5 Steps to Anti-Aging
We all see those visible signs of aging skin long before we want to. It usually starts with a few wrinkles around the eyes. Then maybe a few on the forehead. When you think it’s just a part of getting older, which is not completely true.
Did you know that scientists have found that only 20 percent of our aging skin is pure age alone? If you're anything like me, your jaw probably just hit the floor. At least mine was when I heard that. This means that 80 percent of premature aging is from other sources.
These sources include, but not limited to: environment, pollution, exposure to UVA (Ultraviolet A) & UVB (Ultraviolet B) rays, and lifestyle.
What you do today will affect how your skin looks and feels 5 years, 10 years, 20+ years down the road. It’s NEVER too late or too early to start!
I’ll be sharing with you 5 things you can start doing today to protect our skin from premature aging.
Wash your face morning and night.
Drink enough water
Exfoliate your skin
Use an eye cream
Use a broad spectrum SPF
Wash your face morning and night.
Getting in the habit of washing your face morning and night is a great place to start. Now, you may be thinking what I hear all the time..”Ashley, I don’t have the time” As a farmer's wife, homeschool mom, homemaker and small business owner, I get it! We’re busy. You just need the basics: a cleanser and moisturizer.
So many of the women I meet remember back in the day where there was a product for everything. So the bathroom sink was filled with products and it would take forever. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can customize it to make it fit into your life and what you want it to look like.
Another thing a lot of women do is they wash their face in the morning when they take a shower, but not at night. Studies have shown that sleeping in your makeup over time can lead to premature aging skin. Your skin isn’t able to renew and rejuvenate while you sleep. Sleeping is your face recovery time.
If you don’t like to wear makeup, you’re still going to want to wash your face at night before going to bed. Think of your face like the windshield of a car. It hits EVERYTHING! Or if you wear glasses, they do get pretty dirty. Then you’re going to bed with all the dirt, oil and yuck on your face rubbing in your pillowcase.
Think of washing your face like brushing your teeth. It feels good and refreshing. You're protecting your skin from damage that can occur over time. Instead of a cavity, you get fine lines and wrinkles.
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Drinking enough water.
Be sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This can be hard for people. Your body is over 60% water. You lose that water several times throughout the day. So it needs to be replaced.
Years ago we were told to drink 8 glasses of water a day, 8 ounces each. Now experts recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water. For example: you weigh 160 pounds, then your recommended amount is 80 ounces of water a day. .
So you can easily figure out how much water your body needs. If you struggle with water intake, here are a few ideas that help me:
Have a water bottle you like and easy to carry around so you always have it with you
If you like ice cold water, have a pitcher of water in the fridge ready to use
Set an alarm as a reminder to drink every hour.
Use fresh fruit in your water to have a variety of flavors
Drinking water has so many benefits for your overall health. But it also helps keep your skin hydrated.
Exfoliate your skin
Our skin is an amazing organ. Not only is it the largest organ of our bodies, but it protects us. The skin is made of multiple layers. The outer layer we see is called the epidermis. This is where our dead skin cells rest. Our body is constantly making new skin cells all the time.
Now we do lose these dead skin cells naturally, but by that time our skin can look dry and dull. Using an exfoliator removes those first few layers of dead skin. Which leaves your skin looking younger, smoother, and reduces fine lines.
There are multiple different kinds of exfoliators. Some you can get at your dermatologist office, local spa and at home. Do your research and do what’s best for you.
I personally use an advanced exfoliator at home. Which has key ingredients used by dermatologists to instantly energize skin by removing dead skin cells from inside and around the edges of your pores.
Click here for an award winning exfoliator
Use an eye cream
You may have noticed that as we age, we start to form those lines around our eyes. They can start to form years before we think or even want them. Because who wants those crows feet? You're probably wondering why we get them anyway. Especially so early.
The skin around our eyes is only 1/4th of the thickness vs the rest of the skin on our face. Think of that eye area like tissue paper. It’s very thin, fragile and delicate. This area also has fewer oil glands so it lacks hydration.
It also lacks hydration because a lot of moisturizers say, “avoid the eye area.” A facial moisturizer isn’t formulated to be used in this area of your face. Many women use the same moisturizer for their eyes that is used on the rest of their face. Unfortunately, that can leave the eyes looking puffy.
So I suggest adding an eye cream to your daily skincare routine. You can start this at any age. The sooner the better, but it’s never too late to start. This gives your eyes a boost of the hydration it needs.
How to apply eye cream:
Apply a small pea size on your ring finger
Then gently pat, NOT RUB, along the bone surrounding your eyes. Yes, even your eyebrow. It’s all connected and it starts from the top.
Once it’s applied let it dry and absorb before applying eye makeup
Use after washing your face morning & night
Because around our eyes show the first signs of aging, adding an eye cream can delay that process. We want hydrated grape eyes, not raisin eyes.
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Use a broad spectrum SPF.
Because only 20% of our aging skin is from just getting older, we need protection from the other 80%. Which yes part of this can be caused by lifestyle: smoking, alcohol, stress, and lack of sleep. However, there are many environmental factors that we don’t have any control over.
A broad spectrum SPF protects your skin against those aging free radicals. As well as protect your skin against the UVA & UVB rays that we are exposed to on a daily basis. The UVB rays are from that sun that can burn the skin. UVA rays are from man made lights, such as fluorescent lighting, smartphones, and computers.
When looking for a broad spectrum SPF moisturizer, dermatologists recommend using SPF 30. This will give you the best protection.
Even thought that only 20% of our aging skin is from age alone. There are things you can do to delay this process. Besure to wash your face morning & night. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water. Add an exfoliator & eye cream to your skincare routine. As well as using a broad spectrum SPF moisturizer or product to protect your skin.
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