A couple of years ago I shared my top five “anti-aging” ingredients, and a friend said I should redo it every year to see what changes. Well, I’m back for 2025—and honestly, not much has changed, which I actually love because it tells me these aren’t trends. They’re the real deal: ingredients that have stood the test of time in research and in my own routine. Also, quick note: I don’t love the term anti-aging. I’m not anti-aging—I’m pro skin longevity. I’m “auntie” my skin giving up on me before I’m ready. In this video I walk you through the five ingredient categories I always keep in rotation: antioxidants, peptides, glycerin, glycolic acid, and retinaldehyde. I explain why antioxidants are your backup army (and why I like variety—salad bar style), why peptides are the bossy little conductors that help skin behave younger over time, and why glycerin is my unsexy but non-negotiable hydration workhorse. Then we get into glycolic acid as my go-to exfoliant for “lazy” mature skin cells, and retinaldehyde as my sweet-spot vitamin A—powerful, but more barrier friendly than tret for nightly use. And yes: SPF is the baseline. No exceptions, no excuses.