In part one we introduced some of the key ways we can support products with other anti-ageing hacks. With the extensive body of research on this field that now exists we figured it made sense to offer you a follow-up post with more tips and advice.
At Nature’s Greatest Secret, we offer a range of anti-ageing products that you can check out here.
Opt for an anti-ageing diet
There’s plenty of foods out there that support healthy ageing. We’ve picked out three of the best.
Extra virgin olive oil
Studies from FoodData Central suggest that monounsaturated fats – which comprise 73% of olive oil – may help skin ageing. This is due to the fact that they contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties. What’s more, olive oil contains antioxidants such as tocopherols and beta carotene. This combination of anti-inflammation and antioxidants is great for the skin and makes olive oil a great product to support healthy ageing.
Green tea
Again, another antioxidant booster. Antioxidants combat free radicals in the body. Free.. what? They are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons. The uneven number allows them to easily react with other molecules. Free radicals can cause large chain chemical reactions in your body because they react so easily with other molecules. X-rays, ozone, cigarette smoking, air pollutants, and industrial chemicals are all things that cause free radicals.
Antioxidants stabilize free radicals so they’re unable to cause damage. You usually get antioxidants through your diet and green tea is a great example
Fatty fish
Fatty fish is incredibly healthy. They contain omega-3 fats, which in relation to anti-ageing create a strong skin barrier that could help reduce inflammation. In addition, fatty fish is high in protein. Protein supports the production of collagen and elastin. These molecules lead to increased durability, elasticity and smoothness in the skin. In addition, protein supports recovery in the event of skin injury.
Top up your glass (with water)
There isn’t a huge amount of evidence that suggests water itself helps with anti-ageing. It doesn’t contain omega-3 or antioxidants, for example. However, staying hydrated ensures that the body performs many of it’s critical functions successfully. The Few Institute explains that “without adequate water intake, skin appears duller, and wrinkles and pores more prominent. What’s more, a variety of structures in the skin that support collagen require water to work efficiently”.
So as we see, water’s role in anti-ageing is that of an enabler for the body’s skin-supporting systems to work effectively.
Always take your make-up off before you sleep
It is very important to remove makeup before going to bed – it can cause extensive damage to your skin during the night. The skin renews itself while you sleep, and when you leave makeup on, you are preventing that from happening. The skin ceases to breathe and fatigue signs appear soon enough
As most makeup is made of oily substances, when it stays on for the next day, it clogs your pores and leads to the appearance of more acne and blackhead breakouts. Makeup residue and the substances that make your make-up can also cause many skin imperfections when left for hours on end during the night.
That’s why it is important to use a makeup remover before going to bed and then moisturise your face to help your skin breathe right.
Stub out the cigarette
I don’t think anyone would expect smoking to help the skin, after all, it is known to cause 16 types of cancer.
Smoking can speed up the normal ageing process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles and other changes to the appearance of your face. These changes include crow’s feet, pronounced lines between the eyebrows, uneven skin complexion, a greyish tone on lighter skin, deep creases and puffiness below the eyes, wrinkles around the mouth, and thinner lips.
The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more likely you are to develop wrinkles and other age-associated changes to your face. The other primary factor you can control that causes skin damage is sun exposure. The combination of unprotected sun exposure and smoking can cause even more significant wrinkling.
Nicotine, other chemicals in cigarettes, smoking behaviours and other factors may contribute to wrinkles and premature ageing of the skin. Nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow, reducing oxygen flow and nutrients to skin cells. A number of chemicals trigger molecular events that remodel or damage structures necessary for skin elasticity and health.
Repetitive squinting and lip pursing contribute to lines around the mouth and eyes. Heat and un-inhaled smoke may dry and damage the surface of the skin. These same factors may also result in a decreased ability of the skin to repair wounds such as cuts or scrapes, resulting in a greater risk of wound infection and scarring.
The skin damage is irreversible, but there’s still everything to be gained from stopping now and causing further issues.
Closing thought
There are some fantastic anti-ageing products available in 2022. However, they are only as good as the lifestyles users have. It’s clear that there are many things we can all do to improve our skin, and plenty of these will improve our health holistically as well.
Check out our range of anti-ageing products here.