Image by @traceeellisross
In the words of the great Cher “if I could turn back time”! There are so many skin care tips and tricks that can delay premature ageing of the skin and it’s quite simple once you know how. The fountain of youth is a concept that has been around since the beginning of beauty, but the question still remains is it possible to reverse signs of ageing? The short answer to this is yes, but there is a lot more nuance to the topic. It is inevitable that your skin will age over time and whatever you choose to do with your skin can slow things down, but there is no way to prevent your skin from ageing completely. Ageing is a beautiful part of life and should also be viewed with grace.
Skin ageing can be exacerbated by a number of different environmental factors such as stress, poor diet and sun exposure, all of which are fairly common culprits that we deal with on a daily basis. It would be unreasonable to say that you must be done with any of them, so the best thing to do is find a way to implement treatments or practices that can lower the impact these factors have on premature ageing.
The signs of skin ageing can vary but the most prevalent signs are wrinkling, loss of elasticity and the appearance of textured skin. Your skin also experienced changes on a molecular level with the decrease of some structural proteins. As we age, functions within the body also begin to slow down such as the process of desquamation, which is why a lot of anti-ageing treatments focus on skin renewal, to help speed up cellular turnover.
The first step to any form of skin treatment is regular use of sunscreen, many skin treatments can make the skin more sensitive to the sun and without protection exposes the skin to further damage. Any damage to the skin can make skin ageing more apparent, the most common form of skin damage is from UVA/UVB sun exposure which works by damaging the DNA within your skin cells. Finding the right sunscreen for your skin type can be quite difficult, but the most important thing is to find one you are comfortable with spending your money on and reapplying. Sunscreen typically makes use of either mineral filters such as zinc oxide or chemical filters such as avobenzone, it does not matter which type of sunscreen you choose as long as it works for you.
Kate Somerville
UncompliKated SPF 50 Soft Focus Makeup Setting Spray
The Kate Somerville UncompliKated SPF 50 spray is one of my favourites for hands-free application and it’s also suitable for wearing over makeup.
Murad
City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Finding a mineral sunscreen that does not appear ashy on deeper skin has been the trial of the century! The only mineral sunscreen I do like is the Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 which is on the pricier end, but completely worth it for a cast free mineral sunscreen.
Bondi Sands
Fragrance-Free SPF 50
As I use sunscreen regularly, I like to opt for a rich creamy formula that I can use guilt-free. My daily sunscreen of choice is the Bondi Sands Fragrance-Free SPF 50 (tip: I recommend buying the body size as it is almost the same as the face and works out a lot cheaper).
Tackling ageing from the point of skin renewal cannot happen without including retinoids in your routine. Retinoids refer to a family of ingredients that are derived from vitamin A and help to boost cellular turnover. Most people are familiar with retinol serums, but I actually prefer retinal which is the big sister of retinol. Retinal works faster than retinol and is usually formulated with peptides which further help to smooth out skin texture. Retinal is becoming more popular in the skincare realm, but my two classics would have to be the Avenue Triacneal Moisturiser and the Allies of Skin Retinal and Peptides Repair Night Cream. Although both are labelled as moisturisers, I would recommend using them as a serum with a cycle of twice per week.
There is no way I could write about anti-ageing without mentioning Botox! Botox has been used for decades to combat wrinkles and give the skin a tighter appearance. The main thing to remember when thinking about Botox is to always speak to your doctor about your long term goals and to make sure the upkeep of Botox is within your price range. Like any injectables, I would not recommend seeking out botox until your mid-twenties at the earliest when being used for wrinkles. There are many applications for Botox such as for hyperhidrosis and jaw tension (a treatment which I have had) that can be done at a slightly younger age (both conditions benefit from the effects of a neurotoxin to limit gland function or muscle activity).
No matter which method you choose to combat premature ageing, it is important to remember ageing is natural and beautiful, but equally chase that fountain of youth and protect your skin!
