Why bother?The reason that you should put an anti aging skincare routine in place as soon as you can is because you really cannot prevent the process of aging or the signs it leaves on your skin but you can lessen the effects of age much easier than you can reverse them.What causes aging?There are two processes that age you. There’s ‘intrinsic’ or ‘internal’ aging which is already in our genes from the moment we’re born and then there’s ‘extrinsic’ or ‘external’ aging which is caused by wind, sun and other external forces.Internal AgingAny anti aging skincare regime you use – even if you start at age 20 – will not change your genes. The elasticity of the skin begins to reduce by your mid-20s, the production of fresh cells may decrease slightly and dead skin won’t shed as quickly as it once did. You may not notice these things occurring when you’re still young but when you get into your late 40s or 50s you may then begin to see the results of this process with fine wrinkles appearing, especially round your mouth and eyes; hollowing cheeks and eye sockets; sagging jowls and dry skin.You can thank your ancestors for much of this process. Some people are lucky enough to have “youthful skin” genes and others come from a long line of wrinkled prunes!External AgingWell, you do have some control of the appearance of internal and external aging with the right anti aging skincare products and with some sensible precautions. Strong sunshine will, of course, dry out and wrinkle skin so avoid EVER going outside, even on a cloudy day without some skin protection. Never use sun-beds! Wrap your face up in a scarf against strong winds. Don’t ever smoke or give it up if you already do. Avoid “tight expressions” – by this I mean frowning habitually or performing any facial contortions – even facial exercise which will increase those wrinkles.Gravity is another external factor. If you look at older people you’ll see the signs of gravity pulling at their jowls, ears and under eye area. You can’t avoid gravity but you can diminish the effects if you begin your anti aging skincare routine early enough.Skincare routineThe best anti aging skincare products will be high in anti-oxidants and low on damaging chemical ingredients. The kit I would recommend contains an anti-wrinkle formula; an eye cream and a firming face cream. It has dramatically reduced the signs of aging on my face, not least because my skin looks so much plumper and brighter. I started late though and I’d recommend – for men or women – that you begin your routine before the more dramatic lines have appeared.Unsure what to use?Well, at least if you can try a product before you spend out cash, you can’t really lose. Whatever you decide upon, enjoy your anti aging skincare regimen and smile. A few gentle smile lines over time are a very attractive feature of an older skin!