One of my favorite things a friend of mine always says is “that’s future me’s problem.” She says it about a lot of things like dropping money on concert tickets or splurging on a cute jumpsuit. While most things one can splurge on and put off until it really does become your future problem, one thing you never want to sacrifice on is your SKIN. Your skin is with you forever and it’s time you start investing in it.
You have probably heard your mother or aunt or someone older than you complain about wrinkles and “fine lines” and “just this spot right here.” While you may roll your eyes now don’t let that be you in the future. Our parent’s generation was not educated on the results the sun has on our skin. Sunscreen was seen as crazy of an idea as bottled water was. No one was wearing it and few people were taking care of their skin properly. The results caused aging and so, the over marketed generation of “anti-aging” was born.
Americans are estimated to spend over $43 billion on skincare in a given year. This includes creams, cosmetic enhancements and other beauty products. With an industry that is so over saturated with skincare products and techniques how do you know what you really need?
You can barely watch a tv commercial on skincare without hearing about the benefits of anti-aging and the reduction of wrinkles. If every product is being advertised as anti-aging how do you really know what you need and at what age should you start utilizing anti-aging products?
ANTI-AGING POPULATION
The majority of the anti-aging products you read about are not marketed to twenty somethings. These products are being marketed to our parents generation and are not intended to help people who have not experienced aging yet (ie. all the twenty somethings).
I am sure you have heard all about Botox in your twenties and how “its preventative” for aging and wrinkles. While research has suggested this may or may not be true, starting Botox at 23 or 33 is not going to make a difference. So, you aren’t missing out by holding out.
There are only three things you can do to combat aging in your 20s and you may ask “how the heck does she know this?” WELL, I was one of you, who wanted Botox because all my friends were getting it and my Dad is a plastic surgeon and I practically begged him to let me have some. He was the one who pointed me to the logic that waiting until I am 33 to start Botox is not going to make a difference in my skin aging.
He was also the one who introduced me to these three concepts on aging and preventing aging in your 20s. So although these are opinions, my Dad’s never steered me wrong and he does have the education and experience to back up these opinions of his, so I guess I’ll take his word for it.
INVEST IN MOISTURIZER.
As your skin enters your 20’s, you transition from an oily teenagers whose hormones are producing excess oil to a twenty year old whose skin is losing that oil. As your skin enters your 20’s and as you continue to age, you are no longer producing excess oil that your skin needs. This is why you may notice that your skin may become dryer when you used to have oily skin. The chemical makeup of your skin is constantly changing and your skin craves that moisture.
The problem with most moisturizers is that they are using the wrong type of oil. You don’t want a moisturizer that contains oils like olive oil, you want a moisturizer that has the proper ratio of lipids. What does this mean? Well, lipids are like oils but they are your own natural oils. By using a moisturizer that contains the chemical makeup of your own oils, you are internally strengthening the barrier that holds your skin together.
This helps prevent the anti aging process your skin goes through because you are putting those essential oils back into the skin which in turn hydrates and protects it.
CREAM EXTREME INTENSIVE REPAIR
Your skin still needs moisturizer even if you don’t think it’s dry. A little goes a long way and don’t wait for your skin to start cracking and looking dry before you apply moisturizer. This was my problem with skincare a few months ago, I was waiting for my skin to dry out before I applied a moisturizer, and your skin needs that moisture now so don’t deprive it of that!
I was first introduced to the Osmotics Cream Extreme back in March. My skin always seems to go through these crazy transitions when the seasons change. My skin became unbelievably dry to the point where I couldn’t even wear makeup because my skin was just rejecting any product. I went to Nordstrom and showed them my skin and told them I needed an intensive moisturizer and my budget was under $100. I was recommended the Osmotics Cream Extreme and I practically tore open the box and applied it immediately in my car. By the time I had gotten home, my skin was already visibly healthier and more hydrated. I became instantly hooked and started applying twice daily for a week until I only needed to apply once a day.
I ran out of this product end of August and had the idea to reach out to see if Osmotics would want to collaborate on the idea I had for this blog post. I have visually noticed a difference in my skin since using the Cream Extreme and wanted to share it with you all.
I talked to Francie, the founder and CEO on the phone and she was so unbelievably knowledgeable about the skincare industry. What I love about her company is that it is entirely backed on research and not the marketing hype surrounding the skincare industry. She loved the idea of this blog post AND is going to offer y’all a discount with code ZEBRA20
WEAR SUNSCREEN. EVERY SINGLE DAY
Growing up, I would attempt to tan myself on family vacations to which my Dad would demand I put sunscreen on, my response was always, “but I want to get a little tan.” My Dad, the witty man that he is, would reply, “so you just want a little bit of skin cancer?” This now has become a running joke in my family and it wasn’t until I saw the effects the sun was making on my chest that I became a believer in sunscreen too.
The sun is hot. Like really freaking hot and you know this but yet you sometimes walk outside without sunscreen on! You wouldn’t get into a car without a seatbelt, so start thinking of sunscreen as your seatbelt — it keeps you safe from the dangers of the sun.
Every time your skin get’s sunburn, just like a real burn, it causes damage to the skin cells DNA and makes it hard from them to repair themselves into their original form.
You should be wearing sunscreen everyday. Pierce always tells me that there’s sunscreen in his moisturizer, and while that may be true, it is not enough!! Invest in a good sunscreen and put it on every morning this helps prevent aging because you are creating a barrier between your skin and the dangers of the sun.
Shop Best of Sunscreen
WASH YOUR FACE!
I always think of this book “Girl, Wash Your Face” when I say this (great read by the way), but it could not ring more true. Think of everything your hands touch every single day, now think of how many times you touch your face. From wiping your mouth to pushing your hair out of your face, your hands are all over your face more than you even realize. Not to even begin to mention how much makeup live deep in your pores each night when you don’t wash your face properly.
Washing your face lets your pores breathe and get all the grime and dirt off your face which in turn helps prevent the aging process because your skin isn’t fighting for oxygen with dirt.
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At every price range!
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TO SUMMERIZE
So I know this was crazy long but I truly believe in this topic (if you can’t tell) and am really passionate about researching what you are putting onto your skin and not believing the industry saturation of skincare with brands promising that you need a $200 anti-aging cream in your 20s. This again, is not to say that anti-aging products are not something you won’t need in the future, but in your 20s, there are three things you can do to prevent aging.
Wear sunscreen
Wash your face
Invest in a good moisturizer
