I love to take care of my skin (the body’s largest organ) but I’m also lazy.
Some of these youtube gurus have a multistep process they go through each night that must work because they do look great but who has that kind of time or attention span? I say if you have these three things – you are covered!
I am also slightly cynical by nature. Cosmetic companies will say the most outrageous things to appeal to our fear of aging. If you think about it, the only thing that really stops the aging process is death so…. bring on the wrinkles!
There are a few things that make your skin look better as you age well though.
These things have scientific evidence behind them and are generally considered effective by most dermatologists. I have been loving this youtube dermatologist who has some really great videos about skin care with just the right amount of snark in this particular video on “anti-aging” drugstore products.
Tretinoin Retin-A (brand name)
I have written about this before but it really is the gold standard in topical creams for reducing, reversing, and preventing wrinkles. Tretinoin helps lighten and prevent age spots. It builds collagen to thicken and increase the structural strength of treated skin. Tretinoin also helps to decrease a person’s risk of developing skin cancer. Available by prescription in Canada.
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
This ingredient in skin care has been shown to increase the production of ceramides (an essential component of your lipid barrier), keeping the skin strong and preventing Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL). Niacinamide also protects the skin from the infrared heat of the sun. Along with the damaging effects of UV exposure, infrared activates free radicals and stimulates an overproduction of pigmented cells, and if your pigmentation is hormonal, heat is a big problem. Niacinamide protects the skin from heat. Niacinamide also helps with hyper-pigmentation and boosts collagen production.
Many skin creams have this ingredient but it should appear high on the list to make a difference. This cream pictured is by La Roche Posay and although it’s a body cream I like it as a winter face moisturizer, it has also got shea butter so its great for really dry skin.
Sunscreen
This is maybe the most important one! The best sunscreen is the one you will wear. Sunscreens come in chemical or mineral and the chemical ones react with your skin to protect and the mineral ones act like a barrier on the skin to protect it. I do like mineral sunscreens but many have an unfortunate white cast to them – this one by Coola is very slightly tinted and appears to disappear on the face. Use a sunscreen every day, sun cancer is no joke.