LOVE THE SKIN YOU'RE IN

 

The skin we are in, we are stuck with from the cradle to the grave, so it's vital to look after it as much as we can from as early on as we can. The key to confidence and feeling good comes from within and if you shy away from the mirrorbecause you can't face yourself, you will no doubt feel worthless, your self-esteem will nose-dive and you certainly won't want to interact with other people.

 

Skin covers an area of approximately two square metres of our body and accounts for about 15% of body weight, and we have roughly 300 million skin cells. This might surprise you but it's our largest organ and here are some of the things it can do:

 

• Detects the heat or cold • Helps to regulate the temperature of our bodies  • Shields, insulates and protects our internal organs, muscles and bones from anything nasty outside, like infection • It exudes antibacterial substances and manufactures vitamin D • It's a highly versatile organ as it allows us to move around freely • Changes can indicate an ailment, allergy, viral infectionor an autoimmune disease

 

It actually renews itself every 28 days. We lose between 30,000-40,000 skin cells a minute. That's a hell of a lot of shedding going on all of the time. For the weight-conscious among you, that's about 9 pounds a year. Half of the dust in your home is probably your dead skin floating round.

 

Now we know why it's so integral to us, we need to look after it. A common question is when to start. As soon as you can is the easiest and beneficial answer. Here are some quick-fire and top tips you can use anytime to help your skin to shine and radiate fabulousness:

 

• Get enough sleep • Exfoliate gently -  think about it, if you shed thousands of cells every passing minute, lots likely will end up resting on you – so exfoliate them away and make this a regular part of your routine • Get enough exercise • Drink, drink, drink your H2O – can't emphasise this enough. Get it down you. Glug away. Drain your glass… embrace the wonders of water • Cleanse your face twice daily • Moisturise daily • Be conscious of where you are. For example, air filled with cigarette smoke or air pollution will affect your skinand might cause irritations or allergies • Get more antioxidants inside you, like broccoli, sweet potatoes or blueberries • ALWAYS wear your sunscreen, can't reiterate this enough • Read skincare labels and have a handle on the personal care and hygiene products you buy. Be mindful of any products kicking off any allergies you might have

 

So these are general steps you can take to keep on top of protecting and maintaining the health of your skin. I would advise doing as many of these as possible. It's going to affect your physical and mental health so take heed and those few simple practices will do you world of good.

 

Drilling down specifically into age ranges, if we take your 30s, it's usually a time for self-empowerment. We have more often than not found our feet in this world. We may have a new-found confidence, career, relationship… so we want to carry on oozing fabulousness. Hydration is key.

 

You may start to notice the subtle signs of ageing – lines, wrinkles, pigments, a dullness or dryness about your skin, you feel you're losing your glow. This is often the prime time to spot these things, so it's time to get a grip of it, if you haven't already.

 

You also might find yourself more prone to cystic acne as thisis the time when your skin is most susceptible to hormonalchanges.

 

Our skin will start to noticeable lose its springiness – after all, we're not spring chickens anymore, and its hydration and softness, so need to fully nourish and feed it goodness. 

 

Make sure you exfoliate twice, maybe three times a week, since the cells won't be turning over as often as they normally would. There are countless scrubs out there so it's a case of finding one that you're comfortable using and benefits you.

 

You might consider swerving the excessive use of face wipes too. These can get quite abrasive once you hit the big 3-0 and beyond and they could have alcohol in them – which will lead to more dehydration.

 

In terms of a daily routine you can stick to, go for a light cleanse using something as simple as micellar water and cotton wool pad, tone, a serum and moisturiser. Repeat morning and night.

 

I'm afraid I'm going to have to drag you kicking and screaming into the next decade. As you enter your 40s there's an even greater need to promote the collagen and elastin – this is a match made in heaven that keeps your skin plump. They start to slowly decline from your 20s but it's in your 40s when you have to focus on reigniting and clinging on to this little duo.

 

Use a gentler cleanser so as not to shed too many of your skin's natural oils, a serum that boosts radiance and is also rich in antioxidants. You produce less sebum which means more exposure to pollution and other environmental nasties. You'll also want to look for something which includes collagen-boosting peptides. Hyaluronic acid is a must-haveand crucial for healthy skin as you're now making roughly half the amount of what you used to.

 

Go for an SPF and become accustomed to wearing it everyday not just when you're exposed to direct sunlight. Finish off with a good anti-ageing moisturiser. Again, repeat morning and night.

 

Once you hit your 50s, I'm afraid it's all about saving your sagginess and collagen. The menopause will affect most women at this time which means a decline of estrogen equating to drier skin. Now is the time to fill your boots with hydrating products and boosting collagen.

 

You should be using an antioxidant serum or cream to halt inflammation which encourages ageing. Use a hydrating SPF cream every day too. If you haven't already, use an eye cream to banish crow's feet, unsavoury lines and dark circles.

 

In the evening try and do a gentle cleanse which will let the anti-ageing products do their job more productively. Use yourantioxidant cream or serum after that, followed by some decent and effective exfoliating product. This should rally the collagen, make your skin sparkle more and encourage cell turnover.

 

It's never too late to commence a routine that will serve your skin well years down the line. You know your own skin so listen to it and look at it, study yourself as this will be paramount. As frightening as it may seem, take a good look in the mirror. Here you will be able to spot any irritability, dark circles, puffiness, lines… then you will know that it's time to take action.

 

You should be loving the skin that you're in. You're both in it for the long haul so treat it kindly and wisely.