When you think about the word ‘anti-ageing’ what comes to mind?
Weird vampire facials? Injecting questionable things into your face? Trying to freeze your features so you don’t look a day above 30?
Somewhere along the way, ageing got a bad rap, like it’s something we need to fight rather than a natural (some would say beautiful) process. And honestly? That’s a bit grim.
Looking after your skin shouldn't be about chasing youth with a sense of panic; it should be about keeping your skin happy, resilient, and glowing at every stage of life.
That means focusing on strong skin barriers, deep hydration, and powerhouse ingredients that support your skin long-term (instead of quick fixes that leave it confused or even a little crispy).
While we can't wind back the clock, you CAN improve the health of your skin and also slow your collagen and elastin from leaving the party too soon.
Which is why we’ve put together this mega Anti-Ageing Guide, Woohoo-style
This isn't your typical "drink water and wear sunscreen" spiel (though, yeah, you should do those things).
It’s packed with some good-for-you tips minus the unrealistic beauty standards.
So, grab a cuppa (or a Prosecco, no judgment hehe), and let's dive into how to keep your skin looking ace.
Alrighty, let's get stuck in!
A quick chinwag about the ageing process
As you get older a few things start to happen to your skin - usually fine lines, wrinkles, dryness and the odd age spot. Ever wondered why?
Beneath your skin’s surface, it has a lot to do with our old friends, collagen and elastin. Imagine that collagen and elastin are like your skin’s building blocks, making your skin strong, firm and plump. Up until you hit your mid-20’s your body is a collagen-producing powerhouse.
But as you move into your 30’s and spend more time getting wiser on this magnificent planet, your body produces about 1-2% LESS collagen every year and your skin’s structure is compromised. Just like the walls of a house starting to weaken, your skin starts to lose elasticity and firmness and fine lines and wrinkles start to appear.
Then, on your skin’s surface, there’s some other stuff going on too. Production of sebum (your skin’s natural oil) is slowing down, so you might notice your skin (which was once oily or normal) is now on the dry side because it’s not very good at keeping moisture in anymore.
Not only that, but chances are that over the years, the environment has probably been taking its toll on your skin too and can cause things like pigmentation and age spots.
STEP 1 - HYDRATION - Why hydration is your best friend (and wrinkles’ worst enemy)
Hydration is the foundation of plump, youthful skin. It keeps things bouncy, smooth, and happy. And even if you don’t have a “dry” skin type, you can still be dehydrated. Yep, even oily skin needs hydration!
As we mentioned above, your skin’s ability to hold onto moisture actually declines as you age. It all comes down to two things:
1. Hyaluronic Acid Depletion:
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a humectant—meaning it pulls moisture from the air into your skin and holds onto it like a thirsty sponge. HA can hold up to 1000x its weight in water, which keeps your skin plump, dewy, and elastic.
The problem? By the time you hit your 40s, your skin’s natural HA levels have halved. By your 50s, they’ve plummeted even further. (Rude, right?)
This means your skin may start to look dry, dull, and less plump as you age.
(We’ll share our best product recommendations for replenishing lost hydration at the end of this mega-guide!)
2. Skin Barrier (aka Lipid Barrier) Breakdown:
Your skin’s lipid barrier is its natural moisture-sealing layer — made up of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol. It’s also your skin’s first line of defence. Think of it like a shield for your skin.
When it's intact, it locks in hydration and nutrients, and keeps out irritants (like pollution, bacteria, and whatever mystery gunk is living on your phone screen).
But as you age, your skin produces fewer ceramides and lipids, slowly breaking down your skin’s lipid barrier and making it harder to retain moisture.
STEP 2 - SKIN BARRIER - Treat your skin barrier like royalty (because it is)
When your skin’s lipid barrier is strong, your skin is calm, resilient, and thriving. When it’s weak? It’s an open invitation for dryness, irritation, redness, breakouts, and premature ageing to waltz right in.
As we mentioned, your skin barrier is slowly breaking down as you age, so you’ve gotta look after it the best you can. However, you might be wrecking your skin barrier without realising, adding to visible signs of ageing rather than reducing them!
It’s easy to assume your skincare routine is doing good things for your skin. But too much of the wrong stuff? That’s where things go sideways.
Over-exfoliating, using harsh cleansers, piling on too many actives at once—it’s like trying to build a castle by tearing down the foundation first.
Here’s the royal decree for a stronger skin barrier:
Cleanse without stripping
That squeaky clean feeling after washing your face? Bad news. That’s your barrier begging for mercy. Instead, go for a gentle, replenishing cleanser that melts away grime without disrupting your skin’s protective layer.
Strengthen your defences
Your barrier is made of lipids, so it thrives on ingredients like ceramides, fatty acids, squalane, niacinamide, peptides, proteins and vitamin B5. These work together to repair, restore, and reinforce your skin’s natural defences, so it can hold onto moisture and fight off stressors like a champ.
Give your skin some breathing room
If your routine has more steps than a royal wedding, it’s probably overcomplicating things. Scale back to essentials and let your skin recover from product overload.
Be mindful of exfoliation
Exfoliation is important, but overdoing it is a one-way ticket to barrier damage. Skip the daily scrubs and swap in gentle exfoliants once or twice a week (max!). Try a chemical exfoliant like ‘This Is Me’ Enzyme Exfoliator, or a physical exfoliant like our 'Spoonful of Sugar’ Exfoliating Scrub. Your skin will thank you.
Seal it all in
A well-functioning barrier = moisture retention. Finish your routine with a moisturiser that suits your skin type to give your barrier a helping hand at sealing hydration in and keep stressors out. Two of our faves are 'Over the Moon' Rich Repair Cream and 'Sweet Dreams' Ultra-Rich Beauty Cream.
You've reached the end of Part 1 of this mega-guide. Click here to read part 2.
