THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
(Anti Aging Secrets At Every Price Point)
by Jade James
Staying forever young is about more than vanity. It’s about believing in and investing in yourself. We dry clean our clothes, re-paint our walls, and do any number of things to care and maintain for the things that are ours. Do we put the same work into our skin? Would you let your home slowly deteriorate over time? Of course not. You vacuum the floors, wash the windows, and call the plumber the minute there is an issue.
Our skin is our home. We live in it 24 hours a day. It’s the largest organ we have. But let’s face it, many of us neglect our skin. Why? Because our skin has always taken care of us without asking for anything in return. But like any relationship, it can only be rewarding if there is care and effort on both sides!
Anti-aging beauty isn’t just for your grandma : it’s for everyone who wants to take the best care of their skin so their skin will take the best care of them! Before you panic or get overwhelmed, let’s break down the basics and secrets of staying forever young. ALL anti-aging beauty treatments, products, and services fall into one of two categories : preventative and corrective. Is your skin dewy and fresh? Are your pores tight and your face unlined? Then you want to focus on skin care that maintains and prevents the common signs of aging. Has your skin lost some of its glow? Is it no longer as firm and smooth? Do you have fine lines and wrinkles? Then you want to focus on skin care that is corrective. Take a minute to evaluate your skin before reading on to find the appropriate anti-aging tips, products, and treatments right for you!!
1. Act like a vampire and avoid the sun. Everyone loves a sunny day or enjoying a beautiful beach, but consider this : most visible signs of aging are in fact photoaging, which is skin damage caused by long-term overexposure to the sun. Did you know a sunburn you got years ago may not show its effects on your face til several years later? So even if your skin is flawless, stay out of the sun to keep it that way!
2.Drink water. It’s called the Fountain of Youth for a reason!! Your skin is a living organ that requires plenty of water to stay hydrated and fresh. If you have an iphone, there is a free app that will remind you to drink 8 glasses a day.
3.Pretend you’re an A-list celeb and never leave home without dark, oversized shades. The skin around your eyes is in particular thin and delicate, very prone to fine lines and wrinkles. To avoid unwanted crow’s feet, slip on oversized sunglasses whenever you step outside. And I’m not talking about those metal aviators that look so cute on everyone! Opt for a plastic wrap-style that will provide maximum coverage for your eye area. Oliver Peoples offers some drool-worthy celeb-fave options.
4.Wear sunscreen with an spf of at LEAST 15. This one should be obvious, but we all slip up now and again. Forgetting once is one thing, but forgetting a few times a week adds up to significant sun damage over time. An important note to consider : UV rays can still penetrate on cloudy or overcast days. So rain or shine, make sunscreen a crucial part of your daily routine. Slip some in your car and at your desk so you are always prepared. I personally adore Laboratoire Remede Translucent UV coat, which comes clear or tinted, and slips on silky and smooth. $40 at specialty retailers.
5.Be a head case and wear a hat. Not only do hats protect you from the damaging rays of the sun, they can add polish and panache to an outfit. And there are no shortage of charming options to fit your specific personality : girly wide-brimmed straw hat, classic panama hat, playful cowboy hat, sophisticated fedora, or timeless cloche. Check out Eugenia Kim or Tracy Watts for cool options.
6.Get rid of that dead skin! As we age, we no longer slough off dead skin cells as efficiently, which is why children enjoy the clearest and freshest skin. Help things along by exfoliating regularly. I love, love, love Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate, which leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. If (like me) you like to try before you buy, pop on over to Nordstrom or the Kate Somerville spa in West Hollywood to score some free samples. And if your budget permits, a microdermabrasion facial ($125 to $175) every two months will exfoliate your skin, address light hyperpigmentation, and soften fine lines.
7.You have a BIG occasion and no downtime to recover from anything serious. Try an oxygen facial for an instant anti-aging fix. The pressurized oxygen instantly plumps the skin, filling out wrinkles and smoothing the face. Skin instantly glows, appearing fresher and younger. Be aware that results are temporary. $125 to $175 at most spas.
8.Uh oh. You’ve started to notice the beginning of fine lines and loss of elasticity in your skin. Don’t panic. Technology comes to the rescue in the form of LED light therapy. Originally developed as a technology by NASA, red LED light therapy has been proven very effective in promoting cellular health and boosting collagen, making it a powerful weapon in the fight against aging. Red light LED therapy addresses a range of anti-aging concerns, including fine lines and elasticity. You can get LED light therapy at many spas, but I recommend investing in an at-home unit. Baby Quasar makes a fantastic one for $450. It is an investment, but one that is well worth it.
9.You’ve got some money to invest and a desire for dramatic results. Consider IPL (commonly known as photofacials) as an anti-aging big gun. Photofacials address rosacea, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and broken capillaries. A gel is smoothed over your face or area of concern, then a nurse practitioner goes over the area with a laser gun. It feels and sounds like getting zapped. I’m not going to lie to you : you feel discomfort at best and some pain at worst. Depending on the sensitivity of your skin and setting used, downtime is minimal and results are almost instant. Treatments are anywhere between $250 to $600 and a series is usually recommended in order to see optimal results.
- OK. You’re not playing around and you want a very aggressive anti-aging treatment with dramatic results and a minimum of downtime. Fraxel (or laser resurfacing) may be perfect for you. Clear your calendar for a week and prepare to lay low like a criminal in your house—trust me, you’re not going anywhere. Fraxel is a very serious laser skin treatment that creates micro tears in your skin in order to adress acne scars, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, and loss of elasticity. The results are very dramatic, almost like a face lift. You can literally look 5 to 10 years younger. But the procedure is painful. And costly. And you will be most likely a bit bloody, bruised, and swollen for a full week. If you can handle all that, the results are well worth it. But if you are considering Fraxel, please do your research and consult with one or two nurse or doctor practitioners before making a choice. Between $2000 to $8000 at most medical spas or plastic surgeon’s office.
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