Since you’re here, you know exactly what glowing skin is - healthy, radiant and clear skin. If you don't have the glass finish look, here are some tips to get it:

Drink Water

I know this may sound irrelevant and you’re probably wondering why I bothered to put it on here, but if you think about it - how much water have you drunk today? Or how much water do you drink in general? I know too many people who live on caffeine, energy drinks and soda! 

Good skin starts from the inside out, so start drinking water. Our bodies are predominantly water. Any level of dehydration will affect our mood, thinking ability and will dry out our skin too.

Properly replenishing the water we lose throughout the day helps flush out toxins from our bodies, improving skin complexion. Water also gives your skin cells essential nutrients naturally replenishing your skin. 

Get Your Zzzzzs

This is like drinking water, we do it, but do we do it enough? If you’re one of the people that struggle to get proper sleep, you may have noticed issues in and around your eyes - darker circles, bloodshot eyes or puffiness, not to mention paler skin and more visible fine lines and wrinkles. 

Sleep deprivation inhibits your skin to repair itself, making your skin look tired and dull. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night will allow your skin to replenish, develop new collagen, your skin cells regenerate, and boosts blood flow. All of those are essential for a glowing, healthy skin. 

Getting enough sleep isn’t only helpful for your skin, but your overall health. Sleep allows your body and mind to recharge, refresh and altogether helps your body to be healthy. 

Healthy Diet 

I’m not saying you can’t have the occasional cookie or ice cream, but prioritize fruits and vegetables first. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants that will help your skin fight off free radicals that wreak havoc on your skin - plus, they’re good for your body! 

Topical Treatments 

• Retinoids - Retinoids  (vitamin A) boosts cellular turnover which sheds old, dead skin cells replaced with younger cells. Retinoids improve skin complexion, it fades age spots and evens out skin texture. 
• Ceramides - Ceramides are fatty acids that are commonly found in moisturizers. They help to lock  moisture into your skin, preventing dryness and irritation. It also strengthens the protective skin barrier, fighting against external aggressors (environment, pollution, weather etc.)

Exfoliate 

Exfoliation either physically (scrubs) or chemically (AHAs = lactic or glycolic acid and BHAs  = salicylic acid) removes dead skin cells from the surface. It also helps with collagen production. 

Exfoliating 1-2 times a week buffs away your dead skin cells, keeping it soft and bright. If exfoliation sounds a little intimidating, start slow, but definitely add this to your routine. You don’t want all the dead skin accumulation on your face, that’s  how skin ends up being dull, flaky and dry!

Did you know working out is not only beneficial for your body but does wonders for your skin too? Exercise balances cortisol levels (the stress hormone), promotes collagen production and increases blood flow that nourishes your skin cells. 

But if you exercise and don't shower right after it can wreck havoc on your skin. This is because the longer you leave sweat on your skin, dead skin cells and dirt will clog your pores causing a breakout - this can be on your face and body, although you face is more susceptible to the breakout because skin is thinner.

So after taking a shower, here’s what your post-workout skincare routine should look like: 

Clean Your Hands!

This might not be a no-brainer for everyone. Washing your hands first after exercising removes all the dirt and germs you collected from all the things you may have touched - basketball? weights? elliptical machine? dirty sweaty stinky shoes?? Chances are you touched something that was dirty, so before you use your dirty hands to clean your face...clean your hands first!

Clean your face 

Use your go-to cleanser and wash your face to remove sweat, oil and dirt, which will prevent breakouts and other skin issues.

If you're going to clean your face while in the shower don't use the bar soap you use on your body! This will severely strip all the moisture from your face. Bring your face wash into the shower and cleanse with water that is warm but not hot. 

Moisturize 

Your body loses a lot of water while exercising, so drinking water to rehydrate your body is important. But it's not enough to drink water to rehydrate your skin. Using a facial moisturizer (ideally with hyaluronic acid, which will retain the water from your damp skin) is important. The type of moisturizer you use should be different based on the seasons. A heavier moisturizer for winter and a lighter one for summer.

SPF 

Unless it's nighttime where the sun has already set, apply sunscreen. SPF will prevent premature skin aging and other skin blemishes. 

We may not be able to slow down aging, but skincare technology today definitely allows us to slow down signs of aging.

There are multiple skincare products and procedures that help with wrinkles, minimizing its appearance and slowing down its development. Here’s a breakdown of some of the things you can do:

SPF 

Prevention is always better than correction. Sunscreen will help prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging. 

A sunscreen with at least 30 SPF protection that fights against UVAs and UVBs is recommended. 

If you’re spending time and money on special anti-aging creams, treatments and serums but don’t apply sunscreen, all of those will be useless! 

Antioxidants 

Antioxidants (vitamin C serums, glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc) will protect your skin from environmental damages caused by free radicals. 

Because free radicals are highly linked to aging, using products that protect your skin from free radicals will help with wrinkles and development of fine lines. 

Antioxidants can be found and bought over-the-counter, so it’s never been easier to get.

Retinoids

Retinoids are perfect for prevention and maintaining a youthful look. Retinoids help your skin produce more collagen which are responsible for skin elasticity and hydration allowing your skin to look supple. 

Retinoids also help stimulate the production of new blood vessels, improving skin complexion. 


Direct Skin Procedures 

If you’re past home remedies and prevention and want to take it to the next level, skin direct treatments are effective in preventing wrinkles:

• Botox: Reduces fine lines and wrinkles, relaxing facial muscles softening fine lines and lifting the skin. 
• Laser skin resurfacing: Precisely removes the outer layer of the skin, reducing fine lines and irregularities. 
• Fillers: Fillers often consist of Hyaluronic Acid that fill in hollows, lines, and wrinkles.