I don't know if anyone remembers vividly when they saw their first anti-aging cream. It's something most people wouldn't pay much attention to especially if you saw it for the first time at a very young age. But I remember mine. I remember walking into my grandmother's room, mama as we call her, and saw a very long cream with a pump on her table. I was a child so most objects were more magnified than they really are. My curiosity made me have a closer look as it was a new type of cream they bought for her. I was used to seeing the cup creams. 

As I held the cream, I read the information written on its body. It read “Palmer's Anti-ageing Cream”. Thinkin' about it, that wasn't the only thing that was written there. There must have been other information that they included but the only thing my eye caught was the palmer anti ageing cream. And that was what stuck with me.

I twisted the lotion cap and pressed the pump, and a yummy cocoa-scented cream popped into my tiny hands. The color was yellow and i have never seen a cream with any other color other than white, much less one that smells like chocolate. As I started rubbing it in, it felt very smooth like custard. It was very different from the cream we all use at home. I know because I have everyone's creams.

Because it was different, I made it part of my daily ritual to always steal some from Mama’s room and rub it on my body after taking my morning bath. The scent was long-lasting that it could last through the entire day. It doesn't matter how much I tossed myself in the sand. I will still smell like sweaty chocolate.

The smell and the feel of Palmer's anti-aging cream stuck with me. I would add it as my cream option to the list of things to buy when I'm going back to boarding school. But my parents always canceled it out and bought pears baby lotion instead (the pink one).

I would ask why and the response I got was that it's not a cream for children. But I always included it anyways. Trust my parents to do the due diligence every time. A girl can only try, right?

As I couldn't have it then, I made a mental note to buy it for myself when I become an adult. Had I known the truth about adulthood, I would have stuck with any type of cream my parents buys for me for as long as they are willing to.

Did I buy the cream? Yes, I did. And I never regretted buying it. 

But as I grew older I started feeling like anti-aging cream is surely for old people that are aging. The only person I've seen use such cream was my grandma and she was well over 80. I just naturally assumed that it was for mature skin. So I bought another variety that I thought was more suitable for my younger skin. It took me many years and research to know that anti-aging skin care products are not only for mature skin alone

In fact, at 25, it's perfectly okay to start including an anti-aging regimen in your skincare routine because our cell turnover reduces as we grow older. The skin starts aging when it starts losing elasticity and starts having a rough texture and wrinkling.

There are two types of aging;

Intrinsic aging: this is the type of aging that is inevitable. It s characterized by thin, dry skin and wrinkles.

Extrinsic aging: this is the type of aging that is evitable because it is caused by environmental factors and habits such as air pollution, smoking, poor nutrition, and sun exposure.

In as much as these two types of aging look serious, there are also ways we can make sure to properly care for our skin and reduce the rate at which it ages. There are ingredients that are equipped with the benefits to reduce the effects of aging on our skin. These ingredients can be swallowed and can also be used to make skincare products for external use.

Such hero ingredients are;

Retinoids

Retinol: also known as vitamin A. Retinol increases the rate of cell turnover which helps speed up the exfoliation process. Retinol targets wrinkles and fine lines which makes it a great anti-aging ingredient.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant that fights skin-damaging free radicals that are caused by exposure to environmental factors such as the sun and pollution. It also fights discoloration and dark spots

Bakuchiol

Bakuchiol triggers the production of collagen which helps in firming the skin and reducing wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin tone. Much like retinol, bakuchiol is anti-aging but better because it's not as irritating to the skin as retinol and it doesn't react with sun exposure.

Ceramides

Ceramides are lipids that keep the skin barrier healthy and also lock in moisture into the skin. the skin barrier keeps hydration in and blocks off irritants.

And in terms of anti-aging, the more hydrated your skin is, the more youthful you will look.

Niacinamides

This is a form of vitamin B3 that helps to calm skin inflammation.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid draws water from the environment and traps it in the skin. It also plums the skin by hydrating it.

Remember, hydrated skin contributes to a more youthful glow.

Sunscreen

Sun damage is an extrinsic aging factor. Which means it can be avoided. And the only way to avoid sun damage is to wear sunscreen every single day, as it protects the skin from the impending harm from the sun.

Stop waiting until you are 40 to start considering anti-aging products. Start now. The earlier the better (this is not for persons below 25)