If you could wave a magic wand over your skin and change ANYTHING, what would you choose?
This is a question I ask every person during their pre-facial skin consultation…and the majority of the answers include: “getting rid of wrinkles and fine lines”, “reducing the sagging” and “even out my skin tone or texture”.
The link between all these common skin complaints? They are all things which happen to the skin during the natural ageing process…
There is a saying: The skin you have up until the age of 25 is the skin that you inherited through genetics, the skin you have after 25 is the skin that you created.
So what can YOU do to ensure the skin you are creating is the skin you want to show the world in all its natural glory?
Well for a start you can follow these 6 Top Tips for maintaining your youthful glow…
- Sun Protection
Think about your skin like it’s the mat of a trampoline, now think about leaving a trampoline in the sun for years on end….eventually the mat of the trampoline starts to perish from the UV rays and begins to sag…it loses its bounce, and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately we cannot just replace our skin when it starts to sag so making sure you use sun protection is key to fighting the sag, as well as pigmentation issues like sun spots. A mineral sunblock especially designed for the face is the best way to go to avoid clogged pores and greasy feeling skin, and re-application throughout the day and after swimming is ESSENTIAL.
- Hydration
When we get dehydrated the body starts to pull water from our tissues to maintain the concentration of H20 in the blood stream. Meaning that when you are dehydrated your body literally sucks the water out of your skin, giving it a sunken, rough-textured, aged appearance. We want to be plump, glowy and dewy – not saggy, sunken and rough! So keep those water levels up…aim for 2-3 Litres a day.
Remember, if you are feeling thirsty you are ALREADY dehydrated! And the best way to monitor your own levels of hydration is the pee test…a hydrated body should produce urine that is clear to pale yellow (please be aware that some medications and supplements can give urine a fluoro yellow appearance so be aware of that when checking your hydration levels)
- Cleansing at Night
Who is guilty of falling into bed on the odd occasion so tired that even a makeup wipe evades you…yes, we all probably have at least once! I urge that if there is one thing you do before bed every night it is to remove your makeup and cleanse your face (obviously brushing your teeth is always a good call too!). Why? Well when we sleep our body goes into repair mode…and for the skin that means regenerating skin cells. If we have cleansed away bacteria and free radicals from throughout the day then we maximise the effect of the repair. Also at night your skin more effectively soaks up any products you have applied so lets make sure the only thing your skin is soaking in at night is serums and moisturisers – not old makeup and dirt! HINT: try a double cleanse – cleanse 1 to remove makeup and dirt and cleanse 2 to actually clean the skin…
- Quality Sleep
When you get quality sleep you are switching over to a parasympathetic nervous response where your body is more able to rest and repair. This means that your levels of cortisol (the stress hormone!) stay regulated. If you aren’t getting enough quality sleep your cortisol levels keep rising and this can put your skin in an inflammatory state, and accelerate the ageing process.
- Use it Or Lose It…
As we age the effect of gravity starts to pull everything downwards…thanks gravity, not! Doing some simple facial stretches can help to maintain the tone of your facial muscles, as well as improving circulation and blood flow in the face, which can result in a more plump, youthful complexion. Basically the same concept as doing squats to ensure your butt stays peachy! Try doing eyebrow raises, various mouth movements and pull some funny faces 😊 Have fun with it!
- Vitamin C & Retinol
Over time our skin starts to lose collagen, the protein that is responsible for skin looking smooth and plump, and the loss of this protein can therefore result in a creased look…hello frown lines and crows eyes! Retinol (a form of Vitamin A) is the best option out there for increasing your skins collagen production and cellular turnover. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals – it’s basically the glue that holds the cells together when collagen is produced. Always look for high quality cosmeceutical serums (we recommend the Medik8 range) and follow the advice of a professional when introducing Vitamin C and Retinol into your skincare regime.
(Book a FREE skin consult with us to find out how Vitamin C & Retinol can work for you)
Follow these tips and enjoy living life with gorgeous, radiant, youthful looking skin!