Beautiful Skin For Your Golden Years.
As we turn 60, and want to continue to age gracefully, trying to slow the appearance of aging on our skin becomes a new challenge. Skin care products that we have used in our 50’s tend not to work quite as well anymore.
We can’t stop facial aging, but we can control how well we age by taking protective measures. The first thing that needs to be considered is to use correct pro-aging skincare to make your skin look its best at any age. Appropriate skin care for those of us over 60, should be targeting key physiological changes in the skin that take place with age. Working to restore, replenish and repair the skin by providing nutritional ingredients is a priority but new scientific ingredients in todays modern skin care will also help to stimulate the production of new cells within the skin to ensure that we continue to have fresh and glowing skin.
Is our skin type partly inherited, yes it is. We know that we cannot change the DNA we inherit but we can, according to science, control how our genes express themselves. Epigenetics, a new science explains that, if we embrace a whole health wellness approach to aging and recognise that with correct diet, quality sleep, stress management techniques and appropriate types of exercise, we can redefine how we age.
All of the above lifestyle factors affect our skin and how it ages but some changes come from the outside—namely the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays and environmental exposures. So, it goes without saying that a good sun protection cream is an absolute must have when it comes to care of your skin. Add into the mix, declining hormones and together, these external and internal forces can control how quickly and radically the face appears to age.
So let’s look at a few primary considerations.
Protect your Skin Barrier
The skin barrier is important to human life. Physically, it protects you from external threats such as infectious agents, chemicals, systemic toxicity, allergens and environmental factors like sun, free radicals, and pollution. However, over time and as we age, the skin’s lipids and protein levels decrease, causing fine line and wrinkles and loss of firmness.
Your lipid barrier is the surface layer of your skin that is made up of fatty acids. You can make your lipid barrier stronger and more resilient by using a good oil- based serum or cream. These products should contain a base of cold pressed oils and contain the essential fatty acids that your skin needs to stay strong.
When you combine it with a good hyaluronic serum this power duo is going to provide you some high-level protection from aggressive factors in the environment, like free radicals, which can damage and age the skin.
Dehydration
As we age one of the most common complaints is dryness. This can be exacerbated by that thinner lipid barrier that develops and of course the lack of moisture in the skin caused by diminishing estrogen levels. Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining the collagen levels (including hyaluronic acid which retains moisture) in skin. Skin replenishing ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid are ingredients that help enrich the skin’s surface, drenching it with revitalizing hydration and keeping it there. Hyaluronic acid is one ingredient that gives benefits to all ages as it plumps and hydrates therefore helps reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles while retaining moisture to the skin. Another ingredient to look for is Vitamin C. Used during the day, it will help to slow down the damage created by environmental exposure to things such as U.V rays. Vitamin C acts as a powerful antioxidant preventing and repairing damage that occurs on a daily basis, helping skin appear younger, more vibrant, and replenished. How ever we cannot forget that Vitamin C is a critical ingredient in the formation of collagen. Used at night it can help repair, restore and build new collagen as you sleep.
Dullness
Dull looking skin is a sign that dead skin cells are building up so it’s important to commit to an exfoliation routine at least once or twice a week. Exfoliants come in different types and ensure that you keep that beautiful, healthy outer glow. A good manual scrub, gentle but efficient loosens and dissolves devitalized cells exposing a more youthful appearance.
Many prefer an alpha hydroxy acid exfoliant such as Glycolic, Lactic or Mandelic acid. These can be found in combination in good formulas and follow the instructions for use. These ingredients can also help mange the appearance of brown pigmented areas by lightening the look of pigment in affected areas. If this is a concern to you check in with an esthetician to give you some help.
Loss of Elasticity
As hormones decline it affects everything from your skin and hair to your bones and heart. As we have already mentioned, your skin becomes dryer and thinner during and after menopause. You may also lose some fat under your skin, and your skin becomes less elastic. This can result in lack of tone–especially around the jaw line and neck and deeper lines appearing around the eyes. Those pesky little lines that show around your eyes have a tendency to now appear deeper. If you aren’t treating the eye area with the right pro-aging skincare products you are missing out on the opportunity to brighten your eyes and make your skin appear younger. Combine that with a good cream designed to treat the delicate tissue in the neck area can yield good results leaving the skin firmer and well hydrated.
We also get a decline in something called intercellular messaging systems. These signals help the skin to stay strong and maintain the elasticity needed to allow the skin to “bounces back”. New scientific formulas have ingredients called peptides that can help to maintain the operational health of the skin and slow the appearance of aging.
Look for a good serum and moisture cream containing firming and lifting peptides, stem cells and growth factors.
Check in with your esthetician for a good facial treatment and for more information on these ingredients that are generally found in good professional, pro aging skin products.
Written By Trish Green
DiHom(Pract) B.Ed Cidesco Diplomat ( Esthetician) Bach Flower Therapist. Founder of Balnea Spa Products and creator of TheraGenesis Skin care
Trish is a graduate of the Victoria University of Manchester, Trish is a teacher with 40 years of experience in the education field. For 30 of those years she has been an educator in the esthetics industry. She is an advocate for raising standards in education for Complementary Health Care Practitioners with special interest in Aromatherapy. Her career in the field of natural health and esthetics is wide and varied. From Doctor of Homeopathy to Cidesco diplomat, Trish is a dedicated professional, committed to ongoing education and the education of others.