Experts Say These Are the Best Anti-Ageing Products to Use in Your 20s

Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases by as much as 28%. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. As someone now entering their late 20s who's borderline obsessive about their skincare routine, I am hyper-aware of this statistic. But the anti-ageing routine for someone in their 20s isn't going to be the same as for someone in their 30s.

Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, there are a few things you can do in your 20s that will help with that. After all, the best offence is a good defence. We spoke to celebrity aesthetician Joshua Ross of SkinLab and Audrey Kunin, dermatologist and founder of Dermadoctor, to see the best anti-ageing products for your 20s.

"We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin ageing and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important," Ross says. "The majority of your sun damage won't start to appear until you're in your 30s, so don't wait until you see it surface or you'll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily."

This non-greasy sunscreen won’t leave a white residue on skin, block pores or pill prior to make up. Plus it's an absolute bargain. We love. 

This watergel sunscreen is also packed vitamins and antioxidants to protect against pollution and other airborn nasties. 

"A great introduction to anti-ageing is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine," Ross says. "It's a powerful antioxidant that will neutralise free radicals and brighten the skin." He adds that it's a great way to counteract the effects of the sun's harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature ageing.

A lightweight serum that gives skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with nourishing allantoin and aloe. 

This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15%, to be exact), which means it's a superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.

"Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen," says Kunin. She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.

This super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read—it's incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.

Get you a face cream that does both. You get potent collagen-boosting peptides and antioxidant-rich vitamin C in this creamy moisturizer.

Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliation. "Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous," Kunin says. She recommends using at home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.

Perfect for enzyme exfoliant beginners, these gently smooth and brighten your complexion. Containing three different enzymes plus a mild dose of lactic acid, these dual-action resurfacing pads nibble away at dead and dull cells, revealing brighter skin beneath. 

These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 600 five-star reviews on Sephora. They're easy to use and contain a blend of anti-ageing, exfoliating acids.

"In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over moisturising because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s your skin transitions and becomes drier," Ross says. "I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen."

An ultra-luxurious moisturiser that's hand-blended in a monastery and packs a serious hydration punch. The rich formula contains meadowfoam seed oil, which sinks into skin and doesn't leave a greasy residue.

What do you get when you combine the moisturising powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid? This noncomedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy.

Next up, one Byrdie editor shares the six anti-ageing moisturisers that let her delay her Botox appointments. 

Opening Image: @emmahoareau