Purely Personal Skin Care

Browsing through a Growing Bolder website, I gathered that the way to become a lively centenarian is just to have a growing bolder attitude.  I was really just surfing the internet looking for a new perspective on quality skin care for those growing older.  Maybe I found it. . .with Growing Bolder’s dictum: “It’s all a matter of attitude”.

You can study and read articles about  anti-wrinkle products and not get the real truth – nothing but the truth, so help me.  Neuropeptides (argineline) plus antioxidants are a powerful anti-wrinkle serum.  Read the label.  How often do we say that.  If you can find a product that contains 10% of neuropeptides and multiple anti-oxidants – they are highly effective in reducing crow’s feet, forehead lines, frown  and lip lines.  Neuropeptides enhance Botox.  Or they are an injection alternative (Botox parralizes the nerves) with green tea and Vitamin E – antioxidants that fight free radicals.

Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) increases and stimulates collagen production and restores elasticity (elastins) to the skin.

Add all of the above to Hyaluronic Acid, which holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water which then improves skin texture by boosting moisture level and you have a powerful anti-wrinkle product – you might even call it Wri-Lax – relax.  Relax the wrinkles, increase moisture in the skin and the finished product – peachy cream, soft, supple skin.

Senescence – the organic process of growing older.  Catabiosis – normal aging of cells.  We aim to fight both of those with our anti-aging skin care.  Most of us want to reduce or eliminate the changes that occur with time and age.  Of course good nutrition, exercise and care to protect against the environmental onslaught of the sun and pollution can definitely help.  We can also improve our appearance at any age by smiling.  In fact a smiling older woman is considered more attractive than a non-smiling younger woman.  Some other small changes, such as sleeping on your back rather than you stomach can make a difference.  When you sleep on your stomach, your face gets scrunched up by the pillow.  Speaking of sleep, there’s another way to combat our senescence.  No matter what skin care beauty routine you follow, if you are sleep deprived, your face will show it.  No anti-aging routine can fix the effects of lack of sleep.

Find a good anti-aging skin care kit to begin with.  We recommend dermatologist-formulated beauty products as they are more likely to be natural.  Whatever you do, keep a daily skin care routine, morning and night and in between if you’re out in the sun.  Faithfully cleanse with a natural cleanser and tepid, never hot, water.  Exfoliate – this can be done while cleansing if you use a cleanser with salicylic acid.  MOISTURIZE – it’s a must.  At night use a rich night cream.  Lastly, use your sun block regularly – hopefully one with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

My actions to the contrary, I am not opposed to anti-aging, anti-aging cream, anti-aging moisturizers or anti-aging skin care in general.  I just don’t buy the term “anti-aging“.  It’s a life process.  It’s how we get from the cradle to the grave.  As we age we get smarter and wiser, hopefully.  We learn a lot as we age.  What’s wrong with that?  I’m for exfoliating, I’m for anything that tends to tighten the skin.  I’m all for the facial mask, the moisture mask and tightening mask.  They all add grace to the aging process and fight the natural effects of aging.  We’re not against aging, we’re pro-aging, we just want to age with a smile on our face.

Skin and aging are hot topics, especially among women, at almost any age.  The best defense is a good offense.  Learn to read labels and educate yourself about the best, most effective ingredients available to hydrate, moisturize, exfoliate and nourish your skin.

There are sooooo many products available with an unlimited number of claims for success that it’s hard to know what to look for.  They key is in reading the label.   Look for natural ingredients, not ones with petroleum-based substances.  Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, Algae Peptides and Essential Oils are a few things to look for.  For anti-aging also look for Lipids, Retinols, Hyaluronic acid, Glycolic Acid, Colhibin, Elihibin and other ingredients that promote the production of collagen and elastin, hydrate and exfoliate to get rid of dead skin and provide a healthy glow to your skin.

You want natural products without a lot of fillers and chemicals that can actually damage your skin.  Skin and aging go together but there are ways to promote healthy looking skin and reduce the chances for fine lines and wrinkles.  Following a good daily routine with the best products – we recommend dermatologist-formulated products that are full of the above mentioned ingredients and high in active ingredients that are gentle on your skin.

Whether you are noticing pesky little wrinkles or you’re young and want to prevent aging skin, you will find it’s easy if you find the right anti-aging products.  Knowing what to avoid and what to look for in terms of formulations, is a huge help.  There are a plethora of products out there and so much conflicting information – it’s hard to decide what’s the best product for you.

Try to stay away from products that use synthetic ingredients.  They include mineral oil (which actually clogs your pores), alcohols (they dry the skin), dioxane and parabens.  The skin, like the body, reacts best to organic and natural ingredients.  Synthetic ingredients often cause irritation in the skin, which makes it difficult to fight wrinkles.

Look for products with ingredients that encourage the growth of collagen and elastin – the main proteins that make up the skin.  These proteins decline with age which is a major cause of fine lines and wrinkles.  Look for peptides and antioxidants to fight the free radicals that attack the molecules in the skin.  Free radicals come from smoking, pollution, sun damage and other environmental attacks.  Lastly, look for hyaluronic acid in the ingredients.  Our skin contains enzymes and toxins that slowly degrade hyaluronic acid.

Good luck – don’t forget to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and block the sun.

This is a continuation of our discussion about how vitamins taken in the form of supplements, food intake and topical forms can combine to improve the condition of your skin.  Some vitamins absorb better than others when in the food form.  New studies are constantly occurring studying the effects of vitamins in creams on our skin.

Vitamin B Complex:  The most important B vitamin in terms of skin is biotin, the nutrient that forms the basis of skin, nail and hair cells.  A deficiency could result in dermatitis (itchy, scaly skin reaction) or even hair loss.  It’s hard not to get enough biotin as it is in many foods such as bananas, eggs, oatmeal and rice.  On top of that, your body also makes some biotin on its own.

Recently more attention is being paid to application in creams and lotions containing B vitamins.  These topical applications can give the skin an almost instant healthy glow while moisturizing cells and increasing overall tone.   A B vitamin called Niacin in cream form helps skin retain moisture and can make your complexion look plumper and younger in a short period of time – less than a week.  Niacin is also soothing to the skin – it has anti-inflammatory properties.  Some forms of Vitamin B in topical form have been shown to dramatically work in an anti-aging moisturizing capacity.

Food, supplements and creams and lotions combine to keep our skin at its best.  We seem to become more aware of our skin as the aging process begins – that can actually start in the thirties.  Anti-aging then becomes a life-long journey.  Here’s a little more about vitamins that can be beneficial to your skin care and where to find them.

Vitamin A:  Vitamin A can be found in many fruits and vegetables. Those high in beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, appear to reduce the risk of psoriasis.  Foods high in Beta Carotene include carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, winter squash, collard greens, ciilantro and fresh thyme.  Maximize their effectiveness by eating them raw or lightly steamed.  You will know when your skin’s supply of Vitamin A drops as you will experience symptoms like a dry and flaky complexion.  The reason for that is Vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue – sort of a skin mechanic.

Topical Vitamin A is the form that makes a real difference in your skin.  Studies show a noticeable reduction in fine lines and wrinkles as well as good control of acne and some psoriasis relief.  Topically applied retinol (Vitamin A derivative) accompanied by Vitamin C has been shown to reverse skin alterations induced by chronologic aging and photoaging (sun damage).  That’s a fancy way to say that retinol creams show noticeable results in reduction of lines and wrinkles.

The prescription treatment for acne called Retin-A is derived from Vitamin A.  Retin-A is pretty potent and can result in peeling and redness.  It also makes the skin extremely vulnerable to sun burn.  The less potent, over-the-counter formulations are sold as retinols and used as anti-aging treaments.  They act as exfoliants.

So, apparently Vitamin A coupled with Vitamin C is a pretty potent combo to maintain and repair our skin.

In our last article we promised to introduce you to vitamins that are good for skin nutrition.  So here we go.  Vitamins C, E, A, K and B complex can all help improve skin health.  Here is how they contribute:

Vitamins C and E.  New dermatologic discoveries have uncovered the power of vitamins in countering the effects of sun exposure.  Vitamin C in the form of a cream or lotion can prevent the consequences of hours in the sun, which can lead to skin cancer.  Supplementing with natural vitamin E (about 400 mg per day) can reduce damage from the sun, wrinkles, and improve skin texture. Recent studies have found that people who take vitamins C and E for a period of time can reduce their sunburns from exposure to UVB radiation.  In addition, researchers have found a reduction of factors linked to DNA damage to the skin cells, which led them to conclude that antioxidant vitamins help protect against DNA damage.

Vitamins C and E help protect against free radicals, which are harmful byproducts of sun exposure, smoke and pollution.  Free radicals destroy collagen and elastin, the fibers that keep our skin full and flexible.  Thus, they cause wrinkles and other signs of aging.  When these two vitamins are together in a cream or lotion, they are a dynamic duo fighting against sun damage – and winning!  PLEASE, don’t take this to mean that as long as you swallow vitamins or slather on lotion that you can safely fry yourself in the sun.  There is no question that there is a link between sun tanning and skin cancer.  Always protect your skin with at least SPF 26 and try to stay out of the sun between 10 and 3.

Some foods to explore for ingesting vitamin C include citrus fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and leafy greens.  You can actually lose vitamins through the skin and these foods can help replace that loss.  You can also supplement with 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day of Vitamin C.  If you are using a cream make sure the Vitamin C is in the form of L-ascorbic acid so it is in the form that can penetrate the skin.

Vitamin E appears in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach and asparagus.  It’s harder to get Vitamin E from food than it is Vitamin C.  So, often people take a supplement.  Beware of taking too much Vitamin E, it can be harmful to your health.  Stick with no more than 400 mgs per day or less. Creams, lotions and/or serums containing Vitamin E can soothe dry, rough skin.

More Vitamin and Mineral information to come.

When choosing skin care products, it helps to know what ingredients to look for when anti-aging is your thrust.  The following elements are known to reduce wrinkles.  Dermatologist-formulated skin care products contain a higher concentration of these key ingredients than most over-the-counter skin care products.  This has to do with FDA regulations.

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).  AHAs may induce collagen production as well as wipe away the top layer of dead skin cells, thereby reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinoids (including Redtin A).  Retinols are Vitamin A derivitives and act as antioxidant and exfoliant agents.  The FDA has only approved tretinoin (Retin A) as a topical treatment for wrinkles.   The term cosmeceutical bridges the gap between a cosmetic and a pharmaceutical.  Retin A is a cosmeceutical and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  However, it can cause skin irritation and make the skin photosensitive.  Be sure to use an excellent sun screen containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which are both physical rather than chemical agents.  Chemical agents absorb ultraviolet rays while physical agents deflect UV rays from the skin’s surface.  The physical agents are gentler on the skin while they block more of the long-wavelength UV rays.

Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid:  Oral Vitamin C has long been thought of as an antioxidant.  However, more Vitamin C is absorbed when it is topical or concentrated ON the skin.  The verdict is still out on the effectiveness in wrinkle-reduction by topical Vitamin C but when combined with a good sun screen it can reduce the damage from the sun’s rays.  Vitamin C has a short shelf-life so buy it in small quantities and store in a cool place.

Glycolic Acid:  (Ammonium or sodium glycolate)  Here’s an exfoliating skin rejuvenator – a very popular anti-aging ingredient.

Hyaluronic Acid (sodium hyalurmate)  This chemical occurs naturally in the skin and also in some skin care products.  Instead of exfoliating, it plumps up the skin as an effective moisturizing ingredient.  Combine it with glycolic acid for a good combination for wrinkle reduction.

Neuropeptides:  Often referred to as topical Botox because they act on the sort of facial lines and furrows that usually are treatable with Botox Cosmetic injections.  For some people, neuropeptides can help lessen the appearance of dynamic lines.  Be sure the product you buy has a high concentration of neuropeptides in order to achieve results.  Theses ingredients can be very pricey.  Topical neuropeptides can be very effective for younger people – younger than 40 who want to take preventive measures against the formation of wrinkles.

These are but a few ingredients to look for when anti-aging is your goal.  Don’t forget a good moisturizer and always the best sun screen.  Here’s to your healthy, happy skin!