Our Skincare Specialist’s Top Advice For Ageing Skin
Here at Millies, we’ve been talking through various different skin concerns and issues to help you perfect your skincare routine from your own home, and taking care of your skin the best that you can. This week, it’s time to look at ageing skin, and the top tips for ageing skin from our skincare specialist, Edele.
How do I know if my skin is ageing?
The first thing that usually springs to mind when you think of ageing skin is lines and wrinkles. But the process of ageing isn’t as cut and dry as that. A lot of it comes down to the texture of the skin, pigmentation, discolouration, sensitivity.
When does the skin begin to age?
Unfortunately, the skin begins to age from our mid-20s. From around the age of 25/26, the skin begins to lose collagen and elastin. From that age, we need to nurture and look after the skin in terms of ageing.
Then, from our 30s, the cell renewal process begins to slow down. In our 40s, collagen and elastin deplete even more. Once we reach our 60s, our bodies go through a lot more than expected with hormones. Our estrogen stops, the skin becomes drier and it’s then harder to maintain moisture.
What are the causes of ageing skin?
Many people will thank their genetics for not ageing quickly, but as it turns out, genetics are only 10% of the cause of ageing. 90% of the process is external factors, what we put in our bodies, on our skin, and our lifestyles. Two of the main causes of ageing are UV exposure and our diet.
We now know a lot more about UV exposure than we use to. Years ago, SPF would not have been an everyday product, but we now know that it’s essential every single day.
When it comes to diet affecting the skin, a diet high in sugar can age the skin quicker than usual. If you rely on a diet that’s high in sugar, such as sugars from refined carbohydrates, you may be experiencing what’s now known as sugar ageing.
With excess sugar in the body, our insulin levels shoot up and this is seen as an attack on the body, which in turn depletes our collagen and elastin. The sugar then attaches itself to collagen and elastin, it then stiffens up and breaks down easily, resulting in lines and wrinkles.
What can help with ageing skin?
There are a few things to help your skin, but it’s also important to look at your own lifestyle, including diet and exercise. Think of it as taking care of your skin and yourself to achieve healthy skin, rather than attempting to banish any wrinkles or fine lines in the skin.
Firstly, always wear a high SPF. The majority of skin ageing is thanks to UVA and UVB rays, as well as blue light rays. Invest in a broad spectrum SPF moisturiser. But don’t think of it as sun protection, look at it as your everyday moisturiser, one that you don’t ever leave the house without. It will be your new best friend! One beloved broad-spectrum SPF is the IMAGE Prevention Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturiser SPF50.
Secondly, up the ante when it comes to hydration. When the skin is dehydrated, it can’t accept skincare products and their ingredients as well. Once your skin is hydrated, that’s the first step in achieving healthy skin. The YonKa Hydra No1 Creme is the go-to cream for thirsty skin, providing the skin with up to 144% more hydration.
It’s then time to look at antioxidants. Antioxidants help to protect the skin and cells from any further damage or breakdown due to UVA, UVB rays, pollution, stress. Once we keep the cells strong, they’re less likely to break due to external factors, so let antioxidants and SPF do all the hard work for you during the day.
Then, when it comes to the hard work at night time, this is where active ingredients come into play. Retinol, which is packed with Vitamin A, is key for targeting the signs of ageing on the skin, as it really gets into the skin in order to make changes to the cells. When using retinol, or any active ingredients in your skincare, it’s important to cleanse thoroughly the next morning, apply a hydrating serum and always, always wear a high SPF. Active ingredients exfoliate the skin throughout the night, so if you don’t wear an SPF the next day your skin is exposed to harsh elements and you could undo all of your hard work.
If you’re still not seeing the results you expected, take a look at the range of skincare supplements we stock here at Millies. It can be important to look at both topical skincare and supplements together, take a look at our full range right here.
Finding the perfect retinol product and supplements for your skin can be difficult at first, so it’s always worth speaking to a skin specialist. Feel free to pop us a message on Instagram and we’ll always be happy to help!
We’ll be chatting through even more beauty concerns, from skin issues to hair care and everything in between, here and over on Instagram so stay tuned for more.
