In my 20s, I felt invincible. I mean, obviously the rules didn’t apply to me! I had all the time in the world to get consistent with my skincare routine, start drinking enough water, and all that.
Well, I’m here to tell you that I flew too close to the sun.
Now, I’m in my 30s, and looking back, there is some advice I absolutely wished I had listened to. So I’m sharing them below, in the hopes that others can learn from my follies.
1. Always take your makeup off before you go to bed.
The first beauty advice I would tell my younger self: Being able to sleep in your makeup and still have nice skin is NOT THE FLEX YOU THINK IT IS because it will come back to haunt you. Even if you don’t break out, sleeping in your makeup makes your skin age faster.
Important note: Makeup wipes are kinda better than nothing but still should be avoided as much as possible. Keep some micellar water and reusable cotton pads on your nightstand instead.
2. Don’t stop your skincare routine at your face.
I would also tell my younger self that yes, the rules do apply to you! Make sure you get into a routine of taking care of your neck, chest, and hands, or you’ll spend your 30s trying to reverse damage that could have easily been prevented. Sidia The Hand Serum is my current favorite. It’s hydrating, yet lightweight enough that I can apply it throughout the day without getting goopy fingers all over my keyboard. An added bonus: The scent instantly calms me down.
3. Drink some more goddamn water.
Seriously, I know everyone says this, but it’s so true. If you’re reading this right now, go drink a glass of water!
3. Don’t be afraid of retinol.
In my mid-to-late 20s, I well knew I was at the age where skin cell turnover and collagen production start to decline. I just didn’t really think much about it in terms of myself because I had pretty good skin and retinol seemed like a hassle and a half. (Again, younger Allie, the rules apply to you.)
Nowadays, there are plenty of gentler retinol formulas on the market. Plus, a ton of really great natural alternatives like bakuchiol, which has been shown to be as effective as retinol with less irritation.
4. For the love of all that is holy, use an eye cream.
Similar to my hands, neck, and chest, I really dropped the ball on my undereyes. Some people can get by without eye cream. I am not one of them, apparently. Also, stop tugging on your eyelids when you apply eyeliner or remove eye makeup.
5. Lash serums > lash extensions.
This is not to knock anyone who has lash extensions. But personally, I wish I had realized sooner that the upkeep wasn’t worth it, and consistently using a lash serum actually makes a huge difference.
6. Turning 30 is really not that big of a deal.
Lastly, and most importantly, I spent a lot of time worrying about the “big 3-0” because, like pretty much everyone else, I had been bombarded with the message that once a woman turns 30, it’s all downhill from there. It’s time to be put out to pasture.
This is not the case! Trust me, you don’t turn into the painting version of Dorian Gray the second the clock strikes midnight on your 30th birthday. Turning 30 isn’t scary! It’s just an arbitrary number, and I wish I had spent less time worrying about it.
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