You know what's cute and a little delusional? We all dream of living in a world where we wake up with smooth, clear, and hydrated skin, without a pimple or dark spot in sight. Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Our 20s to 30s are supposed to be our prime years, buuut instead we spend them panicking and finding ways to keep our skin from any signs that we are aging (and, reminder, aging is a very natural and privileged thing!).
I've personally, tried just about everything: the homemade facial masks, red light therapy, and drinking more water, but sometimes we need to go back to the basics to get smoother, firmer, and brighter skin. The top MVP ingredients? Retinoids, antioxidants, and peptides. Here's what they do and how to incorporate them:
1. Retinoids
Retinoids are the holy grail of breakout and wrinkle treatments, thanks to the fact that they speed up cellular turnover to churn out fresher, smoother, brighter skin. So if you are someone who struggles with acne day in and day out, retinol is definitely an ingredient you need to add to your skincare regimen (every other day or just twice a week, if your skin is sensitive af). And, thankfully, you can get great line-smoothing and pore-clearing results at home with an over-the-counter formula, saving us all a trip to (the great and powerful) dermatologist.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1%
2. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are probably the best thing you could ever put on your skin (outside of sunscreen). Our skin deals with so many obstacles on a daily basis, like UV rays, pollution, blue light from our computers and phones, and just grime from living life. But antioxidants help protect your skin from those daily aggressors, which helps preserve your collagen and elastin, keeping your skin firm and fresh.
The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%
Paula's Choice Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum
Avene A-Oxitive Defense Serum
3. Peptides
If you are starting to notice your skin getting those cute little lines around your face, and you're not a fan, try adding peptides to your skincare routine (along with antioxidants and retinol, tbh). Peptides are the saving grace of anti-aging, because they contain amino acids that help strengthen your skin, leading it to look firmer and healthier over time.
Youth To The People Triple Peptide Serum
Drmtlgy Needle-less Serum
Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster
