Skin longevity isn't a revolutionary concept. It's simply taking care of your skin with the focus on the long term rather than relying too heavily on immediate gratification and quick fixes. Of course, many people already practice this concept, whether they refer to it as "longevity" or not.
This is also not a skin care practice that requires a set regimen, to-do list, or framework of rigid rules. In fact, it's a train of thought that prioritises individuality, simplicity, and a whole lot of self-knowledge, making finding any universal set of standards almost futile. What someone with sensitive skin will use to keep their skin healthy over time will look vastly different from those with regular, hormonally driven breakouts.
With that in mind, what can we glean about our own skin when we look at it through the lens of longevity? Well, you want to strengthen the skin barrier, fuel your skin from the inside out and outside in, reduce oxidative stress, encourage the pace of skin cell turnover, and tend to it at the cellular level.
The 7 things we're getting wrong right now
Even the most diligent skin care devotees can have habits that may be working against them. Here, common skin care practices that may be reducing your skin longevity:
Using irritating ingredients and techniques. Stripping your skin, overloading with potent actives, using abrasive scrubs or brushes; these all weaken your skin barrier function. Sub-optimal skin barrier function contributes to low-grade, consistent inflammaging (Inflammation leading to ageing) processes.
Forgetting nutrition's role. Eating a balanced diet doesn't carry much in terms of immediate gratification for the skin, but small nutrition-forward choices can ensure your skin cells have adequate nutrients to thrive now and into the future.
Not paying attention to your skin's cues. Your skin has a way of telling you it's unhappy; be it blemishes, discolouration, or irritation. If you ignore these, and their root causes, it can stress skin out over time.
Skipping on sleep and not monitoring stress. Lack of sleep and increased stress are epidemics nowadays. These can take a major toll on your skin health.
Following social media trends—not professionals. Social media stars often aren't trained in skin care, nor are they speaking to you individually. Sure, there is value in sharing routines with one another, but never assume outcomes based on other people's complexions.
Trying too many products and not sticking with any. Your epidermis turns over about every 40-56 days. That means it takes time to see results. If you're jumping from one product to the next without thought or consideration, you'll never be able to see what's helping or hurting your skin. "I'm always trying new things" is a trendy skin care phrase nowadays, but it's honestly bad advice.
Feeding into immediate gratification. In the age of social media, quick fixes abound. And it's not wrong to want fast solutions for problems! Sometimes you really do need an instant pick-me-up for dark circles or mask to brighten dullness. But when all we focus on is the next hour or day, we tend to make hasty choices that don't support skin health for the next week, month, years, and decades.