….I like to call them the "vintage" years as vintage means high quality or the best of it's kind. Treasure these years as you reach your 60s and beyond as your outlook on life changes and you embrace life and your true self. With insights and experience to hand, you can focus on the things that make you content and happy.
Your skin though maybe slightly less excited about the new decade! Typically, it starts to get dryer and thinner, with a paperier texture and fragile quality, with these changes becoming more significant as each day passes. Another response you notice is how easily it becomes irritated turning red and blotchy for no reason at all and when you run your fingers over it, it has a roughness that was not there before! Then to top it off, while you ponder over the best skin care products for your experienced skin you notice more sagging, uneven skin tone and deeper lines.
Now we know age is partly to blame, but it is not the only villain in this story – the sun is too. “Exposure to sunlight is one of the major causes for ageing skin,” says Alicia Hawthorne, Eminence Organics Product Support Representative. “It may not have been visible in the earlier years but will show up later in life. It breaks down the elastin fibres causing skin to sag, stretch and lose its ability to bounce back.”
Unable to undo the damage that’s been done, you need to look at how to protect your skin to stop this prevalent ageing. It is vital to wear sunscreen – SPF 30 or higher – every single day! Additional advice can often be overlooked but are also key to protecting your more delicate skin. Always use a high-quality skin care product designed for ageing skin: make sure your moisturiser is the best you can find. Drink lots of water, exercise and get lots of sleep. The French actress Catherine Deneuve famously said some years ago that there comes a time when women have to choose between their figures and their face… a slimmer figure may portray an older complexion! This is because as we age the fat under the skin of our cheeks, temples, chin, nose, and eye area lessens, diminishing that natural plumping and smoothing effect of youth. Extra pounds can keep our faces looking younger…. some food for thought.
Let’s look at the perfect skin care routine for these later decades. Be kinder to your skin, gently patting it after cleansing, using soft velvety cloths to care for the more delicate layers... Think Pampering! Invest in the best skin care products you can find for your age, your skin will thank you for it – below are some tips on what to look for and how to care for your skin.
Cleanse
Do not to wash your face too often! You have precious and essential fatty acids on your skin that you need to protect. Cleansing too often washes them away especially with hot rather than lukewarm water, compromising the skin’s moisture barrier. Make sure you cleanse with a rich oil cleanser to protect these fatty acids to leave your skin hydrated and dewy.
Tone
Toning is an essential not only to complete the cleansing process but also to further reduce the signs of ageing. Using a gentle tightening and hydrating toner will help to reduce sagging skin and help plump lines. Eminence Toniques and Mists do not contain alcohol, an astringent ingredient that can dry out your skin.
Exfoliate
Be gentle but do exfoliate! Regular exfoliation will remove the build-up of dead skin allowing for better absorption of your moisturiser. This dead skin soaks up your moisturiser before it gets a chance to absorb into the living layers where it is needed. Use a mild chemical peel with lactic and glycolic acids to reveal smoother textured skin and reduce the visible signs of ageing.
Mask
Masks are the “fixers” in your routine. Highly concentrated ingredients make masks the secret weapon to improving the appearance and health of your skin. You should use a mask 2-3 times per week to help combat the ageing effects on your skin. Using natural and botanical ingredients a treatment masque such as Eminence’s Snow Mushroom & Reishi Masque reduces puffiness, contouring and tightening the skin for a youthful look at any age!
Treat
Another vital step to fix and improve your skin are serums, lightweight and luxurious these products absorb deeply for maximum benefits. Pro youth ingredients such as; Peptides and Collagen can diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve the look of your skin’s elasticity. You will find both of these key ingredients in Eminence’s Marine Flower Peptide Serum.
Moisturise
The one thing you should do every day without fail is moisturise…. A lot! The best time to moisturise is right after you shower or bath as your skin is more receptive and will help restore the skin’s moisture barrier. Some of the best face creams for “vintage” skin will contain shea butter, a fantastically rich emollient ingredient, and if the moisturiser includes SPF as well it will help to prevent further damage from the sun.
Night Cream
Trans-epidermal water loss occurs when the natural water levels in our skin evaporates away. At night time trans-epidermal water loss doubles, protect your skin from dehydration by moisturising before bed and lock those anti-ageing ingredients into the skin while the body is recharging. The best face creams for over 60’s contain a natural hydroquinone alternative targeting age spots and hyperpigmentation, while natural ingredients like stone crop and licorice root brighten the appearance of the skin.
Eye Care
The eye area is very delicate with a thinner more fragile skin. Ageing around the eye area can be more prevalent so make sure you take extra special care and use a rich eye cream that relieves the appearance of dry skin.
Cherish your skin in your vintage years. Taking time and care with it now will not bring back your youth, but something even better – beauty and grace. Learn more from an Eminence Organics spa partner, and find out about the availability of consultations, product recommendations and in-spa treatments.
Note: The original post was published in May 2020 by Eminence Organic Skincare, it has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.