Our 5 Hacks For Agelessly Radiant Skin

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We want women to feel happy and confident in their skin at all ages, and we also know that beauty, radiance and health are possible at every stage of life. 

A few lines and wrinkles are naturally going to appear as we age, which is to be expected and ultimately embraced, but there is so much we can do to ensure that our skin looks healthy, glowing and beautiful no matter what our age so that we can look and feel our best.

Here are our 5 beauty & lifestyle hacks for radiant, healthy skin through the decades;

1. Eat An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Our skin is our largest organ and reflects the state of our internal health. One of the best ways to avoid prematurely-aging, sensitive or excessively-aging skin is to eat an anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in healthy fats, collagen, protein and antioxidants - all the building blocks that our skin needs to thrive. 

The truth is that what we eat becomes us. If we eat poor quality, highly processed and inflammatory food, then we are going to have poor quality cellular health and function. The skin will then reflect internal levels of inflammation, poor gut health, food sensitivities etc. This could lead to excessive or premature wrinkling, acne, loss of elasticity, lack of firmness and dull, tired looking skin, which is often referred to as inflamm-aging. Basically, to look young on the outside we first have to start on our internal health. 

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in different coloured vegetables, berries, quality protein, collagen, healthy-fats, herbs and spices, will do wonders for your skin and energy levels at all ages, helping to repair and rejuvenate all you cells including your skin cells. If you are particularly concerned about skin aging, avoiding inflammatory oils, sugar, high starch foods and alcohol will all be of particular benefit to your skin health, and will also help to protect you from other age-related issues - from Alzheimer's to diabetes. There is no one-size-fits-all diet that will suit everybody, and nutritionally you will need to find what works best for your individual needs, but ensuring that you are eating a natural, whole food diet (buying organic whenever possible) with good quality, wild-caught or grass-fed protein is a great place to start*. 

2. Hot & Cold Therapies

Hot and cold therapies can also be very beneficial to the skin, helping to improve circulation and blood flow, as well as our mitochondrial health. Your skin will look and feel healthier, tighter and more glowy when you take the time to sweat and excrete toxins, and anything that has build up on your skin over time. You can do this through infrared saunas, or even taking regular warm to hot baths with Epsom salts. It will help you detox for better skin health as well as overall health benefits. 

Cold therapy then helps to reset your autonomic nervous system and increase lymphatic flow to revive your skin and make it look more radiant. It's an anti-inflammatory treatment that will help to lower stress and cortisol, as well as activating and encouraging healthy brown fat that will improve your metabolic health. 

We love to use the HigherDose Sauna Blanket at home and then follow with a cold shower to get all the benefits of hot and cold therapies, boosting our skin health, mood and general wellbeing in the process. Sea swimming has also had a resurgence in popularity too over the past few years and is an excellent, free and often social way to experience all the benefits of cold therapy. 

3. Stress Management

Another factor seriously impacting our skin health is stress. We all feel the stresses of modern life, to varying degrees and at varying times. Having strategies in place to reduce and manage stress levels is key to preserving your skin and overall health. If stress is not managed well, a period of intense or prolonged stress can age you very rapidly, leaving you looking and feeling older than you are. 

Again, hot and cold therapies can help you lower your cortisol levels and boost your mood, while also resetting your autonomic nervous system. Exercise and movement of your body, whether it's a brisk walk, yoga or dancing can do the same, discharging the stress in your body. 

It's our response to stressors that will determine the extent to which stress will affect us so regularly ensuring we get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, have some sort of meditative or relaxation practice will leave us better ready to cope with stressors when they arise. Becoming aware of which toxic people, foods, activities and products stress our mind and body will help us to avoid those things so we can further alleviate stress and reduce its negative impacts on our skin and overall health.

4. Hydration

Drinking plenty of pure water each day will help to keep skin feeling plumped and hydrated, and can help you avoid dry, dull skin, flaking lips etc. If you are using a water filter (which we recommend that everyone does!), it's good to ensure that it re-mineralises the water after filtration, or you can add a pinch of salt or some non-sweetened electrolytes to ensure that your cells are being properly hydrated by the water that you are drinking. Each person's hydration requirements are going to be different, and vary by how active their day is. It's a good idea to work out your individual water requirements to ensure that you aren't under or over hydrating, and to think about meeting your electrolyte and mineral needs for the best possible hydration.

Whenever you can it's best to avoid drinking water from plastic bottles and instead use a stainless steel or glass bottles. 

We also love herbal teas, bone broth and water-rich vegetables and fruits to boost our hydration. Adding lemons, fruit, cucumber and herbs to water can also make hydrating a bit more fun. 

5. A Nourishing Skin Care Routine

Having a nourishing, antioxidant-rich skincare routine will also help to support and protect your skin as you age. A loving self-care routine also aids daily relaxation and helps us to feel confident and grounded. Our physical skincare routine should always be combined with the above diet and lifestyle hacks to ensure that we are always working on skin health from the inside out. 

For anti-aging skincare we look for high-quality, natural ingredients - as skincare is absorbed into the body via the skin - and always seek to avoid the potentially harmful additives found in many traditional, department store products. 

For aging skin we seek out ingredients that have been found to specifically plump and nourish the skin, such as; 

• Hyaluronic Acid - to hydrate, plump, firm and smooth the skin
• Vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant that protects from free-radical damage while boosting glow
• Mineral SPFs - to protect against premature aging and sun damage
• Retinol - to restore radiance, boost collagen production, support cellular renewal, diminish the appearance of dark spots, and smooth lines/ wrinkles
• Collagen - to provide structure and firmness to the skin
• Antioxidants - to protect against free-radical cellular damage and support cellular repair
• Essential Fatty Acids - to build healthy cells and ensure hydration and plumpness
• Peptides - to improve skin firmness and appearance

With this in mind we have recently put together our collection of skincare for aging skin, with our favourite clean, natural and organic skincare to support natural collagen, elasticity, firmness and radiance. With beautiful skincare picks from ethical and naturally-minded brands such as Agent Nateur, Juice Beauty, The Organic Pharmacy, Olio E Osso, Evolve, Antipodes and Nunaia. 

We also have a carefully curated selection of adaptogens and supplements that are are ideal to support skin, hair and nail health, as well as overall nutrition. 

And we really can't say enough good things about the amazing HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blankets that can be an invaluable at-home tool for boosting skin health, detoxification and relaxation. 

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Our last word on looking after yourself as you age; while some signs of aging are inevitable over the decades (and best accepted with grace and a sense of humour), looking after your body, mind and spirit in a holistic manner will ensure that you feel energised, radiant and confident at any age.

SHOP POSITIVE AGING SKINCARE | SHOP SUPPLEMENTS | SHOP SAUNA BLANKETS

 

Written by Dawn Mayne

Dawn is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, budding herbalist, mama of two, and owner of The Clean Beauty Edit. The contents of this blog post are for information purposes only and are not given as professional health or medical advice.

*We always recommend consulting with your own qualified practitioner before starting on any new exercise, health routine or diet if you have any questions or health concerns, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.