Everything you need to look ten years younger

As we age, so does our Skin. Sun damage takes its toll. The damage to it was done years previously. You might be ageing rapidly now, but this is mostly down to exposure to the sun in the past. Remember when we used to think that sun-screen was for holiday abroad and that was it? Sunscreen should actually be used every single day. Even on cool or rainy days. The sun is still up there, even if we can’t see or feel it.

So it turns out that there is a lot more to anti-aging skin care than I had first anticipated. I invested in some tretinoin almost three years ago and thought I was done. That’s it I thought, I’m good to go. I’ll be looking youthful and gorgeous in no time at all. Six hideous months plagued with peeling, dry skin and ace type spots in the name of youth made me wonder if all of these youtubers were having a laugh at my expense. In actual fact this will make you look older than your actual years if you don’t combine it with hydrating serums, creams and oils.

Tretinoin is very, very strong. It doesn’t suit everyone. If you find that you are unable to tolerate it then try a retinol instead. Use retinol’s for a few months before trying again with tretinoin.

Products You Will Need to Use With Tretinoin/Retin-A

Hydration is Essential For Mature Skin

As we age, our skin needs to be kept hydrated. Apart from drinking copious amounts of water, we should also use hydrating creams and serums such as hyaluronic acid. If you use retinoids, then hydration and moisture is key to keeping your skin looking good in the early stages of use. It is humanly possible to use retin-a and still have lovely looking skin in the first few months.

Water for Beautiful Skin

I know it’s boring, but water is essential in order for our skin to look the best it can look. There’s little point doing all of the anti-aging stuff if we don’t back it up with at least five large glasses of water each day. Water helps our digestive system flush out toxins from the body. This, in turn, will improve your complexion for healthy and glowing skin.

Gycolic Acid Cream

Glycolic acid, is derived from sugar cane and belongs to the AHA family ― along with malic and lactic acids ― It is a very common ingredient in many skin care products. Glycolic acid is perfect for given your skin an over-night peel.

Use with care – Anything over 10% may sting or irritate the skin, particularly if yours is sensitive. I get a lot of irritation for five minutes or so when applying a 15% glycolic acid cream.

Glycolic is perfect to use alongside retin-a. Not at the same time though. Alternate evenings is perfect. Unlike retin-a, glycolic will not make your skin super-dry. Any irritation generally only lasts a few minutes.

Glycolic Nights

Micro-Needling

Microneedling is used to treat and improve conditions like acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, strengthen and plump loose skin, improve skin texture, stretch marks, and pigment issues. It’s often referred to as collagen induction therapy.

Micro-needling varies in price. It’s pretty brutal if you get it done in the salon and often there is bleeding. You can micro-needle in the comfort of your own home however. Pick up a dermaroller in a 0.5mm to start with. Roll carefully over your skin as per the instructions but don’t press so hard that you draw blood. In actual fact, you will get good results without damaging your skin to the max.

When you are practised, you might want to invest in a 1mm needle. It’s best to micro-needle every six to eight weeks.

Facial Massage – Face Gym

Facial massage is becoming hugely popular when it comes to firming the skin. Ever heard of the Face Gym? It’s quite literally a work out for your face! How does it work for anti-aging? It works by stimulating the blood supply to each facial area, tightening and firming as it does so.

Facial massage also helps in the prevention of fine lines and new wrinkle formation. How cool is that? And to top it off it actually feels nice!

Try investing in a jade roller. They are inexpensive and perfect for stimulating collagen production and firming the skin. I like using mine in the mornings before I apply my make-up.

Pressure Point Massage

Did you know that by putting pressure on facial points you can improve skin tone, blood circulation and metabolism in the Skin? applying Acupressure Points on a regular basis, you can get healthy looking, glowing skin.

Micro-Current Therapy

The muscles on the face, just like all of our other muscles, start to lose their tone and sag as we get older. A micro-current can be used to stimulate the muscle, starting low then increasing gradually.

It’s possible to see immediate results with micro-current therapy too. At home devices are great, but you will need to use them regularly in order to keep your results and the problem then, is that in most cases, the devices don’t last all that long.

So there you go. There is lots that we can do to keep our skin looking great. It is possible to hold back the years. Find a regimen that works for you and stick to it religiously!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Anti-Aging Skin Care For Women Over 40 appeared first on Rachel Sheridan.