Our skin become suddenly important to us at this prime age. If we think the skin is our largest organ and has been exposed to so much, it’s quite normal to now suddenly realise the damage done, needs some damage repair.

But there is hope for skin can improve. The skincare industry is developing at a rapid rate and with the correct knowledge and guidance a lot can be achieved.

CLEANS, TONE and MOISTURISE is what you constantly hear, but it’s more than that. With the huge choice of products out there, who knows if what you are using is working for our skin.

Let’s take the simple steps in a daily routine with some facts to consider.

Cleansing. Why is it so important?

It removes make up & balances the ph. of the skin. So here are some facts that will encourage you to relook your cleansing routine:

By the age of 5o there is a slower production of oils, leaving typically a dry and more dehydrated skin. This in turn allows for more pollutants to infiltrate into the skin. When these particles work down into the skin, they destroy the DNA at cellular level so in turn we start producing weaker skin cells. Scary thought I would say.  

My tip is using a WOW Jude face cloth at first. They are designed to remove make up & all forms of pollutants prior to using a cleanser. This allows the active ingredients of the cleanser to work on clean skin and this preparing it for the next step.

As the skin ages and it is exposed to more elements, it’s natural way to protect itself, is to allow for a thicker layer of dead cells to form. Due to slower cell turnover, these dead cells don’t shed fast enough and start building an ugly thick layer.  This has an aging appearance of an uneven texture, discoloration and enlarged pore that tend to cake up. Therefore, exfoliation becomes more important in one’s later years and should be done daily, so to refine and encourage new cell turnover. A good cleanser should have an enzyme or salicylic acid in to gently remove the excess cells.

Toner. This could be debatable.

Some toners do a double cleanse, others balance the pH and then there are toners that remove excess oils. Fact is, that if your cleanser is a good one, no toner is needed. There are however toners that have added active ingredients that will start treating the skin after cleansing. Some have vitamin C for instance, Hyaluronic acid for hydration which instantly restores any moisture loss.

Moisturise is the final step. By 50 we need to feed the skin. The skin starts to function at a much slower rate. Less cell turnover as mentioned and by 50, 50 % less collagen production occurs in the skin. This means our “mattress” has less springs and foam, hence signs of sagging and loss of elasticity.

Here are just a few active ingredients to look out for in a moisturiser at the age of 50+. Peptides (Building blocks for collagen production), Retinol ( Vitamin A), Vitamin B3 , Vitamin C, Pyruvic acid.

Nicky Broghammer

Estheticienne

nicky.broghammer@outlook.com