This Is How To Look Younger, Thanks To Your Skin Care Products

If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you might not even be thinking about what your skin will look like when you’re older—that’s the beauty of having a youthful-looking visage. But the truth is, your skin changes as you age, and taking care of your complexion now with the right skin care routine and skin care products is the secret to knowing how to look younger in the future.

Down the line, you could suffer from a loss of moisture, which can leave your skin feeling dry, or you may deal with more visible signs of aging like wrinkles and dark spots; there’s no telling which will strike first. Either way, it’s time to adopt the following skin care tips for younger-looking skin, using them to build a daily regimen that will leave you confident in your complexion—and help you look younger—in the long run.

1. APPLY MOISTURIZER MORNING AND NIGHT

Whether you’ve got dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, or something in between, you should never skip out on applying moisturizer—if you want to look younger and maintain the appearance of youthful skin. Every morning and night after cleansing, slather on moisturizer while your face is still damp to help lock in hydration.

Speaking of moisturizer, if you’re looking to add a new one to your routine, it’s all about finding one that’s right for your skin type’s unique needs. The following three moisturizers are formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera water to provide long-lasting hydration, which, as you now know, goes hand-in-hand with the appearance of youthful-looking skin.

If you have oily skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Normal/Oily Skin.

For those with dry skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Normal/Dry Skin.

If you have extra dry skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Extra Dry Skin.

2. USE A FACE SERUM

Aside from keeping your skin hydrated, using a face serum to tackle different skin care concerns is key. Serums can combat a host of issues, including dull skin, wrinkles, and dark spots. Consider adding one of the following to your routine for younger-looking skin.

For dull skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum, which effortlessly glides onto skin to restore skin’s radiance and reduces wrinkles.

If you have uneven skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum, which absorbs quickly to visibly even skin tone and reduces wrinkles and dark spots.

To tackle dry skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which replenishes hydration immediately and visibly reduces wrinkles for visibly plumped, youthful-looking skin.

For wrinkled skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Night Serum, 0.3% Pure Retinol, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles while moisturizing and smoothing your skin’s appearance.

3. WEAR BROAD-SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN (OR MOISTURIZER WITH SPF)

Besides applying moisturizer, one of the best things you can do when learning how to look younger is using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day as directed. To cut back on the number of steps in your skin care routine, consider using a moisturizer with SPF, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30, in the a.m.

In addition to applying broad-spectrum sunscreen as the last step in your skin care routine every morning, you should also reapply sunscreen at least every two hours (or immediately after swimming or sweating), limit your amount of time in the sun (especially during peak hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), seek shade, and cover up exposed areas in long sleeves, pants, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses.

4. DON’T NEGLECT YOUR EYES

Crow’s feet, under-eye bags, and dark circles are all tell-tale signs of aging skin. Even if you have young skin, lack of sleep can cause you to look older than you actually are. That’s why it’s important to use an eye cream that tackles these concerns from the get-go, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Eye Treatment. This eye cream is formulated with Pro-Retinol, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid to visibly reduce wrinkles, de-puff, and brighten the eye area.

5. EXFOLIATE ON THE REGULAR

Dull skin, which can be the result of dead skin cells built up on the surface of your skin, can leave you looking older than you really are. Exfoliation can help rid the surface of your skin of this dead skin cell buildup. An easy way to exfoliate is to use a peel pad as part of your nightly skin care routine. The L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Daily Peel Pads are formulated with glycolic acid and have a multi-ply texture to help resurface dull, uneven skin tone. Immediately, skin looks brighter, while skin tone appears more even with continued use over time.

6. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR NECK

When it comes to your regimen, most of us don’t pay much attention to our neck. Plenty of people stop their skin care routine at their jawline—but it’s important to apply whatever skin care products you use on your face to your neck, too. That means cleansing, exfoliating, and applying moisturizer below your chin. You don't want your face to look young while your neck doesn't, so spread the skin care love! (Here's more on Why You Should Pay Attention To Your Neck.)

7. BE GENTLE WHEN YOU PUT ON MAKEUP

Think about it: Using a lot of force to put on eyeliner and pulling on the outer corners of your eyes won’t help your skin look younger. When it comes to perfecting a cat eye, of course, you want a super-straight line, but tugging isn’t the answer. The good news is that you can nail the look while being gentle. If you must hold the corner of your eye for any reason when applying makeup, try using your ring finger, because it provides less pressure than your other fingers.

8. ALWAYS REMOVE YOUR MAKEUP BEFORE BED

We get it: When you get home after a long day of running around, the last thing you want to do is spend time navigating a full skin care routine. In fact, you probably want to hop into bed ASAP and just dream of youthful skin! But hold off on snoozing immediately and take off your makeup first.

When you sleep in your makeup, it can mix with the dirt and oil that has built up on the surface of your skin, which can lead to clogged pores (and clogged pores can result in breakouts and blackheads). To make things easier on yourself, stash a bottle of micellar water, like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof - All Skin Types, on your nightstand. All you have to do is saturate a cotton pad with micellar water and wipe it across your face to remove your makeup. If you’re focused on removing eye makeup, hold the pad over closed eyes for a few seconds, then wipe.

Next up: Now that you know the basics, it’s time to hone in on specific factors that can disrupt an otherwise youthful-looking complexion. For your next lesson in skin care, check out Your Guide To Taking Care of Dull-Looking Skin.