Hey Reader!

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Welcome to Week 4 of our series which is all about aging and how to fight back against the signs of aging. We are wrapping up the wrinkles part of our anti-aging series!

Over the last month, we covered the biology behind wrinkle formation and what you can do to prevent wrinkles.

Today, we are covering how to build a wrinkle-fighting routine and specific skincare ingredients to help you combat wrinkles.

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✨ Combating Wrinkles: A Multi-Pronged Approach ✨

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Remember just like there are so many factors that contribute to wrinkles forming it is going to take, a combination of strategies to achieve optimal wrinkle-fighting results.

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Here are some powerful tactics to incorporate into your skincare routine:

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Sun Protection is Paramount

There is no single thing you can do more important to fighting wrinkles than making sunscreen a DAILY part of your skincare routine.

• Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen every single day, even on cloudy or rainy days.
• Look for broad-spectrum protection to shield your skin from UVA and UVB rays.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours when you are outside, or more often if sweating or swimming.

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Skincare Ingredient Powerhouses

In combination with sunscreen there are some great ingredients that act as antioxidants and promote the production of collagen that you can add to your routine.

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Retinol and Other Collagen Enhancing Molecules

This potent ingredient is a derivative of vitamin A that has a ton of scientific support that says it stimulates collagen production, reduces wrinkles, and evens skin tone. (Start slowly and introduce it gradually into your routine.) If you are interested in introducing a retinol into your routine consulting a skincare provider is an important first step.

Other molecules that enhance collagen production like peptides, growth factors, and exosomes are common skincare ingredients that people sometimes look to as an alternative to retinol.

And while there is some evidence that they are effective; they have nowhere near as much scientific support as retinol.

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Antioxidants

Antioxidants can help combat wrinkles because they are able to negate the reactive oxygen species that form in your skin and can damage your important skin proteins like collagen and elastin.

One of the most powerful antioxidant ingredients, Vitamin C helps protect against sun damage and brightens the skin. A Vitamin C serum really a great staple in any anti-aging routine.

Other antioxidants like niacinamide, Vitamin E, resveratrol, etc. also are great adds to your skincare routine to combat wrinkles.

✨ Building An Anti-Aging Routine ✨

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There are so many products that are marketed to be important in an anti-aging skincare routine. And do not get caught up in the marketing hype look for the research evidence-based products. As you are building your anti-aging routine here is the general framework you want to follow.

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Your Morning Anti-Wrinkle Routine

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1. Cleanser: This can be the most inexpensive part of your routine it just needs to clean your skin. Pick a cleanser that you like the way it makes your skin feel after you use it.
2. Hydrating Toner: Toners are an important prep step. Their purpose is to hydrate your skin and there is even some evidence that toners can enhance the penetration of other ingredients that come after.
3. Antioxidant: Antioxidants are like a backup to sunscreen. They cannot be used in place of sunscreen but they are a good backup to help protect your skin. Vitamin C is the most popular antioxidant and is very effective.
4. Moisturizer: This is an important product to help lock in all of the moisture and ingredients that you applied earlier in your routine. Since you are going to be following it up with a sunscreen you can use a lighter moisturizer.
5. Sunscreen: This is the most important product to protect your skin. If you want to simplify your routine you can find a moisturizing sunscreen so that you can skip the moisturizer step.

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Your Nighttime Anti-Wrinkle Routine

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1. Cleanser: This can be the most inexpensive part of your routine it just needs to clean your skin. Pick a cleanser that you like the way it makes your skin feel after you use it.
2. Hydrating Toner: Toners are an important prep step. Their purpose is to hydrate your skin and there is even some evidence that toners can enhance the penetration of other ingredients that come after.
3. Actives: If you want to combat wrinkles having retinol is the most important active to be in your routine. Retinols are a complex class of ingredients so you want to make sure you are using something effective. As you are getting accustomed to retinols you can mix it with your moisturizer to make it more tolerable to your skin. Additionally, retino should only be in your nighttime skincare routine. Depending on your other skincare concerns there may be other actives you want to incorporate BUT you have to be careful not to overdo it.
4. Cream Moisturizer: This is an important product to help lock in all of the moisture and ingredients that you applied earlier in your routine.

Remember: Consistency is key! Stick to your skincare routine for long-lasting results.

Want To Learn Even More?

Check out these articles on Relatable Science.com that break down the science of aging a little bit further.

Stay tuned for next week! We are going to be jumping into why dehydration is another sign of aging.

In the meantime, respond to this email and let me know what your favorite anti-aging ingredients and products are.

Until Next Week!

Allison

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