Publisher's Synopsis
We don't know how to stop the clock, but we can help you fool the cameras and mirrors into thinking you're a younger you. Here's some essential tips to get the skin care routine you need.
Cleansing is important for removing any skin care product or makeup that you've applied during the day, as well as natural skin oils, pollutants, and bacteria that's accumulated. It also means your skin care products will be able to enter your skin and work more effectively! Toners were developed in the past to restore the low pH of the skin after washing with a high-pH cleanser. If you're using a cleanser with a low pH, then a toner is unnecessary. It's much better to avoid damage in the first place than to undo it later!As you age, your skin slows down replenishing itself. Dead skin cells aren't replaced by fresh cells as quickly, which means your skin starts to look dull and uneven, and may even crack. Exfoliants are a great way to help get dead cells off your skin.
There are two main categories of exfoliants: physical and chemical. It's best to avoid harsh physical exfoliants, such as sugar scrubs and cleansers with beads, because it makes your skin more susceptible to sagging. Instead, choose a washcloth or a soft sponge, like this Konjac sponge with activated charcoal, that can handle your skin's needs.
Chemical exfoliants gradually dissolve the bonds between skin cells and allow them to detach. They're also suitable for skin of any age! The best exfoliants for maturing skin are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid and lactic acid. You can also find these acids in toners, serums, and at-home peels.
In general, serums contain a higher concentration of active ingredients than a moisturizer. The best anti-aging ingredients to look out for are vitamin A derivatives known as retinoids (retinol, tretinoin, and tazarotene) and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). As well as increasing collagen in your skin, they also act as antioxidants to soak up the biological and environmental oxidative stress that builds up to cause aging
Learn why the body deteriorates and how to enjoy long life by Cynthia Armstrong
