Your best age is now: Tips to help your skin age well
Fretting about ageing is so passé – a growing band of women are adapting their skincare to enhance mature skin, instead of trying to reverse it.
It’s official – the ugly obsession with eternal youth is finally losing steam.
Women in their 50s and beyond aren’t just accepting their age; they are embracing it.
And that attitude extends to their beauty routines – instead of radical anti-ageing treatments, they’re opting to find ways to look and feel good in their own skin.
What you need to know about mature skin
Our skin is the largest organ in the body, and one of the first to show signs of ageing.
While skin congestion and oiliness are common in our teens and 20s, texture, dryness and fine lines are typical concerns for older skin.
One of the main reasons our skin becomes drier with age is collagen depletion, which actually begins in our 20s.
When collagen renewal slows, the skin loses its firmness and suppleness, and becomes drier.
And while we can’t turn back the clock, we can bring vitality and radiance to the skin we’re in.
Here are our top tips to help your skin age well:
Cut back on bad habits
Living an unhealthy lifestyle is probably going to show up on your skin.
Habits such as smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol can both speed up the ageing process.
Protect yourself from the sun
Excessive UV exposure is linked to premature ageing, including contributing to skin dryness, pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkling and loss of elasticity.
Although some studies suggest most cancer-causing skin damage is caused by UV exposure in our first 18 years of life, the sun’s rays can harm the skin at any age.
So don’t forget the sunscreen, protective clothing and sunglasses.
Get more sleep
Even a single night of less than seven hours of sleep can accelerate the ageing of cells in older adults, yet up to 43 per cent of Australian adults still don’t get enough shut-eye.
And people who get more sleep tend to feel better about their appearance than chronic “under-sleepers”.
Eat and drink for optimal skin health
Certain foods boost collagen production, including leafy greens and foods high in vitamin C.
Foods high in Vitamin E, like sunflower seeds, almonds and wheat germ, also help promote collagen synthesis.
Getting enough water is also vital for skin health – it flushes toxins from the skin and promotes collagen fibre formation.
Exercise your way to a healthy glow
We all know exercise can help our minds and bodies stay young – but it also helps keep our skin in prime condition as we age.
Exercise increases blood flow, which nourishes skin cells and helps to remove waste products like free radicals.
Up your beauty regimen game
As our skin changes with age, so do our skincare needs.
Collagen depletion may be unavoidable, but we can reduce the amount being lost by using targeted skincare.
Hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in the skin, promotes cell renewal and water retention.
This ingredient is particularly beneficial to skin as its ability to retain water decreases with age.
Another ingredient to look out for is bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol (Vitamin A).
This hero ingredient, Bakuchiol is extracted from the leaves of the Babchi plant (Psoralea corylifolia), commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Bakuchiol also has potent anti-ageing properties, helping to protect the skin against collagen depletion.
Added bonus: It’s gentle on sensitive skin.
Add these to your skincare routine
Avène’s new DermAbsolu range is designed to help rejuvenate mature skin, rather than fighting ageing.
A revitalising and firming serum-in-oil technology rich with antioxidant vanilla polyphenols helps to protect the skin’s hyaluronic acid. White light pigments illuminate, while the melting texture absorbs quickly. Clinical trials have shown improved skin firmness of 92 per cent of users within the first four weeks.
Super hydrating, rejuvenating, firming and lifting, this day cream packs a punch thanks to its hero ingredient, Bakuchiol (SytenolTM) which helps protect against collagen depletion.
Great for overnight use, features will appear more rested, with a brightening effect on the overall complexion. Shea butter and jojoba oil nourish and help repair the skin barrier while you sleep.
Designed with a cooling metal applicator to de-puff and target dark circles, this is an all-in-one treatment for the eye area, which can be one of the first areas to show signs of ageing.
This post is brought to you by Avène DermAbsolu.
Written by Charlotte Brundrett.
