Aging skincare should be of the gentlest approach. When rating skincare products, I give low scores to those that contain abrasives and irritants. This is because older skin is more easily damaged.
How to Repair Damaged Skin
The idea of using chemical peels, exfoliation and other irritants is simply illogical. You want to repair damage, not cause more. Here's a brief look at how you can do that.
Antioxidants
Oxidation makes us look older and deteriorates our body's organs. We could live longer and look better if we could prevent oxidation.
We can't prevent it entirely. If we could, we could live forever and our appearances would never change. But, we can slow the process down with antioxidants.
Anti aging skincare creams should be rich in antioxidants. Look for natural vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, enzymes found in honey, elements in grape seed oil, fruit extracts and other botanicals, when you are comparing and rating skincare products.
Protein Complexes
Proteins are the building blocks for new skin cells. Skin cell production normally slows down with age. A protein called keratin, manufactured through a patented process that allows it to remain active, has been shown in clinical studies to increase the presence of new skin cells by 160% in only three days.
When I'm rating skincare products, I always give high scores to those that contain "Functional Keratin". Of course, there aren't many of them on the market. Sometimes, it's tough to find effective aging skincare products, but it's worth the effort.
Kelp
What can kelp extracts do to beautify and protect your skin's appearance? A specific type, called wakame, has been shown to prevent the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the skin. That amino acid is responsible for the skin's strength. Without it, faces begin to sag.
When rating skincare products, I always look for those that contain wakame kelp extract. While I've found many anti aging skincare creams that contain seaweed extract, most companies don't list the type of seaweed used. If you want the best, look for wakame.
More Antioxidants
You really cannot have too many antioxidants. Older cells contain more free radicals, which contribute to oxidative stress. They also contain fewer antioxidants. So, free radicals are more likely to do damage.
One of the interesting things about Functional Keratin is that it's also an antioxidant, a very unique one, at that. Normally, it takes one antioxidant-molecule to counter one free radical molecule, but a molecule of Functional Keratin can counter millions of them. There's simply nothing else like it
.Avoid Artificial Preservatives and Added Fragrances
This is always good advice, but it becomes even more important as we get older. Artificial preservatives and fragrances account for the majority of adverse and allergic reactions. People's tolerance for these allergens deteriorates with age.
High rating skincare products are free of artificial preservatives and added fragrances.Use a dab of perfume, but choose unscented lotions and creams. Artificial preservatives are unnecessary, as long as anti aging skincare cream is antioxidant-rich. Natural vitamin E and grape seed oil protect the other ingredients, as well as your face. -Margaret Bell
