Now that I am officially in my late 20s, the ever-present doomsday feeling of turning 30 has been lingering over me. About 6 months ago, I put a stop to this “feeling” when I realized there is literally NO reason to be so scared of aging and turning older. Other than maybe not knowing what I’m doing with my life, if I want to have kids tomorrow or in 5 years, if I have enough in my savings, etc…But I’m not here to cover any of that stuff. Let’s reign it in from the existential crises, and talking about aging in the skincare sense and why it doesn’t need to scare you!
I love to see skincare campaigns including older individuals! It is so important to use skincare throughout all phases of life, and this should be more represented apart from just “anti-aging” ads.
Skincare Companies Support Being Scared of Aging
No, it’s not ALL skincare companies, but a good majority of them prey on this fear of aging. Let’s define aging for the purpose of this blog post:
Aging, meaning the skin on the face and body is losing elasticity and collagen, dark spots and sun damage may be more present, and fine lines and wrinkles are more prevalent and deep
Readers, it’s not shocking to discover that aging happens. Genetics, sex, climate, pollution and so many more factors affect the manner in how this may happen, obviously. Without also diving into health and things of that nature- just remember that every human experiences these signs of aging to an extent.
Skincare companies know that this scares us. And many ads and promotions for products have been made to remind us of this fear and sell us products with the point that Aging=Bad, Youth=Good. I wish I was here to make a fundamental change to society, but I can only do my small part in reminding you that this is society telling us what to think based on beauty standards. And importantly, this has been heavily targeted to women.
I invite you to think of aging differently. As something that gets to happen to us; we are privileged to experience our bodies getting older.
What To Ask Yourself When You Notice Wrinkles
Although the message behind many skincare advertisements may be skewed, it is still based on correct fundamentals. As time passes, we should evolve our daily skincare routines. I have touched before on being intuitive with your skincare routine – and this is just a constant reminder to not just go through the motions with your routine, but to think about the products you’re using and why.
Not only should you check in with your skin daily (do I have new acne spots? am I drier than normal?), you should also take this idea on a more “zoomed out” view. Since turning 25 three years ago, I have placed an emphasis on combatting fine lines in my routine. Why?
Simply put, I started to notice them on my face!
But then, a few questions to consider…
- Is this something I NEED to fix?
- Is this something I WANT to fix?
These questions are a way to look at the lens of aging in skincare a bit differently. Some skin concerns may directly affect our health, such as hyperpigmentation and too much sun (wear your sunscreen!). While others, like crows feet may be something that does not bother you and does not inherently cause health issues. Alternatively, you may view the loose skin on your neck as something that hinders your confidence.
TL;DR: Treat skin concerns that affect health no matter what. If it is a matter of appearance, do whatever you want!
How My Skincare Routine Evolved
When I noticed fine lines being a skin concern for me, I began adding in specific ingredients that would help combat them. This included:
- Retinol
- Glycolic Acid
- Vitamin C
- Peptides
Now that 30 is inching closer and closer, I am not immediately buying every anti-aging product on the market. I am looking in the mirror and taking notice of what I feel like my skin needs, and importantly, what I want the outcomes to be.
Example of what my skincare routine looked like before noticing some signs of aging:
And and example of what it looks like now:
*Note- I suggest seeking advice from a licensed esthetician and have your face analyzed and questions and concerns answered.
Fighting Societal Standards one Moisturizer at-a-time
The overall message from this blog is to remember aging is inevitable, and society tells us to be scared and to fix every little aspect of it. Women especially suffer from this message, feeling pressure to enhance, change, and reverse aging from a very young age.
Evolving your skincare routine to fit your needs is necessary, at any stage in life! Taking into account what our skin needs, what you want to see from your routine, and what results are attainable is so important.
How do you feel about the message of aging in the skincare industry?
