When you’re young, it can be easy to think that aging and its effects are a long way in the future. For some people, that’s the case. But for others, the skincare habits you develop in your 20’s might speed up the aging process or make it so that lines, wrinkles and age spots appear earlier than they otherwise would. If you have the following habits now, it’s a good idea to break them so that your skin remains as healthy as possible, in your 30’s and beyond.
Not Washing Your Face Every Night
When you get home after a long day or after a long night, the first thing you might want to do is tumble into bed and go to sleep. But before you do that, it’s important to give your face a good cleaning. Whether you wear makeup or not, getting in the habit of washing the day off of your face each night is a good idea. Leaving on the dirt, dead skin cells and other debris that can collect on your face during the day while you sleep can lead to clogged pores and tired, older looking skin.
Skipping the Sunscreen
The sun is one thing that speeds up the aging process. Sun damage is, after genes and smoking, one of the leading causes of wrinkles and other signs of aging on the skin. If you want healthy, youthful-looking skin well into your 30’s, one of the best things you can do is make sure you apply sunscreen daily.
Pick a sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30 for the best results. A lower SPF might not provide enough protection while the extra protection you get from a product with a higher SPF is usually minimal.
Going Overboard With Skincare Products
It is possible to do too much for your skin when you’re in your 20’s. If you’re just beginning to notice a few fine lines and wrinkles or don’t have any visible signs of aging yet, you most likely don’t need intense anti-aging products.
Using a lot of products that contain strong ingredients like retinol or peptides can actually irritate your skin, causing it to turn red or develop bumps or clogged pores. If you’re not sure which skincare products are right for you at this stage in your life, scheduling a consultation at a medical spa can help you learn more about what’s out there and what products will help you the most.
Using the Same Skincare Products You Used as a Teenager
Contrary to popular belief, acne isn’t just a problem that affects teens. Plenty of young adults are annoyed to find that their breakouts continue into adulthood or that they’re now experiencing pimples and zits when they didn’t have them as a teenager.
It’s common to assume that the same anti-acne products you used as a teen will continue to work as an adult. While those products might help clear up your skin, they tend to be too harsh and drying for use on 20-something skin. Instead of just clearing up your skin, they tend to dry it out completely, which can actually make you more likely to develop breakouts as an adult.
If you used strong anti-acne cleansers and products as a teen, it’s a good idea to switch to something designed for adult acne in your 20’s. Look for a product with salicylic acid, rather than benzoyl peroxide, to help deep clean your pores without drying out the skin. You might also consider using a spot treatment on pimples, rather than an allover anti-acne cleanser.
Smoking, Drinking, Not Sleeping Enough
It’s not just what you put on your skin in your 20’s that can influence the health of your skin in your 30’s and later. Your lifestyle choices and habits also affect how your skin looks and ages as you get older.
For example, smoking any amount of cigarettes, even just the occasional one when you’re out with your friends, can make you more likely to develop wrinkles and signs of aging sooner. While drinking alcohol in moderation might not have that much of a negative effect on your skin, drinking nightly or in excess will. Alcohol dehydrates you, which can make your skin look tired and older.
Not getting enough sleep each night can also have a negative effect on your skin’s health and appearance. A lack of sleep can increase your risk for breakouts and can make your skin look duller.
It’s never too early to start thinking about the health of your skin and how you can slow down the aging process. To learn more about good skincare habits in your 20’s and how those habits will affect you during the rest of your life, call 281-810-9083 to schedule a consultation at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston, Texas, today.