Key points:

• What is slow-aging and how does it “biohack” beauty.
• The foundational elements of preventative skincare.
• How to implement regenerative actives at any age.

Skincare is transitioning from reactive to proactive. Instead of waiting for fine lines, laxity, and pigmentation to appear, you flood the skin with gentle, hydrating, and regenerative nutrients. This proactive approach is referred to as slow-aging skincare, and it’s a core concept of Korean skincare brands. It’s also a core concept of mine as a Master Esthetician of 25 years. It’s never too late to prioritize skincare longevity, as the decisions you make now impact your skin 5, 10, and 20+ years from today. Instead of wishing you could rewind the clock to undo damage, begin your reparative protocol today.

WHAT IS BIOHACKING BEAUTY?

Biohacking your skin is a science-based approach to skin health and longevity that improves skin quality at any age. It makes your skin look better bare-faced, by leveraging advanced devices and proven actives to stimulate your body’s natural regenerative abilities. Biohacking is a gentle and consistent method of slowing the signs of aging by restoring skin at the cellular level. It varies from the age-old “anti-aging” approach of reactively responding to evolving skin conditions. You still address your evolving skin conditions, but you reduce the common signs of maturing skin by prioritizing hydration, nourishment, and proactive repair.

BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR LONGEVITY

• Cellular skin regeneration: Providing cells with the antioxidants and energy required to turn over, repair, and regenerate. Effective formulas and devices penetrate the deep layers of skin.

• Collagen banking: Collagen banking stimulates collagen production to offset the gradual decline of 1% per year beginning in your 20s. It restores and minimizes this loss, extending firmness and elasticity.

• Skin barrier repair: Your skin’s lipid layer is your first line of defense. Many of my clients unknowingly turn to trending but inflammaging actives and devices that break down their barrier and dehydrate their skin.

• Hydration: Most of my clients are 40+, which is when fluctuating estrogen levels decrease moisture retention. Moisture loss intensifies wrinkles and laxity, and negatively impacts skin barrier function, collagen levels, and sebum production.

• UV protection: There are few things that damage and accelerate aging more than the sun’s rays. As such, the need for year-round UV protection is one of the most recognized methods of proactive skincare. But there’s so much more you can do!

ESTHETICIAN-APPROVED REACTIVE SLOW AGING SKINCARE PRODUCTS

It’s never too late to adopt slow-aging skincare principles. If you’ve developed fine lines, deep wrinkles, pigmentation, skin laxity, or your hormones are beginning to fluctuate, it’s possible to reverse, lift, firm, and heal some of your damage—while reducing the rate of future aging.

FRUITY PEPTIDE SERUM

CBE Botanicals Fruity Peptide+ Serum is from my signature skincare line. It’s a silky, feather-light, and multi-tasking formulation that absorbs rapidly into the skin. I sell a few gentle Vitamin C serums, but if your skin is sensitive to Vitamin C, this is the serum for you. It prevents sunspots and pigmentation before they form while hydrating, plumping, and refreshing the skin.

Key actives include:

• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1: An ultra-gentle retinol alternative that signals skin to repair and produce collagen.

• Buah Merah Oil: This concentrated berry extract is an antioxidant powerhouse with 7 times the antioxidants of acai berry and pomegranate.

• Triple ceramide complex: These ceramides nourish your skin and repair the skin’s natural barrier function.

CYCLE TARGETED AMPOULES

Ampoules are ultra-concentrated super serums. They rapidly restore hydration, but their reparative ingredients vary. By cycling  Dr. Esthé’s Targeted Ampoules every 2 or 3 months, you can stimulate repair from multiple factors that age your skin.

Ampoules are also ideal for skin flooding. Apply a thinner serum first, and after it dries, layer your ampoule on top. Ampoules take longer to dry, so wait at least a few minutes before layering your moisturizer.

RECOVER AND REPAIR

To implement regenerative skincare for accelerated aging, I suggest exosomes-infused NeoGenesis Recovery Serum every day, twice a day. This advanced formulation reverses visible aging and slows future aging. The growth factors within also support renewal and recovery for inflamed, damaged, or thinning skin, or skin recovering from harsh topicals or treatments. Some of my clients only use it for 90 days post-lasers, peels, IPL, and other sources of inflammation.

The NeoGenesis brand is the only topical exosomes on the market today that work. Exosomes are regenerative molecules that prompt cellular repair. They contain peptides, lipids, copper peptides, and stem cells. At 70%, Recovery Serum contains the highest concentration of NeoGenesis’s patented S²RM® technology.

SPF PROTECTION

Never skip SPF protection, even if you have sunspots and accelerated aging. For mature skin, I suggest  House of PLLA’s All Mineral Face and Body Sunscreen. In addition to broad-spectrum UV protection 50, this reparative skincare product is infused with 4 growth factors and PLLA. Be mindful that this formulation has a bit of a white cast, so give it time to absorb into your skin.

Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) is a biostimulator and the active ingredient in dissolvable sutures, stents, and surgical mesh. It absorbs into the skin and implants around the hair follicle, prompting the body to create a steady stream of collagen. It’s a collagen banking active that creates a lifting, firming, and smoothing matrix underneath your skin.

All sunscreens on my website are eligible for HSA reimbursement!

ESTHETICIAN-APPROVED PROACTIVE SLOW-AGING SKINCARE PRODUCTS

The old school of thought was to wait until your late 20s or early 30s to incorporate eye care products and antioxidant-infused serums. Today, the approach is to incorporate condition-specific and regenerative products, sheet masks, and serums as early as your early 20s.

SERUM OR AMPOULE

Antioxidant-rich serums and ampoules are reparative treatments that play a vital role in slow-aging protocols. Select your serum based on your current skin conditions or biggest concerns. If you have no signs of aging, look to your family for clues as to how your skin may age. As your skin matures, cycle targeted treatments every 2 to 3 months.

SKIN RENEWAL

NeoGenesis Barrier Renewal Cream addresses slow-aging on multiple levels. The exosomes strengthen and repair the skin barrier while promoting moisture retention. When skin is hydrated, it resists and manages the inflammatory stressors of daily life. I believe that exosomes are the future of skincare, and the future is here!

EVERYDAY SPF

You’ll waste the products above if you skip SPF protection at the end of your AM skincare routine. If you struggle with pigmentation, your sunscreen works synergistically with skin brighteners to keep your skin clear. Although many BB creams, foundations, and powders contain SPF protection, they may not be strong enough to effectively filter your skin. Prioritize formulations that are SPF 50. And no, you can’t “add” your SPF together. So, if your foundation is SPF 35 and your powder is SPF 15, it doesn’t equal SPF 50—it’s SPF 35.

One of my top picks is  Dr. Esthé Sun Protection Ultra. My clients love this formulation because it’s lightweight, streak-free, cast-free, and lotion-like. No, it’s not sticky! In fact, if you didn’t know it’s sunscreen, you would think it’s a thin moisturizer. More than a sunscreen, as Sun Protection Ultra contains plant stem cells and 6 regenerative peptides. The actives double as a barrier layer that minimizes your exposure to free radicals.

Don’t forget to reapply SPF during the day, even if you’re indoors all day, as you’re still exposed to the blue lights of fluorescent lighting and electronic devices. Your future skin will thank you!

LET’S DISCUSS HOW ELSE TO TAILOR YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE

Now that you know how to tailor your skincare routine for preventative regeneration, let’s get a bit more specific. Join the CBE Rewards Club  for direct access to me. As a member, you’ll receive exclusive skincare tips for your local climate, lifestyle, skin type, and unique skin conditions. Plus, get $10 cashback EVERY month! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How is slow-aging different than anti-aging?

Slow-aging is a preventative approach to fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. You turn to gentle and scientifically proven actives that stimulate cellular repair and collagen production.

What is collagen banking?

Collagen banking is achieved by utilizing collagen-stimulating actives and skincare treatments to offset the body’s natural decline in collagen. This helps extend firmness and elasticity.

What age should you begin preventative skincare?

Slow-aging protocols can begin as early as your teens or early 20s. However, it’s never too late to minimize future aging.