Skin Care Essentials for Mature Skin: Look Younger Today
There are a multitude of products labeled as skin care essentials. So how do you know which products are truly essential for looking younger? Here they are:
1. Water. As we age, skin becomes dryer and more prone to wrinkles. Drinking water provides the hydration you need to plump up your skin and look younger.
2. A healthy diet. Lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are skin care essentials because they provide the nutrients your skin (and the rest of your body) needs to look and feel its best.
3. Exercise. Regular exercise, especially cardiovascular exercise, sends oxygen rushing to your skin cells, making them look more vibrant and therefore younger. Regular vigorous exercise also helps relieve stress, so you will be less likely to use other stress relievers, such as tobacco or alcohol, which damage skin.
4. Sleep. While you sleep, your body produces human growth hormone, which helps keep your skin thick and elastic, thus less prone to wrinkles. On the other hand, when you deny yourself sleep, your body produces the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol has been shown to break down skin cells.
5. Sunscreen. If you worshipped the sun in your teens, you probably regret it now because your skin is as dry and brown as leather. No matter what your age, always wear sunscreen when you go outdoors, to prevent any future damage.
6. Moisturizer. Use both a daytime and a nighttime moisturizer. The daytime version protects your skin from potentially drying environments while the nighttime version replenishes your skin while you sleep. There are many versions of these skin care essentials. The best ones have ingredients such as Vitamins A, C and E, aloe, alpha hydroxyl acids, glycolic acid and retinol.
7. Eye cream. The skin around the eyes is much more delicate than other portions of your face. It needs special treatment. Invest in a good quality eye cream and use it faithfully.
8. Exfoliator. A gentle exfoliator will remove the dead skin cells and toxins that make your skin look dull, lifeless and old. However, it is important to choose the right product because some products may be too harsh for mature skin.
9. Face masks. A weekly face mask lifts the skin, reduces wrinkles and is a great way to relax for a few minutes. There are many such masks available commercially or you can make your own. One easy one involves applying a beaten egg white to your face and leaving it there for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
10. Proper eyewear. If you need corrective lenses (that is, eyeglasses or contact lenses), wear them. Not only will you see properly, you will prevent the wrinkles caused by squinting. If you are fortunate enough to have good vision, you should still wear sunglasses in bright sunlight, for the same reason.
11. A good dermatologist. A qualified dermatologist will guide you to more advanced skin care essentials you may need and away from other remedies that could ultimately do more harm than good.
These 11 skin care essentials will go a long way to helping you look younger and healthier. Try them today and start getting compliments.
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Moisturizers for wrinkle treatment: often your lines
Moisturizers are the easiest, least expensive wrinkle treatment available. There are many products on the market that will help your face feel softer and at the same time make you look years younger.
In fact, a British consumer group, Which?, has found that that a readily available moisturizer performed just as well as anti-wrinkle creams costing 60 times as much, according to a report in The Daily Mail.
According to the article, 12 products were compared in the six-week-long study on subjects between the ages of 35 and 65. Before and after photos were taken and analyzed by five skin-care experts in a blind study, meaning they did not know which creams were used.
The fact that an over the counter moisturizer performed just as well as high-end wrinkle creams is encouraging news to those of us who must count our pennies but still want to look younger. However, at least one dermatologist has criticized the study, noting that moisturizers and anti-wrinkle creams perform different functions.
San Francisco dermatologist Kathleen M. Welsh, M.D. said that while moisturizers do reduce the appearance of wrinkles, it is only for the short term because moisturizers are not intended to be wrinkle treatment. Welsh said prescription-strength anti-wrinkle creams treat existing wrinkles and prevent new ones from appearing. She added that these creams work over many months, even years, thus a six-week-long study was not sufficient time to make a true comparison.
So where does that leave the rest of us? By all means use a moisturizer. It will help your skin look moist and hydrated, thus softening the appearance of your existing wrinkles. When you get up in the morning, use a daytime moisturizer with sun protection factor to protect your skin against the various pollutants that attack your skin every day. When it’s time for bed, apply a nighttime moisturizer that will soak in to the deeper layers of your skin.
Over time, consistent use of these moisturizers will make a difference in your wrinkles. However, if you think you need some extra care, consider using a wrinkle cream with a moisturizer built right in. Wrinkle creams are different from moisturizers as they actually tone the skin’s surface (that is, clean out dirt and oil) in addition to moisturizing it. To really treat wrinkles deep down, you may also need to use a wrinkle serum, which stimulates the body’s production of elastin and collagen, two proteins that help the skin’s flexibility.
Finding the right product for your face is a matter of trial and error. Your best bet is to start with the least expensive products at the drugstore or the cosmetics counter. Be sure to apply them correctly, according to package directions. Apply them in a circular motion, gently working your way up your neck and face and from the outer corner of each eye to the center. One tip: apply moisturizer while your face is still damp to keep your skin extra hydrated.
Moisturizers are an important and effective way to keep wrinkles at bay. Use them regularly and give watch the years melt off your face.
