Better Skin After 40 - Less Younger, More Fabulous

Your Skin After 40 - Setting The Scene

Our skin changes as we get older. Almost all my customers complain of dry-ness, and often sensitivity and sometimes red-ness and menopausal breakouts as well! I get more questions about the best way to deal with changing skin than anything else. One of my customers put it like this:

“As if it wasn’t bad enough that the menopause and lack of oestrogen has dried my skin to the point of reptilian, I was horrified to keep having outbreaks of spots too - talk about insult to injury.”

The bad news is that I don't have anything up my sleeve that is going to magically stop the ageing process.

I won't promise you miracles. If you are looking for instant eternal youth or those before and after pictures where a 50 year old morphs into a 20 year old you're in the wrong place.

But there are a number of changes you can make for a positive difference. There's no reason why you can't have amazing looking skin into your forties, fifties and beyond.

Less Younger More Fabulous - A Different Philosophy on Ageing

Most beauty offerings are built around anti-ageing and hundreds of latest hero ingredients which confuse rather than serve.

There is so much complexity about skin care for older skin, that as women we often feel frustrated and exhausted - and stick with what we know - even if it is no longer working for our skin.

Instead of pushing you in the direction of a gazillion new products, I would much rather help you have less products, just the right ones that will make a difference to your skin and your confidence.

The Science Behind Ageing

It’s not rocket science - despite what the industry might try and tell you. All ageing comes down to two things - internal ageing and external ageing.

Internal ageing is about your genetics, external ageing is about environmental influences, such as our diet and lifestyle choices.

Scientists still disagree as to exactly how much of the ageing process is tied to our genetics and how much is environmental, but a recent study indicated that only 3% ageing is genetic with over 90% being environmental.

The men in white coats might disagree about the exact numbers - but even if that's only the right ballpark, 90 ish % is huge - and good news for you and I.

We Have Far More Control Over How We Age

We can control environmental impacts. The environmental culprits won't surprise you; sun exposure, diet, smoking, drinking, all of which means a large part of how we age is down to us.

Over exposure to the sun results in skin damage from ultraviolet radiation resulting in photo-ageing and the breakdown of collagen in the skin and the tell-tale visible signs of ageing that we all recognise.

A western style diet, made up of a high percentage of processed and refined foods will speed up the ageing process, a nutrient rich diet high in fruit and vegetables has the power to slow down the ageing process. In particular your skin will love a diet with plenty of vitamins, especially A, C and E.

The Right Cleanser for Older Skin

Cleansing is important. Get it right and you're on to a winner. It's the corner stone of your skin care routine.

An oil based cleanser will cleanse gently and thoroughly while at the same hydrating your skin.

As we get older, our skin tends to become more dry, and getting moisture back becomes key.

I am a huge balm fan, and end up recommending this as a starting point for almost all of my customers. (Natural plant oils, no petroleum derived rubbish!)

Most of my ladies prefer the texture of a balm, no tight, stinging feeling and lots of moisture.

And it works on oily, breakout prone skins, as well as dry skinned ladies.

Try it! More about balm cleansing in my guide here.

Find the right moisturiser for you

The right moisturiser is the one that suits your skin and you like using. And bear in mind that you might need a couple of products to get you through the extremes of summer and winter.

You are after something that will hydrate gently, and give you comfortable, radiant skin. Look for products that contain natural plant oils that protect the skin's moisture barrier and fatty acids to moisturise.

A cream, balm or face oil -the texture is down to you. Pick what your skin likes, not what works for your best friend! The texture is down to your personal preference and what plays nicely with your skin.

Think about what your skin needs. Dry, menopausal, parched skin? Pick a deeply hydrating cream or balm.

Perpetually parched skin, no matter what you use? In that case consider layering a water based product eg a cream first, and then using an oil based product over the top, eg a face oil. This helps lock in moisture for longer lasting hydration, and more comfortable skin throughout he day.

Red-ness, breakouts? Then pick an oil packed with ingredients to sooth and calm the skin while controlling break outs, such as Facial Essence with Rose & Marula.

And remember an oil/balm is not just for ladies with dry skin. It can work well on tricky, oily, combination type skin, just look for ingredients that have an affinity with this skin type.

Consider a Face Oil

Oils have had a bit of a bad rap in the past, but get it right and a face oil can literally transform your skin. A good face oil can strengthen the skin's barrier function, give you softer, smoother skin and protect against inflammation. It’s all about picking the right face oil.

Why Face Oils Work

Face oils work by strengthening the skin's barrier function with moisturisers.

They provide occlusive and emollient properties, softening and smoothing the skin, and providing a barrier that sits on the skin and reduces trans-epidermal water loss.

This makes face oils an excellent choice for those with dry or dehydrated skin, as well as those with sensitive or acne-prone skin - it is all about choosing oils with the right properties for your skin.

They provide antioxidant properties. This means they protect the skin from inflammation, reducing the effect of UV radiation which leads to photo ageing.

They also contain vitamins and essential fatty acids that help to nourish and rejuvenate the skin

Together, these nutrients work to improve the overall health and appearance of the skin, leaving it looking and feeling soft, smooth, and radiant.

Find out more about face oils for older skin here.

Protect your skin from the sun

Sit in the shade, cover up, and use an SPF - it doesn't matter which method you pick, or which combination, the important thing is to protect your skin from both UVA and UVB.

I find with an SPF it takes a bit of trial and error to see what works with both your skin, and the products you are using. I tend to pick my moisturiser, whether it is an oil/Balm e.g. my Intensive Balm or a water based cream product and I follow with my SPF.

The best SPF for your skin is going to be the one that you use and that you like. If you can find a natural SPF that works with your skin so much the better. They tend to be a little heavier and you usually get a little white-ness when you apply - despite what the marketing blurb might say.

The non-natural SPFs tend to have a more sophisticated skin feel, often lighter and if you are a make-up user they tend to play better with your make-up.

The important thing is use an SPF over your skin care - natural or not. I like to carry mine in my handbag and reapply though-out the day.

Look After the Skin Around Your Eyes

The skin around our eyes is super thin and fragile - and it's the first place that those pesky little lines show up. A light moisturiser with pure non irritating ingredients is what I recommend.

Skin After 40 - Less Younger, More Fabulous

There's no reason why you can't have amazing looking skin into your forties, fifties and beyond. The beauty industry is built upon an elaborate game of smoke and mirrors. But by focussing on the basics you can have skin you can be confident in.