Can you spill any anti-ageing and good skin secrets?

[overweightcat]

I'm late 20s not done much with my skin until now apart from making sure I remove my makeup every night - I use origins squalene cleanser and basic moisturisers (super drugs own day and night cream) and generally put SPF on everyday.

My skin can be a bit dull and I've always had very pronounced lines under my eyes (from inner corners downwards I'll attach picture) and dark circles.
What's most concerning is I'm noticing lines from my nose around my lips to my chin like the skin is beginning to sag and its visible in pictures from a certain angle - I'm not even 30 yet

I'd love to workout a good routine that will be working to prevent signs of ageing, good cleanser and nice products that will make my skin supple and fresh looking. Anything that helps with evening out skin tone would be fab too.

It's my birthday coming up soon so I'm thinking of treating myself to a new routine that hopefully works.

Can I ask for your favourite products that work?
Any holy grails or tips?

Any advice that maybe isn't to do with products to help with maintaining good skin for years and years?

Avoid tea and coffee - women that I know who never touch the stuff have very clean skin. Also - have good genes! Don’t smoke. Drink lots of water (or coconut water as a tv makeup artist once told me).

I only don’t smoke, so not the best example!

I'm afraid all the boring stuff really works, and is at least as important as products in my experience:
Dont smoke
Cut back on processed sugar, including booze
Lots of sleep
Lots of water
Lots of fruit and veg
Exercise often
Sleep

See skincare as part of living a generally healthy life

Product wise, find a cleanser that your skin likes, and double cleanse with a flannel each evening, single cleanse each morning. Wear sunscreen every day, SPF 30 at least. Do some research on what sort of products your type of skin needs - have a look at Nadine Baggott on YouTube. Dont spend £££ on skincare, I've never used an expensive product that I thought was worth it

wear real sunscreen, not 'city block' type stuff in cutesy-woo ickle pots. Sports sunscreen. Need in UK early April to end October, see science for reasons.

don't smoke.

drink only in moderation.

eat properly.

have good genes.

if skincare worked no-one would look old. Same as if bio-oil worked no-one would have stretch marks. The beauty 'industry' is 100% lies.

Sunscreen's the only thing that really makes a difference. A good daily multivitamin probably helps. Don't smoke and choose your parents carefully.

I've recently bought Sukin skincare and have noticed a different with my skin. I'm 30 and the lines around my eyes have definitely eased

'wear real sunscreen, not 'city block' type stuff in cutesy-woo ickle pots. '

Totally agree. Any products you would recommend?

Spf 30+ every single day.
Vitamin c serum/powder mixed in sunblock
Retinol.
Glycolic acid toner as needed, I only use 2-3 times a week.

No fags, no booze, no high carb diets, no sunbathing, no sun beds. Healthy diet & sleep.

There are no secrets, there is only routine consistent use of the above products.

I like the La Roche Posay antehelios SPF50. I have also heard that the Body Shop do a good one.
In terms of anti-aging, I use a vitamin C serum in the morning and I'm starting to introduce a retinol serum at night.

Sunscreen: echo the importance of "proper" sunscreen rather than a moisturiser with an SPF. You want something with 5* UVA rating. And sunglasses.

Late 20s is too early to be starting retinol etc.

Moisturise a minimum of twice a day.
Always take make up off.

Cleanse properly
Retinol
SPF
Vitamin C

What's most concerning is I'm noticing lines from my nose around my lips to my chin like the skin is beginning to sag and its visible in pictures from a certain angle - I'm not even 30 yet

This a normal facial feature to me, though lots of women late 20s/early 30s seem to be getting filler in this area now . Put a unfiltered pic up OP, block your eyes out or whatever to make yourself anonymous, but I bet it's only you that can notice this. And I'm sure you look great!

I have lines there too OP but retinol is definitely helping - I'm older though and my mum has them badly so it's genetic for me!

Sunscreen
Retinol
Vitamin C (topical & in foods)
Eat lots of different vegetables (But I cheat by having vitamins )

Also I don’t think it’s too early to start retinol. Maybe ease into with retinoids from the ordinary, inkey list, garden of wisdom or just your regular brands like L’Oréal, Olay, etc

@Coffee4Queen

I stand corrected; just Googled it and it says mid 20s to start! I'm late then

@QueenCT I think those lines are just a normal part of everyone's face. You have lovely skin!

Top tips
collagen
And
spf50
Oh and less stress 😁

Retinol preserves collagen. Vitamin c I think causes micro damage your skin has to heal by producing extra collagen.

Don’t eat sugar

@mencken I totally agree with you, it's the biggest con going
Stay out of the sun, that's the biggest aging thing out there

SPF 50 also try to avoid the sun between 11 and 3, Vitamin C and Isotretinoin (Retin a).

Sleep, genes, no alcohol, low sugar, eating to feed your skin (avocado, nuts, oily fish) and SPF.

Although my mum is a 76 year old alcoholic who has never worn spf and has a terrible diet, but has great skin, so it can just be luck!

I don’t think it’s 100% lies but it’s certainly 90% endless permutations of moisturisers made from mineral oil/glycerin emulsions advertised by multi millionaire supermodels who have dermatologists on speed dial. The jar probably costs more than the contents.

What works now is what’s been working for the last 20+ years but it would make awfully dull copy in women’s magazines if they didn’t write about the new shiny cream, which is essentially a moisturiser.

High factor sunscreen. I use Ultrasun factor 50 sun cream.
Will prevent the brown blotches known as ‘age spots’ in later life. And wrinkles will not be as bad apparently. You won’t notice much just now but later you’ll not regret it. Wish I’d known before.

Buy on qvc U.K.

It’s dear but is a good base for makeup. And you can try for 60 days and send back if you don’t like it for a full refund (ex postage).

Watch the video about it. They have a 70 year old Canadian lorry driver who has one side of his face that’s ok but the other is wrinkled to hell. Really awful. All because of the sun coming through the drivers side window. So only the one side is done in. Gives a good comparison for what sun damage does over the years compared to skin not in the sun. Freaky!

Makeup that claims to have an spf only apparently works if you cake it on. Much better to get separate makeup and spf to be sure.