It’s natural for your skin to change with age and this process really can't be avoided without invasive medical procedures. However, you can have your best skin well into your 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond as long as you follow a good skincare routine and use products made with natural ingredients that will help reduce premature signs of aging. Plus, the earlier you begin, the better!
Lifestyle and environmental factors can affect your skin making you look older than you are. Learn about the telltale signs your skin is aging and what you can do to keep your skin looking young.
Appearance of age spots and sun spots – By the time most people reach 40 years old, there’s a good chance of seeing dark spots appear on your skin, often on the part of the body that gets the most sun, such as your face, arms and back of hands. This is because with age, our bodies start to produce more melanin, the chemical that makes up the pigmentation of our skin. The more we produce, the more pigmentation will occur, which is why hyperpigmentation is the clinical term used to describe the flat, brown spots you might notice on your skin.
What to do - Research has shown that the sun’s UVA/UVB rays can cause damage to your skin in as little as 15 minutes. Too much sun exposure over a long period of time can cause damage to your skin causing these age spots (also known as dark spots, sunspots or liver spots). If you notice these spots beginning to appear it’s best to try and treat them as soon as possible as newly formed spots can be easier to treat. Look for skin brightening creams and serums that contain natural ingredients that will lighten the skin such as licorice extract, citrus ushiu peel extract and niacinamide. Stay away from products with harmful ingredients like hydroquinone and parabens and try Zax’s Original Darkspot Cream, which can help tackle spots on hands, face and body.
Fine lines and wrinkles begin to develop – One of the first signs that your skin is starting to age is often the development of fine lines and small wrinkles around your lips, eyes or across your forehead. As collagen production slows, the skin loses elasticity causing wrinkles. This process can be exasperated by genetics and environmental factors such as sun exposure, pollution and certain lifestyle habits such as not wearing sunscreen, squinting a lot, lack of sleep, not eating enough vitamin-rich foods, dehydration and smoking.
What to do - Dermatologist recommend trying to get enough sleep most nights of the week, using a thick hydrating moisturizer at least at nighttime and drinking enough water during the day. Since collagen is the protein that gives your skin it’s structure, look for facial products that help plump, firm and moisturize your face and contain natural forms of collagen, vitamin C and peptides. As diet can also play a large role in the youthfulness of your skin, try eating collagen-rich foods such as bone broth, chicken, fish, egg whites, beans and fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin-C.
You’ve got puffiness and dark circles under the eye - Under eye dark circles are those black looking semi circles that appear below your eyes. They also can appear to be puffy. The skin under and around the eye is very delicate and begins to thin as you age, therefore puffiness and darkness under the eye may become more noticeable. There are many causes of under-eye circles such as fluid retention, lack of sleep, allergies, heredity, and pigmentation changes which can be affected by too much sun exposure.
What to do - As with fine lines and wrinkles, collagen and Vitamin-C are highly recommended. Using an eye cream daily made with natural ingredients to soothe and brighten the eyes can be helpful. Look for ones that also contain anti-inflammatory ingredients such as cucumber extract, witch hazel and caffeine which can be found in Zax’s Dark-Circle Eye Cream. Don’t forget to also cut down on your alcohol and salt intake, get enough sleep, use sunscreen and moisturize the eye area nightly.
Your skin seems drier – Your skin can become more susceptible to dryness as you age. A decrease in cell renewal, loss of natural oil glands and sun damage can all leads to rough, dry, redness of the skin as you get older. Loss of hormones can also lead to lack of moisture in the skin.
What to do - Keep your skin looking healthy and supple by looking for skincare products made with healthy oils such as coconut oil and antioxidant properties and make sure to moisturize morning and night. Avoid things that are drying to the skin such as long, hot showers, and don’t forget to wear sunscreen often and eat a diet rich in foods that contain natural antioxidants and fatty acids.
Notice you’re bruising more easily – As you age your skin can become more susceptible to injury and your healing time can often increase. Since your skin becomes thinner as you age, we lose some of the protective fat layer that helps cushion blood vessels from becoming injured. Blood vessels also become more fragile, and due to this you may begin to notice that your skin bruises more easily. Blood thinning medication can also make your skin more susceptible to bruising. Always seek the advice of a doctor if you have unexplained prolonged bruising.
What to do - When it comes to everyday bumps and bruises, you can treat them with natural ingredients proven to be effective for healing bruise such as Arnica, Witch Hazel, and Menthol. To help speed the healing of bruises 4 days faster, and to reduce the pain, inflammation and discoloration, try Zax’s Original Bruise Cream
Written by Alyssa Rolnick, Co-Founder of Zax’s Original Products, Registered Dietitian and Mother of a very busy household.