Feel like your skin isn’t looking as good as it usually does or that you aren’t looking as youthful as you did a few years ago? But you have no idea what to do or where to start?  We have put together the perfect step-by-step anti-aging skincare regimen so you can get your best skin ever.

Start With a Gentle Cleanser

Before you do anything else, it is essential to clean your face properly every day.  Sleeping in makeup and dirt accumulated throughout the day can lead to clogged pores and worse premature skin aging.  It is important that you thoroughly clean your face daily. But a thorough cleansing doesn’t mean using harsh drying ingredients that can end up damaging your skin barrier, which in turn leads to red, dry and irritated skin.  When choosing a daily cleanser be sure that it doesn’t contain ingredients that can over dry or irritate your skin which means avoiding fragrance, parabens and other additives.  A soothing cleanser like our NCS Gentle Foamy Cleanse or Elta Foamy Cleanse are formulated to clean your skin of dirt and makeup yet be gentle enough for daily use.

Apply Your Protection

Once your skin is clean, you can apply the rest of your skincare regimen.  For your daytime routine we suggest using a good quality vitamin C, like our NCS C+E Ferulic, and following up with a moisturizing sunscreen.  Some people like to use a tinted daily sunscreen in place of a foundation during the day.   When choosing a daily moisturizing sunscreen it is important to experiment with a few to find one that you like so you will use it every day.  We love the Elta moisturizing sunscreens because they contain a good level of zinc for physical protection and come in both tinted and untinted depending upon your preference. Our office has several different brands in addition to EltaMD to choose from including Revision and Epionce. We tell every patient that is looking for a good anti-aging skincare regimen that these are two of the most important products to invest in.

Exfoliate Regularly but Don’t Overdo It

Exfoliation is an important step in every skincare routine for several reason that we will talk about, but it is important that you don’t over do it.  Gentle is best.  Exfoliation allows you to slough away the top layer of dead skin cells which cause your skin to look dull and lifeless, allowing the fresh skin underneath to be visible.  It also allows for better product penetration, which means your anti-aging and correcting products will work better.  If you have sensitive skin, a product like our NCS Polishing Cleanser provides gentle, hydrating exfoliation through a combination of micro silica beads, lactic acid and green tea.  Or you can use our Glow Weekly, Saturday Night Bright or Hydration exfoliating pads 1 – 2 times per week.  Either of these options, when used correctly, will give your skin a refreshed and healthy glow.

Invest in a good Anti-Aging Serum/Cream

The gold standard in any anti-aging skincare regimen is a medical grade retinoid in the form of retinol or RetinA.  A high quality RetinA or Retinol is what we recommend for every one of our patients.  It is truly the MVP in your skincare product line up.  Most people think of irritation when they hear the word retinA, but irritation generally occurs when you don’t choose the right product for your skin or you don’t apply it correctly.  Our rule is to choose the type retinoid based upon your skin type and lifestyle.  If you have sensitive skin or are in the sun on a regular basis you might tolerate a Retinol easier that a RetinA.  And we tell our patients to apply every other night and start with a low strength and titrate up.  If you are new to using a retinoid in your skincare routine we suggest starting with a product like our NCS Retinol 20 serugel and progess to our NCS RetinA .25 or .50%.  

Moisturize

No anti-aging skincare regimen is complete without a good moisturizer for your face, neck and under eye area.  As you get older your skin produces less sebum, and this lack of sebum causes your skin to dry out quicker.  Most people do not realize that dry skin can lead to a compromised skin barrier which can result in irritated, red and blemish prone skin.  Contrary to what you may have heard, everyone needs a moisturizer, including those with oily or acne prone skin.  The type of moisturizer will depend upon your skin type.  We recommend Sheer Peptide Hydrating serum for almost any skin type.  It contains a combination of hyluaronic acid and 3 peptides to provide moisture and barrier protection in one.  And for skin types requiring more moisture our RestoreB or HydraLux GF are great options that contain ceramides and barrier protecting ingredients in a more emollient form to help increase skin elasticity and skin health.

Choose Your Correction Products Wisely

If you have skin that requires a little extra attention, like acne, pigment, wrinkles or texture issues, it is important to make sure that the products you add to your anti-aging skincare regimen compliment, not work against your other skincare products.  We work with each of our patients to make sure that the corrective products chosen will not irritate or over process their skin, which can lead to other skin issues. It is important to note that some corrective products are designed to address several issues and you might need to adjust your normal anti-aging skincare regimen while you are using them.  Before you add a product or have a treatment to address a skin issue, make sure that you talk with a professional to ensure you aren’t unknowingly harming your skin.