{"id":949,"date":"2021-06-22T10:23:09","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T17:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/?p=949"},"modified":"2023-11-08T12:53:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T20:53:12","slug":"5-things-you-wish-youd-done-in-your-20s-for-better-skin-in-your-40s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/5-things-you-wish-youd-done-in-your-20s-for-better-skin-in-your-40s\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things you wish you\u2019d done in your 20s for better skin in your 40s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Clinically reviewed by:<\/strong> Lori Cahitas, licensed <\/a>esthetician<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wrinkles<\/a> and dark spots<\/a> can instigate a moment of reflection: what if we had taken better care of our skin when we were younger? Time travel isn\u2019t an option, but neither is regret, according to Dr. Jennifer Holman of U.S. Dermatology Partners. \u201cThe best time to start a skincare regimen<\/a> is the present. We need to care for our skin differently at each stage of life to ensure we can age gracefully, and more importantly, prevent serious skin health concerns,\u201d Holman says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to investing in Apple and ditching the brow tweezers, here are the top five things we\u2019d tell our past selves for better skin in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n

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01<\/div>\n
SPF = BFF<\/div>\n

Sunscreen<\/a> awareness has come a long way in the past decade, but dermatologists still feel the need to put the message on repeat. \u201cAt any age, the best thing you can do for your skin is to avoid cumulative damage caused by exposure to UVA\/UVB sun rays,\u201d Holman says. She recommends daily use of an SPF 30<\/a> or higher that\u2019s reapplied throughout the day, especially when you\u2019re outside or in the water. \u201cChoose broad-spectrum sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB wavelengths and contain the physical-blocking ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another tip for youthful skin? Take sun protection one step further by investing in a wide-brimmed hat and UPF clothing. \u201cThe more steps you take to protect your skin from sun damage, the longer you can keep your skin healthy and looking youthful.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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02<\/div>\n
Retinol at the ready<\/div>\n

Don\u2019t sleep on the retinol<\/a>. \u201cYour 20s are a great time to introduce retinoids into your daily skincare routine to improve the firmness and density of skin (and correcting) pigmentation irregularities<\/a> from sun damage,\u201d advises Holman. She recommends using an over-the-counter retinol serum<\/a> two to three nights a week. But using retinol<\/a> isn\u2019t just a tip for youthful skin\u2014it can also help with acne. If you\u2019re looking to clear up acne-related skin concerns, Holman recommends talking to your doctor about a prescription retinoid cream.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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03<\/div>\n
Master cleanse<\/div>\n

Your 20s is the perfect time to create the life-long habit of washing your face<\/a>, specifically before bedtime and especially if you’re wearing makeup. Holman recommends using \u201cmild facial cleansers<\/a> twice a day. At the end of the day, use micellar water or other gentle makeup remover to thoroughly remove makeup prior to cleansing. If you suffer from acne, use a cleanser<\/a> that contains salicylic acid<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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04<\/div>\n
The acid test<\/div>\n

Skin cell turnover is how dermatologists describe the cycle of new cells pushing up to the surface. This process slows in our twenties, meaning older cells stick around a little longer, leading to dullness, defined expression lines and potentially clogged pores. Exfoliants<\/a> mimic the quick cell turnover process of our youth by sloughing off dead skin cells to encourage new, fresh cells to the surface.<\/p>\n

Dr. Holman\u2019s product tip for youthful skin? \u201cLook for chemical exfoliating products that include lactic, glycolic<\/a> or salicylic acids to use 2-3 times weekly, as these ingredients help to remove dead skin and promote cell turnover,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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05<\/div>\n
Say no to dry spells<\/div>\n

Moisturizing can be tricky, especially if you\u2019re prone to breakouts<\/a> or oiliness<\/a>. But these conditions don\u2019t cancel out skin\u2019s desperate need for hydration, rather, the right moisturizer<\/a> can help balance your skin and keep breakouts and oiliness in check. \u201cApply a light moisturizer or oil daily to keep skin hydrated. Moisturized skin is less likely to break out, is less affected by common skin conditions like eczema, and generally looks and feels better,\u201d Holman says.<\/p>\n

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Clinically reviewed by: Lori Cahitas, licensed esthetician Wrinkles and dark spots can instigate a moment of reflection: what if we had taken better care of our skin when we were younger? Time travel isn\u2019t an option, but neither is regret, according to Dr. Jennifer Holman of U.S. Dermatology Partners. \u201cThe best time to start a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-skin"],"metadata":{"_edit_lock":["1699476745:29"],"_edit_last":["29"],"adobe_analytics_repeatable":["a:1:{i:0;a:2:{s:4:\"name\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"value\";s:0:\"\";}}"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["90"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["1"],"primary_category":["5"],"_primary_category":["field_608c33bdd26d5"],"show_featured_image":["1"],"_show_featured_image":["field_609ee1cf1ce13"],"post_views_count":["18752"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["5"],"_thumbnail_id":["984"],"mobile_image":[""],"_mobile_image":["field_60bf7692abe28"],"_post_views_count":["field_6107dfafd6a27"],"sidebar_products_use_global_default":["0"],"_sidebar_products_use_global_default":["field_63a349a11086a"],"sidebar_products_items":[""],"_sidebar_products_items":["field_63a349a110878"],"sidebar_products":[""],"_sidebar_products":["field_63a349a0dadad"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["In addition to buying Apple stock and easing up on our brows, here are the top 5 things we\u2019d tell our past selves for better skin today."],"sidebar_products_title":["Related Products"],"_sidebar_products_title":["field_6408d62123449"]},"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":{"primary_category":{"term_id":5,"name":"Skin","slug":"skin","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":238,"filter":"raw"},"show_featured_image":true,"post_views_count":"18752","mobile_image":false,"sidebar_products":{"use_global_default":false,"title":"Related Products","items":""}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=949"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9964,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/949\/revisions\/9964"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnected.murad.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}