As we age our skin begins to change, with
alterations in the levels of natural collagen and elastin the body is able to
produce, leading to lines and wrinkles. Our skin can also say a lot about our
general health, our hygiene and our diet and as we age these factors become
more apparent in the appearance of our skin.
However, there are numerous tips, tricks and general
daily care routines we can invest in, to help fight against tired, dull and
lined skin.
Finding the right skin care products for younger
looking skin.
As skin ages it loses many of the naturally produced
moisturising factors we take for granted in our youth. Collagen, elastin and
sebum all plump and enhance the appearance of the skin, but just because your
body doesn’t produce them anymore doesn’t mean you can’t add moisture to your
skin yourself. Many moisturisers contain products such as hyaluronic acid,
omega 6 and peptides, which are used to replenish the skin’s firmness and
volume without sitting on top of the skin and causing greasiness.
A good daily cleansing routine, coupled with regular
exfoliations is a great idea for maintaining the healthy appearance of your
skin. Using a gentle yet effective cleanser removes dirt deep within the pores,
which can dull the appearance of your skin. However, it is always best to use
an alcohol free cleanser, as alcohol dries out the skin, causing it to age
further. Exfoliation also rejuvenates the appearance of the face and removes
tired looking dead skin, however, take care to choose a gentle exfoliation
product and only use it every few days, to allow the new, glowing layer of skin
to settle and avoid accidentally irritating the skin,
Changing your diet, changing your skin.
Your skin, as with any other organ in the body, is
dramatically affected by the foods we eat. People who have a diet heavy in fat,
sugar and processed food will have tired and dull looking skin, as their body
has been unable to attain the nutrients it needs to create healthy skin from
the food it takes in.
Grey looking skin is never a good look on anyone,
but becomes even more noticeable as we age. Therefore a good diet is an easy
way to improve and rejuvenate our skin from the inside out.
Some of the best foods to eat for healthy looking
skin include:
Vitamin rich foods-Food such as oranges,
strawberries, kiwi fruits, sweet potatoes, broccoli and blueberries are all
high in vitamin C, which is not only great for your immune system but also for
your skin. Vitamin C is a key ingredient in the body’s production of collagen,
which plumps and enhances the appearance of your skin.
Zinc-rich foods- Foods such as sardines, liver,
wheat-germ and pumpkin seeds repair damage to the skin and improve its texture,
making it feel supple and soft.
Vitamin A rich foods-Foods such as eggs, milk, fish
and liver encourage new skin to grow, which means old tired skin can be
replaced to rejuvenate the face.
Beta-carotene-Beta-carotene is vitamin A but in
plant form, which can be found in fruit and vegetables such as spinach,
broccoli, mangoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes and helps to enhance
the body’s natural protection against the sun, which can greatly age the skin.
Selenium-Selenium works alongside vitamin E to protect
the body and its cells from free radicals, which can damage the skin and leave
it feeling dry and tired. Foods such as cheese, mushrooms, eggs, beans, whole-grains
and Brazil nuts all contain selenium.
B Vitamins-B vitamins are found in milk, poultry, peanut
butter, oily fish, eggs and bananas and help keep the skin moist and smooth.
Eating for the benefit of your skin not only
improves your appearance but also your overall health and can be an easy way to
maintain a youthful appearance, treating the problem of ageing from the inside
out.
Cutting out the bad habits.
As the skin ages and loses its moisturising and
repairing qualities it becomes more susceptible to damage from our regular bad
habits. This damage then becomes more apparent in our appearance and can age us
prematurely.
Some of the worst habits that lead to aged skin
include:
Smoking: The effects of smoking on the skin are
twofold and cause damage to occur both on the surface and underneath the skin
itself. The actual act of smoking involves drawing deep breaths, which causes
thick vertical lines to appear from the nose to the mouth. Regularly squinting
to avoid smoke in the eyes also causes the skin to crease more often, leading
to deep crow’s feet around the eyes. The effects inside the body involve the
elevated levels of carbon monoxide, which in turn decreases the levels of
oxygen. This allows free radicals to damage the skin and also greatly affects
the skin’s healing time, meaning any marks, spots, or cuts on the skin can take
so long to heal that they scar. On average a life-long smoker can add another
10 to 20 years to their actual age and will suffer with dry, saggy and grey
skin.
Sun exposure: The sun is important for our overall
health in that it is our main source of vitamin D, but too much sun regularly
can have many negative effects, including skin cancer and premature ageing.
Photo-aging is a term that describes the leathery, lined, rough appearance of
the skin, when there has been persistent and unprotected sun exposure over a
number of years. The sun can also causes blemishes, dark spots, fine wrinkles
and spider veins, all of which mar the appearance of the skin and age the face.
The sun also impairs the body’s ability to produce new collagen and elastin,
which unnaturally ages the skin. Use a vitamin C serum along with a broad
spectrum SPF daily throughout the year to protect against future damage.
These 3 easy tips can greatly improve the appearance
and texture of your skin and prevent new lines and wrinkles from forming and
rejuvenate the look of the skin, treating both the surfaces causes of ageing and
the internal causes.
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