The Best Weapon in Your Anti-Aging Arsenal

At Skincare.com, when it comes to the signs of premature skin aging—fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and so on—prevention is key. In fact, prevention is often the leading theme in most anti-aging skin care routines. Let’s face it, preventing premature signs of skin aging before their onset is much easier than trying to reverse them once they start. And, while there are so many stellar products available to help diminish the appearance of skin aging, when it comes to prevention there’s only one product that can boast the label of best. What is the best weapon in your anti-aging arsenal? Sunscreen, of course. 

Because the sun plays a huge role in our skin’s aging process—its UV rays are some of the leading causes of those premature wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots—broad-spectrum SPF is a vital part in every daily skin care routine. Sunscreen is the only product that is universally proven to protect your skin from sun damage, which is why it truly is the best weapon you have against the premature signs of skin aging. Ahead, we share our top picks for the head-to-toe sunscreens you need in your anti-aging arsenal.

Your eyes are often one of the first places to show early signs of skin aging. Which is why a little bit of eye cream and SPF can go a long way. Lancôme’s Bienfait Multi-Vital Eye SPF 28 is a moisturizing eye treatment formula that can protect the the skin around your eyes against the sun’s harmful rays, while working to reduce the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles. 

Lancôme Bienfait Multi-Vital Eye SPF 28, $40

Applying sunscreen to your face every day should be no new feat, but if you’re looking for a new gem to add to your routine, we recommend reaching for Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30. The lightweight moisturizer is perfect for using underneath your makeup each morning, helping to leave your skin’s surface feeling soft and comforted and protecting against sun damage with broad-spectrum SPF.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30, $31

Just like your eyes, your hands are often one of the first areas to show the signs of age. Keeping a hydrating hand cream that is formulated with sun protection on your desk, in your purse, on or your vanity can be a beneficial way to remind yourself to apply and reapply sunscreen to your hands throughout the day. We recommend using Lancôme’s Absolue Hand, an Absolute Anti-Age Spot Replenishing Unifying Treatment with SPF 15. In addition to broad-spectrum SPF, this hand cream helps to reduce the appearance of existing age spots, which in turn can lead to more youthful-looking hands. Which, if you ask us, makes it a necessary addition to your anti-aging arsenal!

Lancôme Absolue Hand Absolute Anti-Age Spot Replenishing Unifying Treatment, $50

Unless you’re spending the day at the beach, wearing SPF on your body every day can seem a bit like overkill, but trust us, it’s not. Applying SPF to your body is equally as important as applying SPF to your complexion—especially in summer when your skin is exposed and not drowning in your winter parka. Protect the skin on your body by making it a habit to apply a lightweight sunscreen lotion, like Vichy’s Idéal Capital Soleil SPF 50, to your body before heading out for the day. The Idéal Capital Soleil is a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion that was created with multi-layer cellular protection in mind, meaning that it can protect the skin on your body from UV rays and free radical damage. Formulated with antioxidants, white grape polyphenol, and vitamin E, this SPF can help to neutralize environmental aggressors and protect your skin from premature signs of aging caused by the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.

Vichy Idéal Soleil SPF 50, $25.50