Chances are that you enjoyed your 20's. You were in peak physical shape. If you're an athlete, you likely escaped the decade without serious injury. You went on lots of vacations, which left you tan more often than not. You bounced back from those hangovers as if you spent the night at midnight mass vs. an all-night rave. You probably didn't have a single wrinkle. Net-net, you probably abused your body with little-to-no consequences.
Unfortunately, that's all changes as we explore our 30's, and definitely changes in our 40's. In our 30's, our body chemistry changes and we start breaking down. This includes skin (our largest organ) and muscle. We have to work out harder to keep off belly fat. We get injured. Hangovers are intense. And, tanning and mistreatment of our skin leads to more wrinkles. So, it's import to make slight modifications to our lives to accommodate the changes to our bodies.
Luckily for you, there's hope. I'm going to focus this post mostly on skincare, though I will include a couple non-skincare thoughts. First and foremost, we have to acknowledge (and accept) that our skin changes in our 30's and that requires us to change. For the first time we will experience wrinkles and for many of us, our skin dries out much easier. So take a few steps to help your chances.
It's time to start wearing sunscreen at all times - every day. Make sunscreen part of your morning routine and apply it in the afternoon, too, if you can. Sun damages skin and accelerates aging - certainly adds to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The more sun exposed you are, the quicker your skin will 'age' and the older you will look. Not good.
Along with your sunscreen, moisturize. Your skin will likely start drying out faster and easier. It's essential to consume enough liquids to hydrate your skin from the inside out. But, it's also important to protect your skin from the outside, too. So, be sure to add moisturizer to your daily routine. If you can get a moisturizer with a sunscreen, you're set.
Finally, be sure to exfoliate. You will see a common theme with me and exfoliating. It is the number one mitigator to suboptimal skin and aging. You really only need to exfoliate a couple times a week. But be sure you do it. There are tons of products on the market. All I recommend is that you use natural products because the artificial products are horrible for the environment (and could be bad for your skin).
Apart from these recommendations, don't forget to stay active and workout. You can build muscle until you die. And muscle slows aging. You also need to get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep promotes aging. Slow your roll and get some zzz's.
Remember, your face is your fortune, so why not invest in it.