When Ava Lee uploaded a video of her grandma’s skincare routine to TikTok, viewers were shocked by 85-year-old Young-ja Joo’s clear complexion.
Lee, who is a content creator and CEO of byAVA, a skin supplement company, describes her grandma’s “glass” skin in the video, which is smooth and glowy skin with minimal wrinkles.
Genes play a big role in how someone’s skin ages, but Lee thinks that lifestyle factors explain her grandma’s “glass” skin. She shared some of these with Business Insider.
Eat lots of protein
“She always emphasizes to me that you always have to have a balance of greens, carbs, and protein,” Lee said.
One of her grandma’s favorite protein sources is fish, which she eats at least four or five times a week.
Dr. Derek V. Chan, a board-certified medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Manhattan, told BI that eating enough protein as part of a balanced diet provides “sufficient building blocks to make new proteins such as collagen, which are needed for healthy skin.”
Protect skin from the sun
Joo has used an SPF cream on her face since her 30s.
SPF is an important part of an antiaging skincare regimen, Chan previously told BI. He recommended wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day.
“Whenever she’s out in the sun, ever since she was a teenager, she’s always worn a hat, sunglasses, and something to protect her skin. Even in the summer, she likes wearing a light long sleeve to protect her arms,” Lee said of Joo.
Along with her genetics, which Chan surmised likely contributed to her lack of wrinkles, using an SPF product and covering up “are perhaps the most important factors in the appearance of her skin,” Chan said.
Dr. Heather Kornmehl previously told BI that sunscreen isn’t enough to protect the skin in harsh sunlight. She recommended wearing light layers of UV-protective fabric to cover any skin that might be exposed to sun, like Joo does, as well as a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face.
Keep skincare simple
Joo doesn’t use many other skincare products. Lee said her grandmother likes to try out some of the products she gets sent as a skincare influencer, but mostly just sticks to hydrating moisturizers made by affordable Korean brands.
Moisturizing can help maintain the skin barrier, Chan said, which can help prevent prominent lines and wrinkles. He recommends using a hydrating moisturizer with an SPF of 30+.
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