These Are The Anti-Aging Skincare Ingredients You Should Be Using in Your 30s

When you hit 30, you’re done playing around with ingredients! You’re an adult now and you’re finally able to afford serious skincare products and you’re ready to splurge. You’re hands-on with your skincare routine and you’re not buying into the fancy labels. But when you’re bombarded with a hot new trend every single day, it’s impossible to recognize essential anti-aging skincare ingredients for your 30s.

There’s too much noise that gives you major FOMO. You don’t want to miss out on anything that may save you a lot of trial and error. And you keep wondering how your grandma survived without hyaluronic acid.

But part of becoming a conscious consumer is being able to recognize the difference between gems and plain old marketing. So here is something that skincare brands don’t want you to know.

In order to prove a skincare ingredient’s efficacy, you need a lot of research. Research requires years and years of time and a ton of money. Meanwhile, several brands roll out their “special ingredients” that nobody’s ever heard of.

Look it up and the only thing that comes up on Google is the product itself and a half-ass “study” sponsored by the owner of the brand. Without enough study, the effects of those anti-aging ingredients are nothing but subjective.

So to cut through the noise, we’ve put together the best anti-aging skincare ingredients to look for in your skincare products when you are 30+.

And they’re all backed by science. All of these ingredients have been proven to work and they relate to how your skin changes in your 30s and what it needs to stay beautiful.

The Best Anti-Aging Skincare Ingredients For Your 30s

There are stages of anti-aging skincare. These stages are prevention, maintenance, and straight-up combat. For example, you’re preventative in your 20s and you want to keep that up in your 30s.

And in your late 30s and early 40s, it becomes a battle where you actively fight prominent wrinkles. Every skin goes through the aging process differently.

But whatever stage you’re going through in your 30s, here you’ll find all kinds of anti-aging ingredients to help you with that.

1. SPF

Sunscreen becomes real when you hit 30 and realize that freckles and dark spots are not the same. You draw on the former but cover the latter.

But here’s the bad news and the good news. Sun exposure is the main cause of external aging. Because years and years of unprotected sun exposure weaken your skin barrier and make it prone to any kind of environmental damage.

This results in all that we are trying to avoid. On the flip side, sunscreen is the most effective when it comes to prevention.

So before jumping onto some fancy ingredient, know that SPF is the most important anti-ager. That’s the only must-have there is!

If you haven’t been using SPF and you’re in your 30s and already dealing with wrinkles and scars, does that mean there’s no need to use SPF anymore?

Of course not! You’re going to live long, woman! How about 40 and 50? Plus, sunscreen doesn’t just prevent premature aging but it also reverses existing skin damage (1)!

2. Hyaluronic Acid

Dehydration is a common reason why wrinkles become more visible. The paper-like skin makes you look dull, and tired, and it draws attention to fine lines and wrinkles.

And in your 30s, it becomes difficult for your skin to stay hydrated and it needs intervention. That’s where hyaluronic acid comes in.

Because hyaluronic acid is already present in your skin but it decreases with age. It’s responsible for attracting water to the skin. And it doesn’t matter if your skin is oily or dry, all skin types need water.

So even though it’s not exactly an anti-aging ingredient, hyaluronic acid is an essential ingredient to look for in your products in your 30s.

It brings instant plumpness to the face and makes it feel all bouncy. Even though hyaluronic acid can be found in several products like facewashes or toners, it’s best to use it in the simplest serum form without any additional ingredients.

3. Vitamin C

Quick recap: Oxidation is a natural process happening in every single cell in your body, including your skin cells. It is vital. The byproduct of this process is free radicals.

Unless these free radicals are neutralized, they contribute to your skin’s aging process. Normally, your skin can handle these.

But starting from your 30s, your skin becomes weaker. And your constant sun exposure and your unhealthy lifestyle aren’t helping. That’s why you need to add antioxidants both in your diet and in your skincare routine.

They come in the form of several plant extracts in your skincare products. The most beneficial ones, and I mean the ones with the most research to back them up, are vitamins like vitamin C.

It’s a powerful antioxidant that promotes collagen production and brightens the skin (2). You can find vitamin C and its many forms in your products under the name ‘ascorbic acid’ or ‘ascorbyl palmitate’.

Vitamin C is one of the best anti-aging skincare ingredients for your 30s to fight all signs of aging. It’s especially effective in tackling and preventing hyperpigmentation.

4. Vitamin E

You can find this in your ingredients list labeled as ‘tocopherol’. Vitamin E is another antioxidant that fights off free radicals and has soothing, moisturizing, and healing benefits.

It also works great together with vitamin C, creating a power duo of water-soluble and oil-soluble antioxidants. Because vitamin C recycles vitamin E. Plus, vitamin E is one of those gentle antioxidants that you can use even if you have sensitive skin.

5. Vitamin B3/Niacinamide

This multi-tasking ingredient is kind of a jack of all trades and is good for all skin types. Niacinamide improves skin texture by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and evening out the skin tone. It’s also brightening.

Keep in mind that our skin tends to get dry and sensitive as we age. And ingredients that strengthen the skin barrier and prevent water loss are incredibly helpful in your 30s.

Niacinamide has grown to be so popular and effective that it’s not exclusive to fancy anti-aging serums anymore. As it’s a potent multi-purpose ingredient, you can find it in any day cream or night cream as well.

6. Ferulic Acid

As an antioxidant, ferulic acid is a potent free radical scavenger. It reduces UV-induced skin damage and diminishes wrinkles. But this one is an exceptional skincare ingredient for your 30s.

Because ferulic acid amplifies the effects of other antioxidants in your products. That way, your serums or creams become more concentrated and you get the most bang for your buck.

7. Retinol

Whether you want to be preventative about aging or you’re actively fighting wrinkles, retinol is the real deal when it comes to anti-aging.

It’s the absolute essential anti-aging skincare ingredient for your 30s. It’s directly responsible for collagen production. Even though this is the most effective of the bunch, it’s also the one that requires the most caution.

Non-prescription retinol comes in a variety of forms like retinyl palmitate or retinaldehyde. These different derivatives make it easier for sensitive skin types to also benefit from it.

But do your research on it before grabbing a retinol product. And learn how to properly use retinol to achieve your best skin ever.

8. Hydroxy Acids

Commonly known as alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids, these are chemical exfoliants that are incredibly helpful in achieving smooth skin. It means that you don’t have to scrub coffee grains all over your face; chemical exfoliants do this for you.

The most popular of these acids are glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid. They have different levels of penetration and certain ones are more suitable for certain skin types.

All of them can help you get rid of dullness, congestion, and textured skin by removing the top layer of your skin. You can look for chemical exfoliants in products in the form of glycolic acid toners, serums, treatments, and even glycolic acid creams.

Related: How to Exfoliate Your Skin in Your 30s

9. Ceramides

What you’re essentially doing when following an anti-aging skincare routine is that you’re actually trying to make your skin strong enough to resist external skin-damaging stressors.

And ceramides are essential for your skin’s health. They’re the building blocks that make the skin barrier, acting as a shield against external skin aggressors.

A healthy skin barrier will also reduce transepidermal water loss and prevent dryness and dehydration. For that reason, looking for ceramides in the products you use in your 30s is the way to go if you want to help your skin in the long run.

10. Peptides

Peptides are essential for collagen growth. These babies help with the formation of new collagen cells, which translates to firm and youthful skin. They’re effective because they’re able to penetrate the skin and cause a favorable reaction.

You’ll see several peptide skincare products containing different types of peptides like neuropeptides or copper peptides. All of them do the job, but some work differently than others!

For example, try signal peptides for collagen production. And for instant wrinkle-smoothing effects, consider neuropeptides like Argireline.

Another advantage of peptides is their gentle makeup. So even if your skin can’t tolerate retinol, you can try peptides for anti-aging!

So these are some of the most effective anti-aging skincare ingredients to use in your 30s. There are other antioxidants like CoQ10, green tea, or even bakuchiol that work just as well. So know that whatever your skin type or skin issue is, there are a ton of ingredients that’ll work for your skin.

References:

1. Randhawa, M., Wang, S., Leyden, J. J., Cula, G. O., Pagnoni, A., & Southall, M. D. (2016). Daily Use of a Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Over One-Year Significantly Improves Clinical Evaluation of Photoaging. Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], 42(12), 1354–1361. https://doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000000879
2. Farris P. K. (2005). Topical vitamin C: a useful agent for treating photoaging and other dermatologic conditions. Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], 31(7 Pt 2), 814–818. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31725

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