Just like working out and eating a balanced diet, it takes consistency in your skincare regimen to see results.
Dr. Suchismita “Tia” Paul, a board-certified dermatologist in Newport Beach, California, previously told Business Insider that even the best anti-aging skincare routine won’t lead to immediate changes. “For the first couple of months, you’re not going to see the effects right away,” she said.
She said younger patients are becoming more aware of some preventative skincare habits, like putting on sunscreen, thanks to social media. At the same time, she said they can ignore other habits because signs of aging won’t show up for decades.
“I start seeing people in their 40s and 50s that start coming in,” Paul said. “They want all these procedures done — laser, microneedling —but it’s important to start with skincare in those areas at an earlier age.”
Paul shared some of the skincare habits that can make you age faster.
Forgetting sunscreen on your hands and neck
While Paul is glad to see people wearing daily SPF 30 sunscreen, she said “the most common mistake” she sees is people applying too little. “The ideal amount is at least a two-finger length amount of sunscreen for your entire face,” she said.
The other important thing is to apply sunscreen on other parts of the body, particularly your neck or the backs of your hands, which people tend to miss and which also get a lot of sun exposure.
Paul said she sees many clients coming in with crepey skin on their necks or dark spots on their hands, all of which take years to show up — but are hard to minimize once they do.
Skimping on moisturizer
Paul said she has clients, particularly teenagers and those with oily skin, who avoid moisturizing because they think it’ll make their skin greasier and cause more breakouts.
Not only does moisturizer reduce acne by preventing oil overproduction, it also keeps skin looking hydrated and vibrant, preventing dehydration lines and protecting the skin barrier.
She said moisturizing is especially important if you use skincare products with active ingredients, like vitamin C serum or retinol, which can dry out the skin. It also matters if you live in a dry climate, like she does.
“I’m in southern California — it gets very dry,” she said. “So whenever I feel like my skin is dry or just looking dull, I will actually take a little break from the active ingredients for a few days and just really emphasize on moisturizing.”
Giving up on eye cream
While eye creams promise everything from reducing puffiness to brightening dark circles, the truth is, the results just won’t be that drastic, Paul said.
“Eye creams don’t do a great job treating any existing dark circle or even wrinkles,” she said. “But they do a pretty good job preventing ones.” For example, she said the skin under your eyes, which is already very thin, tends to get drier and crepier with age. Eye creams can help slow that process down.
Paul recommended finding eye creams for specific issues, like an eye cream with retinol to target fine lines or one with vitamin C to lighten dark circles.
Above all else, she said being patient is key. “A lot of people get excited and invest all this money, but they’re expecting results in the first couple of months,” she said. “You’re not going to see it.” Over time, though, you’ll be happy you stuck with the routine.
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