Aging is inevitable, but your skin doesn’t have to give the game away. Let’s face it, getting older without looking older is the dream! As I approached 30, I began to realise my skin wasn’t looking as fresh as it used in my early twenties, and it really impacted my self-esteem.
There’s nothing wrong with getting older, and aging is natural part of life, but I hated feeling like my skin was letting me down. When you’re in your thirties, you’re still young. You shouldn’t feel like you look old and it shouldn’t make you feel bad, but I was starting to feel quite low, so I started looking into how to turn back the years and slow down the aging process.
Improving Aging Skin
There are a few ways in which you can improve aging skin – some require more work than others, some cost a lot more than others. I will say every case is different, so you need to do your own research and figure out what’s best for you. Eventually you’ll probably find you’re doing a little bit of everything, but if the pay-off is that you start to feel good again, then who cares?!
Change Your Skincare Routine
The first thing you need to look at is how you treat your skin. If you just splash on some water, don’t use SPF and sleep in your makeup, the odds are against you. You don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on a new routine, but the best practice is to introduce a double-cleanse routine at night to fully clean off the day, a gentle daily exfoliator and moisturiser that won’t clog your pores. This is the minimum you need to do to keep your skin healthy.
A simple skincare routine is a great place to start, but if you already have one and it’s not doing it’s job, it’s time to change things up. Perhaps add in a more intense exfoliator that you use less often, and include different serums, oils and acids. Hyaluronic acid is a great plumping ingredient, while oils can help lock in moisture and protect the skin. You might need a different winter skincare routine to your summer one, so be prepared to swap products over when the sun comes out – and always use an SPF.
Non- Surgical Enhancement
When it comes to aging skin, your next line of defence involves non-surgical treatments like Botox and fillers. These can be great for treating stubborn areas that no amount of skincare can change.
Some of the better-known treatments are Botox for forehead lines and lip fillers to help any lost volume return. The reality is there are so many more treatments available – for all areas of concern.
I’ve been toying with under eye fillers which reduce dark circles and get rid of that sunken look that motherhood has kindly awarded me. The area around your eyes can add years if you let it deteriorate, so the ability to give it a quick boost is amazing. This treatment can easily make you not only look ten years younger, but like you’ve had enough sleep over the past decade too!
Watch What You Eat
It goes without saying that what you put in your body can have an effect on how it looks on the outside. Having an unhealthy diet, especially one that involves a lot of sugar, can cause premature aging. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have the odd treat, but a balanced diet can help achieve balanced skin.
Drinking plenty of water might seem like an overused piece of advice, but this advice is handed out for a reason. Staying hydrated can help you achieve glowing skill and reduce dullness and eye bags.
A good skin diet is the same as any other diet that keeps you healthy. Eat a variety of food groups and make sure you get plenty of fruit and veg. Don’t overthink things and look at implementing a new skincare routine at the same time as improving your diet to help maximise the effects of your efforts.
Working On Your Self-Esteem
When it comes to self-esteem, there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer. Everybody’s different and although we all know that realistically, changes in our appearance shouldn’t affect the way we feel about ourselves, it doesn’t stop us thinking that way.
For me, a big part of changing how I cared for myself and my skin seemed to improve the way I felt thanks to a wider self-care element. Once you make positive changes to the way you view and care for yourself, you’ll start to feel better about aging and the changes that brings.
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