Anti-Aging Skincare: Myth or Possibility? It's Actually Both
Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash
Believe me when I say, I wish I could stay young forever. I have those pictures pop up on my phone from 10 to 15 years ago and see myself holding one of my kids or posing next to my husband at one of our anniversaries and think, “ I was a damn baby.” Literally, a baby. I had round, plump cheeks with nary a wrinkle or sag in sight. It was the best years of my skin and I didn’t even know it! Okay, maybe not the best but much better than things are going now.
Now, my neck and jowl sag have started and I have random spots of pigment my cheeks that look like miniature continents on the map of my face. I think Australia is alive and well on my right cheek. I don’t love wearing a lot of makeup but have to at least wear some foundation in order to cover them up.
I’ve been looking into lasers and other light treatments to give my skin a boost but those cost a pretty penny money which requires a bit of saving on my end. Until then, however, I’m looking into everyday options to care for my skin so, at the very least, I can keep it all from sliding down my body and pooling at my ankles.
Before I dive into what I’m doing, I want to share some things I’ve learned to steer clear of.
Claims of instant results
Products that promise to reduce wrinkles and tighten skin “overnight” are lying. There are no quick fixes. That kind of progress takes time according to dermatologist, Dr. Engelman. She says it takes at least four to eight weeks to see noticeable changes so if you are trying a product for the first time or starting a new skincare routine, give it some time to do the work.
Only medical grade (and expensive) products work
Not true. There are lots of product lines out there that have great reviews as well as clean ingredients. I’m not saying there aren’t some great ones out there but there are plenty of other options that give them a run for their money. Drunk Elephant, Beauty Counter, Juice Beauty and Cocokind are just a few to consider. The prices range from $14 to $130 or so. The reviews are posted if you need further proof of how they work.
More is better
Retinol and all its forms are prevalent in most anti-aging products but be careful with this. First off, let me explain what retinol is. It’s a derivative of vitamin A which encourages cell turnover, stimulates collagen, and helps even out skin tone. However, if too much is used, it can strip the skin of its protective barrier making it susceptible to harmful UV rays, doing more damage than good There is also another side effect that should be considered. Our cells have a finite number of times they can divide so if you are in your 20s or 30s, using a retinol on a regular basis will cause you to hit your number sooner than later. You can check out this article to understand it more. A tiny bit goes a long way!
Here’s what I’m focusing on to help slow the skin-aging process:
Cut out the junk
Junk food is like poison to our insides. It causes inflammation, dumps toxins all around and our bodies spend valuable energy trying to fight it off. I’m not 100% junk food free but I’m about 80-90%. It’s not easy when it’s much more available than the good stuff. The grocery aisles, the fast-food chains, and the choices at most restaurants are 90% unhealthy options and/or ingredients (not an official stat but you get my point). My tip is to do your best to shop at stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods or Natural Foods to have healthier options to choose from. Also, eat at home more. You control the ingredients and know exactly what’s in your food. Healthy skin is an inside job! Here are a list of foods to focus on.
2. Drink lots of (Clean!) Water
This is one of my biggest challenges because I’m an everything but water type of gal. Tea, lattes, juices, kombucha…nothing bores me more than a tall glass of water. But it’s soooo necessary for great-looking skin. Great looking skin is well-hydrated skin. We can put all the hydrating lotions we want on but the real work comes from inside our cells. Water cleans away the junk in our cells. It helps our body communicate through these healthy and hydrated cells. Did you know that water acts as a conductor, allowing our cells to stay connected and aware if anything bad is happening? When we cut off that communication (dehydration), our cells can’t do their jobs properly. When cells start to grow abnormally (which may lead o cancer), it is that cell communication that tells the surrounding cells to kill the bad cells. There are other reasons why cells fail to communicate well (like the toxin glyphosate) but we can control one of the most important!
It’s also said to drink AT LEAST half of your body weight in ounces of water. If you weighed 120 lbs, that’s 60 ounces of water. But if you are active and/or live in a dry climate, that needs to be more for sure.
I also highlight clean. The cleanest water you can drink is distilled water but the problem is that the minerals are stripped out along with the toxins. But that’s an easy fix. Just add a 1/2 tsp of Himalayan sea salt per gallon of water. Spring water is ideal because it is both clean and mineralized but that’s not always easy to find nor does it come out of our refrigerators and definitely not out of our taps. I do my best but I know there is definitely room for improvement here for me.
3. Skip the Sunbathing
I used a tanning bed A LOT when I was a teenager. I can almost guarantee that that alone is a major factor my sagging skin. I loved laying out in the sun as well — the tanner the better! Well, what I wish I would’ve known back then is that the sun’s harmful UV rays break down elastin, causing the skin to loosen and lose its ability to snapback. So basically my skin never had a chance.
I now wear a hat when I’m out in the sun, I use non-toxic sunscreen, and use a clean self-tanner so I can spend more time under the umbrella than outside of it. It’s hard to retrain my brain on this but now that I’m well into my 40s and see the error of my younger years whenever I look into the mirror, it gets easier all the time.
4. Shave my face
Yes, you read that right. I shave my face a couple of times a week to slough off the dead skin cells and get rid of the peach fuzz. Because of all of that, my skincare products are able to penetrate my skin better with those barriers removed. It may not be anti-aging in itself, but it helps the anti-aging products work better.
5. Use a face roller
You may have seen these all over Instagram as they’re a favorite among influencers. They aren’t just another gimmick to try they actually do great things for our skin. They help stimulate the lymph system, and when used vigorously enough, can stimulate collagen growth and blood flow to those areas which will help plump the skin.
6. Cut back on caffeine
This scientific study states that caffeine has an adverse effect on wound healing and the aging process. It also states that caffeine inhibits cell division which is exactly how skin stays young. So, how much is too much? Well, the higher the amount, the more damage done. I’m sticking to my matcha which is a lot less than regular coffee and rotating in some coffee alternatives like my Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee (use Hallie10 for 10% discount if you want to try) or Tieman’s Fusion decaf coffee.
What are your favorite anti-aging products/tricks/tips? Share in the comments below and help a sister out. :)