Too often, we are told that aging is the worst thing that will ever happen to us.
In an appearance-driven society, it’s understandable if the thought of having “mature skin” gives you tension. But we’re here to remind you that aging is not something bad, and what you can look and touch beautiful at any age.
The natural transition to mature skin involves a variety of factors, many of which come from time. Others are exacerbated (or caused entirely) by lifestyle habits. We tend to categorize these forms of aging into two forms: natural and premature aging.
The natural aging process
Natural aging involves certain cells and tissues declining and dying over time. For example, collagen production slows down in everyone eventually. Meanwhile, the number of pigment-containing cells in our body (also known as melanocytes) decreases, causing the skin to appear more translucent.
In addition, the epidermal layer becomes thinner over time, blood vessels become more fragile and sebaceous glands produce less oil as we age.
In the case of natural aging, there is no way to stop the process, but there are ways we can take care of ourselves so that our skin ages gracefully.
What is premature aging?
When we talk about premature aging, we are talking about aging caused by conditions that disrupt the natural aging process. Of course, premature aging can mean that your skin already appears to be aging too soon, but it can also have a huge impact on how you look 20 years from now.
Most of the time, these signs of premature aging are things we can prevent. Two of the biggest causes of premature aging are sun exposure and smoking.
We all know that smoking is bad for you. Not only can it cause serious damage to your lungs, but so can secondhand smoke premature aging of the skin. Nicotine narrows blood vessels, making it more difficult for oxygen and nutrients to transport, while collagen and elastin production is severely disrupted. As a result, deep wrinkles can appear quickly.
When it comes to sun exposure, ultraviolet rays (UVA & UVB) cause what is known as photodamage or photoaging. UVA penetrates all layers of the skinit risks damaging collagen and elastin fibers, epidermal cells and capillaries. UVB rays are particularly intense and can cause photoaging and the creation of precancerous cells (radiant keratoses) in the skin.
Signs and symptoms of skin aging
Fortunately, many signs of premature aging can be prevented!
As for sun exposure, don’t worry – you won’t have to say goodbye to the sun! Instead, take precautions by applying sunscreen, wearing hats and long sleeves, and stick to the shade when possible.
With healthy habits and certain products, premature aging can be prevented. But before we discuss strategy, let’s see what aging is appearance like.
Hyperpigmentation
As our skin ages, we can develop what are known as ‘age spots’ or ‘sun spots’ on the face, hands and forearms.
But this is not the only form of hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation may also develop along the chest in patches. This is generally due to inflammation caused by sun exposure and skin conditions such as eczema.
Dryness and Itching
Over time, the skin has a harder time retaining moisture. To name a few reasons: the skin becomes thinner, the oil glands produce less often and sweating decreases.
Wrinkles and loose skin
As mentioned earlier, collagen production in the skin decreases over time while elastin fibers break down. Because collagen and elastin play such a critical role in our skin’s elasticity and suppleness, this can lead to sagging and sagging skin.
How to support aging and mature skin
In many societies, aging is often referred to as a period of life that should be feared – but that couldn’t be further from the truth!
Aging is something worth embracing, and part of that is recognizing your skin’s needs as it changes. Here are some ways to keep your skin looking (and feeling) healthier.
Collagen support
While collagen loss will happen to all of us, it is possible to moderate its effects. one of the best ways is to use a retinoid. Retinoids are stabilized forms of vitamin A, which is known to support collagen production and boost cell turnover, making it a favorite antiaging ingredient.
Retinoids come in several forms: from adapalene (a 0.1% retinoid gel) to prescription tretinoin. But of all its forms, retinol is easily the most popular and is gentle on mature skin types.
We recommend a stable retinol product that doesn’t oxidize, and that’s why we love Retinol Restorative Overnight Balm. This uses vegan retinol to help retexture skin and even out skin tone.
Hydration hero
Since your skin naturally loses moisture over time, make sure your skin is moisturized regularly.
In fact, many women can benefit from rich, nourishing moisturizers that will seriously lock in water for longer, keeping your skin hydrated. Even better, this can help plump up those loose, saggy areas along the face and neck!
Upgrade your SPF routine
More than anything, the best anti-aging product you can use is a good sunscreen. Sun damage may be the biggest cause of premature aging, but sunscreen can help minimize sun damage, keeping your skin healthier in the long run.
But not all sunscreen products are the same and they don’t always work as effectively as they should. This is especially true for sensitive and mature skin.
To ensure that your sunscreen will actually protect your skin, be sure to use one real sunscreen like Green Tea SPF 30 – not just a tinted moisturizer or foundation with SPF. While these can aid Your sunscreen, their SPF is pretty diluted and you’ll need to layer it up to get enough protection.
The anti-aging debate
As long as there is beauty and skin care, so has our society’s obsession with antiaging.
Women are constantly under pressure to look young, to the point of intensive treatments such as botox, fillers and surgeries. While there is nothing necessarily wrong with these methods, it becomes a problem when women feel they have have to be accepted by society as beautiful.
However, it seems that these views have started to change in recent years.
As trends shift more towards “real” skin, women are encouraged to show off their natural skin texture, and that includes mature skin.
And with this newfound love for authenticity, the beauty industry is beginning to recognize aging as a natural process… no one can skip it!
With this growing “pre-aging” mentality, it’s all about seeing your wrinkles as a reflection of your wisdom, experience and success in life. It’s not about looking 25 forever. it’s accepting that whether you’re 37 or 75, you have a right to your natural beauty.
And yet, anti-aging products and pro-aging thinking can coexist. Taking care of your skin isn’t about stopping the aging process, it’s about doing it gracefully. And more than anything else, it’s about caring thyself!
