To Soon for Anti Aging Products?

I visited a Clarins beauty counter at Bloomingdales last weekend because my friend Lauren needed to freshen up her makeup bag. I didn't need anything but I happily checked out the products while Lauren chatted with a Clarins associate. While I was poking around, Carole, a Clarins beauty advisor, approached me and insisted I enjoy a little pampering while Lauren shopped.

I'll admit that I'm not one of those girls that love to head to my local department store and try out every product they have or get my face made up at one of the counters. I always research what I want online, go in to buy it and and then head home. I kept telling her that I was fine but she finally wore me down and convinced me to try on one of the Clarins moisturizers, HydraQuench Cream, and I'm sure glad I took her up on her offer!

Carole commented that my skin looked like it needed a big drink of water and asked about what I was using at home. Being the vain, anti-aging freak that I am, I told her that I'd been religiously using Olay Regenerist moisturizer since I was 24 (I'm 28 btw). Instead of applauding my anti aging efforts, Carole clued me in on some skin-changing information. I wasn't old enough to be using anti aging skincare products! She explained that by using chemicals to help boost cell turnover (which slows down as you get older) I was not allowing my skin to do what it naturally does on its own, which can eventually stop the natural cell turnover process much earlier than mother nature intended. And we all not what that means...premature wrinkles. Oops! 

So instead of helping myself like I thought, I was potentially preventing my skin from doing its own job. I was also not giving my skin the daily moisture it needed because I was so focused on the anti aging products. I decided to right that wrong then and there. The HydraQuench Cream made an immediate difference upon Carole's application, particularly in the area of redness reduction, so I treated myself to a new luxe face cream to replace my anti aging one. I've been using it all week and I'm very happy with the results so far. Another thing that Carole mentioned was that I should keep using my eye cream because apparently you're never too young for that one!

If you're a Boston native and are interested in good skincare I highly recommend going to see Carole at the Clarins counter at Bloomingdales in Chestnut Hill. She really understands the science behind good  skincare and is truly helpful when it comes to finding the right products for your needs. 

Has anyone else been using anti aging products in their 20's? I would love to hear your personal experiences as everyone's skin has different issues and needs.