When you’re younger, the thoughts of wrinkles and sun spots that invade your mind as you age simply don’t exist. You think you can spend as much time in the sun as you want, that you don’t have to worry about what you use to wash your face, and the idea of additional hydration seems like something you’d do only for your plants.
Needless to say, you didn’t have a skin care in the world back then. The wrinkles in your life belonged to your grandmother, and your thoughts of skin protection included an SPF 4 and possibly a cute hat. Sure, getting sunburned hurt, but otherwise, it didn’t matter much to you. But skin changes as you get older— just ask any adolescent whose baby-smooth, flawless exterior has been transformed by the arrival of acne. Even then, you might be worried more about how that pimple affects your chances of a date than the actual health of your skin.
Almost everything you do to your skin over the course of your lifetime will leave some lasting impression, but the internal aging process is something that happens naturally. Wrinkles, thinning, sagging, and dryness are all part of this process. When your skin ages, it doesn’t replace elastin and collagen—the proteins that keep your skin strong and elastic—as quickly. Year after year, these essential components of firm and healthy skin are produced more slowly, something you cannot stop from happening (but you can help). There’s no real science to determining when you’ll begin to see the signs of diminished proteins, increased wrinkles, and other indicators of aging. This in large part depends on your genes. If your mother started getting wrinkles in her 30s, it’s likely that you will, too.
Other factors, such as sun exposure, dry climates, and subpar skincare products will also increase the signs of aging, and these are all things we can control. Exposure to the sun definitely ages your skin— and beyond just wrinkles, it can cause age spots and a leathery look. Smoking, diet, and certain repeated facial expressions also play a part. If you furrow your brow a lot, for example, you’ll probably get wrinkles on your forehead. When you smoke, you tend to get wrinkles around your mouth and jaw area, which often makes people look much older than they actually are.
All this said, there are ways to mitigate some of the side effects of aging skin, as well as learn how to help tackle different skin conditions associated with aging. Maintaining a healthy, consistent skincare regimen is first and foremost in fighting the debilitating bombardment your skin has experienced over the years.
Products designed meet the needs of your skin at varying ages can be a great defense against premature aging, and an essential way to keep your skin looking as healthy and hydrated as possible. One company, Stages of Beauty offers a complete skincare regimen developed to help you look your best at any age—and to help ensure your skin is healthy and radiant. Minerals and nutrients such as acai oil and botanical stem cells are suggested to keep your skin looking fresh and nourished in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond.
1.) Eminem (Lose Yourself).