Dr Alek Nikolic Reveals The Best Skin Care Regime For Your Twenties
At this age, your goal is to preserve and protect. In your 20s, many of the skin issues you see come from carefree living: partying on weekends, drinking too much, pulling all-nighters and basking in the sun without sunscreen.
Please do not get me wrong as honestly I envy your youth and the ability to be so carefree but if you follow this fairly simple skin care regime you will reap the benefits in your thirties and forties and beyond. Your skin is glowing and full of that youthful glow so my skin care advice is aimed at keeping it in tip top condition.
Some of you might have some lingering acne from the teen years as well and excessive exposure to the sun or unprotected exposure (even in small quantities) unfortunately comes at a cost. Fine lines can start to creep up in the second half of your 20s and one could even start noticing pigmentation marks.
To stave them off and counteract the UV damage it’s important to start a consistent skin care routine that involves a good SPF. I am a strong believer in a factor 30 or higher (face, neck, hands, arms and chest) that contains reflective minerals such as zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
The 20’s Ideal Skin Care Regimen:
Your first step is to find out what skin type you are as this determines the type of skin products required specific for your skin to get the best results possible. Check how to find your skin type here:
Recognising Your Skin Type
Step 1: Cleanser
Use a gentle foaming cleanser that will remove makeup and excess oil, but won’t dry out your skin.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
Sensitive Skin: SKINCEUTICALS GENTLE CLEANSER
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: EXUVIANCE CLARIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER Or DERMAQUEST DERMACLEAR BHA CLEANSER
Combination Skin: DERMAQUEST C INFUSION CLEANSER Or SKINCEUTICALS SIMPLY CLEAN Or EXUVIANCE PURIFYING CLEANSING GEL
Normal Skin: DERMACEUTIC ADVANCED CLEANSER Or DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL DAILY CLEANSER
Dry Skin: DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL DAILY CLEANSER Or SKINCEUTICALS SIMPLY CLEAN
Step 2: Moisturiser
For day, use a light moisturiser that contains sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection and this is something you cannot skip — EVER. Look for a product that contains either zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
Sensitive Skin: EXUVIANCE MULTI-PROTECTIVE DAY CREME SPF20
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: NEOSTRATA SHEER HYDRATION SPF 35 or EXUVIANCE SHEER REFINING FLUID SPF35
Combination Skin: EXUVIANCE ESSENTIAL DAILY DEFENSE CRÈME SPF20
Normal Skin: EXUVIANCE ESSENTIAL DAILY DEFENSE CRÈME SPF20 or NEOSTRATA DAYTIME PROTECTION CREAM SPF 23 10 PHA
Dry Skin: EXUVIANCE MULTI-PROTECTIVE DAY CREME SPF20 or NEOSTRATA ULTRA DAYTIME SMOOTHING CREAM SPF 20
For Stubborn Early Pigmentation Marks: NEOSTRATA SKIN BRIGHTENER SPF25
Step 3:
If you get mild breakouts (not serious acne — your dermatologist should recommend the ideal treatment for that), use a spot treatment containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. And whatever you do, don’t pick — it can lead to long-lasting scars.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
DERMAQUEST DERMACLEAR SPOT TREATMENT
Step 4:
If you are one to stay up all hours of the night and the skin is going through undue stress then my suggestion is to also add an antioxidant to counteract the damage from environmental factors. Apply a serum at night that contains pomegranate extract, vitamin C, Ferulic acid or grape seed extract. Antioxidants eliminate damaging free radicals responsible for most of what we perceive as skin aging, including fine lines, pigment changes and textural irregularity. Read more on anti-oxidants here: How Antioxidants Work and Adding Anti-Oxidants To Your Skin Care Regime
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
EXUVIANCE ANTIOXIDANT SERUM PERFECT 10
NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE SERUM
DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE CREAM
Step 5:
At night, cleanse and spot treat any breakouts (again with a treatment containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide), and follow with a basic light night moisturiser.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
Sensitive Skin: EXUVIANCE Sheer Daily Protector SPF 50
Oily and Acne Prone Skin: EXUVIANCE NIGHT RENEWAL HYDRAGEL
Combination Skin: EXUVIANCE NIGHT RENEWAL HYDRAGEL
Normal Skin: DERMACEUTIC LIGHT CEUTIC
Dry Skin: NEOSTRATA BIONIC FACE CREAM or EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT
Other night time moisturisers to consider:
EXUVIANCE EVENING RESTORATIVE COMPLEX
EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE NIGHT LIFT
Dr Alek Nikolic’s Tip:
Retinol is a vital ingredient to super charge your skin and take its rejuvenating capabilities to another level. This is not a must have but rather a nice to have and one I can highly recommend. See the benefits of retinol: Which Strength of Retinol Do I Need? And SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 Uses and Treatment Guidelines.
Recommended Retinol Products:
Step 6:
It is okay to introduce eye creams and other anti-aging products as long as they are not too harsh. If it doesn’t make your skin look better or if the product is irritating, skip it.
Dr Alek Nikolic recommends:
EXUVIANCE HYDRATING EYE COMPLEX
NEOSTRATA BIONIC EYE CREAM PLUS
OBAGI PRO C EYE BRIGHTENER EYE SERUM
To make it as easy as possible I have placed the above steps in a table format that can be copied and pasted for quick reference:
20’s Skin Care Quick Reference Guide
I hope you found the article informative and helpful in starting an effective skin care regime in your twenties.
Please feel free to send me any comments or questions you may have regarding your skin concerns or skin care regimes.
Kind regards
thank you dr alek, great information – will pass on to my friends
Thanks Kelly I appreciate that. kind regards Dr Alek Nikolic