Your skincare routine, the one you have been religiously using for years, may no longer serve your skin. Never more so as when we near, or are beyond 40. It’s a time of adjustment in many ways. Hormonal shifts may play havoc with us, resulting in drier skin or even breakouts.
Let’s face it, change is inevitable. But with the right wisdom you can balance your maturing skin, resulting in a smooth, softer appearance, and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. Here’s how to tweak and take control of your skincare as you age.
Clean Skin is Healthy Skin
Dirt really does dull your complexion. It’s staggering how much dirt our skin collects throughout the day; that’s why it’s important to cleanse thoroughly. If you don’t have time to do it twice a day, always cleanse before bedtime so your skin can breathe and repair overnight.
Hydrate to Maintain your Healthy Glow
This may sound obvious but hydration is often overlooked in our busy lives. Keep your body well hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of mineral water. If you buy water, remember mineral water is purer than spring water.
Why? Our bodies are almost two-thirds water; we need to keep ourselves hydrated in order to function properly. Water is vital to flush toxins out of our body and aids the absorption of vitamins and minerals from food and supplements.
Peel Back the Years
Exfoliate regularly, ideally once a week. Massage your exfoliant in small circular movements.
Why? Exfoliation removes dead skin cells revealing a new smooth layer, in turn stimulating your circulation leaving your face with that healthy glow.
Detox Daily
Alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks deplete our skin of moisture, which can lead to a build-up of toxins. Avoid these where possible.
Top tip: if you have trouble abstaining, try to consume them in moderation and make sure you drink plenty of water beforehand.
Uplift with a Facial Massage
Massage is an effective way to give your skin (and your mood) a lift. Always use upward strokes and work gently and in an anti-clockwise motion around your delicate eye area.
Why? These specific strokes improve skin tone and encourage the absorption of fresh nutrients. It also helps with the removal of excess fluid and toxins, to prevent puffy skin and bags under your eyes.
Beauty Sleep is Not a Myth
Feeding our skin with quality facial oil enhances this process. Apply facial oil at night, after cleansing. To optimize absorption and relaxation simply massage a small amount of oil into your face and neck using upward strokes (avoid downward strokes as these encourage wrinkles). Do place your hands near your nose and inhale deeply before you massage the oil into your skin, as the essential oils are there to heal our senses too.
Why? Night time is when our skin cells renew and repair themselves.
Use Natural Products Inside-Out
Most of us don’t realize what we are putting on our skin. Read the labels of your products and avoid harmful ingredients like sodium laureth sulphate (SLS), parabens or mineral oils like liquid paraffin.
Why? Our skin absorbs about 60 per cent of what we put on it, so it’s important that we feed it with a balanced diet of healthy skincare as well as fresh healthy food.
Louisa Pini is a clinical aromatherapist. Find her holistic therapies and award-winning handmade aromatherapy skincare and room & linen mists at justbenatural.co.uk.
