Get Your Skin Shining
Our skin protects us from the elements, but to keep skin smooth, supple, and beautiful, you must protect it in turn. Skin needs protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, from wind that saps its moisture, and from environmental pollutants to be at its beautiful and healthy best.
Thorough, but gentle cleansing is the first step to achieving beautiful skin. Breakouts can happen when dirt and bacteria mix with oil and form clogs in pores. Blackheads may look like dirt, but they’re actually oxidized sebum, an oily substance all skin produces naturally. The oxidized accumulation of sebum turns dark, giving the skin a dirty appearance. Keep skin clean with a cream or lotion cleanser. Bar soap also cleanses well, but can dry the thinner and more sensitive skin of the face. Products formulated for facial use are kinder to more delicate skin.
The outer layer of skin, the epidermis, continuously sheds old skin cells and replaces them with newer cells from deeper within your skin. These old cells can leave skin ashy or dull, but there’s a way to speed up the process and reveal the younger, healthier cells beneath. Exfoliation is the process of removing this outermost layer of dead cells; exfoliating skin gives it a youthful glow and a healthier appearance.
Some exfoliators are physical, using a gentle abrasive to slough off skin cells. Scrubs that have a gritty or sandy texture are physical exfoliators. Others work by chemical processes, weakening the bonds that hold old cells to younger ones and allowing dead cells to be washed off easily. alpha hydroxy acids and enzymes are effective chemical exfoliators and are popular ingredients in anti-aging skin care products.
Moisturizers that contain humectants, compounds that draw and hold moisture, replenish the skin’s natural hydration. Most moisturizers also contain some form of oil which forms a barrier on skin to prevent it from drying and chapping in arid or windy conditions. Moisturizers are crucial for maintaining skin’s youthful smoothness.
Skin also needs protection from the sun. Solar radiation causes permanent changes in skin pigmentation and texture, eventually leaving it creased and leathery. Sun damage can be more than just cosmetic; it’s also a leading cause of skin cancer, so choosing the right sunscreen is vital to your health and the integrity of your skin. Look for sunscreens containing broad-spectrum sun protection against both UVA and UVB rays and pick the highest SPF (sun protection factor) you can find. Look for products containing zinc oxide, an effective and non-irritating sunscreen. Even the best sunscreen won’t do its job if not applied regularly and generously, though, so wear sunscreen daily on all exposed skin.
No matter your age, taking steps to protect your skin will help keep it beautiful and healthy for a lifetime.
This was written by a leading dermatologist, who specialises in anti-aging treatments and skin care. Has recently reviewed and recommends the following product: academie acadayspa lift