Did you know that only 28% of men and 26% of women say they’re “extremely satisfied” with their appearance? That leaves a huge percentage of those who are unhappy with their looks.
Many begin becoming dissatisfied with their looks when those pesky gray hairs start growing in and wrinkles start showing up. Yes, getting older is a huge concern for many.
There are ways to keep your skin looking younger for longer. All you need is a good anti-aging skincare routine.
But when your browsing for skincare products, it can be confusing. From serums and cleansers to creams and scrubs? What should you use, when, and how?
Read on to find out what the best dermatologist recommended skin care routine is and how you can get started.
Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care Routine
When you’re looking for advice on the best anti-aging skin care regimen, you’ve got to see what the experts say. Let’s wash away your confusion, and get started with some solid advice.
1. Start with Cleansing
To start off your anti-aging regimen, use a soothing cleanser. Many say you should double cleanse at night. But what is a cleanser?
Throughout the day you smother your face with makeup, sun lotion, and other products. Before you can reach the actual skin, you need to lose this top layer.
It’s like scraping the mud off a pair of dirty shoes. First scrape off the mud, then after clean the shoes. With your skin, get rid of the top layer of grime, then work on the actual skin.
Dermatologist Dr. Susan Mayou says, “In double cleansing, the first cleanse removes most of the makeup bacteria and grime. The second can do a deeper clean and remove the make-up remover”.
How to Do It
In the morning, begin your routine with a gentle cleanser. In the evening, start off your skin routine with a double cleanse to get rid of the day’s dirt. Before you begin, lay a hot face towel on your face to open up your pores.
2. Time for Toner
Right after you cleanse, it’s time for toner. Toner is vital for your anti-aging skin routine if you have oily or acne prone skin.
Dermatologist Dr. Hadley King says, “Toners are most helpful and necessary for people with oily or acne-prone skin. Or for people who want extra cleansing after wearing makeup. Or other heavy skin products such as sunscreen”.
But what does toner do?
It can shrink pores and restore your skins natural PH balance. It reverses the effect of alkaline that you find in soaps and cleansers. It also refreshes your skin and can prevent ingrown hairs.
How to Do It
Straight after cleansing, use toner on a soft cotton pad. Blot your face and remove any excess oil. Do this both in the morning and evening.
3. Exfoliate Gently
Exfoliating brings up visions of scrubbing your face until it’s red-raw. But if you’re too harsh on your skin you could cause cuts and abrasions. This could make your skin look older, cause acne or make it dry.
But if you use an exfoliator in the correct way you can shed dead skin cells on the surface of your skin. This will allow your products to reach your skin, instead of them getting trapped on dead skin cells.
Does everyone need to exfoliate, or is it only for those with acne?
Dr. Lupo, says that exfoliation will benefit “those who have experienced premature aging due to sun exposure. And those with non-inflammatory acne”.
How to Do It
Treat your skin with some TLC and only do this twice a week in your anti-aging skin care regimen. Use a natural exfoliator to buff your skin gently. And, whatever you do, don’t scrub your face harshly with a rough towel or anything else.
4. The Serum Step
The next step is applying Vitamin-C Serum. You generally get Vitamin-C through a good diet. But you can also absorb it into your skin to brighten your complexion, even it out, and reduce acne.
What is serum? A serum is a skin care product that you apply to your skin before moisturizing. It delivers powerful natural ingredients directly onto your skin.
Some serums target acne, whereas others target wrinkles. Make sure you pick the right one for your skin type. Check out some more benefits of Vitamin-C Serum here.
How to Do It
Apply in the morning. This will allow the antioxidants to fight your skins free radicals throughout the day. Then apply in the evening to encourage new cells to reach the surface of the skin.
5. Moisturize Me
Use a light, silky moisturizer to hydrate your skin as part of your anti-aging regimen. You may think that your skin is too oily to use moisturizer, but that means you don’t understand the science.
Dr. Eric Schweiger says, “By skipping the moisturizer, your skin will dry out. And in turn, rebound with more oil production. This can actually cause more breakouts”.
How to Do It
If you have oily skin, use a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer in the morning. If you have dry skin, you can use a heavier moisturizer. In the evening, use a thin layer of moisturizer after the serum has dried.
6. Sun Shade
The best anti-aging skin regimen includes sunscreen.
The sun is the biggest culprit of premature aging. You need to make sure you protect your skin from the suns harmful rays. Skipping sunscreen can add to your wrinkles and can also cause issues with pigmentation.
On top of that, skipping SPF can lead to skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology says, “Anyone can get skin cancer, regardless of age, gender or race. In fact, estimates show that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime”.
How to Do It
Apply in the morning, and throughout the day. Focus on your hands, chest, and face. This is the final step you would take before applying makeup.
Getting Older and Wiser
As much as we try, we can’t stop aging. There is no elixir of life that will stop the aging process. But the good news is if you follow this dermatologist recommended skin care routine you’ll stay looking youthful for much longer.
If you’ve got stubborn wrinkles that you can’t improve, check out these amazing natural based products to zap those wrinkles away.