Avo Cocoa Skin Food Mask (Age Defying) - 50g

Skincare for Aging Skin
By: Articles by a Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.)

Although aging is inevitable, the number of years we have lived doesn’t have to show on our face…

What makes skin age?
Aging as a physical process is often quite independent of our chronological age. Two people of the same age may have considerably different physical effects from the passage of time. This physical aging of the body and its cells is known in the scientific community as senescence. In the simplest of terms, senescence is a progressive loss of the ability of our cells to respond to stress and maintain homeostatic balance.

When enough stressors happen, the cell cannot sufficiently respond to maintain homeostasis, and will succumb and die. Our ability to resist the different sources of damage and to replace any dying cells is the key to maintaining a youthful appearance. The most common stressors affecting the cells of our skin are free radicals, dehydration, and lack of sufficient nutrients and protein.

Free Radical Damage
Exposure to free radicals is the main cause of cell damage throughout our lives. Free radicals – molecules which contain an unpaired electron - cause damage to cell membranes, fats and any fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients due to their unstable and reactive nature. They can cause the death of cells, genetic alterations and in turn increase immune response to cells which have become unrecognizable due to damage. Although extremely difficult to avoid entirely, there are ways to protect against free radicals. We encounter them in air pollution, processed foods, UV rays from the sun (ultra-violet radiation) and cigarette smoke. Limit exposure to environmental pollutants and use natural products whenever possible. By quitting smoking, you can make a huge difference in overall health and life expectancy as well as improving the quality of your skin. Be sure to wear sunscreen and fill your diet with nutrients and antioxidants to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. For more information, please see our Skin Health article.

Antioxidants
To help neutralize the effects of those free radicals that you cannot avoid, ensure your diet is rich in as many antioxidants as possible. There are super-packed antioxidant rich foods like Superfruits, and Matcha that can easily be incorporated to your everyday diet to help protect the skin from the inside, out. Vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E are also excellent antioxidants that can protect the skin from damage. They can be incorporated into the diet or applied to the skin directly to help prevent aging. Coenzyme Q10 and Green Tea Extract are both extremely strong antioxidants that are frequently incorporated into skincare formulas to help prevent the visible signs of aging. For more information on many more natural sources, please see our Antioxidants article.

Skin Moisture and Hydration
One extremely easy way to help maintain healthy, youthful looking skin is simply to keep your skin well hydrated. The collagen matrix that makes up the tissues just beneath the skin is kept plump and plush by holding water. When we become dehydrated, this water disappears and fine lines and wrinkles appear deeper and more severe. The skin also then begins to look sallow and sag. Dehydration can be easily prevented by drinking at least 8 cups of water daily (2 litres). For more information on ways to stay hydrated beyond just drinking water, please see our Electrolytes article. To help support a healthy collagen structure underlying the skin, and thus to plump out wrinkles, many anti-aging products will contain Collagen, or Hyaluronic Acid.

Skin Elasticity and Fats
The membranes that form the outer layer of each cell of our bodies, and thus each cell of our skin are made up of phospholipids. Phospholipids are molecules made up of a fat and water-soluble molecule bound together. How flexible and soft our cells become is determined by the fats found in our cell membranes. Because our body manufactures phospholipids from the fats in our diet, it is essential that we take in soft and fluid fats like Omega 3-6-9 Fats, while avoiding the stiff and rigid saturated fats. In this sense, when it comes to fats, we literally are what we eat! How do you want your skin to be?

Oils and Maintaining Hydration
In addition to moisturizing from the inside out, it is important to help the skin maintain its own moisture balance. Unprotected skin quickly loses moisture when exposed to heat, sunlight, and dry weather conditions. In the summer, it is often sun damage that causes the most problems, while in the winter it is the dry, artificially heated, indoor air. One simple way to seal moisture into the skin is to use protective oils topically. Each person will swear by some different combination of natural oils for protecting moisture content in the skin, but most often it is a matter of finding what works best for your particular skin type. Some examples of common skin moisturizing oils are: Jojoba Oil, Seabuckthorn Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil, Almond Oil, Rosa Mosqueta (Rosehip Oil), and Olive Oil. The degree that each absorbs into the skin and moisturizes is slightly different, and some may last longer than others as well. Shorter lasting oils should be applied several times a day, while longer lasting ones can be used once or twice daily. Aloe Vera is also commonly used as a skin moisturizer, although it is faster acting and will not have the long-term protection provided by oils. Please see the individual articles on each moisturizer for more information.

Other Moisturizers
There are an incredibly vast number of artificial moisturizers available on the market that go by any number of names created by the manufacturer, but most are petroleum-based products. There are also many forms of glycerin, another synthetic product, that is used to make skin products more spreadable on the skin and to moisturize. Some of these products are toxic, some are hormone disruptors, and most have not been studied sufficiently for their long-term health effects. Generally speaking, it is preferable to seek out natural skincare options to avoid any unintended effects. Many synthetic moisturizers will also contain alcohol to promote a sensation of faster absorption, or to dry and tighten the skin. Using alcohol on the skin dries it out and damages the outer layer, actually increasing dryness and creating a dependence on the product. Unless you are looking for extremely strong tonifying effects, avoid the use of products that contain alcohol. Witch Hazel can be used to tonify and tighten the skin, without the negative side effects.

Essential Oils
There are a wide variety of essential oils that can be used on the skin and diluted in other oils for added benefits. Some can be used for mental-emotional balancing, while others can directly reduce redness in the skin and help prevent damaging inflammation. Commonly used essential oils in cosmetics are: lavender oil, chamomile oil, geranium oil, bergamot oil, and rose oil. Other oils are used simply for their aromatherapy benefits. For more information on each of these oils, please see our Essential Oils article.