Anti-aging skin care in your 40s is something all women should pay attention to.
These are the years estrogen levels begin to decline.
Your skin looks more dull faster (with lack of sleep) and dry (especially when you travel).
That whole elasticity mechanism is breaking down, and you need to combat the ravages of gravity!
If you’ve been lucky enough to not see any wrinkles, now’s the time you’ll probably spot the first one (eek, yes me!)
Think of everything your skin has been through over the past 40 years: cumulative sun damage, poor diet, health conditions, poor lifestyle habits, and bad choices in skin care products coming into existence and showing on your face.. like NOW. This very instance.
Hello 40s.
Well, hope is not lost! With my FIVE very easy steps, you can maintain beauty for longer!
Here are my tips on anti-aging skin care in your 40s.
Tip #1: Hydrate
Drink loads of water. Because, dehydration shows on the face first. If you exercise, drink even more water than the average 2l per day.
As for the skin, hyaluronic acid works wonders. Add just a spot to your night cream and see the effects for yourselves. It really does draw in water to those dehydrated cells.
Tip #2: Eat more Fruits
Eat fruits such as guava, pineapple, papaya, honeydew, bananas and other tropical fruits on a daily basis. The idea is to vary it every week. It helps that my hubby is a fruit fanatic and he buys ALL our week’s loot at the TTDI market on Sundays. Fruits aren’t cheap but at least they are cheaper at this particular market and the selection is pretty good too. These fruits contain vitamin C (not to mention tons of fibre and water content too), that work towards defending your skin against damaging free radicals. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is naturally found in the skin, so eating tropical fruits and other vitamin C–rich foods can replenish your skin’s stores. Vitamin C also helps your body produce collagen, a protein that helps keep your skin firm and elastic.
Tip #3: Brighten
As the face cells turnover in your body slows down with age, it takes more days, to renew and regenerate new skin. Key point – never sleep with makeup on. Make sure you cleanse your skin properly before sleeping. I use Clarin’s cleanser, toner and moisturizer every evening without fail. Cleansing is especially critical for anti-aging skin care in your 40s.
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid serum provides potent antioxidant protection, shielding skin from damaging free radicals so add that to your nighttime face cream as well. The most abundant forms of free-radical damage are environmental factors we can’t escape.. think sun damage, pollution and oxygen.. that assault skin on a daily basis. Think of ascorbic acid being the sacrificial lamb and mopping up the free radicals instead of your skin! Here are some great natural skin remedies as well.
Tip #4: Protect
You skin is much thinner now, then when you were a baby. And so you need to protect it! And it is for this very reason that I am totally agains derma-abrasion which “claims” to give you baby skin. What’s that about? Did you know that when you were born, your skin was thickest – plump with collagen and elasticity? Derma-abrasion may look nice initially but believe me, you just stripped your skin off their natural defenses.
So, in your 40’s make a habit of wearing sunscreen (with at least SPF 30, I like Clarins Face SPF 30) everyday and all year round. The smartest trick for anti-aging skin care in your 40s is to reapply it every two hours, especially if you’re in direct sunlight. If you really hate using SPF, then use a big hat if you are out in the sun – mechanical barriers are just as effective as chemical;)
Tip #5: Sleep
Ever went home for a quick power-nap only to wake and find that your eye bags had diminished, your skin looked more dewy and your eyes brighter? Sleep is vital in the anti-aging fight against bad skin.
Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes sure, but chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes and something worse.. Cortisol build up! Lack of sleep causes your body to releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic. Sleep loss also causes the body to produce less and less human growth hormone. When we’re young, human growth hormone promotes growth. As we age, it helps increase muscle mass, thicken skin, and strengthen bones. So, lack of sleep = lack of all the benefits of HGH. So sleep is vital if you want to have great skin 24-7. Go sleep!
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