There are a lot of trendy skincare terms out there…but the concept of “skin longevity” isn’t just a trend, it’s a skincare approach with real staying power. Skin longevity is a science-backed approach to skincare that’s focused on maintaining your skin’s health and resilience in the long-term. And while skin longevity will help your skin look younger, it goes further than simply correcting signs of aging. Skin longevity focuses on improving your skin biologically, not just cosmetically. Read on to discover 5 key steps to support skin longevity at any age.
What does skin longevity mean?
Here’s something people might not think about all that often: your skin is an organ, just like your heart or your brain or your lungs. When your vital organs are functioning optimally, you’ll stay healthier. The same goes for your skin—and that’s what skin longevity is all about. “I don’t want you to think of it as vanity, I want you to think of it as vitality,” Zakia Rahman M.D., a dermatologist at Stanford Medical School who studies at the school’s Center on Longevity, tells Elle magazine. “Your skin looks better because it’s working better. Longevity is the optimal functioning of your cells.”
Skin longevity vs. anti-aging
Standard anti-aging treatments focus on addressing concerns you can see in the mirror, but skin longevity takes a different approach. The goal of skin longevity is to support your skin’s long-term health (on a cellular level) with a proactive, preventative approach.
There are 5 key pillars of the skin longevity approach:
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Supporting a healthy skin barrier and microbiome
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Boosting cellular turnover
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Preserving collagen and elastin
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Reducing inflammation
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Protecting against environmental stressors
Let’s dive into each one and discover what you can do to improve your skin’s longevity.
5 steps to improve skin longevity
1. Support a healthy skin barrier and microbiome
Your skin’s barrier is a protective layer that functions as a “wall” to keep moisture in and harmful substances out. This “wall” is held together by naturally occurring lipids including ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol. Your skin’s microbiome is an invisible “ecosystem” of beneficial bacteria that live on the surface of your skin, which help support your skin’s barrier. When your skin barrier and microbiome are compromised, your skin isn’t able to protect itself and it can become red, inflamed, and sensitive.
Skin functions better in the long term when your barrier is strong and intact. To keep your skin barrier and microbiome healthy, treat your skin gently: Use non-stripping cleansers, hydrate consistently, and avoid over-exfoliating or using too many harsh actives.
2. Boost cellular turnover
Cellular turnover is the natural process by which your body sheds old, dead skin cells and replaces them fresh new skin cells. When you’re a child or teenager, your skin cells turn over in just 14-21 days. In your twenties and thirties, the skin cell turnover process takes about 28 days, and in older adults it can take as long as 60-90 days.
Improving cellular turnover is key to supporting skin longevity, because it helps your skin “act” younger. Weekly exfoliation with LUXE+ sonic dermaplaning is a science-backed way to boost cellular turnover, and because it only needs to be done once per week, you won’t run the risk of over-exfoliating and causing skin barrier damage.
3. Preserve collagen and elastin
Collagen and elastin make up your skin’s structure and keep your skin smooth, firm, plump and resilient in the long-term. Think of collagen as the scaffolding that holds everything in place, and elastin and the stretchy fiber that gives your skin youthful bounce.
To help “bank” collagen and retain skin elasticity, use skincare products with collagen-supporting ingredients (like vitamin C, niacinamide and peptides), wear daily SPF, and exfoliate regularly (make sure it’s a gentle method of exfoliation). Lifestyle habits also play a big role in collagen and elastin preservation. Eat a healthy diet with lean protein, leafy greens, and antioxidant-packed fruit and veggies. Avoid smoking, excess sugar consumption, and get regular exercise. If you’re not doing some form of strength training yet, this is your cue to start! Not only does strength training help keep you healthy and mobile as you age, it also increases growth hormones that support collagen.
4. Reduce inflammation
It’s scientifically proven: chronic inflammation compromises your skin’s health and ability to function optimally, which accelerates skin aging. Skin longevity is all about reducing cumulative inflammatory damage.
To help reduce daily skin inflammation, choose skincare products with antioxidants and calming ingredients like green tea, panthenol, Centella asiatica, licorice root, niacinamide and colloidal oatmeal. It’s also crucial to prioritize sleep. Why? First of all, lack of sleep increases inflammation and can worsen skin conditions like acne and eczema. Second, when you’re asleep, your body goes into “repair mode,” working to lower stress hormones and reduce inflammation.
5. Protect against environmental stressors
This is the part where we tell you to always wear daily sun protection. UV damage is the number one cause of premature skin aging. Not only can the sun’s rays burn your skin’s surface (UVB rays), they also penetrate deep into your skin can cause damage at a cellular level (UVA rays). Make sure to choose a “broad spectrum” formula, which protects from UVA and UVB rays.
Another key part of skin longevity is guarding against daily damage from environmental stressors like pollution and blue light from screens. Ectoin is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your skin from both environmental pollution and blue light. Ingredients like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, ferulic acid, green tea and resveratrol also support pollution defense and skin repair.
The takeaway: skin longevity is about aging well, not fighting age
Ultimately, skin longevity is about the long-term health and wellbeing of your skin. It’s a comprehensive, wholistic approach that prioritizes consistent, healthy skincare habits over quick fixes—but it’s worth it for a lifetime of healthy skin.