Recently I took an overly detailed look at my increasingly crone-ish visage in one of those uber-magnifying mirrors and nearly died from shock? What the hell happened?! I regularly bathe in sunscreen, I moisturize and exfoliate and do all those things the proverbial “They” tell you to do! Why?! Why am I a wrinkly crinkly mess?! (*tears)

While it’s probably not as bad as all that, those fine lines are a-creeping their way into being full out wrinkles. I’m not okay with this, but sadly it’s bound to happen to each and every one of us. So what are we to do? According to a recent article in August 2011’s In-Style magazine called “How To Get Rid Of Wrinkles” we’re not completely helpless in fighting this good fight. There are a number of things we can do, starting in our 20’s and moving into our 50’s and beyond, to fending off the ravages of age to our delicate dermis.

We don’t really need to harp anymore on the importance of sunscreen, do we? (*sigh) Okay… we will. You’re 20’s is the time to cling to the stricture of ‘preventative’ medicine, since what you do now is bound to show up loud and proud on your skin in the future. Yes, slather on the SPF – face and body – to ensure that you’re properly protected against the sun’s damaging and dangerous UVA’s and UVB’s, but there’s more you can do. According to N.Y. C. dermatologist Neal Schultz, using your SPF in collaboration with an antioxidant serum – morning and night. During the day, the serum, applied under you’re sunscreen will help minimize free-radical damage that could contribute to those tiny, future creases. Letting the serum soak in at night (before you slather your moisturizer on top) helps increase these future-face benefits.

You’re 30’s are probably where you’ll first start to notice those little changes that strike horror in the hearts of us all, so it’s vital to keep up with your skin care routine… with the addition of one little thing: A retinol. An over-the-counter retinol will help promote the production of collagen. Start with applying every other night on top of your antioxidant serum, then move toward nightly use if it doesn’t irritate your skin.



In your 40’s, I suggest the daily mantra 40 is fabulous – I mean look at the bevy of iconic supermodels in their 40’s gracing such illustrious covers as Elle and Vogue. Kristen McMenemy, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen – all still working and working it. How do they do it? In Style must certainly suspect that these iconic beauties called in the big dogs at this point. No… we don’t mean surgery. We mean visiting your dermatologist to transition from your over-the-counter retinol to one that is stronger and prescription strength. Additional ingredients like growth factor and peptides aren’t a bad idea either.

As your skin ages into it’s 50’s, it naturally becomes more sensitive – so you may find that the prescription products you’ve been using through your 40’s are too strong for your delicate dermis. Now could be the time to move back toward a retinol that is less irritating and made for more sensitive skin. A moisturizer that is oil-based or that contains hyaluronic acid might also be a welcome change.


Remember that the steps in your skin care routine are like building blocks – by setting a good foundation in your 20’s and then building on that through your 30’s, 40’s and 50’s – you can weather the passage of time beautifully as opposed to withering witch-ily away. (Alliteration. Delicious.)