We all want to have glowing skin forever. Why does it become more difficult after 40?
In a word: hormones.
The level of estrogen, responsible for the radiance of the complexion, decreases over time which results in wrinkles and a lack of firmness. We begin to lose collagen at the age of 20, but it deteriorates significantly more at 40.
How do we mitigate the loss of collagen?
While we don’t have much control over the decreasing levels of progesterone and estrogen in our body that results in less-hydrated and glowing skin, there are other factors we can control. Lots of other hormones also influence the quality of our skin, such as melatonin, the sleep hormone, or the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammation. Have you noticed that when you’re stressed, fatigued, and exhausted, your skin is duller?
Keeping your skin hydrated and nourished is key to maintaining a healthy glow.
While this starts from the inside, there are cosmeceuticals that can improve the appearance of dullness, dark spots, wrinkles, and sagging skin. At Morganna’s Alchemy, we specialize in innovative yet gentle anti-aging ingredients.
Lifestyle habits to adopt in your 40’s
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet, get 6-8 hours of sleep, try to reduce stress when possible, and find a physical activity you enjoy doing.
- Take care of your eyebrows as they frame your face. Be mindful of the delicate skin around your eyes and only shape your eyebrows when necessary.
- Have a light hand on makeup. Avoid overly-drying full coverage makeup that can cause flaking or irritation.
- Choose a foundation with less coverage. Heavier makeup will sit in the creases of your skin.
- Make sure not to ignore the neck and décolleté, extend your skincare routine to include these areas. The neck often betrays a person’s age. Due to its thin and fragile skin, the neck must be well hydrated.
- Make love. Yes! A study by the British Psychological Society, led by David Weeks, a neuropsychologist at Edinburgh Hospital, showed that exercise and sex are two key recipes for looking younger. Indeed, regularly practicing physical activity and having 3 (that’s precise) sexual intercourse per week makes it possible to be between 7 and 12 years younger than your real age. Even if these results are just observations, trying them is not going to hurt you.
- Try Facial Gymnastics! What exactly is facial gymnastics? It’s a series of exercises and facials that activate the microcirculation of your muscles. Practicing these exercises daily will help firm your skin. By activating the muscles in your face, you will increase your production of collagen and elastin. Facial gymnastics target certain areas of your face to restore tone. Watch a demonstration here.
- Take collagen supplements. We recommend these.
- Avoid the push-up bra, which wrinkles the skin in the hollow of the chest. Above all, it is important to choose clothes in which you feel beautiful, and that it shows!
