If one thing is inevitable, it is that we are getting older every day. Just like our bodies, our skin ages little by little. No one can fight this natural process, but we can preserve our skin by taking care of it. Find out how this mechanism works and how to protect your skin from the signs of aging.
Skin ageing, what is it?
Skin ageing is a natural and complex process that is the result of everyone’s genetics. However, some external factors related to our environment and lifestyle such as pollution, sunlight, tobacco, alcohol and exposure to chemicals can accelerate the ageing of our skin.
Over the years the skin becomes thinner, loses elasticity and radiance and becomes drier. This is due to a decrease in the activity of the sebaceous glands that keep our skin hydrated. But also to the slowing down of cell renewal, to the decrease in collagen which supports the skin and its elasticity. Fine lines and wrinkles appear and brown spots can develop.
The steps of skin ageing
The ageing process begins in the late twenties and early thirties with small wrinkles at the corners of the eyes and/or on the forehead.
Around the age of 40, the skin loses its elasticity and firmness. Indeed, the production of collagen, the skin’s support protein, gradually decreases, causing the appearance of deeper, more pronounced expression wrinkles, particularly on the forehead, eye contour and lips.
From 50 years old, skin ageing accelerates naturally, especially in women during the onset of menopause. Cells renew themselves less quickly and the skin becomes thinner, collagen decreases sharply. The skin loses its firmness and sags, a sagging of the skin is visible, particularly on the eyelids and the oval of the face. Wrinkles deepen further and the appearance of pigmentation spots becomes more pronounced.
After the age of 60, the signs of ageing become more pronounced, the skin becomes thinner and thinner, more fragile and drier and the complexion becomes dull.
Our advice to fight against the effects of age
Even though the ageing of our skin is a natural mechanism, we can nevertheless prevent it from appearing prematurely.
Indeed, skin ageing is largely due to many external factors.
Cleansing your skin
Free radicals are the main enemies of our skin: pollution, chemical products…, our skin is confronted with them daily. Therefore, it is essential to get rid of them every evening by removing make-up and cleansing your skin meticulously. Choose a gentle product like our Micellar Water which removes make-up and cleanses your skin without damaging it. The result? Your skin is clean and free of all the impurities accumulated throughout the day.
Moisturize
Wind, cold, heat, heating, air conditioning… Many environmental factors dry and dehydrate our skin daily. It is therefore important for our skin to be properly moisturised. Our Shea Anti-Aging Day Lotion and Shea Anti-Aging Day Cream will moisturise and plump your skin day after day.
Also remember to apply an evening treatment after cleansing your skin thoroughly, such as our Shea Anti-Aging Night Cream to provide the moisture your skin needs and supplement the effects of the day’s treatment.
Discover our entire Anti-Aging range here.
Protect
UV rays are the main cause of premature ageing of our skin. We cannot say it often enough, but we need to protect our skin as soon as we go out, summer or winter, on sunny or cloudy days. To best protect your skin, choose a sunscreen with SPF 50.
Food
To fight against the appearance of wrinkles, it is important to pay attention to your diet. Favour foods rich in vitamins, antioxidants and omegas-3.
Spinach, tomatoes and beets contain antioxidants that are highly effective against cell ageing. Omega-3 is found mainly in salmon, sardines and mackerel. It is also present in large quantities in rapeseed oil and walnut oil.
Opt for Vitamins A and C as well.
Vitamin A helps protect our skin from UV rays. It is present in butter, eggs and carrots.
Vitamin C helps our body to produce collagen, a protein that is essential for the maintenance of our skin. It also plays a role in our immune system. It is found in grapefruit, oranges, lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli…
For some time now, brown spots have appeared on your skin? To find out how to remedy them, click here.
