16 expert-approved ways to keep your skin looking smooth, youthful, and healthy

Caitriona Ryan, consultant dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatologists and clinical professor at University College Dublin, can tell from a client’s skin whether their lifestyle is healthy. “Those with healthy habits tend to have a natural radiance, good elasticity and even skin tone. Among those with great skin, common factors include consistent sunscreen use, nutrient-rich diet, adequate hydration and good sleep hygiene.”

Eat well for your skin

“Diet is crucial in maintaining clear, hydrated and youthful-looking skin,” says Aveen Bannon, a registered dietician with Dublin Nutrition Centre. Poor nutrition causes dryness, premature ageing and increased risk of inflammatory skin conditions.

“A balanced diet, rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, is essential for skin health.”

She says moisture, elasticity, even tone and natural glow are hallmarks of healthy skin. “It should feel smooth, firm and free from excessive dryness, oiliness or irritation. Good skin also has a strong barrier function, which helps retain moisture and protect against environmental stressors.”

Top three go-to foods

Bannon recommends fatty fish, berries, and nuts and seeds.

“Fatty fish — salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout — are rich omega-3 fatty acids sources that help maintain skin’s elasticity and hydration.

“Berries — blueberries, strawberries, raspberries — contain antioxidants. These support collagen production, as well as help combat free-radical damage that can lead to premature ageing.

“Nuts and seeds — almonds, walnuts, chia seeds — contain zinc, selenium and vitamin E. These strengthen the skin barrier.”

Drink water — an underrated beauty essential

Bannon recommends drinking 1.5L to 2L of water daily, and limiting excess alcohol and caffeine. “Staying well-hydrated helps maintain skin elasticity and delivery of nutrients throughout the body. Dehydrated skin can appear dull, flaky and prone to fine lines.”

How early should you start using skincare products?

The rise in tweens using expensive, multi-step skincare regimens — with active ingredients like retinol, exfoliating acids and anti-ageing peptides — is not a good development, Ryan says. “These aren’t designed for young skin and can lead to irritation, barrier damage and acne flare-ups.”

Children’s skin is naturally resilient, she says, and does not need complex skin routines. “A far healthier approach is to teach the importance of sun protection and gentle skincare.”

Dr Rosemary Coleman, consultant dermatologist at Blackrock Clinic, is “beyond shocked” at the “commodification of children”, who are being targeted online with complex skin ingredients. “All they need is a wet facecloth, until they start to get that oily slick on either side of the nose, or they start to get a bit of congestion or a few little zits.”

Children should not use soap on their face, she says. “It’s too alkaline and will dry out the skin.”

Sunscreen, on the other hand, “should start at birth”.

Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Dr Janice Brady has a special interest in medical aesthetics and practises privately at Eye and Face Clinic, Waterford. Sun protection has always been a must in caring for her daughters’ skin.

“My eight-year-old has her shower, washes her face and puts on sunscreen when she’s out and about, and that’s fine. In puberty, if they don’t have blemishes, use something as simple as a gel cleanser, morning and evening, and sunscreen. You can get products in the pharmacy perfect for young skin, fragrance-free and not too expensive. They’re every bit as effective as more expensive ranges.”

Get on top of acne early

“Picking or aggressively scrubbing acne-prone skin should always be avoided. It can worsen inflammation and lead to scarring,” warns Ryan, who says mild cases can often be managed with over-the-counter treatments, like salicylic acid cleansers and benzoyl peroxide spot treatments.

Coleman describes herself as “passionate about acne”, because it is so damaging to skin. She recommends getting medical advice as early as possible. “If the person has three spots and one’s leaving a little dent in the skin or a very persistent red mark, or as soon as the first stage of treatment isn’t working, or you’re getting any scars at all — and even mild acne can result in scars — you need medical treatment. Don’t delay by going to the beauty industry.”

Pay more attention to diet in the acne fight, Coleman says. “Acne is inflammation in the skin. It’s like a furnace and you really need to know what’s fuelling the furnace. Because even if you medically treat it and then [consume] whatever’s aggravating it — whether milk, café latte, peanut butter, bananas, whatever — the acne will keep bouncing back until you identify and remove the cause.”

Tackle your diet to address skin issues

“Picking fibre-rich, low-glycaemic index foods, like oats, fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts, is thought to reduce the number of acne breakouts,” says Bannon, who cites the American Academy of Dermatology’s advice to ask yourself if any particular food or beverage triggers a breakout or worsens your acne.

If a food or drink seems to trigger a breakout, what happens when you don’t have that food or beverage for a day, a week or a month?

And if you get acne but have a history of eczema?

“A lot of people who’ve had eczema are spared acne. But if you have a history of eczema or a tendency to dermatitis, you won’t able to tolerate the acne washes,” says Coleman.

“It means you’re not going to get the advantage of the acne cleansers, the anti-blackhead properties. But you’ve just got to respect the eczema and treat that first.”

Mind your skin in the sun

“Most skin ageing is photo-ageing, due to sun exposure,” says Brady, adding that Afro-Caribbean skin tends to age better than typical Irish skin. “But it’s more prone to pigmentation.” The best anti-ageing product is sunscreen used “meticulously” from an early age, Brady says.

Ryan says chronic sun-exposure leads to wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, pigmentation issues — such as melasma and sunspots — and increased risk of pre-cancerous lesions and skin cancers. “The best preventive approach is daily use of a broad-spectrum, zinc-containing sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more, even on cloudy days. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours when outdoors.

“And additional protective measures, like wearing a wide-brimmed hat and seeking shade during peak sun hours, are essential for long-term skin health.”

Having applied sunscreen in the morning, Brady then uses a sun mist later, if out and about. “I find it convenient when I’m on the go, and you can use it over make-up.”

When do you start using anti-ageing products?

Coleman pulls no punches. “The most important skincare product in your 20s is sunscreen. The sooner you start using it regularly, the less trouble you’ll have with your skin as you age. It’s the number-one anti-ageing beauty product, full-stop.”

After sun protection, the first active ingredient Coleman recommends is a glycolic acid cleanser. “Start at any age you can afford it in your 20s. It has a lot of very good properties. It doesn’t strip or sensitise the skin. Used properly, it’s not invasive and yet it cleanses and gives a lovely glow.”

In your 30s — or even in your mid-20s, if you have a lot of sun damage — Coleman recommends using a retinol as your second active ingredient. “It repairs previous sun damage and is anti-skin cancer.”

For those with extremely sensitive skin, who can’t tolerate glycolics or retinols, Coleman suggests a vitamin C serum. “You should also be able to tolerate the active ingredient, peptides, which are collagen-stimulators.”

Ryan agrees with introducing active anti-ageing ingredients in the mid-to-late 20s. “Most people can benefit from a retinoid then, because it’s when collagen production starts to decline: From the mid-20s, collagen reduces by about 1% per year.”

People with significant sun exposure may need to start sooner, adding antioxidants like vitamin C and niacinamide to protect against free-radical damage. “Skin type also plays a role. People with naturally thinner or drier skin may notice signs of ageing earlier and should focus on barrier support with peptides and ceramides.”

Active ingredients require caution

Brady says retinols help with cell turnover, and with blemishes, early pigmentation, open pores and fine lines, but they can also cause peeling, flaking and redness. “Start with a low dose at night, a couple of times only in the week, and build it up slowly.”

Active ingredients make skin more sun sensitive. “Many Irish people have very sensitive skin that’s prone to rosacea. I’ve seen lots of evidence of sun-sensitivity from overuse of active ingredients…. When I’m on holiday [in the sun] I don’t bring my retinol.”

Ryan counsels against overusing exfoliating acids like AHAs and BHAs. “They can improve skin texture, but excessive exfoliation can weaken the skin barrier, leading to sensitivity and inflammation,” she says, adding that products that contain essential oils and heavy fragrance can trigger allergies and irritation, particularly in those with sensitive skin.

What products are worth spending money on?’

“Spend on a good sunscreen that doesn’t leave you with a white cast or peeling or cause breakouts,” says Brady. Pay for a well-formulated retinol. “Ideally, it should be encapsulated, meaning it’s delivered in tiny capsules — time-released — which is easier for skin to tolerate. If it isn’t well-formulated, it can be more irritating to skin.”

And unless you are prepared to spend money on a good vitamin C serum, it’s best not to buy at all, she says. “It’s worth spending money on a really good one and getting expert advice. Vitamin C is a highly volatile molecule. It goes off very quickly, unless you get a good one.”

Hold on to your money

Expensive cleansers are often not worth the splurge, says Ryan. “They’re rinsed off the skin quickly and don’t provide lasting benefits. Similarly, high-end moisturisers frequently contain the same core hydrating ingredients as their more affordable counterparts; it’s unnecessary to over-spend on them.”

Coleman recommends looking at the formulation and not being taken in by packaging. “What’s not worth paying for are very heavily-perfumed, commercially-packaged high-street products that [over-promise], with no research behind them.”

Quit smoking

Smoking’s effect on the skin is profound, says Ryan. “Smokers often develop deep wrinkles, particularly around the mouth and eyes, due to repetitive muscle movements and breakdown of collagen and elastin.

“The skin can take on a dull, uneven tone [because of] reduced blood circulation and oxygen supply. Smoking also impairs wound healing and increases skin-infection risk.”

Get your beauty sleep

Aim for at least seven hours nightly. “Poor sleep quality can lead to dull skin, dark circles and slower skin repair, because the body undergoes important processes overnight, like collagen-synthesis and cellular-regeneration. Sleep’s one of the most effective natural anti-ageing practices,” says Ryan.

Will supplements help?

Collagen supplements that contain hydrolysed collagen peptides improve skin elasticity and hydration, Ryan says. While a balanced diet is the foundation of good skin health, supplements can help, particularly those that contain high-quality marine collagen and omega-3s.

Brady takes a collagen supplement and omega-3 for her skin. “When you enter perimenopause, think about taking these.”