Is it ever too early to start an anti-aging skincare routine? According to board-certified dermatologic surgeon Dr. Dendy Engelman, the answer is no. More specifically, it's never too early to start targeting certain concerns—pigmentation, fine lines around the eyes, dulling skin, etc.—by using anti-aging ingredients (equally, it's cool if you're not so keen.) "Even if your anti-aging regimen is as simple as acleanser and sunscreen," Engelman continues, that will do the trick. But where to start? To get the low-down, we spoke with Engelman, along with board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Michele Henry, and Shani Darden, a licensed celebrity esthetician and founder of Shani Darden Skincare.
Meet the Experts
- Michelle Henry, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and Harvard-trained Mohs surgeon. She provides exceptional care for her patients at Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan in the Midtown East neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
- Shani Darden is a licensed celebrity esthetician and founder of Shani Darden Skincare.
- Dendy Engelman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologic surgeon atShafer Clinic Fifth Avenue.
Below, find a step-by-step anti-aging skincare routine recommended and approved by top skin experts.
Morning Routine
Step 1: Cleanser
Start a new day with equally fresh skin. "Stick with a gentle cleanser that will not strip your skin of natural oils and leave you more dehydrated than before," instructs Engelman.
Step 2: Toner
Right after cleansercomestoner to prep the skin for the products to follow. "Toner is a necessary step for those who tend to have skin that is on the oily side, or if you are acne-prone," explains Henry.
Step 3: Vitamin C Serum
Next up? Serum. Darden says a vitamin C formula is best. "Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your skin from sun damage and free radicals," she says. "I like to follow up with an oil-free sunscreen that hydrates but does not clog your pores." If that weren't reason enough, vitamin C also helps even out and brighten your complexion.
Step 4: Facial Oil
If you have super-dry skin,consider applying a drop of facial oil before youput on yourmoisturizer for the day. Look for skin-loving ingredients like soothing rosehip oil and conditioning sea buckthorn oil.
Byrdie Tip
To avoid that greasy sheen, rub a drop between your palms and gently press it into your face.
Step 5: Moisturizer
After patting in your oil, give it a second to absorb—then apply a moisturizer. Our team loves this option from Allies of Skin thanks to its fluffy texture and ingredient list. Packed with probiotics and antioxidants, thismoisturizer is specifically designed to help with aging concerns, similar to a wrinkle cream. Aside from being effective, the texture is amazing: silky, smooth, and ultra-light.
Step 6: SPF
Since the sun is a major culprit of premature aging,SPF is the most important step inan anti-aging skincare routine. "Sun exposure depletes the collagen in your skin and can cause issues with pigmentation," Darden explains.
For an easy-to-apply option that wears well under makeup, check out our favorite sunscreen from Shiseido. Not only does it blend into skin well, but it is also packed with hyaluronic acid to add moisture and volume to the skin.
Byrdie Tip
"For those concerned about chemical sunscreens, look for products that do not contain oxybenzone," Engelman suggests.
Night Routine
Step 1: Double Cleanse
After a whole day of being exposed to the elements, washing your face once isn't enough. "Double-cleanse," Engelman advises. To properly double-cleanse, apply an oil-based option before you lather up with a gel-based cleanser. An oil or balm will break down old makeup, dirt, and debris and the gel follow-up ensures you will have a clean canvas for clear pores and better product absorption.
Step 2: Toner
Just as in the morning, toner in the pm will coax the skin to absorb all the goodness you introduce next. Engelman recommends something like Biologique's Lotion P50 range, which exfoliates and tones the skin with phenol and salicylic acid. This not only preps the skin for the rest of your routine, but it also helps maintain your skin's perfect pH balance.
Step 3: Retinol
Aside from sunscreen, Darden says,retinol is the most important step in an anti-aging routine. "Retinol works hard to prevent new wrinkles from forming, as well as smooth out any fine lines that you may already have. It will also help to decrease pigmentation by cellular turnover," she explains.
We suggest applying Sunday Riley's Luna Sleeping Night Oil before you moisturize for a definite difference in your complexion and skin texture. It's specifically formulated to trigger collagen and elastin production. Blue tansy and german chamomile diminishes redness and avocado seed oil plumps up skin.
Step 4: Exfoliating Serum
AHAs such as glycolic acidare great for exfoliating, says Engelman. Sunday Riley's Good Genes lactic acid option hydrates the skin while also brightening it. Licorice and lemongrass help illuminate dark spots while prickly pear extract soothes skin. We prefer to use it every few nights on top of the Luna sleeping oil and under a moisturizer.
Sunday Riley’s Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment
Step 5: Moisturizer
Lock it all in with a great moisturizer. Ingredients such as peptides and ceramides are crucial, Engelman tells us,as they "reinforce the integrity of the skin."
Drunk Elephant's Protini lightweight cream is like a green smoothie from your skin. Loaded with nutrients and active ingredients, soybean folic acid and pygmy waterlily stem cell extract to be exact, it's formulated to trigger more collagen production, so if you want to use a moisturizer specifically designed to target aging concerns, this is it.
Step 6: Eye Treatment
Eye creamis an absolute must. Engelman reminds us that the skin around the eyes is "thinner than the rest of the face and therefore needs a little extra attention."
"I will use an eye cream to brighten and hydrate the under-eye area," echoes Darden. "It's important to keep your under-eyes hydrated because this is what helps to make wrinkles less noticeable and keep the skin firm and plump! If you need extra hydration, you can add a hyaluronic acid serum before your moisturizer."
Weekly Extras
Face Mask
"Masks work to hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier," Darden explains. "Full of peptides, ceramides and hyaluronic acid, they support collagen production which can smooth fine lines and wrinkles." Face masks are a great activity on a quiet night in, but they also work well in the morning after you've double-cleansed. Our experts suggest adding this step after your toner.
Dermarolling
In-office microneedling treatments have long been tauted for a variety of skin concerns and the more user-friendly dermaroller puts the same clinical power in your hands. If you aren't familiar with at-home derma-rolling, here's a quick run-through: It's a device that you roll over the surface of your skin to make sure your product is penetrating deep enough to actually work. The little needles are meant to open up your skin (which also sets it off into collagen production overdrive). Though it may be effective for better product penetration, Henry warns against misuse. "Used incorrectly," she says, "it can cause problems with pigmentation, especially for women of color."
