Trying to perfect your skincare routine may seem daunting—even if you don’t have any major skin concerns. Everyone has a different skin type with different issues, so it’s important to figure out which formulations work best with your skin. You want a routine with enough steps to address all your concerns but not too many steps; otherwise it can be hard to stay consistent. A simple yet effective routine is best.

As we age, our collagen production decreases, affecting the elasticity of our skin. Even though this affects us all, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by our changing needs and all the makeup options out there for aging skin. We have tips to help you create the best anti-aging skincare routine that will help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Before long, you’ll see healthier and radiant-looking skin. 

1. Protect With SPF

You’ll see in just a moment that we’re going a little out of order (you should actually cleanse first), but this step is the most important for any skincare routine. Protect your skin from sun damage using broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen, sun lotion, or UVA/UVB-blocking topical serums—every single day. 

Dermatologists recommend this proactive approach to protect your skin from dark spots and other signs of aging that the sun’s rays can unfortunately lead to, not to mention additional damage and even cancer. Look for a lightweight sunscreen with an SPF 30 rating or higher to effectively protect your skin, and it bears repeating: put it on everyday.

2. Cleanse

When it comes to your daily skincare regimen, the actual first step is to cleanse your skin. Morning and night, you need a cleanser to remove makeup, dirt, and oil. It should be a gentle cleanser, as you don’t want to strip your skin of its natural, nourishing oils that help maintain the skin barrier and lock moisture in. While there are many cleansers for different skin types, our Cleansing Stick is a low-maintenance addition to any routine. This solid oil cleanser gently and effectively melts away impurities, leaving your skin soft, with all its natural oils intact. 

Always cleanse with warm water. Hot temperatures can zap moisture, tighten your skin, and contribute to redness and irritation.  

3. Moisturize

As aging skin becomes thinner, it also becomes drier—which means skin is more prone to showing fine lines and wrinkles. Consistent hydration has never been more important so search for a formulation that is specially created with dry skin in mind.

Look for ingredients that attract and retain water, like glycerine. This hydrating ingredient is a humectant, which pulls water to deeper levels of your skin. In fact, according to a study by the Indian Journal of Dermatology, glycerine is one of the most effective humectants. 

Shea butter is another ingredient that will replenish moisture and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is all thanks to linoleic and stearic acids, which naturally occur in shea butter. 

You’ll find this combination of rich hydration in our Miracle Cream. Formulated especially for dry skin types, this dense moisturizing cream will soak into even sensitive skin, leaving it refreshed and smooth. For extra hydration, use it as a night cream to keep your skin nourished all night long.

4. Don’t Forget About Eyes

One of the first places you may notice aging is the eye area. The thin skin surrounding your eyes is delicate and prone to fine lines and wrinkles. As you build your anti-aging routine, pay extra attention to this area. 

Look for a moisturizing formulation that is designed specifically for the eye area. (Meaning, you’ll likely want a separate product than the moisturizer you’re using for your entire face.) Key ingredients will help minimize puffiness and dark circles while brightening the under-eye area. 

Our Eye Cream is packed with a combination of powerhouse ingredients. First, trehalose, an ingredient that helps to prevent skin damage caused by UV radiation as well as limit skin damage caused by free radicals. It also contains moisture-boosting glycerine, which helps with plumping up fine lines that appear in the undereye area. And it is filled with the highly effective macadamia seed oil, which contains omega-9 oleic acid and squalane. This winning combo helps with cell regeneration, which contributes to younger-looking skin. 

5. Incorporate Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize free radicals, unstable and highly reactive molecules that are generated in response to UV rays and pollution. Free radicals accumulate in the body and cause our cells to age. When you’re finding the best products to incorporate into your routine, keep shea butter and sunflower seed oil in mind. These popular skincare ingredients are filled with the antioxidants vitamins C and E. 

6. Try Exfoliating 

Have you noticed that, whenever you get a cut or a scrape, your skin now takes a little longer to heal than it is used to? This is due to the process of cell turnover slowing down as we age. 

As this turnover slows, it can cause a buildup of dead skin cells on the skin's surface. Too much buildup and your skin can look dull, and even prevent products from penetrating the skin.

Plan on exfoliating once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells, handle dryness and dullness, and support cell turnover. Your skin will look brighter as you slough off dead skin cells, and your skincare products will be more effective now that they can effectively penetrate the skin. 

Exfoliate after cleansing but before moisturizing. Exfoliating can be somewhat drying to the skin as it can temporarily cause the skin to lose water, but not to worry because your skin will emerge with a new radiance as new skin cells are now on the surface of your skin. 

Outside Factors

While using the right skincare products and consistency are key, there are other considerations that can affect your skin's appearance. 

7. Hydrate With H20 and Eat Healthy

Hydrating your skin with effective moisturizers will only help so much if you are not hydrating from the inside. Drinking water is important for overall health, and it’s especially crucial for maintaining healthy skin. Try to get at least eight glasses of water a day. You can also count hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumber to supplement your hydration efforts.

Applying antioxidant-rich products to your skin is great, but incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into your diet will help your body neutralize free radicals from the inside out. Next time you’re in the produce aisle, look for broccoli, carrots, blueberries, and strawberries. 

8. Maintaining Your Sleep Schedule

It’s not news that getting enough sleep is important for your health and skin appearance. At night your body—your skin included—undergoes repairs and cell regeneration. 

A consistent sleep schedule helps maintain your body’s natural circadian rhythms, which can help improve your skin texture. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night, and keep your bedtime and wake-up time consistent throughout the week. 

9. Stay Active

Life gets busy, and when we start to feel stress, you may notice issues like breakouts and premature aging. Staying active, with even just a walk around the block in fresh air, can help regulate stress, allowing your mind to calm and focus. 

Finding Balance

Creating the best anti-aging skincare routine is part of using the right ingredients and products and finding effective practices for your health. Cleansing, moisturizing, occasionally exfoliating, and wearing SPF daily can help minimize the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles that come with aging. None of these tactics will do much good though without consistency or if you’re neglecting other areas of your life.

Drink plenty of water, stay well-rested, and minimize stress to optimize your skin health, too. When you find a balance across all these areas, you’ll find the perfect routine that will support healthy-looking skin.