Learn How To Take Care Of Your Skin After 30

Skin care might not have seemed important in your teens and 20s, but when wrinkles start to appear, you might be thinking about anti-aging products.

Under the magnifying glass, you can see it all on Shannon Henley's skin -- discoloration from sun damage and lines from smoking around her lips, reported KMGH-TV in Denver.

Years of sun tanning and a habit of smoking didn't show on her face when she was in her 20s.

"Washing my face with whatever, I just didn't care because I looked great no matter what," said Henley.

Ten years later, it's a different story.

"Well, I'm 36 now, but noticed around 34, 34ish, just the little fine lines coming in. And then everyone started calling me ma'am," she said.

That was enough for Henley to look into skin care.

"Deeper wrinkles will not go away, unless by cosmetic surgery, but treating finer lines and improving upon wrinkles is very doable," said esthetician Paula Ashkar, of SkinRx in Greenwood Village, Colo.

She said there are three main anti-aging ingredients you should look for in skin-care products: Retinol, which improves skin tone and texture by increasing the elasticity of your skin; alpha and beta hydroxy acids, which cause skin to exfoliate, making room for new cells; and antioxidant serum -- products with vitamin C -- which can help soften and heal your skin.

When looking for the right products, a higher price doesn't necessarily mean a better product, Ashkar said. It's a good idea to talk with a professional about what your individual skin needs.

Ashkar said it's never too late or too early to start.

"Parents can start teaching children proper hygiene habits -- brush their teeth and so on -- and those patterns carry on later in life," she said.

Even something as simple as drinking eight glasses of water a day can help keep your skin looking younger.

"The saying 'We are what we eat' really holds true with our complexion," said Ashkar.

It's a routine that Henley said she's sticking to.

"I don't want to be 20. I just want to look better for me, and I can tell the difference," Henley said.