Yep, what can I say, I am 70's baby and I was born to be in the sun. Sunscreen? Heck, we used baby oil, Sun In, and tin foil mats! The last thing on my mind was the effects of all of this on my skin 20 years from now, all I cared about was how dark could I get and how blonde my hair was!
30 years later, I have a very different story to tell. By following a few simple daily routines and taking care of my skin from the inside out I have been lucky enough to reverse most of the damage I caused back then. Now at 48, I love the skin I am in, (I will share what I do every day shortly) but it wasn't always that way. Years of sun seeking definitely started a battle with dark spots and wrinkles. Top it off with a full blown case of adult hormonal acne, resulting in a hot mess of scarring that nothing would take away, and the thickest cover-up wouldn't cover. - A recipe for some pretty low self esteem and a somedays a bucket full of tears.
Now this is what I do everyday to keep my skin looking younger and literally glowing.
#1 Hydrate!
Guzzle your water ladies! I have water with me everywhere I go, at my desk, in my car, and in my bag. Besides water being vital to helping your organs function properly and help to flush out toxins out of your body. It also helps with wrinkles, fine lines, and give you a healthy glow by keeping your skin (the largest organ) hydrated.
#2 I unprocessed my diet!
This should have maybe been number one in importance for multiple reasons, so please know if you can only change one thing - make it this one. What you put into your body reflects on the outside too! I eat primarily unprocessed foods. Simply put that means foods that once grew, had life or are in their most natural state.
Things like lean protein, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats like nuts, seeds and avocado. Stay away from heavily processed foods, high sodium snacks, and steer clear of artificial sweeteners which create havoc with your hormones and your skin.
#3 Skin care routine, products, & tools.
* Micro-needle Derma Roller. You can grab one of these at most drug stores or beauty section of the big box stores like Winners or Marshalls. A Micro - needle roller helps signal your body to produce for collagen and elastin. It reduces fine lines and wrinkles by helping to smooth and resurface your skin, and increases the absorption of oils, serums, and moisturizers.
* Cleanse and moisturize. These are the skincare products I use. Inside Out Collection - Modere.
This is the only skincare line I am aware of that contains a cosmetic grade collagen that has been proven to penetrate the skins barrier. It also has a liquid collagen (taken orally) with a 95% absorption rate and is proven to help maintain healthy skin and help reduce the number of deep wrinkles caused by aging. (This line has multiple patents and is approved by Health Canada!)
#4 A hat and sunscreen always!
It's funny how the older I get the bigger that hats gets! I still love the sun,
I just don't spend time in in it unprotected. I look for a hat that covers as much of my face as possible. When it comes to sunscreen, I am a bit fussy. Firstly, I hate anything super greasy going on my skin. As an acne survivor the last thing I want it a break out! Secondly, I know that what we put on on skin is absorbed by our bodies, and there are things in lots of sunscreens that can disrupt our hormones. I say we already have enough of a battle there! Look for a mineral based sunscreen or make your own.
#5 Sleep!
Our bodies boost blood flow to our skin while we sleep, which means if you get adequate sleep you will wake up looking refreshed and have a healthy glow. You likely already know that a night where you have skimped on sleep you wake up looking drab and lifeless. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Watch this space for more to come on how to get a better nights sleep.
#6 Don't forget your lips!
Although your lips don't get wrinkles per say, they do show signs of aging and they can help you have a younger more vibrant appearance. I use a collagen lip plumper and exfoliate my lips often. You can find the lip plumper here, it has great results that doesn't require any dang needles and I dare say a whole lot less money than injections!
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