Your 20s are a decade of intense change. Fresh out of high school, you venture to college, begin your career, travel, or start a new relationship. Regardless of what you are doing, skincare is likely low on the list of priorities. However, your 20s are the ideal time to build healthy skin habits that will benefit you throughout your life.
The signs of aging are most noticeable on the skin, and by the time you’re 20, you’re already losing collagen and elastin production. Add that to days spent lounging in the sun, not getting as much sleep as you should, and poor eating habits, and your skin can look dull, dehydrated, or blemish-prone.
Don’t worry. The team at NuFACE is here to help. We’ll tell you what’s going on with your skin and give you a step-by-step tutorial for taking care of your skin in your 20s so the skin you have in your 40s and 50s looks youthful, even-toned, and firm.
What Happens to Your Skin at Age 20?
Acne, oil, and hormonal changes may have affected your skin. Finally, you’re ready to relax into easy skincare routines that don’t take long and won’t give you a breakout. Your skin, however, is still going through major changes.
Collagen and Elastin
The two proteins responsible for keeping our skin firm, plump, and youthful are collagen and elastin. Unfortunately, by age 20, we’re already producing less collagen and elastin than we did as teenagers. Furthermore, the rate is increasing by 1% each year, so by the time you’re 40, you’ll be making 20% less collagen than you made in your youth.
Less collagen and elastin means skin can sag, look less contoured, and you can begin to develop deep wrinkles and folds with time.
Skin Cell Turnover
Another feature of the skin is cell turnover. Your skin is constantly renewing itself, making new skin cells in the deepest layers of your skin. New skin cells are pushed up to the epidermis, where they are eventually sloughed off naturally or through exfoliation, revealing another layer of new skin cells underneath.
Cell turnover happens rapidly when we are young but declines in childhood and into early adulthood. In young adults, skin cell turnover takes about 28-30 days. In older adults, it can take 45-50 days or longer. When it takes longer for our skin cells to renew, our skin texture can become dull, we can experience breakouts, and fine lines begin to form around the corners of the eyes, forehead, and mouth. This is due to a build-up of dead skin, which makes skin appear rough, dry, and uneven.
Oxidative Stress
The most significant enemy of your skin is oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that steal electrons from healthy molecules attached to your skin cells. When this happens, the skin cell is damaged.
Free radicals come from the sun, cigarette smoke (even second-hand), pollution, and even blue light from electronics. To protect your skin from these free radicals, you need antioxidants. Antioxidants act like shields against free radicals, voluntarily offering up one of their electrons and keeping your skin cells safe.
Photodamage
Who doesn’t love the look of sun-kissed skin? The problem is, it comes with a price you might not know you’ve paid until you reach your 30s or 40s. While UVA rays burn the skin, UVB rays are responsible for most of the aging effects of the sun, like wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging skin.
Exposing your skin to ultraviolet rays without sunscreen or protective clothing can result in skin that will look older than it should and could even develop cancerous lesions.
With all the changes you’re undergoing in your 20s, it makes sense to set up an easy, daily skincare routine to protect your skin and keep it healthy.
What Are Some Skincare Tips in Your 20s?
It’s never too early to start using anti-aging products. However, the sooner you begin using products to increase cell turnover, improve collagen and elastin production, and protect your skin from free radicals, the less you’ll have to deal with the effects of skin aging. NuFACE is an expert in supporting your skin health. Here’s our How-to guide to keeping your skin healthy for decades.
Cleanse
You’ve done some growing up. It’s time to switch from your teenage, blemish-reducing cleanser to one that supports the skin you’re in. Oil-free and blemish-reducing products can irritate older skin; you probably don’t need them unless you’re still breaking out.
Opt for mild cleansers that contain plant-based ingredients to help remove surface dirt, oil, and makeup. Using a dual cleanser and exfoliator is also a good idea to save time and help encourage the elimination of dead skin cells.
Our Prep-N-Glow® Exfoliating and Hydrating Facial Wipes are the ultimate, effortless skincare. One side cleanses and removes dirt, makeup, and oil. The other side gently exfoliates and hydrates with hyaluronic acid to leave skin feeling soft and hydrated without clogging pores.
Load Up on Antioxidants
There’s no better time to start protecting your skin from free radicals than in your 20s. NuFACE’s Super Antioxidant Booster Serum is your go-to solution for adding antioxidant protection to your routine to shield skin from harmful free radicals, including oxidative stress from blue light.
Packed with antioxidants from green tea, blueberries, wolfberries, and cranberries and supercharged with our exclusive IonPlex® blend of glacial water and ions to deeply hydrate for optimal microcurrent performance, it’s the perfect way to give your skin the protection it needs with one easy product.
Get Tech-Savvy With Your Skin
The use of microcurrent technology is a non-invasive and compelling way to keep your skin toned, tightened, and contoured.
The NuFACE MINI+ Starter Kit - Smart Petite Facial Toning Kit includes everything you need to tighten, tone, hydrate, and improve your skin’s overall tone and texture, including our exclusive Aqua Gel Activator. This lightweight gel is a must-have to conduct microcurrent and profoundly hydrates with a blend of hyaluronic acid and IonPlex® ions and glacial water.
Wear Sunscreen
You’ve heard it your entire life; wear sunscreen daily. Wearing an SPF of 30 or higher is the best way to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays, even when it’s cloudy or overcast. You’ll love the skin in your 30s and 40s when you protect it in your 20s.
Protection That Lasts
Caring for your skin in your 20s doesn’t have to be a chore. In just a few simple steps, you can protect, nourish, and enhance your skin to set you up for a glowing, radiant complexion for years to come.
Sources:
Why does skin wrinkle with age? What is the best way to slow or prevent this process? | Scientific American
SEER Training: Layers of the Skin | Training.Seer.Cancer.gov
Sun-damaged Skin: Photoaging, Signs, Causes & Treatment | Cleveland Clinic.org
