We all want to keep our skin looking and feeling healthy, vibrant, and youthful for as long as possible. We know that the aging process will eventually catch up to us and that we can’t stay in our twenties forever. However, making wise choices with your skincare routine can help you prolong your youthful good looks well into your thirties, forties, and even into your fifties and sixties. Let’s talk about some of the natural, non-invasive, non-surgical measures you can take to keep your skin looking beautiful.
What Not to Do
There are some things which can rapidly accelerate the aging of your skin; and these should be avoided in order to maintain a youthful appearance. Smoking cigarettes robs your skin of collagen and other elastins, leaving it dry, sagging, and dull. Smoking is one of the fastest ways to accelerate the aging of your skin and can contribute to developing wrinkles at an early age. So, if you didn’t already have enough reasons to quit before, now you have one more.
Now that we’ve talked about smoking, let’s address the other big skincare “don’t”: sunbathing. Sunburns, tans, and freckles are all evidence of skin damage. UV rays are harmful to your skin, and sun damage will age you faster than you would believe. When you go out in the sun, wear at least SPF 30 sun screen. We recommend wearing a hat to shield your face, as well. Protect your skin, and it will reward you by staying soft and unlined for a lot longer.
Simplify Your Cleansing Routine
You don’t need a ton of different soaps, serums, and moisturisers. In fact, all you need is a single, gentle cleanser, a daily moisturiser, and an eye serum that you like. Toners are not a necessity, and you don’t need a separate serum and moisturiser. It is also helpful to stay away from detergent-heavy, harsh soaps. Instead, find a gentle, moisturising facial cleanser that leaves your skin feeling clean, but not tight. Tight skin after you wash your face is evidence that your skin has been robbed of moisture. Although you can use a moisturiser and toner after washing your face, it is easier and more cost-effective to use a good-quality mositurising facial cleaner.
Go Fragrance-Free
Fragrances in soaps and moisturisers may smell nice, but they can often cause allergic reactions. Even “unscented” cleansers and moisturisers usually have a small amount of fragrance to give them a more pleasant smell. Look for products that are specifically marked “fragrance free”. These are the purest cleansers and moisturisers you’ll find. They’re less likely to cause a bad reaction with your skin, and they’re usually gentler, too. If you want to add fragrance, pick a perfume or cologne that you like and use that. Your fragrance-free cleansers and skincare products won’t react with it or make you smell like you just spent the afternoon at the perfume counter at a department store.
Indulge in a Spa Day
A day at the spa can leave you feeling relaxed and stress-free. This is good for more than just the knots in your back. A lot of spas offer face massages before their facial treatments. This will stimulate the skin, drawing blood to the surface and promoting collagen production. And while you’re there, consider a natural chemical peel or microdermabrasion treatment.
Sometimes, no matter what we do for our skin, we really just need to slough off the old and enjoy the new. Thoroughly exfoliating away dead and damaged skin cells leaves behind young, fresh skin. If you stay out of the sun and take care of your face in the days after your facial, you’ll look and feel younger than you have in years.
Follow these tips for young, fresh, beautiful skin for years to come!