Time waits for no one. The brutal veracity of this adage is visible on skin. While aging is inevitable, reducing the impact of age on your skin health is certainly achievable! As you add decades to your life, skin transforms on a cellular level leading to everything you really don’t like about the aging process – fine lines, wrinkles, splotchy, dull skin and dark spots. More is being understood about how this happens and what can be done to minimize the impact.

There are two (2) types of aging – extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic aging (also referred to as Photoaging) refers to environmental factors that cause skin to age, primarily UV. Intrinsic is everything related to how skin ages on a cellular level with time. Genes play a huge role in how your cells age also.

Multiple studies conducted by Harvard Medical school in genomics and skin, indicate that further to genetic predispositions, changes occur in skin with every decade. The study also concludes that skincare needs to change with each decade. So what happens each decade and what can you do to help your skin minimize the effects to have healthy skin at any age?

1. In your 20s, skin’s antioxidant levels drop a little leading to skin inflammation and lowered ability to fight environmental stress. However, your skin is exfoliating and turning over skin cells regularly. Using moisturizers with anti-oxidants is probably all you need, like a light hydrating antioxidant oil or lotion with ingredients like Squalane, vitamin A, B or E
2. In your 30s, bioenergy of skin cells is reduced. This means that the batteries that power your skin cells are slowing down and not oxygenating your skin as they used to. This leads to fine lines/ wrinkles because collagen production is impacted. What you need is more collagen producing ingredients like some vitamin C esters that trigger collagen production in combination with vitamin E. Adding specialty serums and lotions with vitamin C and E can help re-energize your skin. At this point, lifestyle changes can also help. Exercising regularly is a proven form of oxygenating your blood and increasing the availability of oxygen to skin cells
3. In your 40s, skin cells further struggle to power through leading to more defined wrinkles and loss of collagen or elastin. Serums containing powerful nutrients like concentrated vitamin C, Coenzyme Q10 are essential to skincare. Moreover, skin turnover is also reduced so skin isn’t shedding older cells as effectively as it used to in your 20s. Even mild or botanical forms of Retinol are great additions to skin as they help slough away dead, older skin cells to reveal younger skin beneath. Exercise and strength training become essential now to keep blood flowing and helping your body eliminate toxins regularly
4. In your 50s, skin barrier function starts to be compromised. This means that skin isn’t holding moisture in as well as it used to. The condition is known as Trans Epidermal Moisture Loss (TEWL). On top of vitamins A, C and possibly Retinol, adding Hyaluronic Acid to your skincare recommended at this point. Hyaluronic Acid pulls moisture to your skin and locks it in. Serums have to be essential and used in conjunction with moisturizers. Physical activity and sleep are also very important to keep your body eliminating toxins while increasing blood flow to outer regions and skin. A healthy diet with protein and vitamins can also help your skin stay healthy
5. In your 60s and up, cellular bioenergy is dissipating quickly and your skin barrier function seems to reduce at a much higher rate. Serums with vitamin C and E as well as Retinol (botanical or mild) products bring you big benefits. Hyaluronic Acid is again a must have with Effective Fatty Acids (EFA) like Omega 3 and 6 found in many fruit and nut oils (like Almond, Avocado, Raspberry, Strawberry etc) further enhance your skincare to condition skin, smooth lines and restore skin’s lipid barrier. A healthy diet, exercise, sleep and stress reducing activities are a must.

Ultimately, skin health isn’t about eliminating wrinkles but doing what you can when you can to help your skin stay its healthiest. Lack of wrinkles doesn’t necessarily mean great skin health. A good, healthy colour, minimal spots and a smooth complexion are also indicators of great skin health. Being informed, and learning about what you can do for your skin at any age is more important than trying out various skincare products from the overload of ads and marketing out there.