Do you wish you could go back in time and tell your younger self to start taking better care of her skin? I sure do! Over the past several years I’ve learned so much about skincare and sun protection. I wish I could have told younger Anna to start protecting her skin earlier!
Sharing an entire skincare routine can feel overwhelming and I’m not going to lie, mine seems to have a lot to it these day. So, instead, I thought I would share with you the top 3 products that absolutely every woman should use starting in her 20s. Don’t worry though, you’re never too old to start using them now!
Over time I have started adding these 3 products to my daily skincare regimen and have truly noticed a huge difference in the vibrancy of my skin and the evenness in my skin tone. My skin is acne-prone and I struggle with melasma on a daily basis, so this is saying a lot!
I’ve known about these 3 products for quite some time and you probably have too. But, it wasn’t until a recent trip to the dermatologist that I grasped how truly important they are. If you recall, I had some imagining done on my face in the fall and it simulated what my face would look like in the future. It was very eye-opening! While in that appointment though, the dermatologist spoke with me about how very important it is to use sunscreen, vitamin C, and retinol on a daily basis.
I fully recognize that women come approach skincare from all different angles and comfort levels. Some of us get botox, others don’t. Some of us have the luxury of monthly facials, others don’t. But, the one thing we can do is invest in quality products for our face just like we invest in quality food for our bodies.
The products I am recommending below are not the cheapest one out there. They are the most expensive ones out there either. What I’ve learned though is that when it comes to skincare, you get what you pay for. If you buy cheap products from the drug store or amazon, they may not be as impactful as a product that your dermatologist would recommend. Y’all know I love a good sale find, but when it comes to skincare, I am not going to skimp any corners. I have one body and I’m going to do my darndest to take care of it!
3 Product Every Woman Should Use:
sunscreen
This is probably no surprise to you, right? However, a good question to ask is how often you really are wearing sunscreen. Is it daily or just when you’re out in direct sunlight? For a long time, I wore sunscreen only if I was at the pool or on the beach. The past several years though, I apply it daily; even in the winter! I think we don’t realize that our skin still absorbs the sun’s rays while we’re driving, on cloudy days, and in the colder months, too!
There are two different types of sunscreen I recommend to wear with makeup. One is the Elta MD sunscreen. I used the tinted Elta MD for a long time (it’s 40 SPF) and loved it. They have a clear option, but I liked the slight tint of color.
Lately though, I’ve been combining the Beautycounter face sunscreen with my tinted moisturizer and it’s my favorite combination so far. Although it is lower in SPF compared to Elta MD (only 25 SPF), it doesn’t have a scent it, is very lightweight, and it doesn’t make your skin greasy at all! I like mixing it with my tinted moisturizer too for a bit of added color. In fact, if you wanted to increase the amount of SPF, you could combine the face sunscreen with a moisturizer that contained SPF.
vitamin c
Vitamin C serums are wonderful for brightening your skin and evening your skin tone. The most notable impacts of using a vitamin c serum are listed below:
- brighten your skin
- reduce the appearance of dark spots
- even out your skin tone
Ever since being diagnosed with melasma after having Abby (5 years ago), I have encorporated a vitamin c serum into my daily skincare routine. Let me tell you, too, I have used and tried almost every vitamin c serum under the sun and can tell you from experience that they are not all created equal. I tried to avoid spending money vitamin c serums, but the cheaper ones just don’t lend the results you want or need.
So, I started to invest in more quality serums and finally landed on one that actually works and provides visible results – the Beautycounter All Bright C Serum. What’s neat about this serum is that is has two different types of vitamin c in it that help to both brighten your skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots (hello, melasma). This vitamin C serum has worked so well for my melasma in fact that I only have to use a prescription whitening cream during summer months now!
If you’re curious how it feels on your skin, let me touch on that for a second. The Beautycounter All Bright C Serum soaks in really fast and goes on thing. I usually put on my C serum after my other serum and before my moisturizer and sunscreen. It doesn’t have a strong odor to it either, which is nice.
retinol
retenoid is a fancy word for Vitamin A. Vitamin A, is beneficial to our skin because it is a key nutrient that helps increase cell turnover. Retenoids also increase collagen production in your skin. These two factors will help make your skin feel tighter, brighter, and have less visible wrinkles.
When to use it? I would start using this yesterday. I didn’t start until my 30s, but it’s one of those products that works as a preventative so the earlier the better. I think it’s especially smart to start using it at an earlier age given the UV light our faces absorb from our computers and phones on a daily basis.
The retenoid I use is the Skinbetter Science Overnight Cream and the benefits as described on their website are listed below:
- reduces the appearance of wrinkles in about 4 weeks
- provides moisture to counteract dryness
- contains antioxidants that neutralize free radicals
Of all the retinol creams I’ve tried I like this one the best as it seems to irritate my skin the least. It is a bit pricey, but it’s quality and it will last you a very long time. This is also the one my dermatologist recommended, and when it comes to my skin, I don’t mess around. I will take my dermatologist’s recommendation any day over a cheaper product.
Caution: can cause dry, flaky skin
If You Liked This Post, Be Sure To Check Out These:
The Best Way To Get Rid of Dark Spots
The Best Simple, Skincare Routine For The Evening
8 Shower Essentials For The Best Skin and Hair Care
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