Why You Should Start Your Skincare Routine in Your 20’s

Many of us spend our early 20s racking up life experiences, exploring the world, discovering ourselves, and starting professional careers. In the process, we forget to give our skin a second’s thought. We spend hours tanning at the beach instead, indulging in unhealthy food and alcoholic drinks, or sleeping late to beat deadlines at work.

It’s not until we start seeing fine lines and age spots on our face that we suddenly become more attuned to how our skin looks and realize that our everyday routine is affecting our skin’s health and appearance. That’s why it’s important to practice starting a skincare routine as early into your adulthood as possible.

Why Skin Care Matters

As young individuals with active lifestyles, your skin is vulnerable to the following:

• Daily exposure to pollution
• Damage from frequent UV exposure
• Breakouts due to physical and emotional stress
• Poor nutrition
• Unhealthy habits, i.e., frequent smoking and drinking

All of the above are aging factors that can make your skin lose its youthful glow prematurely. You most likely started facing these challenges in your teens, too, so their consequences will inevitably begin appearing as early as your mid-20s.
Additionally, your body goes through many biological changes at this time, and many of them will show on your face and skin.

• Your cheeks start losing fat, which sounds like good news until you notice that the skin looks a little droopy.
• Collagen production starts slowing down. Collagen is a natural component that makes skin elastic. It makes skin look soft, plump, and healthy.
• Your skin will still have enough collagen during your 20s, but towards the latter half of the decade, wrinkles around the lips, eyes, and forehead will start appearing and become more visible.
• Women experience surges in estrogen and progesterone at this time, and this can increase oil production, heighten bacteria sensitivity, and trigger acne breakouts.

Clearly, our skin takes a beating during our third decade of life. If you haven’t made skincare a habit during your teens, it’s essential that you finally have a skincare routine in your 20s.

Starting a Routine: Five Habits You Must Develop

There’s no single skin care routine that can guarantee flawless complexion and radiant health. People react differently to skin care products and daily regimens, after all. We can, however, identify five things that must be part of everyone’s sin care routines:

1. Cleansing – Every skin care routine should start with a thorough cleansing. Fine dust, soot from vehicle exhausts, and excess sebum (the natural oil produced by the skin) can accumulate in your pores and result in blackheads and pimple breakouts.
2. Tone – Hydration should immediately come after cleansing. Toning will give your skin a quick boost and remove dead skin cells and dirt your cleanser might have missed.
3. Moisturize – This is another must for skin care, especially after cleansing and toning. Moisturizing keeps the skin healthy and radiant. It also helps to preserve the skin’s elasticity and protect the epidermis from scratches.
4. Nurture – Give your skin something extra by applying nourishing products like serums and natural creams. Take this extra step to provide whatever your skin needs at the moment. Use a moisturizing whitening soap, for example, if you need to lighten your skin or remove dark spots.
5. Protect – You can never protect your skin enough from the sun. Your skin can still absorb its harmful ultraviolet rays even when you’re standing under a shade. A high-SPF sunscreen will protect your skin from their aging and damaging effects.