Did you start taking care of your skin in your early 20s? By age 25, you may notice subtle changes in your skin such as a loss of collagen, sun damage or premature fine lines. To slow down the signs of aging and improve skin health, it’s important to have a proper skin care routine.

If you didn’t show your skin some love early on, don’t worry, it’s not too late! Here are five skin care essentials that you should be using in your late 20s:

As we age, our skin becomes drier. To keep skin hydrated, incorporate hydrating serums into your routine, such as a hyaluronic acid serum.

A hyaluronic serum likeWELLAGE’s Real Hyaluronic Capsule Serumacts as a magnet for moisture. The serum provides long-lasting hydration, so rest assured, your skin will stay hydrated and supple all day or night.

Keeping a hyaluronic acid serum in your daily skin care routine doesn’t just keep dry skin at bay, but also helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you start noticing the first signs of aging, then count on hyaluronic acid to revitalize dull skin and make fine lines look less apparent.

If sunscreen wasn’t a part of your skin care regimen in your early 20s and you’ve detected some sun spots, then it’s time to supply skin with antioxidants. Besides sunscreen, one of the best ways to repair sun damage and fade sun spots is to use a Vitamin C product.

SKIN&LAB’s Vitamin C Brightening Serum helps protect skin from free radical damage while boosting collagen production. If hyperpigmentation is one of your skin concerns, you can’t go wrong with a Vitamin C serum. Use it consistently and your dark spots will surely fade!

Our skin cells go through a turnover every 28 days, but this process slows down as we age. To prevent dull skin or clogged pores, exfoliate regularly. For a glowing complexion throughout your late 20s, consider adding AHAs to your exfoliating routine.

Exfoliate at least once a week with a product like COSRX’s AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid. Formulated with glycolic acid, this exfoliant effectively gets rid of whiteheads and blackheads, and helps fix an uneven skin tone.

Using AHAs can make skin more sensitive to the sun, so make sure to slather up on sunscreen. Also, remember not to over-exfoliate to avoid damaging the skin barrier! 

Your skin may not look as firm as it once was but don’t fret, peptides can help boost elasticity and make skin appear younger-looking in no time.

Peptides are building blocks for proteins such as collagen, keratin and elastin, which are essential components of skin. Adding peptides to your daily routine improves your skin texture and overall firmness over time. If you’re new to this ingredient, try MEDI-PEEL’s Peptide 9 Volume All In One Essence to help improve skin elasticity. The essence also provides intense hydration, leaving you with glowing and plump skin.

Do you regret not applying sunscreen daily during your early 20s? I do. If you slacked on this vital skin care step, now is your chance to make a change. Better late than never, right?

No matter the age, always protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. Sun damage can be irreversible so sunscreen should be a skin care staple, especially in your late 20s. Rain or shine, apply sunscreen like the broad-spectrum formulas from K-Beauty brands A’PIEU, Abib, ROVECTIN or Nacific.