There’s an enormous amount of pressure on women to maintain a youthful appearance, yet the hefty price tag attached to the so-called solutions means the majority of women are in a catch-22. For women to stay young, it seems they have to pay a fortune in order to rid themselves of wrinkles. It doesn’t need to be that way though – with some thoughtful preventative measures and low-cost alternatives, you can still retain your youthful glow. These include moisturising regularly, both on the surface and from the inside too.
In your 20s
Preventative measures now can save you a lot of time and money further down the line. The best way to achieve this is to use antioxidants to prevent and repair the damage caused by pollution, sun damage and stress. The best time for this repair phase is during your sleep, when the skin is already busy repairing any damage. Wearing a minimum of an SPF15 each day will protect your skin from the ageing effects of the sun, as well as studies showing that regular application of sun cream can help to repair the damage of previous sun exposure. So if you tanned excessively during your teens, there may be some hope of repairing the damage for the future.
In your 30s
Your skin may be looking a little dull by the time you reach your 30s, partly due to stress and partly due to pollution and sun exposure. This may manifest itself in the form of fine lines and brown spots, so you should look to retinol, peptides and alpha hydroxy acids to reverse the damage. Anti ageing ingredients can sometimes lead to flaky skin or redness, but that’s no reason to stop using them. Use these ingredients every other day so that your skin has chance to get used to them. You should also consider your diet – those which are rich in dark green leafy vegetables, olive oil, oily fish and low in milk, butter and sugar will notice an improvement in their skin. You are what you eat, and it’s well worth remembering this when it comes to your skin.
In your 40s
In your 40s, those fine lines you noticed before have become fully-fledged wrinkles, and hyper-pigmentation can start to appear. Hormonal issues can often lead to redness and blotchiness, too. A chemical peel can be a great option for reversing the signs of ageing, which removes the top layer of skin to reveal the smoother skin underneath. Depending on the strength of the peel, you may have some redness or sensitivity for a couple of days afterwards. However, it will help to improve not only the visibility of wrinkles and lines, but also the texture and brightness of your skin. Continuing on with your skincare regime throughout will also ensure that your skin stays moisturised, which is key in preventing further lines from developing
Your skin changes constantly, so it’s important to modify your skincare regime to accommodate these changes. The key aspect of any effective regime is to keep your skin hydrated and protected from the sun – this means wearing an SPF every day in order protect against ageing UV rays, and reapplying regularly if you’re going to be out in the sun for a long time. Your diet, as previously mentioned, is also important so you should try to cut back on the fatty and sugary foods in place of natural nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and non-fat dairy produce. This, coupled with plenty of water throughout the day, will help to keep your skin healthy from the inside too.