4 Reasons Your Skin May Be Looking Older

One day you’re looking in the mirror at firm, radiant skin and then suddenly—seemingly in the blink of an eye—that all changes. Your skin looks lackluster, your pores seem to have grown, and—yep—those are crow’s feet. Sigh. Don’t let the panic set in; what you need is a damage-control plan. We’re going to let you in on a few skin issues that could be making you look older and turn you onto products that can fix them on the quick. Because, let’s be honest, time is of the essence.

The Fountain Of Youth

Photo: Vanessa Jackman

The Problem: Big Pores

When your skin loses collagen, pores automatically expand and appear larger when clogged.

The Solution: Exfoliate once a week, and apply a salicylic acid treatment every morning.

The Problem: Dry Skin

As you age, your skin begins to slow down oil production, causing it to become dry and flakey. A common mistake is to exfoliate, but that actually dehydrates skin.

The Solution: Use a serum with hyaluronic acid to draw water to the skin's surface, leaving it hydrated and dewy.

The Problem: Fine Lines

Wrinkles may be inevitable, but premature aging is not funny. Be careful not to slather on thick creams in an effort to smooth lines, this can actually clog pores and create milia (tiny white bumps that require professional extraction).

The Solution: Use peptide serums that are less oily than thick creams and help skin produce more collagen.

The Problem: Dark Spots

We love a tan as much as the next girl, but a daily does of harmful UV rays leads to sun damage and dark spots. Stay away from bleaching creams which can harm the skin and make spots worse.

The Solution: A sunscreen with SPF 30 (or higher) protects the skin from damage, while one with antioxidants like vitamin C and licorice root helps to neutralize dark spots.