What Does "Anti-Aging" Really Mean?

Time comes for us all, that’s why many “anti-aging” skincare products make dubious claims about reversing aging skin and turning back the clock — but buyers beware.

In this article you’ll learn:

1. What’s in an anti-aging product

2. What causes aging

3. What causes age spots

4. How to slow or reverse aging skin

5. When to start using anti-aging products

6. The best anti-aging cream for men

7. How Geologie can help prevent wrinkles

What is an anti-aging product?

“Anything that delivers moisture, supports collagen synthesis and elasticity, prevents glycination, or otherwise plays a positive role in biochemical processes required for normal functioning can be said to be an ‘anti-aging’ product,” said Dr. Steve, Geologie’s founding dermatologist.

By this definition, most products on the market today could be classified as anti-aging. The best among them use ingredients to help pick up the slack when your body begins to wane.

At Geologie, we count niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinol (to name only a few) among those ingredients. Retinol is the king ingredient in the night cream that optimizes skin shedding and keratinization. “That's one of our super ingredients and one of the things that can mitigate the process of aging skin,” said Dr. Steve.

What Causes Aging?

Sun damage: More than 90% of skin aging occurs as a result of sun damage. “Extended periods of time in the sun can jump start the proliferation of wrinkles,” said Dr. Steve. “Sun damage happens on an hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute basis.”

Builder cells slow down: As we get older, more changes occur in the deeper dermis: our fibroblast builder cells slow down their production of collagen (the protein that gives skin its strength and plumpness), elastin (the protein that brings our skin back into shape after stretching), and glycosaminoglycans (the molecules that attract water and lubricate the skin). “Fibroblasts are one of the predominant and most important cells in the dermis of the skin,” said Dr. Steve.

Collagen loss: Beginning in our early 20s, we start to lose roughly 1% of our skin collagen a year, and this accelerates after the age of 40. That’s because the body slows down its production of hyaluronic acid, which reduces collagen production. That’s why, for your face, a moisturizer looks like a Dasani dispenser in a desert — especially if it contains synthetic hyaluronic acid, which acts as a super-hydrator, holding 1,000 times its weight in water and helping the skin retain moisture where it's most needed.

Glands dry up: Sweat and oil glands also begin to dry up. Later on in life, the blood vessel walls in our skin begin to thin, leading to easy bruising. The gradual loss of fat below the skin compounds the collapse of skin shape and sunken facial features. Overall skin begins to lose its thickness, plumpness, elasticity and hydration.

As the skin loses its elasticity and is less effective at regeneration of healthy skin cells, it becomes less pliant and more vulnerable to external contaminants. All this adds up to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, crows feet, dark spots, or other skin signs we commonly associate with “aging.”

What causes age spots?

Age spots — flat brown, gray, or black spots on the face or the backs of your hands — are sun-related (that’s why they’re also known as sun spots). Most commonly found in middle-aged people who’ve accumulated a lot of time outdoors without sun protection, or in tanning beds, age spots are a sign of premature aging of the skin.

The spots occur when the sun damages the skin and alters its structure. The skin releases excess melanin, or skin pigment, as protection against further damage. The age spots are permanent, but generally harmless. However, if they change color or shape, you should have a dermatologist check it out.

How to slow or reverse aging skin

The best way to beat the visible signs of aging is to take care of your skin before those signs appear. “You can absolutely put the aging clock on hold,’” said Dr. Steve. Here are some tips:

Use sunscreen: Sun protection is the most important part of keeping your skin looking youthful. “It's as simple as that. People who use sunscreen, their skin doesn’t age as fast as people who don’t use sunscreen,” said Dr. Steve. “I can tell just by glancing at someone if they have sun damaged skin or not.”

Moisturize: As oil glands begin to dry up later in life, less moisture is available to the skin. Also, the skin cells themselves on the outer layer (keratinocytes), are much less effective at producing natural moisturizing factors, like ceramides, the natural things that our skin uses to moisturize.

“A synthetic hyaluronic acid (as in our moisturizer) can create a cosmetic enhancement in the upper layers of skin,” said Dr. Steve. “By pulling in more moisture it plumps up the skin and gives it a thicker appearance.”

Use retinol: As we get older and our outer epidermis takes longer than the usual 30 to 40 days to replace skin cells, we can mitigate that loss with retinol, which affects the rate of skin-shedding. Similarly, retinol can modulate DNA expression in fibroblasts — the skin-builder cells that slow down as we age — and stimulate collagen production.

Adopt beneficial lifestyle choices: Don’t smoke, drink moderately, get enough sleep, and cut back on sugar (there’s little data that suggests there’s a link between sugary foods and bad skin, but the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming.

When to start using anti-aging products

Dr. Steve said: You start deteriorating as a human being at 18 years old, so that’s the ideal time to start using anti-aging products. But guys who are 18 don’t often think like that. So the way to look at it is you want to look the way you do for as long as possible. When you hit 30 is an excellent time — and look 30 forever. You want to look 50 into your 70s, then start at 50. There's no magical number. So that’s why you want to start today.”

Anti-aging cream for men

The best way to reduce the grind of the aging process is to adopt a skincare routine. At Geologie we’ve designed a simple way, with a few powerful ingredients, that can make a difference when it comes to fine lines, wrinkles, and other conditions associated with aging skin. Here’s the routine:

Morning: This is when you should be applying sunscreen protection — the number one factor in battling against aging skin. Remember, the sun is responsible for 90% of skin aging, and that’s why we’ve got SPF in our morning cream.
The morning cream also has a moisturizer, hyaluronic acid, that absorbs more than 1,000 times its weight in water. It’ll plump the skin, crowding out fine lines and wrinkles, and help it maintain water and draw it from the air better.

Night: The retinol in the night cream is the single best anti-aging ingredient. Retinol can modulate DNA expression in fibroblasts — the skin-builder cells that slow down as we age — and stimulate collagen production. It also reduces the amount of skin shedding that accelerates as we get older.
The niacinamide in the eye cream is a vitamin B anti inflammatory with antioxidant properties. It supports the production of natural moisturizers that your body produces.

How Geologie can help prevent wrinkles

Go personalized! Take our skincare quiz for an anti aging skincare routine personalized just for you.

Want something quick and easy? Try our Complete Anti Aging Routine. This routine contains everything you need to fight signs of aging, brighten dull skin, and protect against photo-aging UV rays.

Not ready for a full routine? A good place to start is with Anti Aging Duo. This set is made up of our best-selling 0.2% retinol night cream and SPF30 face sunscreen - repairing your face while you sleep and protecting your skin from harmful UV rays during the day.

Still not sure? Browse our entire catalog of anti-aging skincare products.