Glowing Skin And Why We Need It

I’ve been the ‘face’ of many beauty products over my 17 year modeling career and beauty is my specialty (latest beauty campaigns I’m featured in include world-wide Nivea Sun line click here for link) so when it comes to good skin, there’s not much I don’t know about how to keep it looking fresh and youthful WITHOUT SURGERY. But some of you out there may think why should I do all this for my skin? As a model it’s my business to have good skin, but for the rest of you here’s my answer.

Our Skin is our canvas yet even the most perfect facial features won’t look good on flawed, spotty, and sagging and sun damaged skin.

Clear smooth skin is the foundation of beauty. You could have the juiciest lips since creation, but they wont look alluring if rimmed with cracks and creases.

The most adorable nose in the world looses its appeal if you see those trenches leading from the nostrils to dry cracked lips.

You forehead won’t look so stress free with those horizontal gashes across them.

A naturally radiant face shows our potential mates that we’re healthy, well fed, active, young, fertile and carefree and not tortured by crushing anxieties.

An open face is an open invitation to the world to say “I’m happy.”

Looking after the skin you live in is vital. Fine lines are not fine on any face and once you see them its time to take evasive action.

My top 5 Tips to Prevent Skin Aging Prematurely

1. SUN EXPOSURE– is very aging to skin. Unprotected skin that is exposed to the sun becomes more mottled in appearance. Freckles can turn into brown sunspots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. The risk of skin cancer is significantly increased by sun exposure.

The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, if you start now.

Use a sunscreen EVERYDAY. Purchase a foundation with sunscreen included if you’re a busy person.

2. SMOKING– whether you smoke, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging and aging to your skin. Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases skin wrinkles and dryness. This is partly due to the behavior of smoking, and also because cigarette smoke depletes your body of Vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist.

Some researchers believe that exposure to cigarette smoke (whether you smoke or not) is as damaging to aging skin as exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Individuals who smoke impact their health in a variety of ways, but the most visible impact can be seen on the surface of the skin. Smoking can cause skin to age in several ways, including but not limited to:

• Depletion of elastin and collagen, which causes the skin to loose flexibility
• Smoke increases the rate of cellular breakdown
• Causes skin dryness
• Reduction of circulation and lower levels of oxygen in the bloodstream decreases the health of all of the bodies tissues and skin, most visibly impacting the face

 

3. ALCOHOL– my mother always told me going to bed drunk suffocates the skin and she was right. Alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin’s surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin’s surface.

4. BAD DIET– you literally are what you eat. Your cells renew every few months and what you eat creates the building blocks for that process.

The cellular damage caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecules created by pollutants, radiation, sunlight and natural metabolic processes, plays a significant role in wrinkles and other signs of aging. Eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts can supply the body with skin-protective antioxidants, substances that help protect the body from the ravaging effects of free radicals. Berries, dried beans, artichokes, potatoes, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts are among the richest sources of antioxidants.

5. STRESS– get plenty of sleep and avoid stress. Maybe you’ve heard this expression: “Don’t frown, your face could stay that way.” Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement.

To help reduce aging skin due to stress, be aware of your stress level and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good anti-aging skin care program should include meditation and yoga.

It’s all about looking good on the inside and out.

The WORST thing you can ever do for you skin is sit in the sun with no protection sucking on a cigarette and drinking a dry martini and pulling your hair out due to stress.