If you are a millennial, don’t wait until you are in your 60’s to think about how time affects your skin – you might be seeing small signs of aging now. But regardless of your age, it is never too late to start – the best time to fight aging is before it happens, and the second-best time is now. Here are the top safe, natural and inexpensive ways to preserve and restore your skin’s youthful appearance.
1. Moisturize your skin. Moisturizing improves the skin’s ability to act as a barrier to contaminants that damage the lower layers of living skin. Use quality moisturizers rich in emollients and reapply later in the day, especially if your skin is dry. Develop a skin care routine and make it a habit. Look for moisturizers that contain Vitamins C and E, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and skin nutrients. Do not use butter, petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or other oil-based products that block skin pores and prevent sweat from escaping.
2. Avoid ultraviolet light. A ray of the sun’s invisible UVB light has double the energy of light we can see, and at the molecular level, it does many times more damage. UVB light breaks molecules into pieces called free radicals which then ravage skin looking for molecules to attack. Block UVB with sunscreens and broad brimmed hats that shade your face, ears, and the back of your neck. You need not sacrifice fashion as there are many selections of UVB blocking apparel that list their Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating. Choose products with UPF greater than 30 which indicates that 97% percent of UV rays are blocked and only three percent (1/30th) penetrate.
3. Combat free radicals with natural antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, breaking chain reactions that damage molecules. There are many safe, all-natural antioxidants found in plants including Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E (tocopherol), and polyphenols such as resveratrol, ellagic acid (found in cold pressed raspberry seed oil), and thymoquinone (found in black cumin seed oil). Natural antioxidants are abundant in food and skin care products.
4. Wash carefully. Washing your skin removes dirt and microbes than can damage it. Don’t wash too aggressively and use a gentle, hypoallergenic soap with moisturizers. Using water that is too hot scalds skin leading to drying. Washing more than twice a day removes natural oils that are important for skin protection but it is important to wash at least once a day, in the evening, to remove the day’s dirt, pollution, and microbes. After washing, gently pat your skin with a soft towel and while it is still damp apply a moisturizer with antioxidants and skin nutrients. Chlorine free water is very preferable because the strong oxidizing properties of chlorine that make it a great disinfectant are punishing to skin. Chlorine can
be removed from water with activated carbon filters or reverse osmosis. If you swim, prep your skin beforehand with a barrier cream and immediately post-swim wash your face and apply a moisturizer.
5. Use skin care products that promote skin growth. Skin gets thinner as people age, causing sagging, dryness and wrinkles plus thinner skin is more susceptible to damage. Thin skin results from slowing skin metabolism and sluggish production of collagen, the protein building block of skin. The good news is that nutrients and skin growth factors boost metabolism. The best examples are Vitamin A (retinol) which prolongs the life of skin cells and birch bark extract which promotes skin cell migration and protein production and works well together.
6. Use skin care products with natural anti-inflammatory compounds. Skin inflammation that results in reddening and drying of skin can be reversed/prevented with natural plant anti-inflammatory compounds including betulinic acid (found in birch extract), boswellic acid (found in frankincense essential oil), humulene (found in hops and hop oil), rosmarinic acid (found in rosemary extract), and cannabidiolic acid (found in hemp).
7. Use skin care products with natural tyrosinase inhibitors. Over-production of the pigment melanin causes age spots and uneven skin coloration. Tyrosinase inhibitors are effective to combat over production of melanin and they include safe and natural plant compounds such as Vitamin C and ellagic acid (found in cold pressed raspberry seed oil). Tyrosinase Inhibitors do not make your overall skin tone lighter, only those areas where over-production of melanin causes spotting.
8. Avoid injuries and heal wounds. Microtrauma to the skin (compression, impact, and abrasion) causes low level inflammation that cannot be seen or felt but which over time results in damage to skin. The practice of using birch bark extract in traditional medicine applies not only to healing visible wounds and preventing scarring but to microtrauma as well. Protect your skin while shaving by first wetting it and either leaving it wet or gently patting dry before applying shave cream. Use clean, sharp razor stokes and shave in the direction of hair growth, not against the grain.
9. Avoid allergens. Allergens cause inflammation, redness and itching. Common irritants to be on the lookout for include: nickel, latex, synthetic fragrances, and some cosmetics and sunscreen products.
10. Eat well and consider lifestyle choices. Your skin needs nutrients found in food including vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, glutathione, co-enzyme Q10, lipoic acid, flavonoids and phenols. Food rich in nutrients and antioxidants are often highly colored such as berries, apples, dark cherries, artichokes, tomatoes, and beans. Foods high in skin nutrifying omega-3 fatty acids include avocados, nuts, fish, cold pressed hemp oil, cranberry seed oil and sunflower seed oil. Reduce or avoid preserved foods and those with long lists of chemicals on their ingredient labels. Minimize smoking and vaping which generate free radicals just like UVB light. Alcohol consumption can accelerate skin aging and excess consumption leads to patchy, puffy skin with unsightly burst blood vessels just below the skin's surface.
11. Be happy! It is easier said than done, but few thing contort and age faces more severely than stress, scowling and grimacing. When you go through tough times as we all must, find ways to be happy. Friendship, community and time outdoors are therapeutic. Exercising, caring for loved ones and pets, volunteering and engaging in small acts of kindness are all great ways to feel happier and reduce fine lines and wrinkles!
Superior Nano’s Complete Skin Health Daytime Radiance and Nighttime Therapy provides all day moisturizing and a powerhouse of anti-aging active ingredients in an exclusive nano formula. Read more at https://www.superiornano.com/skinhealth
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