If you’re over the age of 35, you’ve probably started to notice changes in your skin. Wrinkles are starting to appear, lines have become more prominent, and your skin just doesn’t look as young and supple as it used to be. The good news is that there are a number of anti-aging creams on the market that can help turn back the clock on these signs of aging. However, many anti-aging products are full of chemicals or other nasty ingredients, which can actually have negative effects on your skin rather than positive ones.
Know What Anti-Aging Is
Anti-aging is, as you might have guessed, a medical procedure that works to slow down your natural aging process. Anti-aging clinics can be an expensive endeavor, but they don’t have to be. By investing in high-quality anti-aging creams and serums, you can work on your skin at home instead of paying big bucks at a clinic. These easy-to-use formulas are not only simple to apply, but also much more cost-effective than other alternatives.
Check Your Budget
While there are many ways to save money, it’s important to remember that our budget has a way of expanding. Before committing to a purchase, make sure you check your budget and make room for a new product. If you run into trouble, try using an anti-aging clinic to treat some common skin issues with affordable solutions like wrinkle creams and laser treatments. Going with an affordable option like these could leave you with some extra cash left over. Put that money toward other savings goals, or just keep spending smartly so you can stay on track without sacrificing your beauty routine!
Know Where You Can Find Best Anti-Aging Creams
Many anti-aging clinics offer customized anti-aging cream products that work by infusing powerful ingredients into the skin to combat signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines. Because these creams contain a variety of active ingredients, each clinic tailors its unique recipes based on a patient’s concerns and skincare needs. These types of specialized creams are often highly effective, but costly. If you find that your budget simply won’t allow you to afford expensive anti-aging treatments—there are alternatives.
Luckily, there are many inexpensive over-the-counter products available that provide excellent results at little cost to you—just remember to know where to look!
Understand What Ingredients Do What
While most creams tout themselves as having miracle ingredients, there’s no evidence that any specific ingredient can slow down aging in a substantial way. Look beyond claims and focus on what ingredients do and why they might actually benefit your skin. For example, a good moisturizer will have some type of emollient (think petrolatum or mineral oil) to help keep moisture in your skin. A retinol cream might use something like retinol or Vitamin C to gently exfoliate dead cells from your epidermis—and help prevent wrinkles from forming.
Look at Active Ingredients, Not Just Brand Names
If you’re looking for products to protect your skin from environmental damage, there are several ingredients that do a great job of combatting free radicals. In general, retinol and vitamins C and E are good anti-aging ingredients, but sometimes they can be difficult to incorporate into your daily routine.
Ascorbic acid and vitamin E, however, don’t require any special formulations: Simply include foods rich in these ingredients in your diet regularly—or consider supplements if you prefer a pill over a plate of broccoli. The same goes for another top ingredient: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Found naturally in most animal products (including fish oil), CoQ10 is also sold as an oral supplement.
Cosmeceuticals vs. Traditional Skincare Products
Look into cosmeceutical products if you’re concerned about wrinkles, age spots, and skin tone. Cosmeceuticals are considered a medical product by many dermatologists because they often contain ingredients that target skincare concerns instead of simply moisturizing.
In other words, they have real anti-aging potential, not just an SPF factor or claims that they’ll help you look more youthful while doing little else to improve your skin’s overall health. Some people don’t like cosmeceutical products because they come in so many different forms (lotions, creams, serums, and pills), but there is also one consistency: They tend to be pricier than traditional skincare items.
Online Resources for Best Tips like Reddit and Quora
The internet is a great resource to keep up with trends and stay current. One of my favorite communities that I highly recommend checking out is /r/SkincareAddiction. This is an online community filled with tons of skincare experts. If you want more information about certain topics like anti-aging products, skincare routines, recommendations on creams, moisturizers, or cleansers you can join their forum and ask away. It’s definitely a go-to place if you are interested in anti-aging advice and getting tips from people who have real experience using these products. They also share deals that can save you money as well as sample requests if you wish to try different kinds without purchasing full-sized items before committing.
Conclusion
If you’re tired of seeing fine lines and wrinkles on your face, using one of these anti-aging creams can help you look younger. By filling in those wrinkles with topical collagen, and targeting dark spots with SPF and sunscreen agents, these anti-aging creams will keep your skin youthful and healthy. You won’t have to spend thousands of dollars at an anti-aging clinic to improve your complexion—one $15 anti-aging cream will do best.
Image Credit: Getty Images
