7 Amazing Anti-Aging Tips for Your Skin

Aging – so unavoidable. It can change the way your skin looks earlier than you expect, and most people find aging signs as they hit the big 3-0. Although we cannot control genetic factors such as a decrease in estrogen levels which can lead to saggy skin, there are a lot of external influences on how our skin ages. Knowing the proper anti-aging care can help slow down the clock.

1. Eat WellYou might expect skincare products to do the job when it comes to turning back the clock, but young-looking skin starts with nutrients that reach it from within the body. The skin is the largest organ of our body, after all. Therefore, maintaining a healthy diet can have a positive effect on fighting the signs of aging.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that lead to skin aging. Eat green and red vegetables like spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots, and blue and purple berries. These foods contain antioxidants that help prevent the formation of free radicals. If you can get your hands on maqui berry, we really recommend it as these super-fruits contain the highest amount of antioxidants around. Also eat foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, which help protect the skin’s moisture barrier that tends to become thin as we age.

2. Wear Sunscreen
UV light is the number one cause of wrinkles, because sun exposure can damage elastin and cause loss of collagen, which results in the appearance of wrinkles. Moreover, studies show that UVA rays are responsible for inducing the grayish, yellow-y cast you see on older skin. So, remember to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, rain or shine! 

3. Get Moving Exercise has immense benefits for your body and skin. Not only does it strengthen your heart and reduce risks of various diseases, it also boosts your immune system and improves circulation, which in turn brings a rosy, healthy complexion..

4. Beauty Sleep Your body and skin repair and regenerate during sleep. Research shows that if you sleep less than 6 hours a night, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack or strokes. Also, a lack of sleep makes you more agitated and prone to anger, which may trigger hormonal imbalances and signs of aging. Sleep at least 8 hours per night for maintaining good health and beautiful skin.

5. Drink Plenty of Water We always recommend enough water. Young and beautiful skin is supple and moist. Moisture functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Make sure to drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water a day, as dehydration will make your skin look dry and wrinkled. Moreover, water helps flush out waste and toxins from your system to improve health and achieve radiant-looking skin. 

6. Effective Skincare RoutineGreat skin doesn’t require complicated skincare procedures, as long as you get the basics right. Remove your makeup before going to sleep every night, and use a 3-step regime for your skin type. To achieve youthful and glowy skin, try exfoliating once a week. This is because the turnover rate of skin cells lowers as you age, resulting in loss of firmness and luster. Peeling can help remove dead skin cells to eliminate dullness while stimulating collagen growth for a firmer contour.

7. Try Retinol Cream

Consider a wrinkle cream that contains retinol, a derivative from Vitamin A. It can minimize the appearance of wrinkles, strengthens skin’s thickness and elasticity, slow down the breakdown of collagen, and fade brown spots caused by UV rays.

Slowing down the clock is not impossible, you just need to start early and remember to create a healthy and regular routine. What are your favorite anti-aging secrets? Let us know!

Zits happen

Monster zits still take us by surprise. God knows why, since studies have shown that more than 70 percent of women aged 25 to 49 had an acne attack in the past year - and that includes beauty editors like us who wake up to find an angry red bump between our eyes.

The first, and often biggest, challenge is to resist the urge to scrub and scrub the blemish without mercy. According to Yale University dermatologist Lisa Donofrio, women past the age of 20 require gentler products than teenagers and applying a treatment more than twice a day can break the skin, infect the surrounding area and eventually form a crust. This in turn slows healing and increases the chances of leaving a red mark that lasts for weeks. Charming.

Instead of caking on zit cream, start by washing your face twice daily with a cleanser containing up to 5 percent salicylic acid to unclog pores and reduce redness. Wait five minutes for skin to dry then dab the pimple just once in the morning and once at night with a speck of a 2 percent salicylic acid or 7 to 10 percent benzoyl peroxide ointment (you can also try a topical antibacterial lotion or mask containing sulfur). This should kill the bacteria that caused the mess in the first place. And forswear retinols on the area for a few days; while they do help prevent blemishes, they also exacerbate the redness in an existing zit.

If your breakouts are big, ugly and prolonged and don't respond to traditional lotions, ask a dermatologist to pull out the big guns. For some women, that's a prescription antibiotic or sulfur lotion; for others, it may be oral antibiotics, the Pill or in extreme cases, Accutane. Laser sessions, while expensive, have been proven quite effective in zapping away zits, scars and redness.

Whatever you do, remember not to poke, prod or pop. Ever. Adult pimples tend to start far underground and almost never come to a head so squeezing them will only make them bigger.

Here are our suggestions of gentle but effective deep cleansers:

•  Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Complexion Soap (for oily and troubled skin), US$18. This hand-milled soap is made to naturally cleanse and balance oily and troubled facial skin. Tomatoes are a great source of carotenoids like lycopene, beta-carotene, and vitamin E, which are effective antioxidants. This soap also helps to refine enlarged pores and soothe skin.

•  Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash, US$49. Recommended for acne- and breakout-prone skin. This non-irritating, naturally-foaming cleanser is the perfect start to around-the-clock control of breakouts, comedones and excess surface oils. Salicylic Acid sloughs off dead skin cells to clear clogged follicles, helping to prevent future breakout activity.

 

• Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser, US$9, refreshes your skin and awakens your senses with a super tingly foaming lather that deep cleans down to your pores. This ultra-exhilarating formula provides an invigorating surge of clean for a long-lasting fresh feeling.

• Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser, US$34. Inspired by Kiehl's venerable and most enduring preparation, Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion, this purifying gel cleanser thoroughly cleans pores and removes traces of dirt, residue and oil which can lead to acne break-outs. Mild cleansing agents are used to formulate a completely oil-free but non-drying preparation which helps keep skin clear of new acne blemishes.

 

•  Biotherm Biopur Pore Reducer Gentle Purifying Gel, US$24. Saponine water, Copper and Zinc (for oil-regulating) are combined into a purifying cleansing gel to deeply unclog pores and reveal clearer-looking skin. It eliminates excess sebum and allows skin to appear fresh and healthier looking throughout the day.