Signs of the time
Getting older is inevitable (and, let's
face it, far superior to the alternative). Sure, with age comes
wisdom, but it also brings the less desirable physical signs of the
time. The good news: You don't necessarily have to look your age if
you don't want to. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough rest,
staying hydrated, and covering up from sun exposure will help stave
off the effects of aging. And a full arsenal of natural skin care
products can keep you looking younger longer. Here's how to
outsmart these trouble spots.
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Crow's-feet
The sign: "The skin around your eyes is thinner
and more delicate than the skin around the rest of your face,"
explains beauty expert Rachel Weingarten, author of Hello
Gorgeous! (Collector's Press, 2006). As you age, the eye area
thins even more, making crow's-feet and dark, undereye circles more
prominent.
Natural solution: Try a gentle cream designed specifically for eyes, such as Juice Beauty Smoothing Eye Concentrate. Made with organic grape and carrot juices, the lotion is stocked with essential fatty acids and vitamins B5 and K. Smooth it around your eyes—even on your eyelids and between your eyebrows—to minimize not just wrinkles but also pesky undereye circles and bags.
Laugh
lines
The sign: "Unstable molecules called free radicals
cause a lot of damage, both inside and outside," says Kaayla T.
Daniel, PhD, a specialist in anti-aging therapies. Enter
antioxidants, which scavenge the body's free radicals and minimize
the harm—including those lines around your mouth. According
to a Duke University study, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E
counteract free radicals even when applied topically.
Natural solution: Use an antioxidant serum, such as Kiss My Face C the Change Ester C Serum. The light, lemon-scented cream gets its antioxidant power from organic herbs (horsetail, echinacea, lemongrass, and yarrow) and Ester C, a more potent, absorbable form of vitamin C.
Age
spots
The sign: Dark patches—often called liver
spots—are areas of hyperpigmentation that form on your hands
and face after years of exposure to the sun's UV rays. Treating
affected areas with certain botanicals can lighten spots naturally,
making them less noticeable.
Natural solution: Apply a spot-fading cream, such as TheraNeem Botanical Fading Cream. After a few months, you should see the lightening effect of the cream's herbs, including extracts of mallow, peppermint, cowslip primrose, lady's mantle, speedwell, lemon balm, and yarrow.
Dryness
The sign: Dry, flaky skin is common with aging,
particularly among those who eat poor-quality fats or are on
low-fat diets. Keep the problem at bay by religiously applying
moisturizer that contains natural, oil-derived fatty acids.
Natural solution: Use a daily moisturizer, such as Jason Ester-C Lotion, which includes fatty acids from sunflower seed oil and aloe vera for soothing effects. Light enough to apply in the morning and wear as a base under makeup.
Sallow
tone
The sign: Keeping fresh skin cells on the surface
helps promote youthful glow, but the older you get, the slower your
cell turnover becomes. "When you're 18, it only takes a few weeks
for younger, fresher cells to come to the surface of your skin,"
says Weingarten. "When you're 38, it takes a lot longer." Older
skin cells make for a dull look, but a natural scrub speeds
turnover by sloughing off top layers and encouraging cell
regeneration.
Natural solution: Try a skin scrub, such as Earth Therapeutics Green Tea Cellular Renewal Micro-Exfoliation Cream. Natural exfoliants slough off dead cells without irritation. Green tea, an antioxidant, also provides some UV protection.
Sagging
skin
The sign: Collagen, the major structural component
of skin, deteriorates as you age, leaving skin less elastic. In a
recent German study, researchers found that applying coenzyme
Q10—a natural antioxidant in your body's
cells—significantly reduced the appearance of wrinkles.
Natural solution: Use a firming lotion, such as Avalon Organics CoQ10 Ultimate Firming Body Lotion. The Co-Q10 helps boost your body's depleted antioxidant supply, and lavender and arnica act as anti-inflammatories.
A furrowed
brow
The sign: "Hyaluronic acid is a component of the
human body that helps you attract moisture to your skin and keep it
in," says Weingarten. Although hyaluronic acid is used as a
collagen filler in cosmetic procedures, a paraben-free nighttime
cream with hyaluronic acid will similarly restore collagen and
smooth your skin.
Natural solution: Try a hyaluronic acid cream, such as Derma E Hyaluronic Acid Night Crème Intensive Rehydrating Formula. Applying a powerful treatment cream at night allows it time to penetrate and hydrate deep wrinkles. Vitamins A and E also work on fine lines.
Rough
skin
The sign: Because of collagen breakdown and
environmental damage, the texture of your skin changes over time.
But applying a botanical toner refreshes and invigorates your face,
reducing the size of your pores and helping your skin look soft and
smooth. Bonus: An alcohol-free toner also helps prep your skin to
better absorb the creams and moisturizers you apply afterward.
Natural solution: Apply an anti-aging toner, such as Nature's Gate Tone Back the Clock Alcohol-Free Soothing Toner. Rosemary acts as a potent free radical scavenger, while aloe vera soothes.
Freelance writer
Melody Warnick is a frequent contributor to Delicious
Living.
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