Women in their 40’s have a special beauty that comes from self-knowledge and a confidence born of experience.When you hit your 40’s, it’s worth rethinking your beauty regimen. Learn to love and embrace the changes in your skin. Cultivate a more sophisticated look that complements your skin and suits the woman you’re now. Without further ado, we give you seven skin transformation tips to get beauty in your forties spot on.
How the Skin Looks in Your 40’s
The fourth decade is one characterized by emerging evidence of sun damage and aging in the form of wrinkles, age spots, fine lines and large pores. During this decade expect less firmness, elasticity, and moisture in your skin. You may notice a decline in various hormones and growth factors. The low hormone levels cause a reduction in the synthesis of collagen and elastin and reduce the production of sebum.
The skin changes often include thickening and drying of the outer layer of skin that results in dry, parched appearance.The middle layer of your skin responsible for skin strength, resilience and firmness start to thin. As a result,wrinkles and fine lines become more pronounced. There is deepening of motion wrinkles and creases and development of pigmentation and other discoloration. Your facial muscles tend to slack because of estrogen-related bone loss and lose subcutaneous fat leading to sunken looking eyes and tried slackening skin. You may also suffer from acne due to fluctuating hormone levels.
Skin Transformation Tips
Boost Up Collagen
Your skin plumping collagen levels have been steadily decreasing from the age of 25, going down one percent each year in your 30’s and quite rapidly when you hit the 40s. So it’s important you find ways to boost both your cushion giving collagen in your skin and the elastin which keeps it springy. Experts advise you to use topical vitamin A products because of its ability to increase collagen synthesis in your skin and also temper discoloration of your skin.
Dr. Julia Tzu, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine, says in Health.com that“over-the-counter version of vitamin A is retinol. But a more potent prescription version is tretinoin or tazarotene. Get help from your local dermatologist to prescribe the best topicalvitamin A cream for you”.
Dr. Mercola in his article advises you to drink bone broth from organically raised, pastured or grass fed animals and to include bovine collagen supplementation. Studies say that red light therapy increases collagen growth. Ginseng with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties boosts your collagen levels. Research shows that aloe vera when taken orally doubled the hyaluronic acid and collagen production in study participants.
Beans and root vegetables contain Hyaluronic acid, an essential compound for collagen. You can boost up your levels even with supplementation. Vitamin C protects and creates more collagen in your body. To optimize your vitamin C levels increase your consumption of tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, and cucumbers.
Increase Antioxidants
Antioxidants make your skin appear softer and even tone. They are naturally occurring substances that provide protection against the effects of damaging free radicals on the cells in your body, which includes your skin too.
Eating raw veggies maximizes your antioxidant intake. Salmon and eggs with bright orange yolks are rich in astaxanthin which is a powerful antioxidant.Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Cranberry juice, green tea, red wine, cherry juice and even coffee are good sources of antioxidants.
Make your meals tastier by adding nuts and herbs instead of salt. Turmeric, in particular, is high in antioxidants. Brazil nuts are key sources of selenium, while almonds and sunflower seeds are excellent sources of vitamin E. Mix nuts and seeds with dry fruit for an enhanced antioxidant boost.
Antioxidants from Skincare Products
Use an antioxidant product either combined with your moisturizer or sunscreen. Choose your skin care range that contains the following antioxidants:
- Vitamin E. Helps your skin look younger by boosting collagen production.
- Lycopene. A powerful antioxidant, improves your skin texture by increasing collagen production and reducing DNA damage that leads to wrinkles.
Antioxidants from Food
- Green tea. Has secret ingredients called catechins; they are antioxidants which can heal cell damage on your skin and repairs wrinkles, blemishes and other impurities. Green tea has over five times the amount of catechins as the black tea.
- Coffeeberry. As a nutrient in anti-aging formulas coffee berry prevents collagen damage,has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
- Resveratrol. Grapes, red wine, nuts, and fruits are rich sources of resveratrol. Studies show us topical application protects against UVB-mediated cutaneous damage and oxidative stress.
- Grape seed. Grape seed is rich in proanthocyanidins, which belong to the flavonoid family. They are potent antioxidants with strong free radical scavenging activities.
- Genistein. It is an isoflavone obtained from soybeans. It protects your skin against UVB- induced skin photodamage.
- Niacinamide. Commonly known as vitamin B3, this powerful antioxidant improves the texture and tone of your skin, as well as reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and hyper pigmentation.
- Vitamin C. It acts as a booster for collagen formation and also as an antioxidant to give you a youthful appearance.
Drink Water
Always drink enough water 8 to 10 glasses per day. Water quenches your thirst and keeps your skin supple and hydrated. Drinking enough water will hydrate your cells, brings in beauty-enhancing nutrients to your skin cells and flushes out toxins. If you fail to hydrate your skin properly, it may become dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin is less resilient and prone to wrinkling.
Your skin loses more water while you sleep than it does during the day. So drink plenty of water during the day to help your complexion stay hydrated while you sleep. To increase your water consumption, flavor the water with antioxidants rich fruits like melons, citrus, and berries. Infused water is especially beneficial for boosting your hydration because they contain an excellent array of natural antioxidants and vitamins. They have sweet fruit flavors without extra calories or sugar.
Skin Care Regimen
Cleanse. Whether you wear makeup daily or not it’s essential that you set up time apart every day to thoroughly clean your face. A creamy cleanser would be ideal because it won’t strip your skin of its natural moisture. Go in for a cleanser that is rich in nutrients. Your skin should feel nourished right from your cleanser, all the way through your skin care regimen.
Avoid using skin care that contains mineral or petroleum ingredients. They act like a plastic wrapper on your skin and doesn’t allow your skin to expel toxins or absorb nutrients. They suffocate your skin. Never sleep with your makeup on, especially around your eyes. It leads to low-level chronic inflammation and irritation which brings inflammatory molecules to your cells. These molecules break down your rubbery plump extracellular matrix,which gives your skin its bounce and glow.
Exfoliate. Skin care experts advise you to exfoliate at least once a week. It’s important to slough away dry, rough patches that emphasize your wrinkles. Brush your body with a loofah or body brush before getting into the shower. Begin with soles of your feet, working all the way up. Use a pumice stone on your feet. Scrub your body gently in circular motions with an exfoliating cleanser. Use a body brush to exfoliate your back and other hard to reach places. Use an exfoliating product that is uniquely formulated for your face. Rinse your body with a lukewarm water and follow with the coldest water you can stand. Use a body moisturizer once a day.
Slather sunscreen. In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine Australian researchers report that people who apply for sunscreen daily show 24 percent less skin aging when compared to participants who used sunscreen part of the time. The researchers point out that those who even had a high amount of sun damage showed marked improvements in their skin when they regularly applied the sunscreen.
When you hit your 40’s, your skin becomes thinner and is more susceptible to severe sun damage. So when you’re in the direct sunlight, it is highly advisable that your wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. The smartest anti-aging tip for women in their 40s is to reapply sunscreen every two hours. Along with sunscreen wear a wide brimmed hat.
Be known that certain chemicals in sunscreen can be hazardous to your health. Moreover, they may affect the marine life. Here is a list of sunscreens considered safe both for you and the environment by the Environment Working Group. Have a look to make a smart and safe sunscreen purchase.
Moisturize. Hydrate your skin with a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid which attracts moisture to your skin. Applying moisturizer gives a protective, plumping barrier to your skin. Moisturizer protects your skin from environmental damage, prevents too much moisture loss through evaporation. It keeps your cells translucent and increases the glow of youth shining through when the light hits your skin.
Go in for a light moisturizer for day and a heavier one for the night. You can use a thicker cream for your body and a lighter version for your face. Apply moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30. Using an antioxidant-rich moisturizer significantly increases the suppleness of your skin.
If you have oily skin go in for moisturizers with alpha-hydroxy acids. If you have dry skin choose moisturizers that contain glycerin, glycol, propylene, proteins, and urea to help attract water to your skin. For sensitive skin choose a hypoallergenic and fragrance-free moisturizer.
Apply eye cream. The skin surrounding your eye area is delicate and is the thinnest layer of skin on your body. When you hit your forties, you’ll begin to see a loss of tone around the eye area. Whether be it dark circles, puffiness or dryness,you can benefit from using an eye cream. The antioxidants present in your eye cream hydrate, smooth and plump up your cells, boosting blood flow and collagen production to your tired and sunken eyes.
Reduce makeup. When talking about makeup on your mature skin, less is more. To hide the signs of aging, if you overload on concealer and powder, it may emphasize your fine lines and wrinkles. Go in for age defying moisturizing creams that give you a plumper looking skin. Add a BB cream to your skin care regimen. Use skin brighteners to perk up your tired looking complexion in an instant.
Frosted lipsticks can be incredibly aging. So go in for pigmented lipsticks with a vibrant color that gives your lips a contemporary and fresh look. Use a liner that matches your natural lip color to give you a fuller looking lips. Swap your liquid liners for gel liners when you hit your 40’s. Book in for regular monthly facials. A good facialist will have the wisdom to ensure whether you’re using the correct targeted skincare that your complexion needs.
Ditch your face powders altogether and switch to mattifying liquid foundations. Use a good concealer if you want extra coverage. Step away from bronzers and switch to cream blushes. Embracing more bright tones in your skin creates a more youthful flushed effect. Avoid shimmer and switch to cream eyeshadows. Soft satin textures are perfect for the skin in your forties. Avoid too much shadow and rely on your lashes to do the definition. The 40s is the time to invest in volume boosting mascara.
Beauty sleep. When it comes to keeping your skin young even in your 40s sleep may be the nearest thing there is to the fountain of youth. If you’re getting fewer than 6 hours, it’s likely to affect your appearance; The key is to get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night. Getting a good night’s sleep results in fewer wrinkles, a glowing complexion, less puffy and brighter eyes and lustrous locks. Above all your skin greatly benefits from the flesh-repairing ingredients in your beauty products.
Conclusion
Along with these skin transformation tips, it is essential that you practice meditation to reduce stress. Stress affects the healthy balance of your body, which may increase the skin aging process. A good posture is important to carry yourself with poise and confidence, so keep your back straight and walk tall.
Smoking is the worst ever enemy for your skin.As you enter the 40s, smoking shifts your aging process into high gear creating a lot of wrinkles.It reduces collagen and elasticity contributing to sagging skin. So it is highly advisable that you quit smoking. Your inner soul health reflects in your outer beauty, so cultivate a positive attitude to look healthy and young.
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