If youโre like me and didnโt think a thing about anti-aging in your 20s, you have come to the right place. Especially if you need to budget your money but donโt want to sacrifice your skin.
It is possible to have glowing, youthful-looking skin without spending a fortune on skincare products.
In this post, you will learn how to build your anti-aging routine without draining your bank account.
So letโs get started, shall we?
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Itโs never too late to start your anti-aging routine
Even though preventative skincare is the easiest route to take, it doesnโt mean there isnโt hope for your skin to still be youthful-looking.ย
If youโre in your early 30s, chances are you still arenโt showing any aging signs yet, so you still have time to prevent those fine lines and wrinkles. I mean, I didnโt start noticing any changes in my skin until around age 38.
That was also when I actually started looking for anti-aging products. Itโs also why I started this blog. Because I had a hard time figuring out what was worth using and what wasnโt.
So, I want to help others save time and money instead of going through the trial and error I went through.
Also, I learned you donโt have to buy the most expensive products to have an effective routine. All the products I recommend in this post are $20 or under, unless otherwise specified.
Morning routine
At any age, you will have a morning routine and night routine. You donโt have to buy completely different products for each routine. They will just be slightly different.
Step 1: Cleanseย
Youโll use a gentle cleanser that wonโt strip your natural moisture. If you use a cleanser that makes your face feel tight after use, then itโs not right for you.
A hydrating cleanser will help keep fine lines and wrinkles away.ย CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanserย will do just that and it also happens to be what I use!ย
It removes all impurities while also hydrating with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin. My face doesnโt feel tight or greasy after use.
Itโs also an excellent cleanser if you have sensitive skin.
Step 2: Tonerย
Toners used to be applied to remove any impurities left after cleansing, but now toners have many uses. Most toners are now for shrinking pores but can have other ingredients for different purposes, such as hydration, exfoliation, or a spritz of antioxidants.
In my routine, I useย LโOrealโs 5% Glycolic Acid Toner with Aloe Veraย for the exfoliation and hydration. It instantly leaves my skin feeling smoother and has my complexion looking brighter, without alcohol.
So it is gentle enough to use daily and a great choice for those with oily, combo, or acne-prone skin.
If you need a little more hydration or have sensitive skin,ย thenย CeraVe Hydrating Tonerย is for you.Like all CeraVe products, it contains hyaluronic acid and ceramides, but it also contains niacinamide to soften, smooth, and lock in moisture.
Step 3: Antioxidant Serumย
Antioxidants fight free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause you to age faster.
Antioxidants can also prevent and repair sun damage, brighten your skin, reduce breakouts of acne, and minimize redness, discoloration, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Vitamin C is the most popular antioxidant serum to use because of its ability to brighten the skin and promote collagen production.
But if you have sensitive skin, vitamin C may be too irritating for your skin. If this is the case for you, then tryย The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid + B5.ย I have used several of their products and they are never disappointing.
If you donโt have sensitive skin, thenย CeraVe Vitamin C Serumย with 10% vitamin C and hyaluronic acid is a great choice. Itโs what I use, and it hydrates as well as improving my skin tone and texture.
Step 4: Moisturizeย
Even if you have oily skin, donโt skip moisturizer because it can cause your skin to produce even more oil to make up for lack of moisture.
If youโre really trying to be frugal with your money, you can combine this step and the next.ย
Lots of moisturizers have SPF added. And SPF is a step you donโt want to skip either.
During the day, you want to use a light moisturizer, especially if you wear makeup. Soย CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30ย ย is perfect, while also combining your SPF needed.
If youโre like me, and want to use a separate moisturizer and SPF, then Neutrogena Hydro Boostย ย with hyaluronic acid is perfect. Itโs not too heavy and will keep your skin hydrated.
Step 5: SPFย
This is an important step for keeping fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and discoloration away.
When choosing an SPF, you want to look for 30 or higher to give your skin the best protection from the sun.
Thereโs also nothing wrong with doubling up on the sun protection if you choose to get a moisturizer with SPF and a separate SPF product.
The best SPF I have found to wear under makeup is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen Lotion.ย Itโs SPF 70 and absorbs quickly, leaving a matte and non-greasy finish.
The one I am using right now, and am absolutely in love with, is Kinship Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Facial Sunscreen.ย Even though it is also a moisturizer, I still use a separate moisturizer, but I love the fact that it has probiotics.
I also love the way it makes my skin feel. It is a little more than $20, but not much more.
Night routine
At night your first 2 steps are the same, but you instaed of using an antioxidant serum, youโre introducing retinol into routine.
Step 3: Retinol
If youโve never used retinol before, you need to start slow. Because retinol has been known to cause irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.
By starting slow, I mean you start with low strength and use about twice a week to start. 0.03% is usually a good starting point for most people, but if it causes too much irritation, you can go lower.
ย When your skin gets used to the retinol to the point you can use it every night, then you can increase the strength. You only use retinol products at night and always wear SPF!ย The sun makes retinol less effective and makes skin more prone to sunburn.
ย Once you can use the highest strength retinol, you can buy over the counter, then you can step your routine up a bit and get a prescription for tretinoin.
Tretinoin is the prescription strength form of vitamin A. It can reduce fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and acne. Just like retinol, it will boost collagen production and promote cell renewal. But it is stronger!
Even though itโs only available through prescription, it doesnโt mean you have to visit a doctorโs office. Even though itโs a little more than $20, you can get started for $5.
Just visitย Dermatica. You can thank me later!
Step 4: Moistureย
Night time is when you use a heavier moisturizer. Your skin works hardest at night because it goes into repair and regenerate mode, so you need to use a night cream that will work with your skin and help these processes.
You want your night cream to include ingredients like retinol, (if youโre not using a separate retinol) peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid.ย
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Creamย ย ticks all the boxes for a great night cream. It has 3 essentail ceramides, a peptide complex, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to help restore and maintain skinโs barrier, soften, hydrate, support skin elasticity, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Itโs also great for all skin types.
If youโre looking to even out your complexion, while also reducing finelines, wrinkles, improving firmness and hydration, thenย RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Restoring/ Anti-Aging Night Creamย ย ย is what youโre looking for.
Eye Cream
Now that you are in your 30s, using an eye cream is an important step in your routine. Eye creams are made specifically for the delicate skin around your eyes.
Youโll apply your eye cream right after your moisturizer for both your day and night routines.
While it would be optimal to have a daytime eye cream and a night time eye cream, having a certain budget to work with may only leave room for one.
The best eye cream I can suggest for both routines isย CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream.ย It has peptides, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide to combat puffiness, fine lines, and crowโs feet,ย while also brightening, smoothing, firming and hydrating the eye area.
I use this eye cream for my day and night routines and it really works!
Extras You Can Do For Your Skin
Exfoliate Twice a Week:ย Even if you choose to use the toner I recommended above, you will still need some serious exfoliation. Not only does exfoliating remove debris and dead skin cells but also triggers the production of collagen.
In your 20s, scrubs were fine but the older you get, you need to start using chemical exfoliants, such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid, etc. They will be easier on your skin than scrubs.ย
Since you will only be using this twice a week, you wonโt have to buy it as often as your other products in your routine. But you can still spend less than $20.
You can even buy a travel size and have it last you the month, such asย Paulaโs Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Salicylic Acidย ย orย Paulaโs Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant.
Face Masks:ย These are used to give your skin some extra nourishment. The best part about these are the fact that you can make your own homemade masks, so, other than getting the ingredients you want for the mask, you may not have to spend a dime.
The best mask I can recommend is probiotic mask and all you need is some plain Greek yogurt. You just apply it to your face and leave it on for 20 minutes, then rinse.ย
Probiotics are wonderful for your skin barrier and have anti-aging effects as well.
Learn more about probiotics here.
For more homemade face mask recipes read my post Have You Ever Tried A Home Made Face Mask?
Dermaplaning:ย This can be a great way to exfoliate as well as get rid of the peach fuzz on your face. Your face will instantly look smoother and your makeup will go on easier and look better as well.
If you choose to exfoliate this way, you wonโt need the extra chemical exfoliation. Donโt forget it will also stimulate collagen production!
Do you already have a budget routine in place? If so, tell me what products you use below in the comments!
