Is it ever too early to start anti-ageing skincare routine? We chat to the experts.

It's all about preserving and protecting

Any skincare expert will tell you one of the best anti-ageing products you could ever use is a good sunscreen. “There are many things that can contribute to premature ageing, things like smoking, a poor diet and even air pollution, but unprotected sun exposure is enemy number one,” says skincare therapist Chantelle Bester. “You need to prioritise wearing a high protection factor sunscreen or ensure your daily moisturiser includes an SPF every time you go outdoors.”  
 
Protecting your skin from the sun while you’re young will go a long way towards what’ll look like later on. In fact, dermatologists agree that more than 80-percent of the visible signs of ageing can be contributed to sun damage.  

The collagen connection  

The way our skin ages faster if we don’t wear sunscreen is caused by how UV rays damage its collagen content. Collagen is the stretchy protein that gives our skin it’s youthful-looking elasticity. We have it in abundance when we’re young but our supply starts to dwindle from about the age of 25.  
 
“People are often surprised when I say you need to start using skincare containing collagen-encouraging ingredients from their early 20s, not their late 40s, but it really is a case of ‘sooner the better’”, says Bester. She encourages you to think of your collagen stash like a flower bed. If you ‘water’ it when you’ve got a lot of it, you’ll have more to expand on – as opposed to when you’re older and have much less of it. 

Which anti-ageing ingredients should you look out for?  

“There are lots of products promising to be anti-ageing miracles but only a few ingredients are scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production. These include retinol, vitamin C, glycolic acid and certain peptides like Matrixyl,” says Bester. “Retinol, vitamin C and alpha-hydroxy acids in high percentages can be irritating, so start low and then see what you can tolerate by gradually using products that contain them in a higher concentration”, she says. “Whatever your age, it’s never a waste of time to start using skincare that can help you look younger for longer, but the earlier you start, the better.”

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