Even though I’m a cosmetic chemist who formulates and sell skincare products for a living, I am not going to lie.
The first thing to delay signs of aging is working on lifestyle habits, i.e what you eat, drink, exercise, sunscreen (sun exposure is the main cause of aging), and sleep patterns.
As a general rule whatever is able to promote or accelerate the formation of free radicals is going to make you age. Smoking is the most prominent example of this along with excessive sun exposure.
Speaking about food, the first advice would be to reduce sugar and (refined) carbs intake.
I know, seems like a bummer, but hear me out.
Sugar has been proven to be responsible for the creation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) when it binds to proteins. AGEs are key players in skin aging.
Avoiding excessive sugar (including fructose from certain fruit!) will help you limit and slow down the glycation process which is physiological. On this note, I would recommend the book ”Gran Brain” by Dr. Perlmutter. If you read the book, you’ll learn how carbs make us age faster.
Another great habit you can develop, not just for your skin but for your whole body, is doing high intensity workouts.
The workout increases blood circulation putting your skin in a state where it is particularly receptive for treatments such as serums and moisturizers. This is mainly due to the fact that the effort and heat generated increases blood circulation and oxygen supply to the skin, which is clearly visible in reddening of the skin during exercise.
More oxygen and nutrients in the skin also mean improved cell growth, which is reflected in an increased renewal rate of the cells.
I love HIIT. You should try it. It doesn’t even require you to go the gym. I use an app called Freeletics or the Nike Training app. Both are great. After a nice sweat, you skin looks so much better.
Needless to say that what is high intensity for me might not be for you and vice versa. Just get sweaty and hot. It could also be an hour walking if that causes your heart to beat fast.
Skincare products are a nice complement to the above mentioned healthy habits.
Always remember that you don’t need to apply many different products or super complex skincare routines.
No comments:
Post a Comment