As most of us know already, many of the visible signs of aging are caused by external factors that you can at least partially control.
These actions may be the easiest and least expensive things you can do to prevent damage to your skin, gain a more youthful appearance, and build a strong foundation for your pro-active natural skin care.
Please be aware that skin damage doesn’t always immediate visible change. It can often go unnoticed for some time. But the cumulative actions you begin taking today can also improve your skin slowly over time. So get started today doing these simple things:
- Avoid or minimize damage from hot water and chlorine. Chlorine causes oxidative damage. The hotter the water, the more potential for damage – because the rate of chemical reactions increases with temperature. Hot water may cause your skin to age faster. Adjust your water temperature to be a bit cooler, limit your showers to one per day, and decrease your soak time in the bath. There are also many water filters out there that specifically limit the amount of chlorine your body is exposed to during a shower.
- Use gentle and safe skin care products – organic whenever possible. Your skin absorbs it all. Don’t compromise your health and the health of your skin by using potential poisons.
- Be very sure to remove your makeup each evening. It’s a really bad idea to go to be before removing your makeup and all of the environmental grime you were exposed to on your face while you sleep.
- Sleep on your back. Gravity creates a downward drag on your skin all day. Sleep on your back to reduce gravitational pull on your face.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking causes free radical production, which is one cause of the signs of aging.
- If you will be in the sun for extended periods of time, use sunscreen with safe and effective ingredients, that use Titanium Dioxide (6.0%) & Zinc Oxide (6.0%).
- Limit exfoliation to two -three times per week and use a gentle exfoliator.Exfoliation refreshes your skin’s surfaces and brightens your appearance as it removes dead cells from the surface of your skin. But if you exfoliate too often or too aggressively, you risk damaging living cells.
- Apply your skin care products to warm skin in order to help your skin appear healthier. This maximizes absorption. If your skin is cold, use a warm towel to warm your skin.
- Never pull or rub your skin. Apply your skin care products gently, and lightly tap for a few moments to help your skin absorb them. Rubbing stretches your skin and can promote sagging and wrinkles. (Note: This principle includes leaning your face on your hand while sitting at a desk, which also stretches your skin.)
- Don’t expect overnight changes. Even if you start doing everything right today, don’t be discouraged with seeming lack of progress tomorrow.
It may take a month or even two to three months to notice changes. Plus, it’s quite possible that others will notice your increasingly youthful-looking face before you do.
Remember: it took years to get where you are today, so show patience when expecting changes and improvements.
Now that you’re taking these practical steps as well as choosing not to use dangerous and damaging products on your skin, let’s explore your skin care alternatives – organic food products from nature’s storehouse.