Monday, July 4, 2011

You are only as old as you look.

Harsh, I know. But it's true. When you look at someone you see their face. Without consciously doing so you decide their age. 30's, 40's, 50's, mid, late. Based on that decision you adjust yourself and your personality to 'fit' someone of that demographic. Ever do this and find you are a decade off?? Yeah, happened to me. 
I was assisting, what I thought was a more than middle- aged (and by that I mean 60 years old) woman with some products. Near the end of our conversation she tells me she is 46. WHAT? How can someone with such deep expression lines, dry/ textured skin, lacking volume in the skin and frown lines only be 46??! Those are markers of someone 15-20 years her senior.... She didn't take care of her skin.
Like many she has an out-of-sight/ out-of-mind attitude. Just cover it- it'll be fine. You can't just cover something up & expect perfection. Don't hide imperfections get rid of them. 
Sign of aging #1- Pigmentation: Everyone should know by now the leading cause of pigmentation is the Sun. You can't wear enough SPF. EVERYDAY- UV is everywhere. It reflects off everything you see.  If it's daytime you need SPF. Now, pigmentation can also be caused by hormonal changes (like during pregnancy) or taking hormones. Another cause is post trauma- post acne, injury or allergic reaction. With any pigmentation the concern is getting rid of it and preventing more from appearing. 
There are many product on the market that can brighten & lighten the skin. You need to decide whats best for you- botanical or pharmaceutical. Talk to your DR.
Sign of aging #2- Lines & Wrinkles:  You smile. Muscles contract, skin tissue moves, creases form. It's what our faces do. When you stop smiling & the lines remain, it's time to boost your regimen. Did you know that sometime in your 20's your skin starts to slow down the production of collagen & elastin?! YIKES! The production of it begins to slow and by our mid 30's the amount we're loosing is more than we're making. How can we fight this? Good SKINCARE. Using ingredients such as a mild retinol, vitamin c, resveratrol, anti-oxidants; all these 'collagen stimulating' ingredients to protect what you have & keep the collagen factory working! Again, SPF! Let's go back to the 1980's here for a minute- all that spandex! After so many times in the dryer the spandex stopped going back in to shape & stopped stretching. Similar effect with your skin & the sun. It causes dryness, over works the cells (a tan is the body trying to protect itself from uv rays) and can damage collagen & elastin. Over time your skin looses its fullness, bounce & begins to sag.
Sign of again #3- Dullness/ uneven texture: Dullness & uneven texture are usually caused by the same thing. Dead skin. Your skin stops sheding as fast as it used to and skin can hang on longer than we'd like it to. Get back that glow with EXFOLIATION. Time to choose your weapon: physical, enzymatic, glycolic, oh my! You can even find tasty blends of all of the above as well- yummy!
Let your skin determine what type you use. Uber sensitive, sensitive- dry skins usually enjoy enzymes. They tend to be more gentle and there is no harsh rubbing involved. Dry- normal skins can go either way. A physical scrub with beads (not shell) feel great on the skin & give a little bit more power to an enzyme or AHA. A strong aha or glycolic is fantastic for getting through very dry skin. Combination- oily skins tend to enjoy scrubs. A nice beady scrub with some AHAs & BHAs are great for breaking down oils & getting a nice deep clean.
You can be smooth as a baby's bottom!
Signs of aging #4 Dark circles: Some of us are lucky enough to be born with these (thanks, mom). Others have started to notice shadows later. Lack of sleep, stress, certain medications, spending too much time on the computer, allergies or dehydration can cause dark circles. Somethings you can control- allergies, dehydration, sleep and stress (to a point). Now it's time to treat! You need to hydrate not only inside but outside. Finding an eye cream that works for you (no, you don't want to use the one you use for your face). Coffee berry/ coffee/ caffeine are all good things when it comes to darkness & puffiness. It stimulates the circulation and gets everything flowing out of the area. Hydrating is also key to youthful looking eyes.  There are many great eye creams out there that offer solution for darkness & will give great results for fine lines as well. And YES, there are eye creams with SPF.

Remember: hands & neck show signs of aging really early! Don't neglect them.  You don't want a 30 somethings face with a 50 somethings hands and neck.


Always know any effort you put in to taking care of your skin- no matter how little it may be- it's worth it.