Aging Radiantly

Let’s get one thing straight — aging isn’t a bad thing. You get older, wiser, and how good does it feel to ditch those insecurities you had when you were growing up? That doesn’t mean that you don’t want to keep your skin looking its best.

Why does your skin age?

As you get older your skin, which makes up roughly one-sixth of your body weight, also gets thinner and new cells don’t regenerate at the same rate as they used to, while for women in particular, falling estrogen levels can alter your skin’s integrity. That’s some of what’s happening on the inside, but on the outside there are certain factors affecting the rate at which your skin begins to age that you can control for.

SUN
There are two kinds of ultraviolet rays from the sun that impact your skin: UVA and UVB. We like to think of them as UVAging and UVBurning. Those rays can damage your skin and cause premature aging. That’s why sun protection is easily one of the most important things you can do to keep your youthful glow. Sunscreen is key all year round, but a wide-brimmed hat never hurts.

MOISTURE
As you age, hormonal changes might make your skin drier. At the same time, skin cell turnover slows while oil production also decreases. Drier skin = more and more pronounced wrinkles. When your skin loses moisture, the moisture barrier is also less strong, and your skin barrier is your body’s first defence against damage from external factors like pollution.

OTHER EXTERNAL FACTORS
Does anyone still smoke anymore? If you do, you’re not doing your skin or lungs any favours. Ditch the habit and you’ll be so grateful. Pollution is another factor in premature skin aging, causing dark spots and wrinkles. One study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that increased soot and particles from traffic in the air was associated with 20% more pigment spots on foreheads and cheeks.

HEALTHY SKIN IS HAPPY SKIN
Your skin is the first layer of defense for your body, a literal barrier that keeps things out while keeping your organs in. So how do you keep it healthy? Three words: cleanse, tone, moisturise. These three steps are the basis of a healthy skin routine at any age. Then, as your skin matures you can listen to its needs and supplement your routine with extra love in the form a serum.

ROUTINE FOR LIFE

STEP 1: CLEANSE
Why is cleansing so important? You gotta wash away the day! When you cleanse you remove the dirt, impurities and excess oil sitting on top of your skin that you collected throughout your day. Using oil cleansing, you’re also removing only what you want to remove without stripping your skin of that healthy, healthy moisture it needs to stay glowing. Reach for your Transformative Cleansing Oil for nourishing and anti-inflammatory ingredients like Arnica, Rosehip and Jojoba. Cleansing at night is key to a gorgeous complexion, so that dirt doesn’t sit in your pores while you sleep. You may find that all you need to feel refreshed and dewy in the morning is a rinse with water.

STEP 2: TONE
If you’re skipping toner, you’re missing out. Toners have a bad rep for some, because they are oft-confused with astringents. You do NOT want to be stripping your skin and a real toner won’t! Toners like ours here at Rocky are packed with gentle, hydrating and antioxidant-rich ingredients to soothe while balancing your skin’s pH and giving your skin an extra hit of healthy moisture that you’ll lock in when you moisturise. After cleansing, pat dry and mist your favourite toner over your face and décolleté.

STEP 3: MOISTURISE
Have you ever been dehydrated? You know that sluggish, headachey tired feeling from not having enough water? Well, you don’t want tired, sluggish skin either. Moisturising keeps your skin plump and healthy, working to fight the sign of aging by keeping hydrated and in good working order. When you moisturise post-toner, you’re getting even more moisture by locking in the gorgeous water you’ve just booted with your skin. Our cult favourite Day Cream (that you can use at whatever hour you want) is packed with antioxidant-rich Pomegranate Oil to protect your skin from the elements and free radical while locking in moisture with Black Oats Extract.

Rocky Hack: Looking for a deeply nourishing night cream? Add a few drops of your serum to your Day Cream and apply before bed.

SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN
Like we said earlier, sun damage is one of the #1 causes of skin aging, so make sure to reach for that sunscreen and apply it after you moisturise. We can’t emphasize how important it is to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

THE EXTRAS

WHEN DO YOU NEED A SERUM?
If you opt for a serum, apply it after cleansing and toning but before moisturising. Serums are vitamins for your skin, working to nourish, hydrate and keep it healthy as ever, longer. If your skin is getting drier, try incorporating a Hydrating Serum that uses Avocado and Frankincense to deeply nourish thirsty skin. As you age, you may want something more protective, like our Restorative Serum, that uses antioxidant-rich Pomegranate Oil to arm you against the elements and keep your complexion bright and youthful. For acne-prone skin, reach for our Purifying Serum that uses antibacterial Tea Tree and never strips your skin. For skin that’s throwing a tantrum, our Calming Serum with Lavender and Calendula is probably best for you.

Did you know: Vitamin C is known for keeping your skin youthful thanks to its role in aiding in collagen production and antioxidant protection and what do you know! Our Serums all contain Sea Buckthorn Oil, that’s known for having as much as 10 to 15 times the Vitamin C content as an orange, and is packed with Omega 6 and 7 fats to care for your skin.

WHEN TO EXFOLIATE
Exfoliation is key to getting rid of dead skin cells and promoting the regeneration of new ones. When you exfoliate, your skin is also primed and ready to absorb more moisture and nourishing goodness from your Day Cream or Serum. You don’t want to overdo it, however. Keep exfoliation to once a week or as needed. Exfoliating too much has the potential to do more harm than good, removing too many skin cells and harming that barrier. Remember, healthy skin is happy skin! See our Face Polish collection.

THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL
The skin around your eyes is thinner and more fragile than the rest of your skin. That’s why those fine lines start to appear sooner than in other places...The Beech Tree Bud extract in our Eye Cream gives extra resiliency to that skin, keeping it firmer longer.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
Keep your skin hydrated from the inside out by making sure you drink enough water. Yes, this will also keep your skin healthy which means you’re going to keep that glow decade after decade. A healthy diet also makes a difference. Opt for foods rich in good fats like Omega-3 packed fish, avocados and nuts like walnuts. Getting a full rainbow of vegetables in your diet is also part of a long term plan to keep your body — and its largest organ — healthy longer. There are no short cuts to healthy living!

What’s in your routine? How are you keeping that lifelong glow?