Natural Beautee Turns 30

Today I am 30.  Yikes!  As with any milestone you reflect on what that means, where you have been, and where you want to go.  However, I have been reflecting on something a little less deep, my skin (both literally and figuratively).  Not to belittle its importance, your skin is the largest sensory organ.  Your skins is also how you feel the tangible, it reflects what is going on inside your body, and can give away your secrets like when you blush from embarrassment or because you find yourself attracted to another person.  Your skin also has different needs at different ages.  Although it won’t change overnight, there are different characteristics of skin in your twenties compared to your thirties.  Here are some key differences in skin condition between the two decades as well as the skincare and nutritional needs in your thirties.

Say goodbye Katherine to:

•          Shiny skin, blackheads, and whiteheads (which were better in my twenties compared to the teenage years but still there from time to time)
•          Silky-smooth, line free skin (I will really miss this one!)
•          Spotty breakouts on face, but also back and other body parts or rough patches on the backs of arms and legs

Say hello Katherine to:

•          Some dullness of the skin due to cell turnover slowing down
•          The start of environmental damage starting to come through the dermis in the form of sun spots (although hopefully not too many since I keep out of the sun)
•          The start of significant lines
•          Collagen and elastin fibers don’t work as well so the dermis will start to lose some of its bounce back
•          Creasing of the skin from repeated muscle activity with the start of central frown furrow, lines across forehead, and crow’s feet

Skincare and nutritional needs in your 30s:

•          Hydration is important both on the outside and inside – use a moisturizer both on your face and body and drink 8 glass of water a day!
•          Select a moisturizer for your skin type – use a lightweight moisturizer if your skin is oily or combination
•          Look for a moisturizer with essential fatty acids and antioxidants in order to protect your skin from air pollutants which can cause free-radical damage
•          Cleansing is just as important as it was in your 20s
•          Treat age and sunspots with a little rosehip oil mixed with the contents of a vitamin E capsule every night
•          Use a separate mineral sunscreen from your moisturizer (the SPF in sunscreen/moisturizer combos only last until about lunch time so apply a light layer of mineral sunscreen after your moisturizer in the morning
•          Get into the habit of using an eye cream which contains natural skin plumpers such as GLA, antioxidants and richer plant oils like borage seed, rosehip seed, cranberry seed, and/or avocado.
•          If your skin is very dry use a richer moisturizer at night
•          All skin types can benefit from using a facial oil at night, look for one based on plant oils, not mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum)
•          Exfoliate and use a mask for your specific skin type once or twice a week
•          Possibly it might be time to think about bust perk-ups if mother nature has given you a generous bosom or you have been pregnant and breastfeeding
•          Make sure you are getting omega-3 and omega-6 in your diet, and although you may be watching your weight, do NOT go on a fat free diet (your skin, brain, and rest of your body will thank you!)
•          Taking a high absorption form of vitamin C with minerals will help maintain the collagen network
•          A natural source vitamin E supplement will help guard against premature skin ageing

So it might take a little more work to maintain healthy skin and body in my 30s compared to my 20s but I’m sure it will all be worth it.  A lot of these skin types come from Liz Earle’s book Skin Secrets and she’s the poster child for natural beauty in her 40s.  I hope my skin looks like hers when I reach the four-oh.  I hope you like the tips, let me know if you have any that have worked for you in whatever decade your skin is at.