Hi you guys! This post is recently inspired by one of those “starter packs” you often see on Reddit or Twitter. You know the ones, like, “white girl starter pack” where there are Uggs, pumpkin spice lattes, leggings, gossip girl…you know, white girl things. Anyway, I stumbled across one for anti aging and I literally almost died. It was so accurate! I wish I could find the original photo to give credit to whoever made it but I can’t, so I will have to leave it out for now.
Only being 22, you might say that I am crazy, BUT it doesn’t hurt to start now, or even when you are 20. I was listening to my favorite podcast, The Skinny Confidential Him and Her, and on the episode with Dr. Dennis Gross he was sharing how the millennial generation and the generations after can quite possibly look young forever, or look dramatically younger than our grandparents do today. With social media, we are very aware of what we look like and are trying to look our best every day to showcase online. Call it bad, call it good, whatever the case is, we are proactive about our skin, hair, face, etc.. In recent years we are also very conscious about what we are putting in and on our bodies. We are trying to stay clear of toxic chemicals and using products that are effective but also won’t hurt us down the road. We are all about prevention, something that older generations were not so much into. All that being said, whether you agree with me or not, anti-aging prevention cannot hurt you. You don’t have to start at 20, but don’t wait until you are seeing signs of progressed aging because that is not something you can permanently get rid of no matter how much botox or “work” you get done.
All that being said, I have become an anti-aging FREAK. It’s like a light switched and I’m now crazy. I went on a binge anti-aging haul and I’ve even made Keegan aware that I am not aloud to go outside without sunscreen or if he even thinks about stealing my silk pillowcase I will flip. Just kidding…kinda. Let’s get one thing clear though, I did a lot of research on some of the best anti-aging tactics, so don’t worry, I didn’t just concoct these in my sleep. Below I am sharing what I am using and doing, aka the anti-aging starter pack for people who haven’t even started aging yet because we want to look young forever. HA!
1. Sunscreen
The first thing I did was load up on NATURAL SUNSCREEN. Let’s rewind my life a bit first. I never used to wear sunscreen. I wanted to be tan and that’s it. Tanning bed? No problem, at least I’m bronzed!! BIG mistake my pals. Another mistake is using a sunscreen with chemicals and toxins. It’s starting to come out that those sunscreens can even cause cancer down the line, so make sure to use a chemical free, natural sunscreen. My favorite brand is Supergoop, I especially love their face sunscreen which is paraben-free; oxybenzone-free; synthetic fragrance-free; oil-free, and feels weightless on the skin which is key because I hate feeling like I have sunscreen on. It’s also suggested for anti-aging #SCORE!
2. Vitamin C Serum
I love a serum. Serums are an essential step to any skincare routine, and now that I am getting old and grey I need to really choose my serums properly. The problem? They are all so damn expensive. *Yes, I’ll take that serum over there for $740.* UM NO. If that shit doesn’t come out of a pure gold bottle that I can re-sell to try and make half that money back, it ain’t ever gonna happen. Turns out the best thing for preventative anti-aging for those in their early 20s are ANTIOXIDANTS, SPECIFICALLY VITAMIN C. This “can save skin from the ravaging effects of pollution, stress, UV, and infrared rays — all of which contribute to spots and lines (Allure).” I am dying to get the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum, but I can’t bring myself to buy it for the price quite yet. So, I went on Amazon, researched the reviews for a long time and decided on the TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin E for $20. I actually have already seen a difference in my skin’s texture! Highly recommend if you are looking for a more affordable Vitamin C serum option.
3. Silk Pillowcase
Turns out, we sleep for almost 1/3 of our lives! That is A LOT of time in bed, so why aren’t we investing in those hours as much as the hours when we are awake?? This was actually kind of a revelation to me. So, you know what I did? I went out and bought a 100% PURE SILK PILLOWCASE. Before you roll your eyes at me, because I literally did that to Payton when she got one a few months back, listen up. First of all, if we spend a 1/3 of our lives doing something, don’t you think we should really invest in that thing? The $5 cotton pillowcase from target might be great, but your head, hair, and skin deserve better! Secondly, silk fibers are way less absorbent than cotton meaning your nightly face creams and serums aren’t soaking into your pillow. That’s not good for your face and that’s also just gross. Thirdly, over time your skin looses elasticity and can form long lasting sleep creases. Sleeping on silk has been a long time beauty secret because it reduces friction on the skin and hair, aka less wrinkles and less bedhead! Feel free to check it out! Slip is the brand I went with.
4. Water
WATER. The most essential part of our beings, well at least one of them. Not only does it hydrate your body, it hydrates your skin. No one thinks dry, flaking skin is cute, so drink your water. I always have an Essentia in hand. *I buy the 1.5 liter bottles and throw the cap away when drinking it so it forces me to drink the whole thing throughout the day. I’ve also been really into lemon in my water, especially in the morning. A cup of hot (or cold, depending on my mood) water with lemon wakes me up!
5. Preventative Botox
PREVENTATIVE BOTOX. Okay if you haven’t rolled your eyes yet thus far, don’t start with me now. The thing about botox, especially for people in their 20s, is that there is such a stigma around it. First of all, we can’t put an age to it. Everyone’s skin is drastically different and someone at age 21 may have deep lines already whereas say someone at age 30 who is genetically blessed may still have yet to see signs of aging. Basically preventative botox is the “concept of treating the facial muscles that you use more frequently in order to avoid wrinkles from forming” (Fox). So many people wait until they see signs of progressed aging, but why would you wait until you have a bigger problem? Askari Townshend puts it this way, “If I buy a Ferrari…you take it to the garage on a regular basis, so they can keep it in tip-top condition, so in 10 years’ time, you still have a beautiful car. That’s the same with your skin. A little bit all the way through is how you keep things looking good”. I am NOT suggesting to go and put 300 units in your face at the age of 20. No ma’am. Preventative botox should be used at the first signs that lines are sticking around when your face is relaxed. If you start seeing lines stay when you relax your face, that is when you should consider botox, in small doses.
For me, I have 3 terribly deep lines between my brows from squinting all the time. My eyes are actually very sensitive, they always have been, so that forced me since I was little to squint every time I was outside or around bright lights. It’s actually funny because I remember when I was about 7 my uncle told me to stop squinting so hard or else I am going to end up with permanent lines. He wasn’t wrong. So after a lot of research and finding the best person to have a consult with and talk me through everything I got 15 units between my brows. Amaris at SkinSpirit in Bellevue is the best. I actually had 4 people recommend her to me and when I went for my consult she told me that my lines are already super deep so doing this now will tremendously help me when I am older to not have those permeant lines. She also has a very natural approach to everything which we love. It can always be scary going in since there are so many bad botox jobs walking around the streets.
6. Eye Cream
The skin under our eyes can be the most sensitive part of our skin meaning we can’t forget about it! Getting permanent dark circles under my eyes is not something I want down the line. Since we are talking prevention, I love an EYE CREAM WITH ANTIOXIDANTS (super key) and hydration at night and something with SPF during the day (super super key). My favorite eye cream right now is the First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy which is packed with antioxidants, retinyl palmitate (helps to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles), and caffeine!
7. Micro Exfoliation
EXFOLIATION of the skin promotes cellular turnover, aka more youthful looking skin (Refinery 29). Instead of using a hard exfoliator 2-3 times a week I use the Dermalogica daily microfoliant.
8. Facial Massage
Celebrity Facialist, Nichola Joss, says that FACIAL MASSAGE is “probably one of the most important roles within a skincare regime. It builds circulation, meaning more oxygenated blood feeding, nourishing of skin cells and encouraging of the renewal process, and also helps to reduce facial muscle tension as well as calming and relaxing the mind.” What is facial massage you may ask? Here is a step by step guide on how to do it. I love to incorporate my ice roller into my morning facial massage to reduce puffiness and wake my skin up.
9. Collagen
Our bodies naturally produce collagen, but as we age, our bodies start slowing down the production so a Collagen Mask
can be vital to your body. One of the most well known benefits of collagen “is its ability to promote glowing, vibrant skin.
This essential protein provides elasticity to the skin, helping it to appear more youthful and healthy” (Health Line). I recently started taking NeoCell which I buy at Wholefoods!
Do you have any anti-aging tips? I would love to hear them and incorporate them into my daily routine. xx