Getting older is no fun, especially when the signs of aging start to show plainly on our faces. More than ever before, the hyper-digital age we live and work in forces us to confront our own faces—whether on teleconferences, social media, or simply unlocking our phones. Sure, vanity plays a role in making us conscious about showing our age. There’s no problem with wanting to look younger! However, addressing the signs of aging skin can also do wonders for our confidence and our sense of self. Who wants to feel young and vital inside, but see a mismatched, sallow countenance in the mirror? 

Humans are just like any other organism in the natural world—we deteriorate as time goes on. Once energetic and vibrant organic processes in our bodies start to slow, and with that deceleration comes all the signs we think of as problematic. Unfortunately, we age faster the older we get. The signs of aging will get more and more pronounced, unless we intervene. And intervene we can! Read on to find out how to identify the signs of aging skin, and how to edit your skincare routine accordingly. 

Signs of Aging Skin

Dryness, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, discoloration…the list goes on. To better understand how to deal with the signs of aging skin, it’s helpful to know they arise mainly from three fundamental problems: volume loss due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin; chronic dehydration; and, sustained environmental damage. 

Collagen Loss

Collagen, and its close cousin and co-worker elastin, are responsible for volume in our skin. Together, the two form a matrix that holds up our skin and returns it to shape when pressure is applied. This matrix is responsible for what we call skin elasticity. As time goes by, the collagen in our skin either weakens or gets damaged. In either case, the body dutifully removes it from our system and replaces it with new collagen. When we age, our skin becomes less capable of producing high-quality collagen—leading to a breakdown of the matrix and a loss in “bounciness.” This volume loss manifests itself in fine lines and wrinkles, especially around high-pressure areas like the eyes, the mouth, and the forehead. When collagen loss is advanced and widespread, the skin can begin to sag and develop a crepey texture. Knowing how to increase collagen levels in the skin, therefore, is the key to slowing the aging process. 

Chronic Dehydration

Most of the human body is water—roughly 60% of it. It’s little wonder that most, if not all, vital functions and processes in our bodies depend on water. The skin is no different. Hyaluronic acid, among other molecules in the body, is responsible for retaining moisture. Yet as we age, our skin begins to lose this precious resource. Drinking lots of water helps, but the problem is diminished retention. Without plentiful reserves of water, the processes responsible for keeping us youthful, like cell turnover and renewal, get disrupted. Like a plant browning from a dearth of moisture, this chronic dehydration presents itself as dry, dull, and fragile skin. 

Sustained Environmental Damage

The skin on our faces has a lot to endure during the day. Apart from being one of the most delicate parts of our skin, the skin on our faces is also constantly exposed to the elements. Exposed to the sun's harmful UV rays, our bare faces take on damage head-on, leading to disruptions in collagen production, melanin production (ergo, dark spots and discoloration), and transepidermal moisture loss (read: dryness). While sun exposure is a main contributor to the skin aging process, the pollutants in the air, as well as make-up that is not properly removed, can also interfere with collagen production by clogging up our pores and triggering inflammation. Some pollutants can also introduce oxidative stress to our skin, proliferating the presence of free radicals that cause our cells to behave erratically and age more quickly. 

How to Edit Your Routine to Fight Aging 

Now that we know what’s behind the signs of aging, we should build a skincare routine that is capable of addressing each of these causes. While we can't completely stop the skin aging process, we can take steps to care for our skin and encourage healthy aging. There are certain products and skincare ingredients, for example, that can boost long-term hydration, protect collagen and promote its production, and mitigate oxidative damage. 

Protect the Skin’s Moisture Barrier with a Gentle Cleanser

 First and foremost, choose a gentle cleanser or cleansing milk that won’t damage the natural moisture barrier on our skin. Without harsh chemicals that strip and dry the skin, The MANTLE Conditioning Wash melts makeup and urban debris away while respecting the integrity of our skin’s delicate biome. Lipoamino acid bio-vectors nourish the acid mantle, restoring the pH of our skin to healthy levels that the biome thrives in. FLORA-Siren capsules in this creamy cleanser release pre/probiotics where the biome is compromised, and transport long-chain hyaluronic acid to moisturize and prepare skin for treatment. 

Incorporate Ingredients that Promote Renewal  

The “lethargy” that our skin cells experience due to age can be addressed with different active ingredients. AHAs, which are effective mitigators of sun damage, exfoliate and thus prompt our skin to regrow. Retinol, and certain peptides, communicate with deeper skin cells and genes, essentially telling them to behave more youthfully. Not surprisingly, these ingredients are what you find in a brightening serum or a cream to treat crepey skin. The Resurfacing Compound, as well as The SCULPT Arm Compound—both award-winning products lauded for their firming effects—have been clinically proven to optimize elastin up to 166% and 242% respectively. Hello again, bouncy skin! 

Don’t Skip the Sunscreen

One of the key fundamentals of healthy skin is applying SPF. Our skin ages faster with sun exposure, so the importance of applying sunscreen, even on a cloudy day, cannot be overstated. Expect more from The Multimodal Defender than just the usual broad spectrum UV protection, though. Its SUN-Siren capsules deliver a groundbreaking ester that safely inhibits melanin production, correcting from deep within the skin any discoloration and hyperpigmentation issues before they surface. 

Deep Hydration is Key

Hydrate wisely with The SUPER Hydrator and The SUPER Body Hydrator—each capable of transporting five unique chains of hyaluronic acids that can penetrate various layers of the skin to boost hydration and sustain it. Not only  does each instantly moisturize; you can expect the deep hydration to continue increasing even after 48 hours. Potent antioxidants like beta-glucan, tocopherol, and superoxide dismutase get delivered in vulnerable spots of the skin via SIREN Technology, mitigating oxidative stress where the skin suffers it the most, restoring to normal the natural processes of cell turnover and renewal. 

Nighttime Skin Care is Just as Important

Our skin repairs itself while we sleep, so take advantage of these magical hours by applying a night cream. The BARRIER Bioactive Treatment, designed for overnight use, is a powerhouse product packed with mild exfoliants, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and occlusive humectants to seal in all that restorative goodness. Clinically proven to increase the skin’s optimization of collagen by up to 159%, it’s clear to see why 93% of users agreed their skin looked younger and smoother after just 30 days of daily use! 

Bonus Tip!

While technically not directly related to aging, dark or baggy under-eye areas can create the illusion of tiredness and make you look older. The same applies if your lips appear thin or bordered with fine vertical lines (drinking alcohol and smoking be damned). 

If these issues apply to you, start with an eye brightening cream that can accelerate the skin’s natural “waste removal” process, like The RETURN Eye Concentrate. Not only does this contouring compound reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, it also depuffs and reduces discoloration with biomimetic plankton extract and peptides. The PLASMA Lip Concentrate, clinically proven to continually optimize the skin’s natural collagen for 72 hours, reduces the appearance of fine lines around the mouth while enhancing lip volume—both excellent markers of youthfulness!