Skincare for women over 40 is traditionally referred to as “anti-aging,” but if you’re a woman in your forties and beyond, it’s much more than that—it’s about maintaining your natural beauty and keeping your skin happy and healthy for the rest of your life.
Even though aging is inevitable, you can easily learn how to preserve your elemental beauty by slowing down the aging process with natural tools and tips.
Thanks to genetics, every woman ages uniquely in her own way. There are, however, common ways that our skin ages as we get older. For example, once you reach a certain age, it’s often common to notice your skin becoming saggy, dry, and fragile. This happens due to the rate of new cells being produced by your skin beginning to slow down as your fatty tissues diminish. Thus, your face will start to feel thinner and less youthful. You may also start to notice fine lines, frequently around areas such as your mouth and eyes (hopefully from a lifetime of happiness and laughter).
Unlike your skin throughout your twenties and even your thirties, your skin in your forties requires extra special attention and care as its collagen and elastin grow weaker. Also as you get older, your lymphatic system, how your body gets rid of toxins, slows down. You produce less oil from your skin (called sebum), which can attribute to the dryness you’re experiencing. Then, as you get into your fifties you’ll be presented with changes in your hormones largely due to (the sometimes dreaded) menopause. During menopause, estrogen production decreases sebum production even more and may change where you start sprouting hairs—this is due to an imbalance of estrogen and testosterone during this time in your life.
The aging process that you will experience (or are already going through) can sound scary, but you shouldn’t have reason to panic! Scientific developments in skincare products—for both your body and face—have advanced in remarkable ways. With natural and innovative ingredients, it is possible for your skin to have a more natural aging process, putting the brakes on time and letting your inner beauty shine.
It is important to note, however, that not every product and every ingredient is created equal. The amount of products on the market can be overwhelming to even the savviest consumers. “Most skincare products have long lists of ingredients with unpronounceable names. More and more, I am reading blogs and books to gain information and help to learn which products will do good and not harm to my skin…” said a woman 55+ in a Mintel study about anti-aging skincare. If you’ve ever felt this way about shopping for skincare products you’re not alone!
As science progresses, beauty brands are starting to realize the value of creating products and are coming out with everyday. But with all these choices, what is a lady to do?
Age is Truly Just a Number: Skin Tips You Can Use!
Here are some tips for keeping your skin as youthful as possible:
- The first step in your skincare routine is to start with your cleanser. Look for a gentle cleanser that will remove dirt and makeup, but won’t strip away precious natural oils. Ingredients like aloe and chamomile are natural extracts that help skin retain its natural moisture.
- Instead of using harsh scrubs that can irritate fragile, sensitive skin, try a battery-powered cleansing brush, which removes more dirt from your pores than manual cleansing while also staying gentle on the skin. If necessary, you can use a scrub if you want to rid your body of dead skin cells—the skin on your legs, torso, and arms are much less sensitive than the skin on your face. Use a body scrub or polish product like AHAVA’s Smoothing Body Exfoliator—it uses natural, Dead Sea minerals to promote smooth skin. A Dead Sea scrub could be just the ‘rub’ your skin needs to stimulate cell renewal and to start fresh.
- After giving your skin a clean slate, use a serum (or moisturizing eye cream) for under your eyes and on your face. Look for a product with antioxidants, since they are essential to neutralizing free radicals (molecules from the sun and pollution that damage and age skin). Vitamins E should also be part of any moisturizer you use (serum or cream), because it is a proven antioxidant to combat aging skin. Even if you’re running late, don’t forget to moisturize your body as well, since no area is spared from signs of aging.
Ultimately, the key to slowing down the skin’s aging process and preserving supple, glowing skin is to establish a regular routine, using products that promote hydration and preserve the elasticity of your skin. There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy your skin (and be comfortable in it) after the age of 40—It’s all about knowing what suits your skin and finding the best tools to keep you radiant inside and out!
Have any tips or questions about natural beauty after 40?