8 Beauty Habits To Start In Your 20s For Ageless Skin
Featured Image: @spacenk
I have been obsessed with skincare ever since high school. I remember the day exactly. I was at a friends house when his mom came home.
I kid you not when I tell you this kids mom looked like his sister. Her face was perfect. No wrinkles, no signs of aging. Nothing.
And no, she didn’t have him when she was 16. She was well into her late 40s.
No botox. No facelift. Zero wrinkles.
I was fascinated. I asked her many questions about her skincare routine. She told me she moisturized every day since she was 16 years old.
Needless to say, since I was 17 years old I have been moisturizing my face day and night.
However, as I approach my late twenties, I now know there is much more to skincare than just moisturizer.
There are some beauty habits to adopt in your 20s that will make all the difference in your 40s and 50s.
Prevention is better than cure.
Beauty Habits To Start In Your 20s
Is using firming cream in your 20s a waste of time and money? What type of sunscreen should I be using? How much does diet and exercise factor into healthy skin?
There are many concerns when you start implementing a skincare routine. Luckily, developing healthy skin care habits is easy and not too expensive!
You don’t have to splurge on the $60 creams and toners. The majority of products I use can be found in the drugstore and they offer the same benefits as luxury brands.
1. Use Sunscreen Daily
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. You should be using sunscreen daily with a minimum SPF of 30.
A lot of people only put sunscreen on if they’re going to the park or beach. Even if it’s a rainy day and you work indoors, you need to be applying sunscreen!
UV rays do penetrate the clouds and affect your skin even on the cloudiest of days. In fact, sun damage is one of the biggest causes of wrinkles.
I use this one under my makeup and it goes on smoothly without leaving a white cast. This one is also really great but more expensive.
Recommended Products:
- Missha All Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF45/PA+++
- EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 for Sensitive or Acne-Prone Skin, Oil-free
- CeraVe Face Moisturizer with SPF 30
2. Wash Your Makeup Off Every Night
I was guilty of sleeping in my makeup during my teenage years (and occasionally in my early 20s). I just didn’t see the big deal.
I know after a long night, it’s tempting to get home and just collapse into bed, but removing your make up takes ten minutes (max!).
Makeup clogs your pores leading to breakouts, but worse it results in fine lines on the skin. If you sleep in your makeup, you’re not allowing your skin to recover from the day, causing collagen to breakdown and
Recommended Products:
3. Start Using a Separate Cream Around Your Eyes
The skin around your eyes is the most delicate and you should have a cream specifically formulated for your eyes.
Eye creams tend to be thicker which is what you need. The skin around the eyes is the first to start showing signs of aging and fatigue since it’s more prone to dryness.
We also tend to squint and move our eyes a lot, causing puffiness and dark circles.
Recommended Products:
- Eye Cream Moisturizer by LilyAna Naturals
- Under Eye Patches, Matcha Essence Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Pads
4. Get Enough Sleep
A good nights sleep works wonders for your skin.
Without getting into too much medical jargon, a lack of sleep causes an increase in cortisol (the stress hormone) which increases stress and inflammation in your body leading to dull skin.
On top of this, sleep is when your body recovers and rejuvenates. Your body’s hydration rebalances and your skin is able to recover moisture. If you aren’t getting enough zzz’s you’re likely to get dry skin and visible wrinkles at an early age.
Recommended Products:
- A Quality Mattress
- A Satin Pillowcase
5. Start Drinking Enough Water
You already know you should be aiming for eight cups a day, but do you actually hit that amount regularly?
Staying hydrated is good for you inside and out. Staying hydrated will act as a natural anti-ager and even help clear your breakouts.
Recommended Products:
6. Moisturize!
Even if you have greasy skin (like me) you still need to moisturize. You just need to find the one that best treats your concerns.
If you have greasy skin, opt for a light lotion or serum and skin the heavy cream-based ones. Normal to Dry skin could use facial oils and creams as their go-to moisturizers.
Don’t forget to moisturize your neck as well!
Recommended Products:
- Face Cream Moisturizer by LilyAna Naturals
- CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
- Tea Tree Oil Face Cream – For Oily, Acne Prone Skin Natural & Organic Facial Moisturizer
7. Eat Your Nutrients
I know I ate my fair share of junk food as a teenager. Gummy worms, brownies, burgers, you name it! However, in your 20s you want to start reeling that back in.
You can obviously have your occasional treats, but the college late night pizza runs should be a thing of the past at this point.
Learn to cook for yourself and find healthy options you actually enjoy. I personally HATE celery and beets but LOVE sweet potatoes and broccoli. Figure out your taste and cook according to it.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help you have clear, glowing skin from the inside-out
8. Start Using Retinols
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and is an anti-aging measure, but it’s recommended for 20-somethings to start incorporating a small amount into their beauty regimen.
It can help improve skin color, pigmentation, and even reverse signs of sun damage. If you feel like you need something stronger than a retinol, you can ask your dermatologist for retinoids, which is a stronger option only available by prescription.
I use my retinol cream every other night and it has made a remarkable difference in my complexion.
Recommended Products:
- LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream Moisturizer
- Body Merry Retinol Moisturizer Anti Aging/Wrinkle & Acne Face Moisturizer Cream w Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamins
When it comes to learning how to take care of your skin in your 20s, you just need to be consistent, eat right, and find the products that best suit your skin.
It’s never too early to start using moisturizers and eye creams. Remember, it’s better to prevent than to cure!
Want to exfoliate your skin on a budget? These easy DIY face scrubs are perfect and cost next to nothing to make!
What are your best skin care habits?
Founder. Entrepreneur. Recovering Perfectionist. Not necessarily in that order.
I run on bad jokes and good food. Lover of life and experiences, I did the nomad thing for four years.
Semi-Based in Miami currently.
In my free time, you can find me reading, running my cats Tinder profile, or trying out a new fitness class. You can find me on Instagram