Simply C serum gone?

[missyjean]

Ryvyan,I don't think that is possible.I've never heard your theory even once before today.Honestly,which is better: Preventing wrinkles when you're younger or trying to fix the wrinkles when you already have them?I think the answer is pretty obvious.Heck,I love anti-aging products on my 19 year old skin because they help heal old acne marks faster.Peptides and C aren't just for the old folks =P

[superwahz]

Basically, is my fear irrational? Should I go ahead and try a sample of Vitamin C Peptide? I ask because I don't want to try it and love it and then have to depend on it. Not that it's a bad thing, but I'm a lazybugger and might just forget and not use it and then I'd have a really saggy face (ultimate fear).

I can totally understand your concern! Using products made for "aging skin" when you're in your 20s can be overkill at times. But, in this case, I think you'll be safe to try a sample!

Why do I think so? Its not a heavy wrinkle cream sort of product, which is the sort of thing I think people in their 20s should avoid unless they are dealing with significant skin damage, mostly because those products are just far too heavy and intense for younger skin that still has its elasticity, hydrates well, and produces enough oil. The ingredients in this serum are mostly giving your skin the nourishment it needs (the antioxidants) and helping to boost the overall texture (collagen). At best the Syn-Coll can help your skin to rebuild collagen...and for a portion of the population it doesn't even do that. But giving your skin help in that area isn't a bad thing, as I think if your face is making enough collagen to begin with, the serum won't really impact it that much. If you use it for a while and stop, at most the improvements you've had with it would gradually fade away, but I don't think it would get addicted to it and no longer function like it is now. Does that make sense? I'm 28 and very careful to use age and skin type appropriate products on my face and I'd feel safe using it on my skin.

Of course I could be wrong, Karen (who is on vacation now) or Jen would probably know better than I do. But I think a sample would be fine to try... Karen has commented before that in this case, she doesn't feel the serum is overkill for younger skin. (see the above comment by packgal)

[superwahz]

Ryvyan,I don't think that is possible.I've never heard your theory even once before today.Honestly,which is better: Preventing wrinkles when you're younger or trying to fix the wrinkles when you already have them?I think the answer is pretty obvious.Heck,I love anti-aging products on my 19 year old skin because they help heal old acne marks faster.Peptides and C aren't just for the old folks =P

I have heard of the "skin dependency" theory. While I don't think it applies to this particular product, I do think it's a pretty valid question to ask. While I don't think a firming product used on young skin will make it sag if you discontinue use, many anti-aging products are too heavy or too strong for younger skin that is still doing all the things that keep it looking great (maintaining hydration, producing plenty of oil and collagen, being well protected from sun damage with a good sunscreen, etc...). Young skin mostly needs cleansing, hydration, moisture, gentle exfoliation, vitamins, and sun protection! Using products appropriate for your skin's age and condition/type is very important IMO. Anti-wrinkle stuff is normally not needed, thankfully!

Antioxidants are sometimes labeled "anti-aging" but are very good for younger skin because they provide food for our skin that helps it keep doing all the good things it naturally is supposed to do. It's antioxidants that help prevent and repair early skin damage. So in that case, it's fine to ignore the label and use on younger skin. But other products like wrinkle creams for the face and eyes, chemical treatments to remove the upper layer of skin, wrinkle fillers, botox, and other intensive products meant for more mature skin can do more harm than good to young skin, especially if its healthy. Best to save those (and their cost!) for when we really need them and our skin can best benefit from them!

[missyjean]

Well see, every time I look at the active ingredient in anti-aging products...I can see how they all seem very good for young skin.Sun damage starts when you're young.My derm said that you should start on an anti-aging regimen in your early 20's to get the best results. Even when we use sunblock and antioxidants religiously,our skins going to get some kind of damage not visible until we're older.Unless of course you board up your windows and never take a step outside again.=P

Vitamin C- antioxidant,healing agent. I mean,what kid doesn't get acne? Vitamin C is fantastic for the healing old pimple marks.
Copper Peptides,other peptides- Healing,rebuilding. Again,sunblock and antioxidants only help so much.Helps acne heal.
retinol/retinoids- The same thing that smooths out wrinkles helps regulate the shedding of pore follicles in teens with skin issues.

You also mentioned hydration. Being a teenager with some pretty terrible skin issues,my skin tends to get dried out more easily by "pimple fighting" products. Finishing with an anti-aging moisturizer is a great way to get that hydration back.Not all anti-aging products give such a high boost of moisture,either.

In fact,gentle moisturizing products for older people always seemed to help my skin way more than anything that was meant for teenage skin.

I didn't find any conclusive studies on the net about being dependent on these anti-aging ingredients.It's getting hard to find information on the web that has a valid study attached to it.Maybe you could post a link? I do know from having my skin issues that my skin gets used to retinoids.It doesn't make my skin worse,it just stops making my skin's cell turnover go faster than what's normal lol.I always had to get something stronger.That's just what I experienced though,can't back it up beyond that.

[superwahz]

Well see, every time I look at the active ingredient in anti-aging products...I can see how they all seem very good for young skin.Sun damage starts when you're young.My derm said that you should start on an anti-aging regimen in your early 20's to get the best results.

Anti-aging, yes, but I don't think she'd advocate you go out and buy an eye cream or wrinkle cream made for 50 yr old skin. The Vitamin C serum would be good though. Antioxidants, vitamins, exfoliation and the like can all be considered anti-aging, as they help maintain skin's clarity, remove dead skin cells, and provide nutrients to help repair early sun damage. That's the sort of anti-aging program a 20 yr old would most benefit from IMO...as well as healthy foods, vitamins, and plenty of water!

Retinol can be good for some teens with significant acne i.e. skin that isn't healthy. Used on healthy or sensitive skin it can cause dry itchy patches, burning of the outer layer of skin, and the rapid turn over of cells leaves skin more vulnerable to the sun and can accelerate sun damage! If the costs outweigh the risks (like in acne with scarring) then cool, by all means use it with the guidance of a dermatologist. But if you don't need it, it may be better not to use it until later down the road when you need that turnover boost!

You also mentioned hydration. Being a teenager with some pretty terrible skin issues,my skin tends to get dried out more easily by "pimple fighting" products. Finishing with an anti-aging moisturizer is a great way to get that hydration back.Not all anti-aging products give such a high boost of moisture,either.

Yes, as I said, skincare should be tailored to both age and skin condition. Acne skin dried out by products used to treat it may need a richer moisturizer than healthy skin the same age, but that doesn't mean it will benefit everyone, just your particular skin. I used to have acne with skin dried out from all sorts of prescription products, richer moisturizers just made my acne worse because the emollients caused clogging of my pores.

I didn't find any conclusive studies on the net about being dependent on these anti-aging ingredients.It's getting hard to find information on the web that has a valid study attached to it.Maybe you could post a link?

I don't know if there are any conclusive studies on it. Many studies done on skincare products are done/funded by companies trying to find the latest elixer of youth so they can capitalize on it by convincing women afraid of aging that they can't live without it. The last thing they'd study is how their products are negatively impacting the young end of the market they are trying to get addicted to their products! Even the profession of Dermatology has too often now turned into cosmetic luxury spa appointments full of unnecessary "elective" proceduces for "patients" that can shell out the cash for it. My frustration is with these products being pushed on young women with healthy skin! If you have skin problems, careful, selective use of products that address that is great, but if you don't truly need it, it's overkill.

My opinion comes from my own experiences, conversations I've had with people working in skincare, medical doctors, various women I know and experiences they've had with products. The occasional article like this one is interesting: http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/headline_h ... 61232.html

I think simplicity in skincare is best. Start with the basics, have them down well and chosen based on skin type, then add in a few things that target your major issues. That's what I love about Karen's skincare products, they have simple, recognizable ingredients and a few used in combination with each other can do great things for one's skin, without having 10 jars of stuff to layer on every night. Plus, the more theraputic ingredients are in amounts that I think would generally be safe for various ages to try out. Not every item will work for every skin type or age, but a nice regime that benefits the skin can still be created without breaking the bank...or overloading your skin.