Caring for your skin in your 30’s

Now is the time to get serious. Anti-aging skin care is crucial when you reach your 30’s as this will greatly influence how you look when you reach your 40’s and beyond. By this time you have a clear idea what products work best for you. If you are prone to allergies like me, then you know which products to avoid and may even have a few brands you have grown accustomed to.
 
At this age, you only need a little upkeep to maintain a rejuvenated appearance if you followed a strict skincare regimen in your 20’s. There are however, some changes in your skin that you need to address such as dryness, dullness, fine lines and wrinkles and age spots that seem more pronounced.

Anti Aging Skin Care
Anti-aging skin care in your 30’s is not only about using anti-aging products but also about following a healthy lifestyle and caring for your skin and body in a holistic way. Some turn to yoga, pilates and other Eastern disciplines to integrate the mind and body as stress levels are high at this age. Yoga lowers your blood pressure and brings down your cortisol levels. It reduces anxiety and gives more flexibility to your muscles. It helps in better blood circulation. All these contribute towards slowing down your aging process.

Pregnancy and post pregnancy problems arise such as cellulite or orange peel skin, stretch marks, excess skin around the tummy area, flabby arms and facial hair. You may need products that can correct these concerns. Weight gain is one other problem that aggravates your skin’s condition because metabolism slows down at this stage in your life. This is where diet and exercise become a priority.

Diet for a Youthful Look
Diet is important and if you want to retain a youthful look in the years to come, eating healthy foods is the right way to go. I eat a lot of salads and sandwiches now than I do before and take fiber and calcium supplements. I take moderate amounts of carbs and stop at 1/2 cup of rice daily, even less if I can manage it. Control, after all, is key. No amount of diet pills will help if you eat the way you do back when you were in your early 20’s. Hold off on carbonated drinks as these are known to deplete calcium deposits in your bones.

Try eating organic for a change and control your desire for high-fat, high-sugar foods. Eat a lot of fresh green vegetables, fruits, milk and select lean meat over red meat. Anti-aging foods such as cauliflower, turnips, cabbage, broccoli and radish help your body flush out toxins and raise your body’s immunity against disease.

Avocado is another anti-aging fruit and is rich in Vitamin E. Soya helps to maintain estrogen level in women which helps to delay aging. Watermelon, a fruit that most of us are familiar with, is rich in vitamins and prevents aging of your skin because of its high water content.

Exercise to Sweat Out Toxins
Exercise regularly. When you exercise, you also sweat out all toxins in your body. Regular facials and body massages relax the mind and body and improves blood circulation. Skin is tightened and toned as well. Follow the simple three-step formula in your skincare regimen: cleanse, tone and moisturize. Make it simple and easy so you don’t feel you are pressed for time. Women in their 30’s after all, have careers and a household to run.

If you can, choose a moisturizer that doubles as a sunblock and choose one that has a high SPF to protect the skin from further sun damage. Collagen, a protein which maintains the elasticity of our skin, is destroyed when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Avoid squinting and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Face Brighteners
Because skin at this age starts to show signs of dullness, your best ally should be face brighteners. Choose products that address this concern and start looking for anti-aging properties in the products you buy. Start using night creams to hydrate skin and eye creams that lift the eye area. Use concealers under the eyes to hide dark circles and blemishes.

Regular exfoliation with face scrubs are a must. Don’t forget other parts of your body that usually betray your age when overlooked such as the neck, hands and feet. Get neck treatments along with your facials. There are firming lotions now available in the market made especially for the neck. Paraffin waxes even out the veins that start to show on your hands and feet. Foot spas take care of the feet to prevent cracked heels and make them look neat and trim. 

Microdermabrasion Treatment
If you can, get microdermabrasion treatment every two weeks. I find it easier to get a treatment packages for diamond peeling and facials because it is cheaper in the long run. Since maintenance is what you aim for, it is best to shop around for treatment packages that offer you more value for money.

Get enough sleep. No matter how much you spend for beauty treatments, if you lack sleep you will hasten the aging process. Sleep allows the skin cells to regenerate and the body to repair itself. Cut down on caffeine and alcohol and avoid smoking. Drink a lot of Water. It keeps your skin hydrated and prevents early wrinkling. Herbal teas are also a great way to keep your skin hydrated. Green tea is best since it has anti-oxidants and help slim you down.

For women in the 30s, here are a couple of procedures you should be getting:

Microdermabrasion
Chemical Peels
IPL
Facial rejuvenation
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser Skin Tightening
Laser Hair Removal and underarm lightening
Body Contouring treatments designed to target problem areas and can effectively tighten and refine specific areas of the body
breastlift, tummy tucks
Mesotheraphy for cellulite reduction