Five Skin Care Tips To Slow The Aging of Skin

For both women and men, it’s a fact of life that age will affect your skin: you will slowly lose some of the tightness of your youth, as well as potentially develop splotches. However, you can minimize and eliminate some of these with the right skin-care routine and skin care products. One of the biggest issues that people have with age are wrinkles that develop at common stress points on your face; proper skin care can significantly reduce these, as well. We have listed top 5 skin care tips that will help you keep your skin looking youthful!

The very first – and most important – thing you want to do is prioritize the health of your skin; youthful looks come with having healthy skin. Trying to get one without the other usually requires unnecessary surgeries that can have adverse effects in the long run. In the following article, we’ll give you a list of products and tips that are guaranteed to have your skin looking fresh, healthy and youthful.

1. Sunlight Can Damage Skin – Use Sunscreen

One of the chief things you have to do to help preserve your skin is to protect it from harmful UV rays. Although sunlight in general is good for you (vitamin D production), the ultraviolet part of the spectrum can have adverse effects on human skin. Even though it only makes up about 10 percent of sunlight, with a further 2/3rds of that blocked by the atmosphere, UV rays can cause sunburns, melanoma and other diseases. 

The best way to help combat the sun’s deleterious UV rays is to use sunscreen of an appropriate strength. Experts recommend you use one with a minimum SPF (sunscreen protection factor) of 30; you will find that this protects your skin from developing the splotches that are characteristic of excess sunlight exposure. In addition to this, those with especially sensitive skin are prone to developing both age spots and regions of uneven discoloration under too much sun exposure, which of course makes the skin look prematurely old – no matter what age you are. Sunscreen will protect you from these.

When looking for the best skin care products for sunscreen protection, you should know that they are not all created equal. Read the ingredients on the bottle and make sure that skin-drying alcohol is not present, as this can age the skin prematurely by robbing it of necessary moisture. Opt instead for moisturizing sunscreen; even better, look for the ones that possess antioxidants and vitamin E; there are several brands that promote this.

2. Don’t Skip Out On Facewash and Exfoliants

Photo by Vitória Santos from Pexels

Although nearly everyone washes their face, few pay close attention to the fact that some face washes are significantly better than others when it comes to fresh skin care. For example, some products can be relatively harsh; they will get your face clean – but at the expense of losing some of the essential nutrients that the skin contains. 

As you age, you will notice that your skin becomes less oily. Although this may result in fewer pimples and acne breakouts, it is important that you don’t use harsh face-wash products to try and control what’s left. There are other measures that you can take to help with this – such as diet, which will be covered in this article. Strong alcoholic products such as OxyClean are not recommended for skin care as you age, since they will rob your face of even more essential oils. Instead, search for timeless skin care products that employ the fatty acids already present in your skin, to encourage hydration. Products with green tea as a component are known to help combat the free radicals that break down cells and cause age spots (and other issues).

Yet another measure that you can take to help control the effects that aging has on your skin is the use of an exfoliant. Why is this necessary? Frankly, because your skin does not heal itself from damage as well as it did when you were a teenager. Since a few dead skin cells may pile up before they are removed, your skin can end up with a dull pallor, and there may be cracks here and there. The purpose of an exfoliant is to remove those dead cells that are taking too long to be replenished. For best results, opt for the ones that have lactic acid, glycolic acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids. They will gently break down the old bonds between skin cells and allow them to slake smoothly off – thereby restoring an glowing, even skin texture.

3. The Food You Eat is Imperative for Skin Care

The old adage, “you are what you eat” is telling, here. Your skin, like every other part of your body, depends on the minerals, nutrients and vitamins that it absorbs from the food you eat. For example, although the occasional glass of wine never hurt anyone, there’s very little question that alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the skin. Add to that the fact that most wines have sweeteners (most foods these days do, too) and simple carbs; sweeteners and carbs break glucose down into its constituent parts. What does this mean for your skin? It makes you look older, faster, since glucose is an essential part of keeping a youthful appearance.

So, what CAN you eat to slow the effects of aging? Well, protein, for one, is an excellent source of nourishment; try and get it from sources such as beans and fish with scales. Fish that lack scales tend to be bottom-feeders in the ocean, which means they retain more bad chemicals and have to be very well-cooked to negate the adverse effects those chemicals would have on your skin. You can even go for red meat as long as it is lean (lacking too much fat). Vitamin C – especially as derived from fruits – goes a long way for timeless skin care.

While you’re at it, using supplements can be very good for your skin care routine. If you’re diet does not consistently draw the daily recommended nutrients from every food group, then try and get omega-3 fatty acids from supplements. Of course, it’s always preferable (for reasons of bioavailability, mostly) to get your omega-3s from the relevant seafood like salmon and tuna. Omega-3s, among other things, helps keep your skin pliable and moisturized – which ends up reducing the wrinkles that develop with old age.

If you don’t care for fish, then the use of flaxseed and other supplements can perform similar functions for skin care and general health (the two are very much related, by the way). Ultimately, the goal is to help your skin retain its natural lipids, which are what staves off the appearance of old age well into your golden years in many cases.

4. Skin Care Products and Cosmetics

It goes without saying that some cosmetics are better than others; many of the ingredients listed above – such as alcohol – should be largely absent from the products you us if you want fresh skin care. 

In fact, products that contain something called “retinoids” are excellent at combating the skin aging process. Retinoid is really just a “super-dose” of the essential vitamin A. More than any other single supplement, retinoid can work wonders for wrinkle-reduction. Due to its power, although you can get it in higher-end skin care cosmetics, you should restrict application to three times per week maximum, allowing your skin to get used to and respond positively. There are quite a few name-brand, over-the-counter and online skin care products that use retinoid skin creams of various strengths. When you apply it, avoid using an alcohol-based exfoliant – the alcohol will oxidize some of the retinol; you would basically be wasting your product by using the two in proximity.

5. Exercise and General Body Health

Do not overlook this fact: your skin will display the effects of your overall body health. If you can benefit from losing weight, then you should do so – you’ll notice some significant changes in your facial structure, as well as the skin that covers it. When using your anti-aging products, avoid rubbing them; experts suggest patting over rubbing. Products with ingredients like tretinoin, tazarotene and retinol can replace the collagen in your skin, keeping it pliable as it naturally loses some of this attribute.

Physical exercise can work wonders for your skin health, too. You don’t need a gym for this – although one certainly doesn’t hurt. By fostering a commitment to your body, you’ll notice that the same commitment translates into facial health. You’ll sweat out environmental toxins as you embark on your newfound commitment to body health, and the results will show up everywhere. Cleaning your skin regularly will also ensure that it doesn’t trap bacteria, which contribute to the premature aging process by creating waste and irritating your skin. Hopefully the above skin care tips will gets you off to a good start in promoting good skin health.