Aging is a natural process that affects the entire body. This can be seen in the skin, which loses its elasticity and freshness. However, skincare treatments and the right cosmetics can slow down the signs of aging.
Causes of skin aging
Smooth, radiant, healthy skin is the dream of every woman. However, often, despite numerous efforts, the results are still unsatisfactory. The aging process of the skin can be caused by various external factors, including:
- fatigue;
- night work;
- insomnia;
- stressful lifestyle;
- use of stimulants (alcohol, cigarettes);
- low physical activity (or lack of it);
- environmental pollution;
- irrational nutrition;
- drinking a small amount of water;
- frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun, visits to the solarium (photoaging).
The skin begins to age around the age of 25. Sooner or later, symptoms of skin aging appear: dryness, furrows and wrinkles, also gray color, bags under the eyes, drooping eyelids and corners of the mouth, sagging skin, discoloration and spots.
It is worth realizing that the aging process does not only affect the epidermis, it occurs in all layers of the skin. The most rapid changes occur in the dermis – the productivity of fibroblasts responsible for the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid decreases.
The skin loses firmness and elasticity, becomes weaker and flabby. The first wrinkles appear on it, which become deeper and more noticeable over time.
The aging process of the skin is influenced primarily by genetic and internal factors (for example, hormonal). Time spares no one. Over the years, the process of cell regeneration slows down, collagen production in the body decreases, elastin fibers divide and calcify, causing the skin to lose its elasticity.
How does lifestyle affect the aging of the body and skin?
The condition of the skin, hair and nails is a reflection of health. Dull and brittle hair, sallow, tired skin, and brittle and flexible nails can be a health problem.
Experts point primarily to UV radiation, which accelerates photoaging of the skin. Generally, people who like to sunbathe notice wrinkles and sagging skin faster. In addition, accelerate the aging of the skin:
- smoking cigarettes and staying in smoky rooms;
- a diet low in valuable nutrients: vitamins, minerals, proteins, omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids,
- insufficient hydration of the body,
- skipping daily skin hydration,
- too frequent washing of the skin, which deprives it of its natural protective barrier;
- exposure to polluted air.
Therefore, it is worth taking care of your skin, avoiding these factors as much as possible.
How to take care of your skin?
All you have to do is take care of yourself inside and out. Although skin aging is a natural and inevitable process, properly selected cosmetics and proper care help keep the skin radiant, firm and elastic longer, return it to a healthy color, and strengthen it.
Proper home care will help you achieve a younger, tighter face, reducing the negative effects of the aging process. Skin can be combination, dry or sensitive at the same time – and the selection of skincare products should also be dictated by the type of skin, and not just its age. By reducing the activity of the sebaceous glands, caring for mature skin is not much different from caring for dry or sensitive skin.
Note! In the first place, improperly selected care products should be avoided. To do this, you should visit a cosmetologist or dermatologist and get a professional assessment of your skin condition, as well as advice on the selection of cosmetics.
For mature skin, there should be no preparations with a high alcohol content or rough peelings. Daily use of large amounts of cosmetics can weaken the natural protective barrier.
Cosmetics used to care for mature skin of the face, neck and décolleté must have moisturizing, regenerating and strengthening properties. They should also prevent the negative effects of external factors and stimulate mature skin.
It is worth remembering the technique of applying cosmetics to the face, neck and décolleté. The correct direction is to apply cosmetics from the bottom up, so as not to unnecessarily support the action of gravity. Gently massage, avoiding friction and stretching of the skin.
The first step is to thoroughly cleanse in the morning and evening to get rid of dirt and dead skin. Cosmetics that are applied to the face should not burden the skin, but thoroughly moisturize it, soothe, brighten and make it more elastic.
Additional Information! Be sure to remove makeup before washing. Even if it has not been applied, cleansing is also necessary. A lot of pollution from the environment accumulates on the skin: dust, as well as dead epidermis.
To cleanse mature skin, it is recommended to use soap enriched with additives that degrease the skin to a lesser extent than traditional toilet soaps. Cosmetic milk also works great for cleansing the face, as it does not dry out the skin, unlike soap, and cleanses perfectly.
Moisturizing is the basis of care for all skin types, including mature ones. The use of cosmetics with a moisturizing effect should become a regular part of your care. The skin should be moisturized in the morning and evening, and if necessary – during the day. It’s also worth remembering to moisturize your skin from the inside out and don’t forget to drink the right amount of water.
Toning after each skin contact with water. Wipe it with a tonic or vegetable hydrolat. This restores the natural pH. The skin will be calmed and better prepared to receive nutrients from care products.
Applying serum is not a mandatory care item, but applying it under cream enhances its effect. provides the skin with ingredients not found in the cream.
It is periodically necessary to exfoliate dead epidermis. If it accumulates on the surface of the skin, it will interfere with the absorption of nutrients from care products, in addition, it can block the functioning of the sebaceous glands, causing the formation of acne and inflammatory pustules. After washing and toning your face, be sure to apply a suitable cream for mature skin to your skin.
The most important cosmetic product that should always be in your makeup bag is sunscreen. Daily year-round use of creams with a filter (minimum SPF 30) is especially important when we want to protect the skin from the aging process.
Sunscreen
80% of changes associated with skin aging are due to the negative effects of UVA exposure. Its action leads to the formation of wrinkles, loss of elasticity, vascular changes and dangerous types of skin cancer.
Cosmetic products for the care of mature skin should include retinol – the most effective ingredient in the fight against aging. It accelerates the renewal cycle of the epidermis, enhancing its protective functions, increases skin elasticity and smoothes wrinkles.
Note! A product containing a pure form of vitamin A, retinol, is considered the most effective anti-aging substance known in cosmetology. Thanks to regular use, there is a lasting improvement in the structure of the skin. Its anti-aging effect is based on stimulation of fibroblasts in the production of collagen and elastin. The skin becomes denser and more elastic.
Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals, slowing down the aging process of the skin. Avocado oil and hyaluronic acid perfectly moisturize the skin and protect it from external factors. Shea butter effectively nourishes the skin, even very dry skin. Soybean oil thickens the epidermis and protects it from moisture loss.
Skin care from the inside
Taking care of your skin with cosmetics is very important to keep it healthy and beautiful for many years to come. However, that’s not all! It is also important to support it from the inside by providing the body with appropriate vitamins and minerals.
Good hydration. To keep your skin looking beautiful, it needs to be properly moisturized. Many people think that applying moisturizer is enough to keep the skin completely hydrated. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. To keep your skin firm, elastic and radiant, you need to hydrate your body from the inside out by drinking about 2 liters of water a day. This is the only way to ensure youth for many years.
Essential vitamins. You need to take care of your skin from the inside! In many cases, the deterioration of the condition of the skin, hair and nails is a consequence of a deficiency of vitamins and minerals necessary to care for the skin from the inside. Their replenishment in the diet returns a beautiful appearance.
Processed foods are likely to cause skin problems. The food is high in sugar and low in fruits, vegetables, fish or complex carbohydrates. Diet can significantly improve or worsen your skin condition.
A daily menu rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and other valuable products will provide your skin with the ingredients it needs to maintain good condition.
First of all, foods in the diet should primarily contain vitamins C and E, as well as zinc. They protect the body’s cells from oxidative stress and thus help improve the appearance of the skin and help it remain youthful and radiant.
To have a beautiful complexion, the body must be provided with vitamin C, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels, improves microcirculation and promotes collagen synthesis. Of course, fruits and vegetables contain a lot of them, but sometimes supplements are necessary.
Vitamin E (a strong antioxidant and lipid protector) and A (called the vitamin of youth) are also needed. It is important to make sure that your body has enough B vitamins, which help the skin recover and relieve most inflammation.
In addition, it is very important to drink water, homemade juices without added sugar or herbal teas. It is necessary to get enough sleep and rest, and this will have a positive effect on your appearance, because the face shows the state of the body.
Minerals that moisturize the skin are iron, copper, zinc, iodine, silicon and selenium. They are part of the enzymes responsible for the proper condition of elastin and collagen fibers.
Proper makeup removal
Mature skin is prone to drying out, so an important aspect of caring for it is proper washing without disturbing its natural protective barrier. Two-step skin cleansing based on oil that effectively removes impurities without damaging the natural hydrolipidic barrier of the skin. This will limit water loss, significantly improve hydration, and relieve discomfort after each wash.
Careful care of the eye area
The skin around the eyes is thin and sensitive and therefore needs special care. Creams and gels intended for use under the eyes are usually milder than facial cosmetics and contain lower concentrations of active ingredients.
The delicate area around the eyes has very thin skin, and its structure is also prone to the formation of expression lines. Smaller wrinkles appear quickly, becoming more and more noticeable over the years. Choose drugs designed to care for this area, rich in regenerating substances.
Cosmetics should contain low molecular weight hyaluronic acid with a strong moisturizing effect and modern anti-aging substances. Use the product twice a day, massaging the delicate skin in a circular motion.
Apply cosmetics around the eyes, then drive it into the skin with your fingertips – on the upper eyelid, starting from the inner corner of the eye, and vice versa, on the lower eyelid.