It’s Time To Debunk These 7 Anti-Aging Skincare Myths

While my days of fretting over breakouts are (mostly) behind me, learning how to care for aging skin has been keeping me plenty busy! Growing up in sunny California, I was much more concerned about maintaining my suntan than protecting my skin, and that neglect is now haunting my present in the form of wrinkles and sun damage.

In the spirit of “better late than never,” I’ve been learning as much as I can about anti-aging skincare practices. And based on what I learned, it seems like most of the skincare advice I’ve heard throughout my life has since been debunked by skin experts!

So today I thought we’d do some myth-busting about anti-aging skincare, in hopes that we can all move forward more well informed about caring for our skin!

7 Anti-Aging Skincare Myths That Just Aren’t True

Myth #1: You Only Need Sunscreen If You’re Going Outside

The sun gives off two types of UV light that can damage your skin—UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are responsible for wrinkles, sun spots, and other signs of sun damage, while UVB rays can damage your skin cells (sometimes to the point of causing cancer) and leave you with that undesirable lobster-red complexion.

But what a lot of people don’t realize is that while the glass used in cars, homes, and office windows does block most UVB rays, it doesn’t typically block all UVA rays. This means any time you’re exposed to natural sunlight indoors or out (and possibly even when you’re in artificial light, too), your skin is susceptible to damage from UV rays!

Luckily, there’s a simple solution: make sure you slather on an SPF sunscreen that offers “broad spectrum” protection (meaning that it guards against both UVA and UVB rays) every morning, regardless of whether you’ll be outside or inside that day!

Bonus Tip: If you apply lines of sunscreen along the length of both your pointer and middle fingers on one hand, that’s roughly the amount of sunscreen you should be applying to your face and neck. It’s likely more than you’re used to using!

Myth #2: If A Product Burns Or Stings, That Means It’s Working

“Feeling the burn” may have a positive connotation at the gym, but it’s not something that should apply to your skincare routine! If your skin burns or stings when applying skincare products, that means that whatever product you’re using is irritating your skin.

Skin irritation can throw your skin’s pH level out of balance, resulting in dryness, oiliness, and other unpleasant effects like breakouts. Being gentle with your skin (i.e. using non-irritating products) is crucial, especially for those of us with aging skin!

I have notoriously sensitive skin and have to be super careful about the products I use. The photo above shows a reaction I had to a skincare product a few years ago. Those red splotches all over my neck almost felt like chemical burns. It was a miserable experience and one I never want to experience again! I’m so grateful I now have a skincare routine that’s perfect for sensitive skin.

Myth #3: A Nighttime Anti-Aging Routine Is More Important Than A Morning One

While there is plenty of truth to the idea that “beauty sleep” is important, anti-aging skincare treatments can play an important role in both your nighttime and morning routines. Luckily your routine doesn’t need to be complicated! Just think of it as three parts: cleanse, moisturize, and protect.

1. Cleanse: Your skin works to repair itself while you sleep, secreting toxins and sebum (oil) during the process. Cleansing your skin when you wake up helps removes those impurities. I like to use the Purifying Daily Cleanser from my Timeless by Jillee skincare line.
2. Moisturize: Aging skin almost always equals dry skin. That’s especially true in the morning because our skin loses moisture while we sleep. I use my Ideal Daily Moisturizer every morning to instantly quench my dry skin.
3. Protect: Applying sunscreen is the most obvious form of skin protection, but you can also combat free radicals from sun exposure and pollution by applying a product with antioxidants. I like to use my Illuminating Vitamin C Serum and then follow-up with my SPF.

Myth #4: Wrinkles Are The First Sign Of Aging

Wrinkles don’t just appear out of the blue! They are usually preceded by subtler changes like dark spots, loss of firmness, dark circles under the eyes, and others. These are all signs that your skin is aging, whether it’s visibly wrinkling or not!

For these reasons, it’s never too early to start an anti-aging skincare routine. Start with a great cleanser and moisturizer that works for your skin type. When you’re ready to take things up a notch, add in a vitamin c serum and a retinol serum to prevent the most visible signs of aging.

Developing healthy habits will also pay serious dividends when wrinkles do start to appear over time. Master the basics like staying hydrated, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and protecting your skin with sunscreen. Your skin will thank you!

Myth #5: You Need To Apply Retinol Every Day For It To Work

If you’ve used a retinol product before or are currently using one, you may have already discovered this myth is both sort of true and sort of false. Many dermatologists emphasize the importance of using retinol consistently for best results, but in reality, some people’s skin may be too sensitive to tolerate daily retinol use.

The best approach to using retinol is to start with occasional use (once or twice a week in the beginning) and then gradually increase in frequency until your skin can tolerate it every day. If at any point you experience a significant amount of redness, dryness, itching, or peeling, that’s a good sign to back off a bit and give your skin more time to adjust.

If you’ve found that your skin is just too sensitive for retinol products (even after giving it time to adjust) you maybe want to give my Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum a try. It’s actually the first retinol product I’ve ever been able to use long term!

Myth #6: You Should See Anti-Aging Results Immediately

Unfortunately, unless you’ve managed to locate the actual Fountain of Youth, you can’t expect to see anti-aging results overnight. With most types of anti-aging skincare products, persistence and consistency are key!

The best thing you can do when trying a new skincare routine or product is to simply stick with it (unless, of course, it’s doing terrible things to your skin.) Many of us are prone to abandoning hope when we don’t see results after a few weeks, but it can take months of consistent treatment to see significant changes. So keep the faith, and remember, patience is a virtue! :-)

Myth #7: Expensive (and Complicated) Skincare Routines Are More Effective

This myth comes with a confession: after a skin treatment a few years ago, I purchased a few products that were recommended by my esthetician. One of them cost me a whopping $195 for a 1 once bottle!

I still cringe when I think about it.

But I really knew nothing about skincare at the time and figured I had to use a complicated system and pay big bucks to get results. I’ve since learned that’s just not true.

Your skincare can be simple, AND affordable, AND deliver great results.

That’s where the Timeless by Jillee System comes in. This skincare system is made up of just three parts each morning and evening: cleansing, treating (with serums), and moisturizing. Just five simple products are all you need to treat your biggest skin concerns. From dryness, to dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin – these products address it all. 

 I’ve been using all five products in the system for a more than two years now, and I finally feel like I’ve found a skincare routine that I love and can stick with long term.  I’ve also been thrilled to find out that I’m not alone in my love for this system! Just check out these 5-star reviews:

Have used this skin care line for a full year now. Every day. Twice a day. After 70 years, I finally have comfortable skin. No itching, redness, flaking, or tightness. Others have noted the improvement in my skin as well and one daughter is also now using this system. I can’t vouch for each product as I use the whole system but can say that my skin has never looked or felt better. Thank you Jillee for coming up with a complete line that my super sensitive rosacea skin can tolerate. I can finally say that I am literally comfortable in my own skin for the first time in years.

Deborah S.

I love the simplicity of this skin care kit. I have seen a big difference in my skin, especially at the corners of my eyes where I had really bad dry patches from sun damage. Nothing I tried in the past helped and after just a week I noticed the skin healing and becoming smooth and clear. This beats some of the expensive name brand creams and serums. I love the feel and the fragrance of all the products. I am a fan for life now!

Carolyn M.

“I’ve been using the Timeless skin care package since it first came out and I really love it! My skin is so smooth and seems brighter (I am 50 years young!). The fine lines also appear less noticeable:) I have been following the regimen as directed twice a day. The products last a long time, smell nice and fresh and are easy to apply. The FREE microfiber cloths that are included are a really nice benefit – plush, easy to use and machine washable. I would highly recommend this skincare line!!”

Helen B.

Have you ever had to unlearn something you thought you knew about skincare?