5 Must-Do Habits For Slowing Down Collagen Loss
Read on for five of the most important skincare habits for preventing collagen loss.
Fact of the day: skin is nothing without collagen. It’s the most abundant protein in the entire human body and accounts for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of all proteins found in your skin.
It is not to be taken for granted.
As far as your skin goes, collagen is what gives it strength, structure and support. It kind of holds everything together like a clever network of protein-based scaffolding. It’s really good stuff. Like, REALLY good.
One major problem, however: while super abundant during your younger years – hence that plump, firm skin you might just about remember – collagen production dramatically drops as you get older. This is all thanks to your natural aging process as well everything else the world throws at you – stress, the sun, environmental pollution and a cruddy diet to name just a few. And while you can’t stop or reverse time, all these other lifestyle factors are very much in your control.
On that note, below are five of the most important ways to help preserve your levels of collagen as much as possible. It’s time to take charge, people!
1. Be 100% Sun Smart
No matter how many times we stress the importance of sun protection there are still people out there who don’t apply daily sunscreen to shield their skin from the damaging ways of the sun.
Bonkers.
After the ticking clocks of time, the sun is the number one cause of aging skin. In fact, UVA rays, in particular, penetrate deep into the dermis of your skin where they really do a number on your collagen. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, damage from UV light results in over 80 percent of all your lines, wrinkles, textural issues and dark spots. Ouch!
The good news, however, is that you can block around 97 percent of the sun’s rays simply by applying a good, broad-spectrum sunscreen to exposed skin on the reg. And we make this super easy for your face. Simply slather on a good coating of SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every morning as the last step in your skincare routine. Reapply every couple of hours if you’re spending a prolonged period of time in the great outdoors. And you are winning.
2. Don’t Smoke
Tobacco contains more than 7,000 harmful chemicals and substances that not only screw up your lungs, but are an absolute b*tch when it comes to your collagen levels and the health of your skin. Also, the more you smoke, the worse your skin will look, potentially giving your 40-year-old skin the wrinkles of someone in their 60s!
“Smoking slows the body’s ability to heal itself by decreasing blood flow and inhibiting inflammation,” explain experts at the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
It also promotes the production of collagen-damaging enzymes and free radicals which eventually manifests itself in crow’s feet around the eyes, puckering lines around the mouth and that tell-tale ‘smoker’s face.’
Don’t. Do. It. Your skin needs you.
3. Choose A Collagen-Friendly Skincare Routine
Another great way to keep your collagen levels in check? With an awesome skincare routine. Some of the best skincare ingredients for collagen, IOHO, are retinol (literally the daddy of everything!), bakuchiol (retinol’s gentler, natural alternative), peptides (which help to encourage protein production), MSM (a very under rated collagen booster) and the mighty vitamin C (which laughs in the face of collagen-damaging free radicals). All of these have been studied and proven to stimulate your skin’s natural collagen production and inhibit its breakdown, so it’s wise to include at least one in your daily skincare routine. We love the combination of Smoothing Collagen Serum followed by Firming Collagen Day Lotion in the morning, and Retinol Facial Serum at night.
You could also try our fabulous Collagen Boosting Skin Supplement which, unlike other substandard collagen powders and pills contains vegetarian collagen only, alongside vitamins C, E, and biotin, a form of vitamin B known to promote cell growth and repair. This all adds up to a kick-butting blend that significantly and safely helps improve your skin’s natural production of quality collagen for a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles, better elasticity, superior hydration and brighter, healthier-looking skin.
4. Avoid Sugar
A well-rounded diet that’s high in lean protein, antioxidants and omega fatty acids is super important for the health of your skin. But one thing your skin, and in particular your collagen, really loathes? Sugar.
Studies show that overdoing it with sugar accelerates the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in your body through a process called glycation. Glycation is a reaction that occurs when excessive amounts of sugar become too much for your natural insulin levels to handle. These sugar molecules then attack your skin cells, latching onto collagen (and elastin, for that matter!) and causing them to stiffen, weaken, break down and produce harmful AGEs. AGEs ruin your radiant, youthful complexion by causing dryness and exacerbating fine lines and wrinkles.
A good way to reduce your sugar intake is to swap out refined sugars for sweeteners that have lower glycemic index values – things like agave or monk sweeteners or great. Also, ditch the sodas, people. Water is your much better friend.
5. Master The Art Of Quality Sleep
Finally, underestimate the power of regular, quality sleep at your peril. When you sleep, your skin goes into recharge mode and collagen production speeds up big time to help repair damage from the day and prepare your skin for the next. Miss out on those valuable hours of shut-eye and your skin simultaneously misses out on all that fresh, skin-strengthening collagen it deserves.
Studies show that people who regularly get around eight hours of quality sleep each night have way better skin than those who only get five or so hours. But if you struggle, follow these simple fixes for a better night’s sleep.
* Stick To A Schedule – going to bed and waking up at the same time each day? Priceless.
* Keep Your Bedroom Cool – experts agree the ideal temperature for sleeping should be somewhere between 65 and 67oF.
* Limit Screentime – phones, tablets, laptops and TVs all emit light which makes it hard for your body to wind down at the end of the day. Switch them off a good hour before bedtime.
* Avoid Caffeine Before Bed – in fact, it’s often best to only drink caffeine in the morning. If at all.
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![The Ultimate Skincare Routine For Adult Acne]()
Adult acne might feel and look the same as teenage acne but when it comes to nailing an effective, breakout-busting skincare routine, it’s a whole different beast.
As if fine lines, wrinkles and all the other signs of skin aging weren’t enough to contend with, there’s also that crazy little thing called adult acne. Acne ‘should’ be something that you say farewell to as you come to the end of your adolescent years and your hormones settle into adulthood. But that’s not always the case. In fact, adult acne is on the increase and it’s estimated to affect more and more adults as they hit their 50s and older.
What Is Adult Acne?
Acne vlugaris, the proper name for the type of acne we’re dealing with here, is exactly the same at any age. It rears its head when your hair follicles and pores become blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells. Unlike regular teenage acne, however, the adult kind can be split into two different types: persistent acne and late- or adult-onset acne. Persistent acne continues from adolescence, never really giving you a break, whereas late-onset acne is the stuff that appears for the first time later on in life. Just when you thought you’d gotten away with it. Dang!
This all sounds pretty simple, but things get a little more complicated from here on in. How so? Because acne can take on many forms. If the plug bulges out above the surface of your skin it creates a whitehead, for example. If the plug opens up, it oxidizes with the air, turns dark and creates a blackhead. And if bacteria gets involved and infects the blockage? Then it becomes a full blown zit – a papule, pustule, nodule or cyst, if you will.
So, Why Do Some People Get Adult Acne While Others Don’t?
As a rule, acne is genetic, so if you’re predisposed, thanks to your parents, there’s not much you can do about that. What you can do, however, is to understand what’s triggering these breakouts later in life – hint: more often than not, it’s your hormones. During menopause, for example, your hormones are all over the place and if you’re sensitive to these triggers, this creates an imbalance that causes sebum production to go wild and your your skin to completely freak out.
Emotional stress and certain medications can also overstimulate your sebaceous glands, as can pore-blocking or harsh ingredients in your skincare regime.
On that note, here’s how to create a kick-ass skincare routine that cares for your adult skin (aka doesn’t dry it out!) and helps to balance oil production to keep breakouts to a minimum.
The Best Morning Skincare Routine For Adult Acne
1. Gently Cleanse Your Face
For some, a morning cleanse can seem a little OTT when all you’ve done is sleep since your last cleanse. Not so for you. Because your skin is oilier than most you’re going to want to gently remove any sebum that may have built up overnight. Also, your night cream might feel kind of heavy for daywear, so it’s good to start with a clean slate in the AM.
One word of warning: don’t fall into the trap of grabbing the most skin-stripping cleanser you can find. You can just about get away with that when you’re 13 – although it’s never ideal – but when your skin is more mature it’s going to need way more care. Choose something that will help replenish your barrier function, soothe and calm inflammation and cut out any risk of over-cleansing your skin. A product like our Soothing Cleansing Milk is great for morning use.
2. Balance Your Skin With Tea Tree Oil
As you know, we’re massive fans of face serums for targeting skin issues exactly where they’re needed, and when it comes to adult acne, our favorite topical ingredient is tea tree oil.
Unlike other acne-busting favorites like benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil is less drying and irritating on the skin which makes it a great choice for mature skin. But don’t think that means it’s any less effective because its antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties combine to give it true superpowers in the fight against bacteria and acne breakouts.
Try applying our Tea Tree Super Serum+ two or three times a week after cleansing and before moisturizing to help balance and calm your skin. We like to alternate it with Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum which is another winner for regulating oil and reducing inflammation.
3. Lightly Moisturize
Moisturizing oily, acne-prone skin might seem counterintuitive but it’s actually crucial for keeping your barrier function healthy and keeping sebum under control. If you miss this step, your sebaceous glands will think your skin is dry and thus overcompensate with more oil.
Avoid thick creams that are jam-packed with heavy occlusives like cocoa butter, however – these will block your pores and cause no end of problems. Instead, stick with light gel or lotion formulas that incorporate hydrating ingredients like glycerin, aloe and hyaluronic acid. Our Firming Collagen Day Lotion is great for oily skin, plus it helps tackle the visible signs of aging at the same time. Result.
4. Apply Sunscreen
UV radiation will make acne (and any potential scarring) worse. Not to mention all the other dastardly deeds it gets up to as the sun beats down on your skin on a daily basis.
Wear sunscreen every day, without fail, and always choose a broad-spectrum formula with SPF 30 or above. And if you really can’t bear the thought of applying moisturizer AND sunscreen? Try our SPF 20 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C. It’s packed with hydrating and moisturizing ingredients which are probably just right for your oily skin.
The Best Nighttime Skincare Routine For Adult Acne
1. Remove Makeup & Cleanse Your Face
Before bed is when a more thorough (but still not too full-on) cleanse comes into play. Your evening cleanse is way more important than the morning one because this is when your skin has been subjected to at least 15 hours worth of makeup, sunscreen, dirt, oil and pollution. And if you don’t whisk that away it can, and will, build up on your skin where it will combine with dead skin cells and sit in your pores waiting for the worst to happen.
We recommend our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser or Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ which both work hard to whisk away debris from the surface of your skin while balancing, detoxifying and refreshing your complexion.
You should also exfoliate once or twice a week to gently boost cellular turnover and minimize any risk of dead skin cells hanging around for too long. Try our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub after cleansing.
2. Treat Your Skin With Retinol
Retinol might be the gold standard of aging treatments, but it’s also right up there in the fight against adult acne. A derivative of vitamin A, retinol helps to increase cell turnover. It’s a little bit like exfoliation, although it works in a very different way. Instead of removing dead skin cells at a surface level, retinol goes deeper into the skin and activates certain genes to accelerate cell turnover down below. It’s very clever and a great way to keep dead skin cells moving along so they don’t clog up your pores. This is music to the ears of mature, acne-prone skin – especially when you add in all the other age-defying benefits retinol brings to the table.
Just remember, retinol is very powerful, so start slowly by applying Retinol Facial Serum just once or twice a week to clean, dry skin. Then, as you build tolerance, you can build up to every night.
3. Hydrate & Moisturize
Allow your serum to sink in for a minute or two, then finish with moisturizer. Of course, you can double up with the same product you used in the morning, but you might find your skin needs a little more moisturization at night.
Our fabulous Retinol Moisturizer is a great product to apply before bed as it combines retinol with hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing vitamin E and plumping panthenol. If the combination of this and the retinol serum is too much for your skin, however, try our Longevity duo: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum followed by Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream. Both of these formulations are incredible for aging skin that gets a little, shall we say, problematic. They harness the powers of bakuchiol, which is nature’s kinder alternative to retinol.
The Ultimate Skincare Routine For Adult Acne
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