Achieving the perfect skin care routine isn’t easy. The product that made your friend glow could cause a reaction with you and leave you broken out. And what worked last week might not work today. Fast forward a decade, and your skin’s needs have completely changed.
To make things more complicated, you may have had skin care figured out, until you found out what kinds of nasty ingredients you were putting on your face. Suddenly you’re stuck trying to figure out which facial oil to use, with not a clue as to which one is right for you. You might find yourself frozen in the skin care aisle of your local health food store wondering what the heck is gota kola and will it make me beautiful?
So we’re going to walk you through some natural ingredients to drink, eat, and use topically to promote beautiful skin according to your age. Of course, the right ingredients for you depend also on your skin type, so pick and choose what you think is right for you. Here is our guide to ingredients for natural skin care by age:
Teens
As hormones kick in, your skin will likely become less harmonious than it once was. Adolescence can bring oily skin and clogged pores. What’s important at this age is to get in the routine of washing your face in the morning and at night. Commercials might make you think you need to avoid oil at all costs, but harsh cleansers that strip your face of its natural oils will only make matters worse.
Eat: Foods high in chromium, such as broccoli and oats, help ward off sugar cravings. Eating lots of sugar is overall bad for your health and can worsen oily skin and cause clogged pores.
Drink: Water helps hydrate, keeping your skin looking great.
Oil: Hazelnut oil is cleansing and can help with oily skin while keeping your skin moisturized. Add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to promote clean skin.
Mask:Mash grapes and apply to your face and let the alpha hydroxy acids clean out dirt and oils from deep in the skin.
Products: Our Citrus Mint Cleanser is gentle, and pH-balanced to help with oily skin without drying. Finish with a spritz of purifying Rosemary Toning Mist, which hydrates. You’ll find hazelnut oil and other healing herbs in our Herbal Facial Oil for Oily Skin, which is likely the best moisturizer to use at this age.
Twenties
Sun protection is important no matter what age you are, but during your twenties you’ll want to focus on preventing skin damage and the aging associated with it. Get serious about wearing sun protection every day (on your neck, too) and being diligent about washing your makeup off at night, if you wear any.
For those who drink alcohol or stay out late during their twenties, hydration is something that becomes extra important for maintaining good skin and health in general. Even for those who aren’t so wild, this can be a time when your schedule isn’t as regular as it once was and will probably someday be, so lack of sleep and accompanying stress may ensue.
You might see the first signs of aging appear during this time. Preventative care is important, while still making sure to keep your pores clear. Be kind to your skin! Though your skin might not show damage now, you’ll see it later.
Eat: Cucumbers contain B vitamins, which help your body deal with stress, and magnesium, which is naturally relaxing. Now that you’re on your own and feeding yourself, you’ll want to develop healthy habits. Slice up a cucumber and bring it to work or school to enjoy throughout the day. It has the crunch factor that’s so important in a snack, plus it helps keep you hydrated.
Drink: Dandelion root as a tea or juice can help give your liver and skin a boost. We like Dandy Blend, made from the roasted roots of dandelion, chicory and beets, plus barley and rye. Taste wise, this is a great alternative to coffee!
Oil: Grape seed oil is light enough for those who have oily skin but moisturizing enough to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. If your skin is drier and not prone to clogged pores, you can use jojoba oil, which is similar to our skin’s own oils and provides excellent moisture. Add some neroli essential oil, which works well for most skin types and will help you feel calm.
Mask: Mash a banana and apply to the skin to nourish sensitive, dry or normal skin. Add honey for extra cleansing power to help the skin stay free of impurities.
Products: The Citrus Mint Cleanser might still be the best for you if your skin produces a lot of oil. Consider also using the Aloe Herb Cleanser if your skin is dry, or use both cleansers according to how your skin looks that day (Citrus Mint on days you are oily and Aloe Herb for when you’re on the drier side). Our Herbal Facial Oil for Normal/Combination Skin has grape seed oil base plus the healing power of herbs to keep skin moisturized and balanced. If your skin is oily, you may want to stick with the Herbal Facial Oil for Oily Skin. Don’t forget to protect your skin from the sun with a great natural sunscreen. Every day, no exceptions!
Thirties:
Hormonal changes can cause your skin to go through major changes in your thirties. You might see clogged pores where you’ve never had it before, or see new wrinkles and skin that begs for more moisture. It might be time to switch up your facial moisturizer.
As cell turnover slows, your skin might start to look a little less bright than it used to. Exfoliating more regularly is important from here on out. You might start to show more signs of fatigue, such as dark circles under the eyes.
Eat: Carrots, sweet potatoes, and other foods high in Vitamin A will help warm your complexion and can also help prevent clogged pores.
Drink: Irish moss is a seaweed that is good for your skin! Dried irish moss prepared as a tea can help with aging and dry skin.
Oil: Argan oil is rich in omegas for deep, nourishing moisture. This could be your new skin care secret as you start to get serious about reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Mask: Vitamin-rich apricots enliven tired skin. Puree the fruit and add a couple drops of oil for an anti-aging mask that works well for any skin type.
Products: Add our Anti-Aging Eye Cream to your routine as wrinkles around the eyes and occasional dark circles appear (perpetual dark circles may be a sign of a health problem). Start applying our Anti-Aging Serum before you moisturize to keep the skin plump and healthy.
Forties
As cell turnover and collagen production decrease, you may see more wrinkles and less skin firmness. Keeping your skin hydrated and using natural, anti-aging ingredients will help keep your skin looking healthy!
As your skin produces less sebum, you become more vulnerable to environmental pollution, so be mindful of exposure and do what you can to help your body detoxify, such as drinking vegetable juices, exercising regularly, and drinking lots of purified water!
You should also exfoliate more frequently so your skin can absorb the lovely oils and herbs you put on it!
Eat: Avocado is high in Vitamin E, which helps tighten and firm. It’s also one of the only food sources of 5-HTP, a precursor to tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin to help you sleep well and feel happy.
Drink: Drink aloe vera juice or buy a plant and add the gel to your smoothies (the outer leaf contain laxative compounds, so it’s up to you how much you want to poo).
Oil: Jojoba oil resembles our own skin’s oils. As we age, our skin’s ability to retain moisture in the skin decrease, so ingredients like jojoba will help your skin stay hydrated.
Mask: Pumpkin is rich in Vitamin E and enzymes that exfoliate the skin.
Products: Our Dead Sea Scrub is a wonderful detoxifying scrub that exfoliates and is mineral-rich. Use this a couple times a week and follow with the Anti-Aging Facial Oil to restore moisture.
Fifties and beyond:
Sun damage can really show itself during the fifties, though you may see it sooner. You may see dark spots on the face and hands. As your skin loosens, your pores can also become larger. Continue to nourish your skin, applying richer treatments at night so you can wake up looking refreshed!
Your level of physical activity will naturally go down, but your nutritional needs will not. In fact, your rate of absorption of nutrients can decrease, so eating a nourishing diet is vital to your vitality!
Eat: Dark leafy greens should become a big part of your diet, as they are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals.
Drink: Horsetail is high in minerals, especially silica, which keeps the skin looking great (not to mention that it’s also great for hair and nail health!). You can purchase dried horsetail at your local health food store and add it to your other loose leaf teas to enjoy its beneficial properties.
Oil: Rosehip seed oil is high in vitamins A, E, and C as well as essential fatty acids; this oil does wonders for aging skin. We include it in all of our anti-aging skin care!
Steam: At this age, you deserve to steam your face with roses! Boil roses and in purified water and wet a washcloth with the tea. Put over your face to steam, opening pores and relieving dryness.
Products: Use our natural skin lightening Citrus Stem Cell Serum to even out your skin tone and lighten and brighten your look. Use it twice a day for one month to see results. Also add our Coconut Honey Mask a couple times a week to help with dryness and lessen the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
How has your skin care routine changed as you’ve gotten older? Tell us in the comments below!
by Hope Freije
Sources:
Natural Skin Care by Joni Loughran
Beauty by Nature by Brigitte Mars
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-137612/How-skin-changes-thirties-forties-fifties.html
Abby Jean, estetician extraordinaire
That works too! I think natural oil( Argan oil, coconut oil etc) is good for dry skin 🙂
I am 53. As per your recommendation I used the Citrus Stem Cell Serum on my upper cheekbones twice a day religiously for 2 months for reducing dark spots (they are sort of like freckles). Unfortunately, I did not see any results. I also wear a 50SFP sun screen.
I have always practiced some type of skin care regimine since I was 17. I have also tried many products over the years and have came to the conclusion that water, moisturerizer and a healthy diet are vital to great looking skin. That goes without saying there are other variables that contribute as well. I am a 51 year old African American and have used my share of skin care products targeted to my skin. Over the years I have moved toward products that have less chemicals, eco friendly and affordable. I can not attest to how using the products have changed my skin or any benefits yet because I have not used them long enough. I will say I will gladly report my findings in about month. I love the idea behind the products and will continue to use them.
This was actually really helpful and informative. I never really thought about certain ingredients being better for your skin depending on the age (which probably explains why my skin never looked its best). Definitely changing some things in my routine to incorporate this information and hopefully achieve that healthy (blemish free) look. Thank you!
How do you drink horsetail?
Hi Mary Jo,
You can buy dried horsetail in bulk at your local health food store – check the bulk isle. Brew this as a loose leaf tea either on its own or mixed with other loose leaf teas, such as green tea or mint tea. 🙂
Now that I’ve had my Sweet Six-Oh, my skin care regimen includes a serum for the first time. I’ve seen absolutely no difference in my beautiful-for-my-age skin. I use only pure, products made with organic ingredients, but what really keeps my skin lovely is (1) my gorgeous diet, (2) adequate hydration, (3) no petrochemicals, parabens, or “fragrance” (which can contain zillions of undisclosed ingredients), and (4) dry skin brushing, using a smaller brush, with softer bristles, on my face. Health and peace.