Reach your 30s, and you begin to see the effects of a life lived. Whether from too much sun, too much smiling (if there is such a thing as too much smiling!), or too much stress, time will begin to show. And as your skin changes, you'll need to change your skin care routine to keep up.
Where you once got away with a simple splash-and-go routine, you may need to adapt your skin care approach to target the areas that could give away your age:
Your eyes: Ah, they've seen a lot, haven't they? Squinting, widening in surprise, or crinkling into a grin, your eyes can reveal your age in fine lines and wrinkles, as well as in puffy, dark under-eye circles. Steady your gaze and keep a youthful-looking eye to the future by treating the delicate, thin skin around your eyes with TLC.
- Select gentle products which hydrate the area and strengthen the skin's delicate structure.
- Use an eye cream that includes antioxidants to help protect your skin from oxidative damage.
- Massage eye cream onto your skin. The massaging action discourages fluid retention that can make eyes look puffy.
Your mouth: You've laughed, grinned, and frowned. You've puckered up for kisses and maybe to take puffs of cigarettes. The years of use can begin to show in fine lines, pits, and wrinkles around your mouth and on your lips. No need to freeze your expressions, though. Instead, add a smile-smoothing step.
- Like the skin around your eyes, the skin on your lips is especially delicate. And with age, the oil glands that moisturize our lips do not work as well. Protect your lips from sun damage by sliding on an SPF-enhanced moisturizing lip balm.
Your nose and cheeks: As the years pass, the skin on your nose and cheeks becomes more vulnerable to spider veins and age spots. You have options for evening out your skin tone in these areas.
- One way to minimize discolouration is to keep skin moisturized and clear of dulling dry skin cells.
- Bleaching solutions can be harsh and cause even more damage to aging skin. Rather than bleaching away age spots or darker patches, look for skin care products containing N-acetyl glucosamine, which can help minimize the amount of melanin the skin produces. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its colour.
Your neck and upper chest: When you were younger, you may not have thought much about the skin under your chin. But as you get older, the skin on your neck may start to sag, and your décolletage - that expanse of skin on your upper chest - can become crinkly.
- Wear a low-cut top or V-neck shirt while going through your skin care regimen. That way you don't forget to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize these often-missed areas.
- Has it been a while since you've given these areas much attention? Treat your neck and décolletage to a weekly restorative treatment using a product containing retinol and peptides to give collagen and elastin production a boost.
- Firm up the skin on your neck by adding a skin tightening product to your beauty aisle shopping list.
Your hands: You use them all day, but somehow your hands never get much more special care than a slathering of lotion when they feel dry. But your hands can really show your age.
- Select a lotion that says it is for use on the hands. This usually means that it contains moisturizers powerful enough to treat the dryness and damage that our hands experience every day (frequent hand-washing, exposure to the elements).
- Now and then, treat your hands to deep moisturizing or paraffin wax treatments.
- Your hands need protection from sun damage as much as the rest of your skin. You get sunscreen all over your hands when you're applying it anyway, so be sure to spread it across your palms and the backs of your hands and fingers.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Skin-Care-in-Your-30s-and-Beyond
