Confused about anti-ageing products and what ingredients to look for? Let's unpack it.

First up let’s get one thing clear – there’s nothing wrong with getting older.

The wisdom and perspective that comes with the years ticking by is priceless…but diminishing lines a little and looking a bit more glowy while it happens doesn’t hurt, either.

So, at what age, or life stage, should you start to use anti-ageing products? There’s different products and ingredients depending on your needs.

Sun care.

Sunscreen is considered an anti-ageing product for its preventative properties. A daily application of SPF to your face, neck and chest is so important, even on cloudy days or when you’re just travelling to and from work or running errands. The reason being that UVA rays are in the atmosphere the entire time it’s daylight, and small amounts of damage from UVA accumulate over time.

Getting into a good sun care routine in your 20s will set you up for healthier looking skin as you move through your 30s and 40s. Look for a good quality facial sunscreen and work it into your routine as a new step, or ensure your day cream and foundation both have SPF qualities.

Retinol.

Retinol is king when it comes to anti-ageing ingredients. There are lots of types of retinol, many of them having variations of the name, which can be confusing.

Anti-ageing pros Neutrogena have patented a type of retinol, which is called Accelerated Retinol SA. It’s a form of pure stabilised retinol that gently and effectively works to reduce visible signs of ageing, starting in one week of use.

Formulated into the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream, Retinol SA, which is scientifically superior to other forms of Vitamin A, such as Pro-Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate in penetrating the skin, aids in fading dark spots and discoloration (if you haven’t been so diligent with your sun care in the past).

It also fades the appearance of fine lines and gives the skin a more even overall glow. So you can see why they’d include Accelerated Retinol SA in all of their Rapid Wrinkle Repair range, which includes a Night Moisturiser, Day Moisturiser, SPF15, Serum and Eye Cream.

Retinol is one of the most studied cosmetic anti-ageing ingredients, proven clinically effective in treating signs of ageing including wrinkles and lines.

It’s worth noting that if you haven’t used retinol-based products before, you may need to use every other night until your skin adjusts.

More on this here:

Antioxidants.

Antioxidants are found in many forms of healthy foods. They fight free radicals, which are the bad guys which attack and age the skin (think sun, pollution, alcohol and other lifestyle choices).

Antioxidants can be absorbed through eating fruit and vegetables (think berries, nuts, dark green veggies and some herbs), or you can add specific supplements into your daily routine.

You’ll also find antioxidants formulated into skincare products like serums and day and night creams.

Hyaluronic acid.

Hydration of the skin is really important as the skin ages.

Hyaluronic acid is a really clever molecule in that it is able to hold a huge amount of hydration – one gram of hyaluronic acid is able to hold up to six litres of water. This means it works to plump and hydrate the skin, filling out those fine lines.

Also found in the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream, hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge for dry skin cells, hydrating up to 1000 times its weight in water, resulting in more supple and smooth skin.

Look for skincare products or a skincare range that offer some or all of the above and you’re on the right path. Your routine doesn’t have to be complicated or involve heaps of expensive steps – clever products should tick a few boxes in one go.

Have you used retinol in skincare? What are your thoughts? 

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner NEUTROGENA®.