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Ditch the industrial-strength wrinklecreams. CourtneyDunlop finds effective,age-appropriate skinsolutions for your20s and 30s

For years, dermatologists havedrilled it into our heads to nix thetanning beds, get regular skincheckups, and (the mother of all

skincare tips) 'load up on sunscreen.And-hallelujah!-it worked. Now there'sa generation of savvy 20- and 30-something women who aren't about tolet their faces wrinkle, mottle, or sagbefore they take action. In fact, a study bydermatologists Dr. Kathy Fields andDr. Katie Rodan found that 84 percent of25- to 29-year-olds are afraid of theeffects of aging on their skin. Hence therecent rush to skincare counters and, insome cases, cosmetic docs-2009 sawunder-35 Botox users rise to 15 percent.But the best strategy for age preventionin young skin isn't always the mostpotent. As dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross

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explains, "Keep in mind that it's best tobegin with the least aggressive productsand procedures."

So when should you realistically start?"At 20," says Fields. "Prevention is somuch easier than reversal. But even ifyou cooked yourself in the sun from age5 to 35"-or subsisted on ciggies andDunkin Donuts in college-"your skin canstill bounce back, at least some of theway." Which means (broken record alert!)daily sunscreen, along with an age-appropriate cocktail of antioxidants andvitamins, is nonnegotiable. Here, the beststrategies for tackling early aging so yourskin can go the distance.

Ill' PROBLEM: Tired Eyes"The first signs of aging often show uparound the eyes," says plastic surgeon Dr.Gregory Bays Brown. "By the time you reach30, the lower lid no longer blends seam-lessly into the cheek, and there is a slightline of demarcation due to volume loss." Inlayman's terms? Your once-plump cheeksare starting to deflate, so you get lovelyrings under your eyes-even after a fullnight's sleep. What's more, the skin aroundthe eyes is so thin that it's prone to earlylines caused by sun and squinting, whichtogether cause elastin to break down .• BABY-STEP SOLUTION: Big UV-protective sunglasses (to prevent squint-ing and filter sunlight) and a moisturizingnighttime eye cream with antioxidantsand retinol will do a lot to prevent andtreat early crow's-feet.• SERIOUS FIX: If the rings under youreyes are pronounced to the point whereyou look tired all the time (thank geneticsfor that), a derm or plastic surgeon caninject a hyaluronic acid filler along thecircles to create a smooth surfacebetween your cheeks and eyes. "I lovehyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane andJuvaderm because they contain smallparticles ideally sized for smoothing outsuperficial issues," says dermatologistDr. Hilary L. Reich.

Ill' PROBLEM: Not-50-CuteBrown SpotsWhen your childhood freckles morphfrom a sweet sprinkling across thenose to uneven tan splotches, you've gotsun-induced hyperpigmentation. "Com-monly, one of the first signs of aging issunspots on the face, back of hands, andchest," explains Reich, "especially if youplay golf or tennis, or often wear V-necksor tank tops." »

• BABY-STEP SOLUTION: Anyone who hascome home from the beach sporting asplash of new freckles knows that sun-screen is most crucial to people prone tosunspots. "The sun exacerbates the pig-mentation immediately," explains Brown.Layer on protection any chance youget-vitamin C serum under daily sun-screen and topped with mineral powderis a sweet trio. At night, help the fade withalpha hydroxy, beta hydroxy, or kojic acid.• SERIOUS FIX: Ask your derm about mildacid peels to increase cell tumover andget rid of blotchy surface skin, or IntensePulsed Light treatments, which targetspots but are gentler than zappy lasers.

~ PROBLEM: Perma-Lines"When a teenager raises her eyebrows,horizontal lines appear across her fore-head, but then disappear immediatelywhen she relaxes the muscles," explainsReich. "As she heads into her early 30s, ittakes increasingly more time for the linesto disappear." The same thing happensin between the eyebrows (stop furrowing!)and in the lines that go from the outsideof the nose down to the comers ofthe mouth (from years of smiling andtalking-but don't stop doing those).Expression lines result from a combo ofUV damage and the skin's elastin wear-ing out from repetitive use.• BABY-STEP SOLUTION: At home, usevitamin A derivatives like over-the-counter

"Is Botox too muchfor a 25-year-old? If youhave an anatomicallyaggressive wrinkle,Botox at 20 makessense."-DR.KATHY FIELDS

retinol or prescription retinoids likeRetin-A Micro to "prevent and minimizefine lines by increasing collagen," saysReich. Gross' grassroots solution is this:"Retraining ourselves to not make somevery basic facial expressions-like scowl-ing-can make all the difference. When-ever you feel tense, consciously take amoment to breathe deeply, which willforce you to relax your facial muscles."• SERIOUS FIX: The only way to stopexpression lines from forming is to refrainfrom making the expression, whichrequires Botox. But derms are dividedover using preventive Botox. "Is Botox toomuch for a 25-year-old? It depends,"explains Fields. "If you have an anatomi-cally aggressive wrinkle, Botox at 20makes sense. But if your skin goes backto smooth after making an expression-get out of here."

~ PROBLEM: Pores of PlentyBefore you get true wrinkles, you mightnotice your skin starting to look blah

because your pores are getting bigger."Pores sag because of UV damage-thecollagen walls start to crumble," saysFields. Makeup, pollution, and your skin'snatural oil can stretch out your poresover the years beyond the point wherethey can shrink back-and, according toGross, folks with oily skin are even moreprone to stretched pores because theirskin produces more ... gunk.• BABY-STEP SOLUTION: Clean out andtighten your pores so they can't hold asmuch. Peptide creams and serumsstrengthen and firm the skin, salicylicacid products dissolve the oil in yourpores, and face scrubs with round beadssmooth away surface dullness-juststeer clear of scrubs that contain groundseeds or pits because jagged edges canmicroscopically tear skin, making theproblem worse in the long run.• SERIOUS FIX: Enzyme facials are greatfor jump-starting a pore-minimizingregimen. Hit up Bergdorf Goodman orNordstrom for the Elemis Modem SkinFacial-designed for 20-somethingskin, it uses papaya enzymes to gentlycoax crud out of the pores. For amore drastic approach, Isolaz is a no-downtime laser procedure that literallyvacuums out your pores and killsbacteria, which also makes it great forgetting rid of pore-stretching acne-a condition that many women don'toutgrow until their 40s. me

1. FIRST AID BEAUTY 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30, $38. 2. NOXZEMA Clean Blemish Control Foaming Wash, $4.99. 3. RODIAl Glamtox Night, $110.4. SUPER BY DR. NICHOLAS PERRICONE Detox Elixir, $30. 5. ST. IVES Green Tea Scrub, $5.69. 6. ORLANE Anagenese 25+ First Time-Fighting CareEye Contour. $85. 7. AVON Anew Rejuvenate Night Sapphire Emulsion, $30. 8. CANE + AUSTIN Acne Treatment Pads, $60. 9. DARPHIN Arovita CLine Response Firming Serum, $100. 10. Givenchy Vax'in for Youth, $90. 11. OLAY Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer Plus Cooling Hydration,$18.99. 12. GARNIER Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Lightweight UV-lotion. $7.99. 13. NEUTROGENA Wave Sonic Power Cleanser, $15.99.

268 MARIE CLAIRE / OCTOBER 2010 For information on where to buy, see Shopping Directory,