What to Use at Every Age for Glowing Skin

G l o w i n g skin. We’ve got more tips for you, girlies. You probably already read the top ingredients to add to your skincare routine (straight from Hailey Bieber’s facialist) that we recently posted, but we’ve got more insight.

During our interview with Sharlena Hassani, whose hands also grace the faces of Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, and Adwoa Aboah, she shared exactly what to apply to your skin at every age to achieve (and maintain) a phenomenal glow. We’ll let her take it from here.

“These are general numbers to provide a basic framework, but it’s so important to note that everyone’s skin is different! Take these guidelines with a grain of salt. You are 100% without question able to use niacinamide, HA, zinc, vitamin C, and peptides daily. As far as glycolic acid, depending on your skin, you’re able to use this from once a week to daily. You only really need benzoyl peroxide in your late teens to 30s, and this is as needed based on your skin (if you’re acne-prone) but can be used up to seven times a week. And for retinol, start in your 20s for two or three times a week, working your way up to stronger formulas more regularly throughout the week. By your 40s and 50s, you should be using a retinol daily or every other day. The best way to determine if you need to increase percentages is if the product stops working/delivering results like it used to, if you start to notice fine lines and aging skin, or if acne and acne scarring start to be stubborn again. As you get to the 40s and 50s, you’ll start to increase to higher percentages and more frequent use until eventually you’re using retinol almost if not every night.

The best way to organize a routine incorporating all these ingredients would be in an order like this:
1. Cleanse, incorporating acids like glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid in a gentle formulation at least in your p.m. cleanser for a deeper pore cleaning
2. Rejuvenating serum with vitamin C/antioxidants and/or hyaluronic acid
3. A zinc serum
4. A glycolic acid cream or serum with a mix of exfoliating acids
5. Benzoyl peroxide if needed for acne and prevention
6. Moisturizer with peptides and/or niacinamide
7. SPF for protection ALWAYS

Note: there are serums combining some of these ingredients to shorten and simplify for those not used to a longer regimen with multiple steps. The fewer ingredients in one product, the more potent those ingredients will be. For someone just starting out with a retinol, a great option is one that’s slightly diluted and mixed with other ingredients to buffer it down, making it less harsh and easier to acclimate to.

No one should start with all these actives at once. Make sure you consult with a trusted skincare professional to help put together a routine that makes sense as far as formulations and percentages to make sure everything is compatible. They can also help put together a routine custom for you based on your skin’s needs, your concerns, and the overall health of your skin.

@imaanhammam

Late teens:

Use vitamin C daily, glycolic 3-4x a week, benzoyl peroxide 3-4x a week (depending on your skin; for those more acne-prone, it can be used 5-6x a week), zinc 3-4 times a week, peptides daily.

20s:

Use vitamin C daily, glycolic 3-4x a week (depending on your skin), benzoyl peroxide 2-4x a week (if acne-prone), retinol 1-2x a week, niacinamide 1-2x a week, zinc 2-3x a week, HA 2x a week, peptides daily.

30s:

Use vitamin C daily, glycolic 3-4x a week (depending on your skin), benzoyl peroxide 2-4x a week (if acne-prone), retinol 2-3x a week, niacinamide 2-3x a week, zinc 2-3x a week, HA 3-4x a week, peptides daily.