Anti-aging skincare: what's worth starting, and when

About one in five people who take our skin test tick aging. Some are in their forties. Plenty are in their twenties and have just spotted their first line in a phone camera.

Either way, the honest answer is the same, and it's shorter than the anti-aging shelf would like you to think.

Start with the sun

Most of what we call aging on the face is sun damage: fine lines, loss of bounce, rough texture and uneven colour. Scientists call it photoaging, and in a country with strong sun most of the year, it starts early. Compare the skin on your face with the skin on the inside of your upper arm. Same age, very different story.

That's why sunscreen is the best anti-aging product there is, even though nobody puts it on the anti-aging shelf. Every morning, two finger-lengths for face and neck, rain or shine. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics is comfortable enough that you'll actually wear it.

Retinol or retinal

Retinoids are vitamin A ingredients that speed up skin renewal and, over months, help the skin build more collagen. They're the most studied thing you can put on your face for lines and firmness.

Retinol is the gentle starting point. The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane is low strength, in an oil base that cushions it, and a sensible first bottle. Retinal (retinaldehyde) is one step closer to the form skin actually uses, so it tends to work faster. Celimax The Vita-A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster is a good next step once retinol feels easy, usually after about three months.

How to start: a pea-sized amount for the whole face, on dry skin, at night, two nights a week. After a month, every other night. Some dryness, flaking or mild stinging in the first few weeks is normal and usually settles. If it doesn't, put moisturiser on first and the retinoid on top; it's called buffering, and it softens the effect without cancelling it.

The moisturiser matters more than you'd think

Retinoids and our AC offices both dry the skin, and dry skin makes every line look deeper. A ceramide cream at night, like Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream, keeps the barrier calm while the retinoid does its work. It also has peptides. We'd describe the evidence for peptides as modest and promising rather than proven, and we'd rather tell you that than oversell it.

Around the eyes

The skin under the eyes is thin, and retinoids can sting there. Keep them on the bone around the eye rather than right up to the lashes, and use less. The other half of crow's feet is squinting, so sunglasses outdoors do real anti-aging work.

Small tricks that help

• Take your retinoid down to your neck too, with a smaller amount. The neck ages as fast as the face and gets half the care.
• Sunscreen on the backs of your hands. They give away age before the face does.
• If you sleep on the same side every night, you may see creases on that cheek in the morning. Switching sides now and then helps a little.
• Retinoid nights are never acid nights. Pick one exfoliating thing per night.
• Expensive is not the same as effective. Look at the ingredients, not the jar.

When to be careful

Don't use retinoids if you're pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. Prescription retinoids such as tretinoin are stronger and very effective, but they need a doctor to prescribe and supervise them, so please don't buy them loose from a pharmacy counter. And injections like Botox and fillers belong in a doctor's clinic, never a parlour.

When to see a dermatologist

See a doctor about a mole or dark spot that's changing, a sore that doesn't heal, or if you'd like to try prescription-strength treatment.

We sell the products named here, so weigh our picks with that in mind. If your skin is dull as well as lined, the dull skin guide pairs well with this one.