The main issue with skincare for many women is not that they are doing it wrong or using the incorrect products; it’s that they waited too long to start a proper skincare routine.
Think back to your 20s. Did you always cleanse and moisturize your face every day? Take off your makeup after each night out? Give attention to your neck and decolletage area? Wear sunscreen daily?
Or much more likely, did your daily skincare schedule consist of a splash of cold water and a wet wipe if you were feeling particularly grubby, with any excuse to bake your face in the sun’s potent rays?
Unfortunately, if the latter is the case for you, you may have suddenly started to panic in your 30s when your first fine line or wrinkle appeared and filled your shopping cart with every miracle anti-aging skincare product you could find.
However, you should know that this is not the answer. Instead, you are better off focusing your efforts on preventing further tell-tale signs of aging. These include a lack of elasticity, sunspots, and sagging with an effective and age-appropriate skincare routine.
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Interested in learning more about the beauty of preventative skincare? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about preventing aging skin. We’re sharing how you can turn back the clocks and enjoy radiant, more youthful-looking skin for many years to come.
What is preventative skincare?
Preventative skincare, as opposed to skincare repair, is the process involved in the prevention of the aging of the skin. Typically this type of skincare routine is best suited to those in their 30s and 40s who have only experienced the early signs of aging. However, people in their 50s and beyond who do not have too many deep-seated wrinkles can also benefit from preventative skincare.
According to skincare expert and co-founder of Averr Aglow, a skincare line that was specifically created to help women deal with acne-prone skin, preventative skincare should be an integral component in every woman’s beauty regime.
“Most women focus on the latest “miracle” anti-aging skincare ingredient rather than the overall process of achieving younger-looking skin. A combination of preventative skincare and timeless ingredients is the key to achieving ageless beauty.” – Camille Chulik, Co-Founder & CEO of Averr Aglow.
In a nutshell, if you want to see a real difference in your skin in the long term, you need to focus more on creating a really good skincare regime. The regime will need to incorporate both high-quality skincare products and the best skincare practices for your age and your skin type.
How can I adopt a preventative skincare routine?
Fortunately, if you have only just started to notice the first signs of aging or you have a few fine lines and wrinkles, but they are not overly pronounced, you can still benefit from a consistent preventative skincare routine.
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So which preventative skincare practices should you adopt for maximum results?
Start following the below nine skincare habits today. You are guaranteed to enjoy noticeably healthier-looking skin that will have a natural ability to fight back against the most common signs of aging.
1. Ditch the diet
Yo-yo dieting is not only bad for your body but also terrible for your skin. Of course, you don’t want to be stuck in a cycle of eating high fat, high sugar foods and being overweight. However, frequent and extreme weight loss can wreak havoc with the skin, not only covering your body but also on your face.
So do you have a lot of weight to lose or are you simply struggling with the middle-age spread? Either way, make sure you work out a realistic and healthy daily diet. Dieting should help you achieve your weight loss goals rather than a quick fix solution that will more than likely show up on your skin.
Focus on:
- Ingesting omega 3 fatty acids that can be found in seeds, nuts, and oily fish
- Consuming antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, especially dark green veg
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
- Exercise three times a week to help preserve your skin’s collagen production
2. Focus on facials
You are much better off spending your hard-earned cash on regular facials.
Dry and dehydrated skin shows signs of aging so much more than plumped-up, hydrated skin, and fortunately, a facial can help to keep your skin moisturized, clear, and firm.
For optimum results, look for a facial that cleanses, exfoliates, and hydrates, all of which are key elements in the prevention of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as clearer skin that is free of acne. You can also find more targeted facials such as the infamous Vampire Facial that has been shown to:
- Diminish fine lines and wrinkles
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- Improve overall skin tone
- Hydrate the skin
- Increase collagen and elastin production
3. Protect from the sun
Sun exposure is responsible for up to 80% of the signs of aging on your face; therefore, if you want to remain youthful-looking for longer, you need to be taking immediate action to protect your skin from the sun.
It is the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays that cause common skincare problems such as wrinkles, discoloration, and age spots, as well as growths such as moles.
Now, you may think that you only need to protect your skin when you are on vacation or during the summer months, but this is simply not the case. Even on a cloudy day, the sun’s powerful rays can cause damage to your skin.
To protect your skin from the sun:
- Avoid going out in direct sunlight between 10 am and 2 pm
- Always wear a wide-brimmed hat when in the sun
- Use sunscreen every day of the year on your face, neck, and decolletage
- Look for sunscreens that have an SPF of 30 or more and that have both UVA and UVB coverage
- Avoid using tanning beds
4. Allow for genetics
Even with the healthiest lifestyle and the best skincare routine, genetics still plays a huge role in the overall appearance of your skin and how it changes as you age. In fact, it is thought that as much as 50% of the way your skin ages is down to genetics.
Have you noticed that your mom has deep forehead lines or that she suffered from crow’s feet at an early age? If yes, you are highly likely to experience the same aging issues.
That being said, a forewarning is forearmed, as they say, and knowing about the aging skincare problems that you are likely to encounter can help you tailor your skincare routine accordingly.
For example, crow’s feet can be prevented by always wearing UV protection sunglasses, using moisturizing eye cream, and daily massaging of the eye area.
You may also want to look into anti-aging creams for the particular problem area that you are facing. However, be sure to choose one that is age-appropriate. A few fine lines around the eyes do not warrant an eye renewal cream that is designed for mature skin.
5. Pick anti-inflammatories
As your skin starts to age, you may start to experience issues such as larger pores, facial redness, and an uneven skin tone, all of which can make your skin look older than it is.
To combat this, look for skincare products that contain ingredients such as vitamin C, which is known for brightening the skin, and vitamin A, which can help to protect your skin from sun damage and contribute to proper skin cell growth.
These vitamins are also antioxidants that can help your body fight back against damaging free radicals and help prevent collagen damage, both of which can speed up the aging process.
Other antioxidant ingredients to look out for include:
- Vitamin E
- Ginger
- Green tea
- Turmeric
6. Be gentle
When you think of cultures where women have the most beautiful skin, it is hard not to think of Japan. Known for having skin that conceals their age, not only do Japanese women focus on using high-quality, simple skincare products, but they also apply them in a very precise way.
By gently pressing creams, serums, and oils to their skin, never rubbing, Japanese women enjoy all the benefits of the ingredients within their chosen skincare products without any of the damage of application.
Furthermore, skincare starts as early as possible in Japan, with teens being taught the importance of both a morning and evening regime, which includes the removal of makeup, a gentle face wash, an essence toner, an emulsion, and a cream to seal in moisture.
Although you may be a little late for this, you can still take a leaf out of their book and start to take your skincare routine seriously sooner rather than later.
7. Consider a weekly retinol serum
If you are the type of person who needs a proven anti-aging skincare ingredient in their skincare products, then retinol is the way to go. With the ability to actively boost collagen in the skin, you can smooth fine lines and wrinkles and minimize pigmentation. If you have not used retinol before, you should start slowly (once or twice a week). You should then gradually work up to three times a week if needed.
It is important to know that retinol can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so it is best used as part of your night skincare routine as you could undo all the good work you have done with further sun damage.
For best results, integrate retinol into your skincare regime in your mid-30s and enjoy smoother looking skin for many years to come. It can also help if you are prone to cystic acne or blemishes.
8. Exfoliate daily
As your skin matures, its ability to naturally exfoliate slows down, which can result in dull and older-looking skin. Therefore, as part of your preventative skincare routine, you need to be making sure that you are exfoliating properly.
Not only does regular exfoliating speed up cellular turnover, but it also can help to soften fine lines and wrinkles and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. It also helps to enhance the absorption of any topical creams that you are applying, as there is little point in wasting your expensive potions and lotions on dead skin cells!
It is recommended that you exfoliate two to three times a week for optimal results. This is as long as your skin can handle this amount without any adverse side effects. Choose a chemical exfoliant that is suitable for skin of any age and one that includes ingredients such as lactic acid and glycolic acid.
9. Stop smoking
You’ve most likely heard it time and time again, but after limiting sun exposure, giving up smoking is the best thing that you can do to help look after your skin and prevent the early signs of aging.
There are over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which trigger the destruction of collagen and elastin. These two proteins help to keep your skin looking youthful and plumped. Even second-hand smoke can have a detrimental effect on your skin.
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Fortunately, if you are a smoker, there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you give up smoking, within only a few short weeks, your skin will start to look brighter. After a full six months, it will begin to regain its original vitality.
Conclusion
Whether you have been kind to your skin over the years or not, it is not too late to start taking active steps to slow down the hands of time.
Preventative skincare encompasses a wide range of good skin practices, some of the most effective of which are mentioned above. Even if you only choose to make one small change to your lifestyle and your skincare routine, you will notice a difference, and you never know, that may embolden you to make more positive transformations.
You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! Go on, revolutionize your skincare routine today and enjoy a glowing complexion in no time!
