I’m hitting my mid-twenties and (constantly) reminded that my skin is susceptible to the inevitable collagen and elastin loss. In other words, my face is primed for fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging. And while it’s a privilege to grow older and wiser, experiencing the beauty of aging, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to age gracefully, either.
With that in mind, I’ve tried a number of skin preservation techniques—from regular sunscreen and Tretinoin use, to laser treatments and even a non-surgical facelift.
It had felt like I’d tried it all until I was offered a business class IcelandAir ticket to one of the happiest countries in the world. I spent 48 hours testing out the wellness practices in and around Reykjavik’s first 5-star hotel, The Reykjavik Edition, in a quest to reinvigorate my exhausted skin.
From analyzing my skin’s health with machine imaging to applying damage-repairing growth factors, and even using temperature therapy as my daily dose of longevity, the results were shocking to say the least.
Here’s what I found out below.
Skin Analysis
Before I embarked upon my investigation into a longer skin life, I stopped by Iceland’s number one skincare brand BIOEFFECT for an in-store Visia skin analysis.
In 2023, I skipped the 1,000 person line for New York’s exclusive Aesthetica facial to be told my TruSkin Age was two years younger than my biological age (compared to the results in their database). Now, two years later, I checked back in for an update.
The Results
According to the database, my skin aged from 22 to 26, which in part, is due to the fact I had my skin compared to two separate populations, the US vs. Iceland (Iceland does not have access to an international Visia database). However, the results reinforced my attempt to turn back my skin’s clock, undoing all the perceived damage from living in New York.
The analysis is separated into eight categories: spots, wrinkles, texture, pores, UV spots, brown spots, red areas, and porphyrins. Then, each category is marked by a percentage with higher percentages meaning your skin ranked healthier. Although my skin’s spots improved—from 9 percent to 12 percent—compared to my previous analysis, my numbers were down in every other category, including wrinkles. Long story short, I needed an intervention.
EGF Skincare
From GLP-1-supporting skincare to the NAD+ craze, biohacking our bodies went the mile this year, turning our skin into science’s most interesting test tube. But, one promising skincare hack hasn’t completely saturated the US market just yet.
Epidermal growth factors (also known as EGF) are naturally occurring proteins in our skin responsible for repair, density, elasticity and overall health. But, like collagen and elastin, the growth factors in our skin rapidly decline after our 20s before dropping significantly during menopause.
In Iceland, the skincare brand BIOEFFECT is leading all the rage about this ingredient which is exclusively used by the facialists at The Reykjavik Edition spa (and known and loved by many estheticians in the US as well). So, of course, I let mine slather my face in it in the name of skin health.
As I entered into the spa on the hotel’s basement floor, I grabbed a cup of tea from their spa bar and turned into a dim lit treatment room just steps ahead of their wellness facilities: a hammam, steam room, sauna, and thermal plunge pool (which I’ll explain soon.) A big, white bed sat at the center like a sanctuary away from Iceland’s cold exterior. I laid down, surrendering to the EGF-covered hand movements of the facialist. It felt ceremonial.
The Results
I use Tretinoin on a weekly basis, and although my acne and hyperpigmentation improved, my skin feels more tight, dry, and flaky than before. Enter: EGF cleanser, exfoliator, mask, essence, serum, hydrator, cream, eye serum. I tried it all, and the results were indescribable. Think: the relief of feeding your hungry skin five glasses of water after weeks of insatiable dehydration.
According to the NIH, proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life, while dehydration is proven to cause you to be 50% more likely to have a biological age greater than your chronological age. And, with darker skin tones more prone to dry skin, doubling down on your water intake with skincare is key to a longer skinspan.
I’m not easily impressed, and despite a slightly sticky finish (which, in my opinion, made my skin feel more plump and moisture more locked in), my face was hydrated for no less than three days after the facial. While consistent use begs more results, like reduced wrinkles, less sagging, and greater resilience, face-lifting hydration solved a skin concern I felt damned to for so long.
Nordic Diet
Much of any skincare routine, whether a 10-step or two, is impacted by our diet. According to the NIH, the role of diet in the development of skin disorders is well-established, with nutritional deficiency often identified as a risk factor for skin diseases. With beauty trends turning food into skincare, I tried eating my way to good skin at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Tides.
From ordering red wine (which the “molecule of eternal youth” resveratrol is found in) paired with their four-course tasting menu inspired by the four elements, like anti-inflammatory lamb fillet and acne-reducing tomato, skincare didn’t end after I left the spa.
The Results
Longevity is just as internal as it is external, meaning what we put in our body is inevitably what we get out. My skin is unpredictable, often breaking out for what seems like no reason at all—until I realized my diet was to blame for the finickiness. While maintaining a skin-healthy diet is more than just a few grease-less Icelandic dinners, taking the necessary steps to care for my skin from the inside out is the reset my face (and overall body) needed.
Temperature Therapy
A country known for their active geothermal springs, Iceland is shaped by both fire and ice, which makes the climate ideal for temperature therapy, a practice using brief, repeated immersion in opposite temperatures to promote healing. Studies show the therapy can support longevity, with cold (like ice baths, cold showers, and facial icing) and warm temperatures (like saunas, steam rooms, and hot baths) proven to slow aging, improve metabolic health, and lower the rate in which our cells die.
Following my EGF facial, I dunked into a geothermal lagoon which was the first step out of seven in the Skjól ritual: lagoon, cold plunge, sauna, mist, scrub, steam, then an elixir shot. With rituals rewarding consistency, I repeated at the hotel later that night (after letting my skin rest in the most luxurious hotel room I’ve ever stayed in), with their spa’s hammam, steam room, and sauna.
The Results
Energetic invigoration.
How To Try At Home
Not everyone wants to, or has the means to, travel great lengths for their skin health. The point of a longevity ritual is consistency, so adapting a simplified version at home can be just as effective. For example, take a warm bath (lagoon), then dunk your face in ice (cold plunge), followed by a hot and cold shower, then a shot of ginger juice.
As for growth factor-infused products, consider trying the BIOEFFECT brand, The Ordinary’s GF 15% Serum, or epi.logic’s Master Plan Serum to enhance your daily skin ritual.