Anti-Aging Skin Care 7 Tips to Fight Premature Aging
Clear Essence Cosmetics Skin Care Tip Series Written by Kara Grimes
May 6, 2016
Aging. It’s an inevitable part of life that we all have to face. As we get older, things in our bodies begin to change, including the way our skin looks and feels. And, as our bodies change, we also have to change the way that we care for ourselves. Thankfully, there’s a plethora of research available with valuable information that can assist you with ways to care for your aging skin, as well as different tricks that can help slow down the aging process. Aging skin is beautiful skin, and knowing the right way to care for it is essential for long-lasting skin health.
Premature Aging Stress
We can’t stop time, but we can pay attention to different activities we engage in that are known to “speed up” the aging process and take a toll on your body and your skin. Stress is a large contributor to premature aging. There is no one specific definition of stress that is agreed upon, but according to the American Institute of Stress, it is any experience or situation that causes “physical, mental or emotional strain or tension.” We need to let our body to rest and rejuvenate from the daily pressures of life. By allowing our stress levels to run on overdrive, our body will start showing signs of depleting energy. We will notice more bags under our eyes, fine lines, and gray hairs. Stress has a huge effect on our body’s ability to function properly. Your body’s response to stress can manifest in a number of different ways from accelerating your heart rate, inhibiting your body’s ability to digest food and affecting different hormones in your body. When you’re faced with stress, it is important to assess the situation and take necessary steps to alleviate your
mind and body from the negative effects of stress for the sake of your overall health. You can do this by engaging in relaxing activities. Try meditation, exercise, or listening to your favorite tunes! And, most importantly, don’t forget to breathe. When you slow down and focus on your body when you’re stressed, you’re actively taking care of your health and caring for your skin! Sun Protection
It feels great to soak in the sun on a warm day, but be careful not to take in too much! Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays is known to cause skin discoloration, wrinkles and can even increase your risk for skin cancer if you do not protect your skin from the sun properly. Too much sun negatively affects the elastin in your skin, which is a protein fiber that is responsible for your skin retaining its shape if it is stretched. When the sun breaks these fibers down, your skin loses its natural elasticity and sags as gravity continues to pull on your skin. Always make sure to use sunscreen with a higher SPF protection whenever you know that you will be out in the sun longer than thirty minutes. Eat Healthy. Fight Free Radicals
We have all heard the phrase “you are what you eat,” and when it comes to our skin, it is absolutely true. A wellbalanced diet will help you maintain heathy, supple skin that will help fight off visible signs of aging in your skin. Choose foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. They are great for working against the effects of free radicals on your skin. Free radicals, or oxidants, are atoms or molecules that are missing an electron. They damage our skin cells by attacking normal atoms in our skin in
an attempt to steal an electron from other healthy atoms. When an excess amount of free radicals accumulate, it causes damage deep within the skin that makes our skin age faster. The older we get, the harder it is for our body to get rid of excess free radicals. One of the easiest and effective ways to fight off the effects of free radicals in our skin is to search for agents that are loaded with antioxidants.
Antioxidants
It is important to work on keeping your skin healthy and youthful early. Collagen and elastin in our skin begin to decline at age twenty-five and the effects of free radicals can speed that up. Antioxidants are molecules that stop other molecules from oxidizing, which is what causes chemical reactions in molecules that lead to the creation of free radicals. Thankfully there are a variety of foods and products that are filled with natural antioxidants that will target free radicals and improve the overall health of your body and your skin. Eat fruits and vegetables like carrots, kale and watermelon that are rich in Beta carotenes; broccoli, grapefruit and strawberries which have great sources of vitamin C; and avocadoes, spinach and peppers which contain vitamin E. To get the best benefits, eat your antioxidant rich food raw to not risk losing any nutrients when the food is cooked.
Moisturize
Moisture is an overlooked key to keeping your skin soft, supple and healthy. When your skin doesn’t get the moisture that it needs, it will dry out and cause premature wrinkles, rashes, itching and flaking. The same way a grape can turn into a raisin, you skin can also change dramatically if you do not moisturize correctly. Getting the moisture that you need can be done in a number of ways, but the easiest is to consume enough water or water-rich foods and to make sure that you are using a moisturizer that is compatible with your skin. A great moisturizing tip is to use your lotions and crèmes right after a warm shower when your skin is still slightly damp. This method will help trap the moisture on your skin while your pores are open from the warmth of the water to maximize your skin’s hydration. And, for those extra dry trouble spots, follow with a natural body oil of your choice to promote smooth skin and moisture retention. Also, pay attention to your diet! Moisturizing your skin on the inside is just as important as moisturizing it on the outside. The next time you go to the grocery store, make sure to pick up more moisturizing foods and leave behind the dehydrating ones. Try fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, kiwi and tomatoes to give your body a hydrated glow. And, try to limit your alcohol and coffee intake. Alcohol and coffee are both natural diuretics, and when consumed in large quantities, they will deplete your body’s water resources without replenishing it.
Boost Your Skin Routine
When you think about your skin care routine, we tend to just think about our skin care products. But, that’s just half the picture. What we do with our skin care products in our routine is just as important as the products themselves. Creating a comprehensive care routine can help break any skin goal plateaus and get your skin feeling brand new in no time. A good, comprehensive skin care routine, especially one for anti-aging, is typically a multi-step system that works to counteract the different signs of visible aging. To start building your personal anti-aging skin routine, use these steps as guidelines:
1. Cleanse. Use a skin cleanser that is water-soluble and removes dirt, oil and bacteria from the face and body. Cleansing your skin gives you a clean, healthy slate to work with when continuing with the next steps in your anti-aging skin routine. Follow with a toner to refine and tighten your pores and clarify the skin. 2. Treat. After cleansing, use a product the directly targets your specific skin issue. For antiaging, look for treatment serums and crèmes with antioxidants and essential vitamins that will enhance your skin’s regeneration to keep you looking young and healthy. And if possible, select treatment products that also protect against UVA and UVB rays for added anti-aging skin protection.
3. Moisturize. Moisturized skin is healthy skin and moisturizing regularly will help keep your skin youthful in appearance. Cleansing and using targeted treatments on your skin can strip your skin of its natural oils, making it sensitive and more prone to dryness and wrinkles. Replenish your skin’s natural moisture by using a moisturizer that will silken your skin. Healthy Cleansing + AHA
Last, but certainly not least, the way you physically treat your skin can make a big impact in avoiding premature aging. The best anti-aging treat you can give your skin when cleansing and moisturizing is to use products containing AHA. AHA, or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, is a powerful exfoliant that works hard to shed dead skin cells and increase your skin’s cell turnover to bring out brighter, younger skin. It is naturally found in many foods we enjoy including pineapple, tomatoes and yogurt. AHA washes, lotions and masks are applied topically to directly penetrate your problem areas to remove old, damaged skin cells and reveal refreshed, smooth skin.
And when handling your skin, especially delicate, aging skin, apply your products with care. Aging skin is more sensitive to pulling and tugging, so when using a cleanser or a crème
Anti-Aging Skin try to use upward, circular motions on your face and body. The circular, massaging motion helps stimulate the skin increasing blood circulation which in turn will feed newer skin cells while they form. The upward motion helps to counteract the downward pull gravity has on your skin to prevent extra wrinkles from forming. Combining skin massages with AHA skincare is a dynamic duo for fighting against premature aging and will give you the fresh skin you’re looking for.
Anti-Aging Skin Care Line The Anti-Aging skin care treatment consists of products that feature Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Lactic Acid), which addresses the skin care concerns of maturing people of color. Some these concerns include hyper-pigmentation, wrinkles, and fine lines. Our anti-aging skin care products accelerate skin cell regeneration and remove dead skin cells while keeping the top layer of skin soft and radiant.
Clear Essence’s Anti-Aging line has been uniquely formulated for mature people of color. The combination of unique plant proteins and fruit extracts create a powerful complex of ingredients, which targets and treats specific skin care concerns. The products fade discoloration, even out skin tone, and add moisture to the skin to maintain a healthy supple texture. Let our Anti-Aging Skin Care line help you bring out the natural beauty of aging skin and let the real you shine through! ◽