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- Wear Sunscreen Everyday
The reason it is vital to incorporate sunscreen into your daily skin care routine is because over-exposure to the sun can significantly cause premature visible signs of skin aging. Approximately 80% of facial skin aging is attributed to UV-exposure. If you want to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and sagging skin, wear your sunscreen!
Get it: EltaMD Sunscreen
- Cleanse Before Bed
Make it a habit to cleanse every night before bed. Throughout the day our skin builds up dirt, oil and other toxins that we want to get rid of to prevent blemishes. If you tend to wear a lot of makeup it is best to double cleanse.
Get it: Eminence Organic Cleanser
- Moisturize, Rejuvenate & Rehydrate with Creams & Serums Every Night
Moisturizing is key to maintaining a hydrated youthful complexion, your plump skin will thank you in the morning. Don’t forget your neck when applying serums and lotions.
Rejuvenate With Retinol
A nightly routine including retinol can do wonders for your skin. Retinol is a vitamin A derivative, it’s an antioxidant that stimulates collagen, combats fine lines, retains moisture in skin and reduces acne.
Get it: Retinol
Rehydrate With Hyaluronic Acid
If you’re a regular sun tanner, hyaluronic acid may be just what you need. Hyaluronic acid helps to increase moisture in the skin which can combat the dehydrating effects of the sun. if you’re not, it is still beneficial to maintain youthful looking skin because skin aging is associated with skin dryness, which can be worsened by not only ultraviolet radiation, but other external factors including smoking and air pollutants.
Hyaluronic acid is an essential component of skin including some connective tissues, not only does it moisturize, it also promotes the formation of collagen and elastin. The injection of hyaluronic acid has been shown to stimulate collagen synthesis and it has been shown to increase skin hydration and increases the thickness of the epidermis which results in plump-looking skin.
Get it: GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Anti-Aging Formula
- One of the best oral supplements.
Get it: Hyaluronic Acid Serum
In addition, healthcare providers can inject HA using Juvéderm Ultra Plus, Allergan.
In order to increase the amount of hyaluronic acid (HA) in our skin, we can do so by including foods rich in HA which include bone broth, soy foods including tofu, edamame and tempeh. Other HA dietary sources include citrus fruits, starchy root vegetables, cabbage, carrots and olives. Even organ meats such as chicken, beef, pork, and lamb liver are high in hyaluronic acid.
- Boost Collagen with a Vitamin C Serum
It’s common for skin care products to contain vitamin C because studies have shown that topical application of vitamin C increases collagen production in the skin of both young and older individuals. Although, consult with a dermatologist because few cosmetic products containing vitamin C are physiologically effective. Certain cosmetic products containing vitamin C have quite low degrees of efficacy because first, some contain a low concentration and so the skin does not get enough vitamin C to have any effect, and secondly, the stability is compromised as the exposure to oxygen may cause degradation as soon as the product is opened, even before it reaches your skin. Thirdly, in some products, the biologically active form of the molecule is not metabolized effectively by the skin.
Consuming vitamin C collagen enhancing foods works too. These include citrus and tropical fruits, berries, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, Brussels sprouts, red peppers and broccoli. Vitamin C is also present in blackcurrant, rose hip, chili pepper, parsley and cilantro.
- Get Beauty Sleep
Get good quality beauty sleep! Many studies have been conducted to find out how others perceive the appearance of sleep deprived individuals. Researchers present subjects with photographs of the faces of individuals who were sleep deprived and have found that people short on sleep were seen as less healthy and less attractive, in addition subjects have reported that they were less likely to socialize with sleep deprived individuals. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can increase the appearance of hanging eyelids, swollen & redder eyes, darker circles under the eyes, paler skin, wrinkles and droopy corners of the mouth.
- Silk Pillowcase
Pillowcases made of silk are marketed to prevent wrinkles and breakouts, however there is not yet scientific evidence proving this to be the case. Silk does provide some benefits when it comes to skin health.
In comparison to your run of the mill cotton, silk is superior because it will draw less moisture from your skin, and we know that moisture is important when it comes to healthy, youthful looking skin. To retain the serums and moisturizers you so diligently place on your face before bed, then silk pillowcases could benefit nourished skin. Additionally, if you have eczema or allergies, silk may benefit your reactions.
Get it: LilySilk 100% Mulberry Silk
- This pillowcase has plenty of colourful choices and even has a cotton underside if your sleeping partner isn’t a fan of the silk.
Get it: Meili & Grace 100% Mulberry Silk
- This pillowcase is highly rated and promoted by Women’s Health.
- Bentonite Clay Mask Every Week
Taking the time to do a bentonite clay mask once per week can do wonders for your skin, especially if you have oily skin or struggle with acne. Bentonite clay helps to absorb excess oil on the skin. Since it dries out the skin, exfoliates and is antibacterial, it indirectly improves acne.
Get it: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay
- The most popular, affordable and best reviewed clay is Aztec Secret.
- Exfoliate Once a Week
Your skin does a great job to repair and replace itself, however as we age, our cell turnover rate declines. If you don’t exfoliate you will be carrying around dead skin, so by removing dead skin you can reveal your fresh, smooth, healthy skin hidden underneath. Additionally, when you consider all the creams and serums you put on your skin, it is not effectively repairing your skin if you’re simply applying it to your layers of dead skin. In order for these expensive creams and serums to effectively repair and rejuvenate your skin, exfoliate!
As a general rule of thumb, exfoliate minimum once a week, maximum three times a week. If you exfoliate too frequently, you can cause micro-tears and damage the outer layer of your skin.
- Drink More Water
Skin dehydration is a cause of tired looking aging skin, doing what we can to keep our skin hydrated is important. Drinking more water is the first start. In addition, reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet and alcohol before bed. Even foods high in salt and sugar can cause puffy skin the following morning, so prioritize drinking water and foods rich in water like cucumber, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, watermelon, strawberries, oranges and apples.
- Eat a Collagen Rich Diet
As we age, we produce less collagen, and lack of collagen is evident by wrinkles, loose skin and stiff joints.
Fine lines or wrinkles can also be formed from reactive oxygen species, caused by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be induced by both internal and external factors including poor nutrition consisting of a diet full of fat, sugar, processed foods, alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Oxidative stress is additionally caused by obesity, sleep deprivation, exposure to pesticides and radiation. Reactive oxygen species can also be induced by excessive exposure to UV light and can cause a chain reaction that damages our cells leading to collagen breakdown.
It is inevitable that our skin will age, however, we are able to slow down the process and be mindful of the external factors in our control that influence our aging. The best prevention methods to combat oxidative stress is consistent physical exercise and a balanced, nutritious diet full of anti-oxidative food. The consumption of fruit and vegetables is the safest and healthiest strategy to regulate a balanced, nutritious diet and to maintain youthfulness in our skin. If you want youthful skin, consider incorporating collagen rich foods to your diet which you can read more about here.
