6 TOP MISTAKES WOMEN MAKE AS THEIR SKIN AGES
1. Not doing anything at all for their skin
The Younger skin may get away with neglect, and due to the nature of the skin being young, it is plump, firm and bright, it does not start showing damage until later. However, an aging skin undergoes many changes that impact on its ability to repair and regenerate, hydrate, lubricate, and protect itself from the damaging effects of free radicals, glycation, and inflammation.
Beyond teenage years, the skin's natural oil production starts to slow down, and most women experience very dry skin after the symptoms of menopause kick in. The collagen production slows down by the time we hit our mid-20s, and the skin starts to look visibly thinner by middle age. The amount of elastin in the skin peaks in early adulthood then starts to decline.
Factors that accelerate aging include free radical damage from UVA, smoking, stress, and toxins; glycation as a result of high sugar diet; and inflammation of the tissues due to poor lifestyle choices and skin care abuse or neglect. Environmental and lifestyle factors can affect how quickly the skin ages, and not adapting to the changes, or not caring for the skin at all, can accelerate the aging process. Once the symptoms start to appear, the damage has already been done.
One of the best anti-aging creams you can ever use it a well formulated, high protection sunscreen. Look for sunscreens formulated with physical blockers such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Physical blocks reflect the UV whereas chemical filters absorb the UV and convert it to heat, which can contribute to skin inflammation. The best formulas will also contain antioxidants, no matter how high the SPF is, some UV still gets through, around 3%. This explains how you can go on a holiday for a couple of weeks, wear your sunscreen diligently, yet still manage to get a mild tan. So antioxidants will act as a backup system to the sunscreen ingredients, helping to neutralize free radicals from UV, and as they are also anti-inflammatory, will help towards keeping inflammation down.  |
| See what happened when this woman did not clean her skin at night for a month |
Read: Did you cleanse your skin last night?
2. Using the same products they did when they were younger
As the skin changes, so do the skin needs. Basic moisturizers are no longer enough to support the aging skin and to protect it's depleting collagen and elastin. Using foaming and gel cleansers or soaps may have been fine while the skin was young, oily and hydrated, but as the skin dries and thins out, harsh cleansing can lead to the skin being stripped of its protective oils, dehydration, and skin inflammation, and contribute to the breakdown of the skin barrier, which will just accelerate the aging process.
We all heard what happens when the young woman borrows her mom's anti-aging moisturizer, she breaks out. It's just too much for a younger skin. The same applies in the reverse, skin care formulated for younger skin is just not enough to support the needs of an aging skin.
Mature skin benefits from regular gentle exfoliation, because as we age, the rate the skin turns over slows right down and can cause an accumulation of dead skin cells on the surface. This will make the skin look dull, make the open pores and wrinkles appear deeper and more pronounced. However, aging skin should avoid harsh or strong exfoliants, as the inflammation they cause can accelerate aging. The rule of thumb is, if it hurts, if it's uncomfortable, if it makes your skin red, or flaking, choose a gentler option. Preserving the skin's barrier and keeping it healthy is even more important as the skin ages. Be patient, results will be a bit slower to show, but the skin will reward you in the long run.
3. Not getting enough sleep
4. Skipping on exercise
If you are waking up in the morning all puffy, the only thing that will help is to get the body moving. Muscle movement pumps the lymphatic system which regulates the fluid in the tissues. Exercise not only flushes excess fluid from the skin but helps drain away toxins and waste. The increased blood circulation delivers fresh nutrients and feeds the skin from inside out. Muscle movement keeps the muscles toned and provide a good base for a firm skin. 5. Overdoing Botox and fillers
Botox and fillers can be very helpful to soften the signs of aging, but sadly some people think more is better and end up achieving quite the opposite of what they intended. Overdone Botox and filler can actually age a person well beyond their years. This is especially true when I have seen younger women in their mid-twenties have so much Botox and fillers, they look like a woman in her mid-40s trying to look younger. It instantly ages them and it is such a shame. We can easily get caught up in overdoing things, so listen to your friends and family, they will be the first to let you know if you start looking strange and nothing like yourself.
6. Using the wrong makeup
Skin care is not the only thing that will need to be adapted to the aging skin; makeup will also need to be looked at. As the skin ages, heavy makeup is very aging, powdery foundation no longer flatters it, nor do strong, bright and vivid colours. Aging skin looks it's best with fine-textured, lightweight foundations that will not look cakey and collect in skin's creases making wrinkles look that much more obvious. A silky, lightweight foundation with good coverage and light reflecting technology to cover up brown spots, capillaries and uneven skin tone works best.
Lipstick colours in deep and dark colours no longer work on thinning lips, so choose beige/browns, berry or peach colours. If you really like dark colours, choose sheer tint lipsticks.
Concealer is a must once we pass a certain age. When the shadows start to appear, a good concealer will take years off the look of the skin.
Smoky eyes may be too much for a mature skin and can emphasize wrinkles and sag of the eyelids. Softer colours in browns work best.
The best mascara for thinning eyelashes is a lengthening formula with a fine brush to separate and define each lash. Thickening mascaras just look clumpy on sparse eyelashes, instantly adding years.
As the skin ages, it starts to lose some of its colour and luminosity, and as the skin loses elasticity, the cheeks drop. A great way to give an instant lifting effect is to use a soft blush just under the cheekbones.
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