I truly believe ageing is a natural part of life and never use the term anti-ageing because there is nothing negative about getting older. It’s said that life begins at 40 and, all being well, you are finally in the prime of your life.
But this is the stage when all the processes governing the skin start to slow down. Menopausal changes usually start when you are in your 40s and can play havoc with your skin, causing spotty outbreaks in some women and skin dryness and lack of suppleness in others, due to declining levels of oestrogen.Liz Earle
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Liz's skincare advice
After many years of research into skin health, Liz Earle shares her tried and tested skincare advice for mature skin.
Cleansing: to cleanse skin and remove make-up, I'd recommend using a cream-based cleanser rather than soap, as this is too alkaline for drier skins. I use our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, which is formulated with naturally active ingredients including creamy cocoa butter and soothing chamomile to offer concentrated yet gentle cleansing without drying the skin out. The pure cotton muslin cloth will polish away dead skin cells and help reveal soft, radiant skin.
Toning: even dry skin can benefit from using a toner, as long as it doesn't contain skin-drying alcohol. Formulations with aloe vera and natural source vitamin E are perfect for mature skin, as they have moisturising and conditioning benefits.
Exfoliating: this will remove dead skin cells, leaving skin visibly brighter and smoother. When choosing an exfoliator for the face, I recommend looking for one with tiny beads that gently buff the skin, such as jojoba beads. Our Gentle Face Exfoliator is perfect to gently buff away dead skin cells and reveal smoother, clearer skin.
Brighten up: as we get older our skin doesn't have the same brightness and radiance it once did, so try a mask that's formulated to leave your skin looking more luminous. Our fast-acting Brightening Treatment Mask contains purifying white clay and stimulating camphor oil to leave skin with instant radiance. More sensitive, menopausal skins can also try mixing this with Cleanse & Polish for a gentler effect.
Moisturise in the day: do this as much as you can on your whole body from top to toe, paying special attention to your face and neck. Look for a moisturiser with plant oils such as avocado, apricot or peach kernel and make sure it contains antioxidants, vitamins or skin-friendly botanical extracts such as cranberry seed oil.
Deeply moisturise at night: massage a few drops of facial oil onto skin on your face and neck as an indulgent overnight treat. I love rosehip seed oil, borage oil and magical argan oil, which are all packed into our Superskin Concentrate.
Eyecare: if you're not already using an eye cream then add one to your skincare regime. Opt for a formula with high levels of essential fatty acids, including GLA and omega-3 to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Try facial massage: doing this daily will help increase blood circulation. Try these exercises to keep the underlying facial muscles toned and taut:
1. Push your chin out and lift your bottom lip over the top one, hold for a count of five and release, then repeat 10 times.
2. Pull the corners of your mouth downwards, stretching and tightening the muscles. Hold and repeat as above.
Don't forget to moisturise your décolletage, where the skin is naturally thinner and often exposed to the elements. Our Superskin Bust Treatment is ideal for this, as it's packed with potent natural ingredients to visibly plump and smooth skin on the bust, neck and décolletage.
Take extra care of lips too. To keep lips soft and comfortable choose a lip balm made with pure plant oils.
Skincare secrets from our treatment rooms
Jo Givens, our treatments expert, explains how we use a combination of massage and high quality botanical skincare products from our Superskin range to get the best results on mature skin at our London treatment rooms.
Gently massage fragrance-free Superskin Moisturiser into your face twice a day after cleansing and toning. Use upward and outward movements and downward, sweeping strokes on your neck and décolletage. This can help clear toxins, reduce puffiness and encourage cell renewal to leave skin looking more radiant.
For skin that needs an extra boost, at night after cleansing and toning, warm 2-3 pumps of Superskin Concentrate between hands and starting under the jaw line, sweep downwards to your collarbone, before moving onto your face. Imagine a vertical line from your forehead to chin, then massage with circular motions over face and neck, working outwards. Regular massage with this wonder oil will balance skin (even oily skin) to keep it supple, hydrated and to reduce congestion. Finish with Superskin Moisturiser if skin is particularly dry.
Morning and evening, after cleansing and toning, warm 1 pump of Superskin Eye & Lip Treatment between ring fingers and pat around eye contour in an outwards motion to apply. Massage with fingertips, using outward circles around the eye contour to boost circulation. Superskin Eye & Lip Treatment can also be applied to the lip contour and any fine lines on the face or neck. Finish with your moisturiser, applying just to the orbital bone.
For beautifully plumped skin on your neck, chest and décolletage warm 2-4 pumps of Superskin Bust Treatment between your hands. Use one hand to massage the serum in circles around your bust towards your armpit. Repeat for three circles on each bust. This encourages drainage of the lymphatic system and reduces excess fluid in the tissues. Then continue upwards using sweeping strokes to boost circulation and encourage a smoother complexion. If you are concerned with sun damage, wrinkles or slackened skin, pay particular attention to these areas, particularly on the neck.
Dietary supplements
Liz recommends adding these to your diet to offer mature skin an extra boost...
- A supplement with GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) and omega-3 essential fatty acids can encourage smoother skin.
- Antioxidants including vitamins E and C can help protect the skin against free radical damage.
- Calcium and magnesium supplements can be taken to help prevent bone degeneration.
- Taking hyaluronic acid can help lubricate skin and joints. This is already natural to the body and carries out many crucial roles, including lubricating joints and, together with collagen and elastin, gives skin its springiness.
Finally: food for thought...
Eating well is essential for healthy-looking, radiant skin. Here are some skin-friendly foods to include in your diet.
- Proteins: these include organic or free-range poultry, meat or oily fish, yoghurt, cottage cheese, milk, nuts and seeds.
- Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): these are divided into omega-3, which includes oily fish, egg yolk, nuts, nut oils and flaxseed, and omega-6, which includes seed and seed oils, whole grains, some vegetables, evening primrose and borage oils.
- Good grains: look for organic oats, wholegrain, rye or spelt bread, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, quinoa, kamut and faro.
- Water: sip eight x eight ounce glasses of water every day to combat dehydration.
- Vegetables: essential for vitamins and fibre, to help eliminate toxins from the body.
- Chocolate: in small quantities this is good for the skin, as it’s an excellent source of magnesium and antioxidants. Choose good quality dark chocolate with a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa solids.
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