Are You Starting to Use Anti-Aging Products too Soon

Are You Starting to Use Anti-Aging Products too Soon?

Most of us have a completely (not) rational fear of growing older. Usually, it’s not even the fear of death, it’s about the fear of looking old and getting wrinkles, UV damage, fine lines, and other not-so-fun stuff that our elders have to deal with. Young people are jumping into the anti-aging skincare game at very early points in their lives in order to prevent all these things, but is it really helping so soon, or are we just causing more damage in the future?

Are Anti-Aging Products More Effective if You Start Them Earlier?

This is a question that’s a little harder to answer because it depends! Young, youthful skin is cellularly different than older, more mature skin. While one product may be effective for both types of skin, another may cause harm to one type of skin or the other. 

The general thought is that anti-aging skincare is never too early to start, but there is some evidence against this notion. If you have oily skin, for example, and you buy an anti-aging skincare product that happens to be very greasy just because it says “anti-aging” on the label, you may experience breakouts and other damage to your skin. Reading (and understanding) the product label is extremely important before you go on the lookout for any kind of skincare product.

Retinols, for example, are usually great for mature skin because this type of skin is less sensitive (in most cases, sometimes it can go the opposite way) than younger skin. If you start retinol too young, you could experience inflammation and peeling skin, both of which aren’t fun to deal with and can lead to permanent scarring.

When Should I Start Using Anti-Aging Skincare?

There isn’t technically a “right age” to start using anti-aging skincare products. However, the good news is that most of the scientific community agrees on the early 20s; any younger than that, and you could be causing your skin damage or just wasting money on something that isn’t doing anything for you.

Additionally, there is a time when it could be too late to begin an anti-aging regime. If you’re in your 60s-70s, these products probably won’t affect your skin as much as if you had begun using them earlier in your lifetimes. But don’t worry, there’s good news! Many anti-aging products have revolutionized the industry and created ways to reverse signs of aging (wrinkles, sagging skin, etc.) to make you look more youthful. Make sure to do some research before investing your money in any anti-aging products.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen!

No matter your age, you should always prep your skin with some sunscreen before leaving the house. Make sure that it’s designed for facial skin so that it won’t clog your pores; avoiding the sun altogether is bad (sun kills bacteria, viruses, and other germs), but long exposure to UV rays can cause sun damage and even skin cancer.

What Ingredients Should I Avoid?

Fragrances

Just because it smells good doesn’t mean that it IS good. Fragrances contain harmful alcohols and other artificial ingredients that can erode your skin cells or damage them completely. 

Weirdly-Colored Products

If the product is clearly an unnatural color (neon pink, blue, etc.), keep it out of your shopping cart! Most of these items are colored with artificial colors that are derived from harsh chemicals. Additionally, some of these will leave your face stained; Smurfs are cute, but do you really want to spend an entire week looking like one?

Petroleum Jelly / Aluminum

Both petroleum jelly (the stuff that Vaseline is made of) and aluminum (a common ingredient in mineral products and deodorants) have been linked to cancer. If you start putting this stuff on your face and continue to use it for decades, we can’t even imagine the adverse health effects that you could face. If you have chapped lips, try out a natural lip balm/chapstick instead of Vaseline. There are also deodorants and skincare products formulated without aluminum, so opt for those!

Talc

Talc is found in most cheaply-made makeup and skincare products as a base. However, talc has been linked to various cancers and should be avoided at all costs. There are clean products with better alternatives!

Mica

Mica, although not linked to any sort of ailments, is not a clean ingredient. Most of the world’s mica is mined by children and impoverished adults in various countries in terrible and dangerous working conditions. 

 

Sabrina Cooklin