Fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and a significant decrease in collagen production are all things that come with aging skin. Fighting these signs of aging can be frustrating, so we thought we’d break it down for you, first by explaining why we’re seeing these signs of aging in the first place.

The answer is fairly simple; as you age, your body starts to move it’s focus from distributing nutrients to areas like the skin and hair to distributing them to your vital organs. As this happens, most people will start to see changes in the elasticity of their skin (jowling, deeper expression lines, sagging around the eye area) and that natural, youthful glow will start to fade.

So what can you do to treat these areas of concern? Yes, lipofilling, botox and facelifts are all options. But if you’re looking for a less invasive method, there are plenty of things you can do right from home that will actually get you the results you’re looking for.

We’ll start with products that you can start incorporating into your skin care routine. You’ll want to make sure that you’re maintaining collagen production in the skin. Collagen is a major protein found in the body, we usually call it the “building block” of proteins because it aids in supporting muscle growth, tendon and ligament health and the overall elasticity of your skin. Collagen helps to keep your skin looking plump and free of fine lines, and also aids in diminishing deeper wrinkles. To boost collagen production, we generally will recommend adding a hyaluronic acid serum or moisturizer into your daily skincare routine, along with being sure to consume foods containing amino acids and Vitamin C, as those two substances will help boost hyaluronic acid naturally in the body.

The next ingredient we will discuss for helping to manage signs of aging is Retinol. We’re just going to come right out and say it: Retinol is a magical ingredient, and it’s not as “harsh” as it’s sometimes made out to be. The purpose of Retinol creams and serums are to aid in breaking up hyperpigmentation (freckles, age spots, melasma, etc.), encourage cell turnover and to lift the appearance of scarring. Before starting any of our clients on any percentage of retinol, we want to always make sure that the client is set up with a good skin care regimen. You will NOT see good results by washing your face with bar soap and then applying a retinol to your skin (Let’s just take a pass on using bar soap as a facial cleanser in general, shall we?).

We also recommend using a good form of SPF, especially when using a retinol in your skin care regimen. Yes, even in the winter and yes, even if you spend most of your time indoors. Retinol will create sensitivity to sunlight in your skin, so you want to make sure that you are keeping that in mind as you are using this ingredient. Please also be mindful of how closely you are using this ingredient to your eye area. We recommend, in most cases, to keep retinoids away from the eye as the skin around this area is far thinner and more sensitive than the rest of the skin on your face.

Now, when we talk about a good skincare routine, that doesn’t mean breaking the bank to grab the most expensive products on the market. If we’re being realistic, most of the time “expensive” doesn’t always mean “effective”. Pay attention to the ingredients that are being used in your favorite skincare products, no matter how affordable or how pricey they are. Pro tip: We LOVE when our clients bring in the products that they’re using at home for us to take a look at. This helps us to know exactly what you’re putting on your skin and why it may or may not be working for you!

And speaking of not breaking the bank for a good skincare routine, one essential tip that we’ve found is essential to keeping your skin youthful and healthy, is facial massage. What’s the great thing about this method? Facial massage is something you can do in 5 minutes right at home! We recommend incorporating facial massage right into your cleansing routine, or even when you’re applying your moisturizer. Massaging your skin assists with lymphatic drainage, helps to circulate blood flow, and actually helps to maintain muscle strength, which can prevent sagging skin. Be sure to apply a generous amount of product to your skin before beginning your massage to create a slippery surface for your hands, jade rollers, or gua sha stones to go over, and always perform massage movements in an upward direction across your skin. Search “Facial Massage Techniques” on the web, and you’ll find countless diagrams showing how to perform these movements step by step!

We know all of this information is probably a little overwhelming, and we haven’t even talked about everything that we could have on this blog post. That’s why we are going to do a Part 2 on this post in the near future, and we’ve included a list of some of our favorite anti-aging products that we happen to carry at Apsara Spa below.

We hope this information was helpful, and that you feel a little more confident about managing signs of aging. Should you have any questions, please feel free to send us a message or give us a call! As always, thank you for your continued support, and we will see you in our next blog post.

The Apsara Spa Team

ANTI-AGING PRODUCTS TO TRY:

Cleansers

• Illuminating Cleanser by Me By Feme
• Balancing Cleanser by Me By Feme
• Daily Facial Cleanser by Jack Black
• Green Tea Milk Wash by Farmhouse Fresh

Toners

• Illuminating Toner by Me By Feme
• Mist Me Toner by Hale & Hush
• Calming Facial Toner by Face Reality

Serums

• Serum 1 by Me By Feme
• Serum 4 by Me By Feme (contains Retinol)
• Soothe Essence Serum by Hale & Hush

Moisturizers

• Moisturizer 2 by Me By Feme
• Watercress Hydration Cascade by Farmhouse Fresh (contains Retinol)
• Moon Dip Youthful Complexion Ageless Facial Mousse by Farmhouse Fresh (contains Retinol)
• Three Milk Ageless Sleep Cream by Farmhouse Fresh (contains Retinol)
• Hush Hydrate Gel or Mask by Hale & Hush
• Vital Lipid Lotion by Hale & Hush

Exfoliators

• Exfoliant 1 by Me By Feme
• One Fine Day by Farmhouse Fresh

Sun Protection

• Broad Spectrum SPF 30 by Hale & Hush
• Double Duty Facial Moisturizer by Jack Black
• Daily SPF 30 Lotion by Face Reality
• Ultimate Protection SPF 28 by Face Reality