Age Seamlessly

We all want smooth, supple, radiant skin. As we age, these seem harder to achieve. Some of these reasons are beyond our control, such as hormonal changes and our environment. Ask any celebrity how they achieve such a flawless look, you’ll hear stay hydrated, get plenty of sleep, but for most of us it takes a bit more work for a flawless complexion.

There is an estimated 85 percent of young people age 12-24 who are plagued by breakouts whether it be congested pores, pimples and blackheads or all of the above. As we age, these problems don’t seem to end. The number of adults that still struggle with acne is on the rise, about 15 percent, not to mention wrinkles, fine lines, and discoloration.

This shouldn’t be a surprise then, that the average woman spends a whopping $300,000 on anti aging products in her lifetime. The quest for younger looking skin can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, considering some reasons are beyond our control, such as pollution and genetics. All this can make it super frustrating when we see models and celebrities who look amazing without makeup.

Don’t forget that they also have beauty consultants and access to the best skin care money has to offer. Having a makeup artist on call is definitely not something most of us have, but there are some important things we may be missing when it comes to skin care. AEDIT.com has come up with some of these, so Let’s see what we have been missing. Here are 7 important things you need to be doing for your skin. ( Links to products lead to Amazon)

1) Cut Down On Sugar

We’ve heard this many times, sugar isn’t the best for us. In addition to weight gain, diabetes, cavities and more, we need to cut down on our sugar intake, drinks and foods that contain too much sugar can lead to skin issues. When we consume sugar it causes our insulin levels to rise, causing inflammation in our whole body.

This inflammation leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin due to the enzymes which are released from too much sugar. This in turn leads to saggy skin and wrinkles. Collagen keeps our skin plump. In addition, sugar also causes acne and Rosacea to worsen.“Our diet can really impact our skin health,” explains Dana Sivak, a registered dietitian in Chicago.

She says cutting back on sugar helped improve the tone and texture of her complexion. “Watching my sugar intake throughout the day so it doesn’t exceed the recommended 25 grams can be challenging, but I notice my efforts paying off when my skin remains healthy.” Start small by swapping white bread, pasta, and rice for whole grains. Read food labels to look for sugar hiding in “health foods,” like pasta sauce, salad dressing, and granola.

2) Supplements For Hormonal Balance

Katie a 30-year-old blogger from California never struggled with acne as a teen. As she approached her late 20s she developed cystic acne around her mouth and chin. “I stopped taking birth control and my hormones went haywire,” Katie explains. “I tried so many different cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and oils to get my acne under control, but nothing worked.” After a year of struggling with cystic acne Katie turned to supplements to treat her sensitive skin from the inside out.

After filling out a survey by HUM Nutrition, Katie began taking Gut Instinct™, a potent probiotic, Daily Cleanse™, which contains organic algae and cleansing minerals, and Red Carpet™, a supplement with black currant seed oil – a source of ALA and GLA shown to maintain hormone balance. “Within two weeks my cystic acne was completely gone,” says Katie. “At this point it’s been a month and my skin has improved so much. I’m floored by how taking supplements has transformed my complexion.”

Katie’s friend Rachael also relies on supplements to promote a healthy complexion. “I take collagen gummies and prenatal vitamins every morning to help with my skin,” she explains. Rachael started paying closer attention to her skin two years ago after moving to the desert.

“My oily skin started to dry out and break out, so I had to set up a routine to keep it moist.” In addition to supplements, Rachael credits her dewy complexion to a regular morning and evening skincare routine along with LUSH Don’t Look at Me face masks twice per week.

3) Vitamin E Rejuvenates Your Skin

Although it is hard to resist, never pick or pop your pimples. Doing so actually leads to scarring that is difficult to get rid of. Check out my article here for more information on how to get rid of the acne scars. That’s exactly what happened to Andrew, a 33-year-old musician, who battled breakouts as a teen. “I had really bad acne on my nose and cheeks in high school,” says Andrew, “I picked at my face a lot and it left some pretty bad scars.”

Andrews scars are barely noticeable now due to Vitamin E oil and Korean sheet masks. While there’s little evidence that Vitamin E actually heals acne scars, it can help regulate collagen and elastin production by protection our skin from the damage free radicals cause, it is a very strong antioxidant.

This can help our skin stay youthful and vibrant. Vitamin E serum has many benefits, but the serum should be used with caution. If you’re prone to breakouts, this could make them worse, always speak to a dermatologist before starting any new skin care routine.

4) Stay Hydrated

This one may seem like a given, but it is so important for all our bodily functions to drink enough water. “Hydration is a key factor,” says Sivak. “Women should aim to drink about nine cups per day.” Staying hydrated helps flush toxins from the body that can accumulate and cause acne. And, because the skin is made of 64 percent water, hydrating will help keep your complexion from becoming dry, tight, and flaky. Hydrated skin is more resilient than dry skin and is less prone to wrinkling.

5) Start A Nightly Skin Care Routine

When I was in my teens and 20s I will admit, I didn’t always wash my face before bed, much less have a whole routine. Now I wish I would’ve. For a flawless complexion, its important to establish a nightly skin care routine that consists of cleansing, nourishing and moisturizing your skin. Ideally this will include, a makeup remover, cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.

“I use Image Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser and splurge on Creme del La Mer Facial Moisturizer before bed,” says Katie. “I tend to use sheet or clay masks more in the summer months when I’m sweating more and traveling.” Katie takes a preventative approach to her nightly skincare routine to thwart blemishes and the signs of aging. “I never used to wash my face before bed,” says Katie.

“Now I see it as a form of self care, rather than a chore.” She uses Kate Somerville Anti Bac™ Acne Clearing Lotion and InstaNatural Retinol Serum on alternating nights to minimize blackheads and promote healthy collagen production.

6) Give Skin Care Products Some Time To Work

When it comes to skin care products, I like to try the latest and greatest things. It takes some trial and error, but constantly switching up your creams and acne products, doesn’t give them a chance to produce visible results. You need to use products consistently for about a month to gauge the results because average cell turnover is 28 days.

Serums like Vitamin C and hylauronic acid take up to 8 weeks to brighten your complexion. Retinol is known to cause some redness and peeling at first which some may mistake for an allergic reaction. They throw the product away before giving it a chance to heal acne and smooth out the skin and see its anti aging effects.

When finding a product that works stick with it. Carole, who is 65, has maintained a youthful complexion without the use of fillers, lasers, and surgery. What’s her anti aging secret? She has used the same products for decades. “I wash my face with Mary Kay cleanser and follow up with Mary Kay moisturizer every morning,” says Carole. “I’ve used Mary Kay since I was 22.”

7) Use Sunscreen Every Morning

Sunscreen isn’t just for the beach. Even if you’re indoors, you are still being exposed to harmful UV rays, which causes wrinkles, dark spots, and melasma. Worse than these is the increased risk of skin cancer. Unfortunately, the SPF is your cosmetics is not enough to protect against aging.

After thoroughly cleansing the face and neck, apply a generous amount of broad spectrum sunscreen with zinc oxide from your neck and chest all the way up to your hairline. Allow it to soak into the skin before applying your makeup. “After applying vitamin C serum I use Coola Moisturizing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 followed by Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Brightening Makeup,” says Katie.

“My foundation has SPF 25 so I feel like I’m really protecting my skin.” To touch up your SPF throughout the day without messing up your foundation, try a face mist. A thorough coating of Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50 will lock in your morning makeup while providing added sun protection.

Conclusion

Now that we have gone over some things we may be missing to help us look our best as we age, never forget how important nutrition is as well as sleep and hydration. A healthy diet consisting of raw fruits and vegetables, will also give us the nutrients needed to protect our skin from everyday damage. Check out AEDIT.com for the latest information in the beauty scene. Thanks for reading and as always, please comment below with any questions or comments.

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