Organic & Natural Skin Care to Prevent Premature Aging

Aging is a normal process of life and the evidence of aging shows on our skin. As we age skin begins to thin, dry and dull due to slow cell turn over. New skin cells do not grow as quickly, resulting in thinning skin. As a result, dead skin cells shed less quickly making the appearance of the skin dull and dry. Collagen and elastin-the system of fibers that make skin firm and elastic-begin to break down, resulting in sagging and wrinkles. Pigmentation is more prominent as we age when melanocytes, (which produce skin pigment) begin to produce irregularly. Research has shown there are two different factors in aging; intrinsic or internal and extrinsic or external.

Natural Facial Skin Care

Intrinsic aging, the natural course of aging, has to do with genes and inheritance. Natural aging begins at birth; however, signs of aging begin to appear on the skin in our mid 20’s. Intrinsic aging includes slower cell turn over, and less collagen production. Elastin begins to break down which acts like a rubber band enabling our skin to stretch and snap back. Visible signs of intrinsic skin aging include fine lines, loss of suppleness, dry and thin skin.

Extrinsic aging are the external factors that age the skin. These include sun exposure, health, diet, gravity, sleeping positions, smoking, drinking and even facial expressions. External factors cause premature aging to the skin and can become visible rather quickly.

While intrinsic factors are mostly uncontrollable, fortunately, extrinsic aging is controllable. Skin aging is a normal process however, premature aging of the skin can be prevented. A healthy lifestyle, yearly physical exams and topical care of the skin can prevent premature aging. A healthy, active life style will create healthy, strong skin from the outside in, preventing premature aging. Physical exams may catch early signs of skin damage that then can be treated. Topical skin care allows the skin to absorb ingredients through natural topical products that aid in building the epidermis and dermal layers of skin, the skin that is and will become visible. The best topical skin care includes organic or natural skin care products such as cleansers, moisturizers, serums and sunscreens.

Cleansing and toning

To prevent premature aging is to treat your skin as one of a kind. There are many different skin types, meaning what one person is doing to take care of their skin is not necessarily what you need to be doing to treat your skin. However, the most important products to aid in preventing premature aging are natural cleansers, exfoliates, natural intense moisturizers with hydrators and organic sunscreens. Cleansers will cleanse the skin clearing excess oil, dirt and debris. Exfoliates will slough off dead skin, deep clean pores and result in smoother more even skin tone. Natural and organic Moisturizers with hydrators will keep the skin supple and moist, while sunscreen will help to protect the skin from sun damage. It is also important to consider skin care products that include natural essential oils and antioxidants to help fight off free radicals that can further damage skin cells. Zinc is a great natural, organic sun screen that blocks the sun rays rather than absorb them like a chemical treatment. Always consult a dermatologist before starting any skin care routine.

By Tiffany Oney

Tiffany Oney is a licensed esthetician, professional makeup artist and natural skincare authority. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies California State University, Long Beach and interning with Vivoderm Natural Skincare in Los Angeles, California.

What is Organic and Natural Skincare?

Today’s busy lifestyle means that our skin takes a battering from the elements and from all the chemical contaminants that we unavoidably come across at home and in the workplace. Recent research showed just how many unwanted chemicals we now have in our bodies. Some of these undoubtedly have been absorbed through the skin and most of these chemicals did not even exist 50 years ago. Unfortunately our quest for ever more cost effective cleaning, beauty and garden products has meant the introduction of new chemical concoctions, some of which are now being identified as potentially carcinogenic and dangerous and others as toxic. Our grandparents lived lives where natural skincare was the norm and undoubtedly skincare is more complicated today. But if we take time out to study the ingredients in our skincare products and chose them carefully we can chose the best natural skin care products.

Skin care is important, not only to keep you young looking, but also to assist in warding such dangers as skin cancer. With a major abundance of skin products on the market today, it is difficult to know which are most beneficial to your skin. All of them say they are good for your skin, but naturally that is part of the marketing strategy. One way to narrow down you choices for skin products is to choose organic natural skin care products.

The term “organic” refers to items that are not modified genetically, are not grown with the use of pesticides and involve no use of growth hormones. Many may wonder how organic can be used in terms of skin care. Simply put, the ingredients contained within the specific skin product are organic. This basically indicates that there are less chemicals and preservatives and more ingredients from nature. Something being natural refers to it as not being artificial. Therefore, when you combine the terms organic and natural you see that they both basically entail not using anything artificial. They are basically of the same meaning when placed in the context of organic skin care.

When you look at what makes a skin product organic and/or natural, you can see that often you can make your own home remedies for skin care. For example, a facial steam consisting of herbal tea such as green tea or chamomile opens pores and cleanses them of impurities. A mix of the same type of herbal tea combined with olive oil slathered on the face and body soothes and not only moisturizes, nourishes, but also cleanses and restores the skin. This is just a very small example of organic items that can be utilized to create your own skin care regime at home.

Another organic item of nature that you can use to treat your skin is raw honey. Raw honey has a natural antibiotic contained within that is useful for ridding the skin of some types of acne. Even if you don’t want to do a lot of research to find out how to create your own homemade skincare items, there are ways to ensure when buying products already made and marketed at stores are truly organic and truly appropriate.

First of all an item cannot be labeled as organic unless 95% of the ingredients contained in the product are organically grown. You must be careful when reading labels; however, because there are those that state that the product is made with organic ingredients. With this only 70% of the ingredients contained within the product are organically grown.

Skin care is important, not only to keep you young looking, but consider also that your skin is the largest organ of your body. Most people do not think of their skin that manner, but considering that it helps protect, detoxify, enables entrance of important nutrients into the body to keep you healthy and protects the body from environmental changes it is a vital part of one’s body that should be well taken care of.