Skin Issues Through the Ages Alison Coldridge There’s no fighting ageing, but with careful consideration of your facial regime you will be able to trick your skin into thinking it is much younger. Growing older is an entirely natural process and however much we dread it, it is going to happen. However, what can cause anxiety is the rate at which the facial skin ages — in fact, many women are concerned that their skin is ageing faster than they are! There are plenty of ways to help yourself look younger, so even as your body and mind ages you can still look and feel visibly younger. It just takes a certain level of commitment and the right products to beat the most common complexion offenders. The market is ripe with anti-ageing products, which claim to “transform your skin” so that you instantly look younger — how many of them work is undeterminable, but taking a guess, probably not many! You need to know which products to use at what point in your life, and to do this you need to get to the root of it all and understand how facial skin evolves and changes as the years pass. The trick is to focus upon one decade at a time, as all skin ages in cycles. Each decade will bring a gradual change in your facial type, tone, plumpness and elasticity and so you need to adjust your skincare routine to fit whichever “agezone” you are in. Over time, collagen and elastin, the skin’s two main structural components will degrade and it is advisable to know how to help restore them both. Don’t fear ladies! Woman This Month is here to help you discover that there are many solutions to ageing gradually and naturally whilst still looking radiant and wrinkle-free. The 20s When you are in your 20s, your skin is youthful, dewy and glowing, but you have to face the flip side of the scale. At this point in your life, hormone levels peak from all of the angst and emotional turbulence experienced during your teens and a considerable increase in oil production will occur. This large amount of oil can lead to enlarged and blocked pores, resulting in the two breakouts that we despise — blackheads and acne. The primary resolution is to exfoliate. The process will loosen dead skin cells and break down clogged pores. You should also use a product that fights oil without entirely drying out the skin, leaving you with a shine-free complexion. Wellbeing The solution Clinique Oil-Control Cleansing Mask 44 | February 2012 | woman this month
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