You've got your beauty routine down pat, sunscreen in the morning, nourishing night cream in the evening but some of your products could be doing more harm than good. Some ingredients could be ageing your skin but we've got the changes you need for a smoother complexion.
Try these fast and painless fixes that’ll take years off in no time!
The wrong makeup
All shades and formulas are not created equal when it comes to looking youthful. “Powdery or thick textures are most ageing on skin and can accentuate wrinkles,” explains Chanel makeup artist Fulvia Farolfi. “And matte finishes, including on eyes and lips, can also emphasise creases and appear flat.”
LAB LOWDOWN Choose creamy, lightweight foundations, blushes and concealers for a dewy, hydrated finish that’s fresh. On eyes, try shadows with a hint of iridescence or shimmer to reflect light, lending a soft-focus effect; on lips, opt for sheer colours and balmy formulas, which will make them look plump. When applying cream makeup, use your fingers to blend; their warmth will help meld the colour with skin so it reads as more natural.
Blotchy redness
“Inflammation from factors like rosacea, acne, sun exposure and allergies can amplify signs of ageing,” says dermatologist Dr Shasa Hu. “Redness, flaking and peeling can make lines appear deeper and tone seem uneven.”
LAB LOWDOWN Avoid known redness triggers or irritants, and protect skin from UV rays by applying broad-spectrum SPF 30+ facial sunscreen daily (mineral sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are often gentler). Calm reactivity with a hypoallergenic fragrance-free moisturiser like Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture Sensitive Skin, which is proven suitable for sensitive skin and hydrates for up to 24 hours.
Dry hands
“They’re often ignored, but are constantly exposed to wear and tear like UV light and repeated washing,” Dr Hu explains. “Hands also have thinner skin and fewer oil glands that provide natural moisture, all of which make them more susceptible to issues like crepiness and dark spots.”
LAB LOWDOWN Make hand protection and moisturising part of your routine by applying your face sunscreen to the backs of your hands each morning and slathering on a rich anti-ageing hand or body cream before bed, as you would a night cream.
The skin below your chin
Lots of age-fighting attention is paid to the face, but “the neck is one of the worst surprise ageing areas,” says dermatologist Dr Ellen Marmur. “The thin skin texture quickly loses elasticity” (read: sags and creases).
LAB LOWDOWN Start extending daily application of anti-ageing skincare — serums, moisturisers, SPF — down to your neck and décolletage to prevent and repair damage. Try L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Intense Nutrition Neck & Decolletage Cream with Manuka Honey. Evaluations showed it made skin look firmer and more toned instantly and after four weeks of use.
Over (or under) cleansing
Either can leave your face looking older than it is. “Not thoroughly washing and incompletely removing makeup can lead to clogged pores and skin sensitivity, which can be aeging,” Dr Hu says. But don’t overdo it: Stay away from harsh astringents, like alcohol, in cleansers and toners, and avoid excess scrubbing, which can strip skin’s natural oils and dry it out, exacerbating lines and wrinkles.
LAB LOWDOWN A happy medium: oil based cleansers, which gently but effectively remove impurities without dehydrating skin. Beauty Lab pick: Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Oil with Coconut & Argan Oils.
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