Let's Talk Wrinkles- Why I Love Our Natural Wrinkle Creme and Hate the Word "Anti-Aging"
This summer I renewed my driver's license and I looked old in my photo. I had morphed into Grandma or Nana. I often say to my daughter, "I'm getting old" and she replies "no, you're not" but the truth is I am.
I'm aging and my feeling are mixed. I'm not crazy walking on ice and snow anymore. I fear falling- old bones break easier. I find myself being gentle with my knees during yoga and exercise, aches and pains are more constant. Then there is sagging skin and the inevitable wrinkles. There is no major cure for any of these complaints including wrinkles. When a product is advertised or promoted as "anti-aging" what exactly does that mean? There is no antidote to getting older, the way forward is to be gentle and accepting while taking great care of yourself including your skin.
What's the best natural way to deal with wrinkles? A consistent skincare routine with products made with good ingredients not harsh chemicals. Consistent doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive. You might think being in the skin care business I spend hours taking care of myself. I don't, I have a simple routine that works for my lifestyle and skin. My skin loves moisture and adding moisture is one way to help keep your skin looking fresh. The three products I use for keeping my skin moist, fresh and happy are our richly hydrating Calendula Creme, gently cleansing Sweet Island Face Oil and occasionally (maybe once and occasionally twice a week) gently exfoliating with our Seaweed n' Roses Scrub.
The two key words are consistent and gentle. A regular face care routine will help your face get the moisture and nourishment it needs. I love our Calendula Creme because my face needs and craves moisture and hydration. Many conventional products start with water as the first ingredient. This isn't where or how your face needs water- drink more water instead. Our creme starts with infused oils. Almond Oil is infused with Calendula Petals and Olive Oil is infused with Rosehips. Infusing is simply soaking botanicals to allow the goodness of the herbs to be added to the oil. Calendula petals besides being bright and cheerful help calm skin.
Rosehips help treat wrinkles due to anti-inflammatory fatty acids and vitamins A and C. Rosehips also helps even out skin tones and soothe red patches. We also add Rosehip Oil, Cranberry Seed Oil, Meadowfoam Oil, Grape Seed Oil, a heavenly and calming blend of oils for keeping our skin moist and happy. Instead of adding Bees Wax as our thickener we use Candellia Wax, making this a perfect creme for vegans.
At night, part of my bedtime routine is a face cleanse with our Sweet Island Face Oil. This oil is designed to gently remove dirt, grime, make up and stress. It's perfect if you struggle with a dry, crackly face after washing. Rub the oil into your dry face. You don't need to use a lot, made without water or harsh chemicals a little goes a long way. Then wet a wash cloth under very hot water, wring and steam your face. Repeat a few times and then head to bed.
I do a short 7 minute yoga routine to help me relax and turn off my brain. I keep a cup of herbal tea to sip especially if I wake up during the night and once I'm in bed for good I rub some of our Bring on the Zzzz Balm into the soles of my feet. Having a routine you follow that helps you relax and wind down is important. One big cause of unhappy skin is stress and lack of sleep. When our stress hormones get going we spend too much time in flight or fight mode which wears us down both mentally and physically. Find what works for you and make it a priority.
Once or perhaps twice a week it's important to gently, very gently exfoliate. How often to exfoliate depends on a lot of factors and can vary with the seasons. Our Seaweed n' Roses Scrub is the perfect product to remove dead skin. Everyone needs to occasionally exfoliate- you know it's time when your skin looks dull. Putting on more moisturizer is not the answer, gently sloughing off dead skin is. As you age you need a very gentle exfoliant, one that doesn't contain Apricot or Walnut bits or harsh ingredients. That's one reason I love our scrub, it's gentle and effective without excessive drying. No matter what you use to exfoliate be sure your face is wet. With our scrub I wet my face and place just a bit of scrub into my palm and add a splash of water. The seaweeds will "smoosh" out a bit and grow. Gently scrub and rinse. After exfoliating be sure to apply a natural face creme.
Having an "anti-aging" mindset isn't healthy. We grow older and have to face both the harsh realities and the wisdom we've gained with our years on the planet. Instead of searching for the perfect anti aging miracle product find products that support your skin. Be sure to get as much sleep as possible, stay involved and active, eat healthy foods including ginger, avocados, bananas and of course seaweed.
Finally go watch Donnalou Stevens video "Older Ladies" and laugh.