Worst Things For Wrinkles And What You Can Do

Fine lines and wrinkles are a given as you age – and in all honesty, we think they add character and wisdom to an already beautiful you. But still, if you can pinpoint what causes them and slow them down with a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle, then why the devil not? 

Like grey hair, aching joints and an adversity to ‘modern’ music, wrinkles are a natural part of the ageing process. But there’s something you need to know about skin ageing: there are two different types. 

First, you have something called intrinsic ageing which is determined by genetics. Intrinsic ageing includes all the biological processes in your skin that are out of your control like the natural slowing down of collagen production, coupled with fat and bone loss. Try as you might to fight intrinsic ageing: it’s inevitable.

Then you have extrinsic ageing which includes all the environmental and lifestyle factors you can control. These are the bad guys that overload your skin with free radicals which attack good proteins, damage your skin and accelerate the ageing process like there’s no tomorrow. 

Wondering what these extrinsic factors are? No problem. Here are the four biggest, baddest extrinsic agers – plus, what you can do to keep them from ageing you up way before your time…

1. The Sun

By far the biggest culprit is the sun and its damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Experts agree the sun is responsible for around 90 percent of visible damage to your skin, causing dark spots, broken blood vessels and poor texture as well as those pesky lines and wrinkles. 

The Solution: Wear sunscreen every day – it truly is your best defence against photodamage. And when we say ‘every day,’ we mean exactly that, whatever the weather. We understand that applying heavy sun protection after your skincare routine can be a real bind, however, so for a light, yet oh-so-effective away to protect your skin, get yourself on the waitlist for the next batch of our Organic Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 25 here. 

2. Lack Of Sleep

Skin goes into regeneration mode while you sleep. Blood flow increases, cell turnover accelerates and collagen production intensifies. Therefore, if you miss out on your regular eight hours, your skin has less time to rebuild itself and maintain its plump, smooth youthfulness. And note, this needs to be ‘quality’ sleep. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, or have a busy mind at bedtime, your sleep quality won’t be great.

The Solution: Get more sleep. We know that’s a) easier said than done and b) something you already know, but try to get at least seven hours whenever you can. We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again… do what you can to keep stress levels at bay. Clear your mind as best you can and those healing zzzs will be in abundance.

Finally, make sure you give your skin the best possible chance to repair itself overnight with a nutrient-packed night cream like Night Elixir which contains healing vitamin E and pro-vitamin B5 to deeply moisturise, soothe and heal your skin.

3. High Glycemic Diet

Not many people know this but it’s oh so important. Especially because it’s so easy to make some tweaks! The science is simple… high glycemic foods cause inflammation in the body (which can lead to dark spots and wrinkles), but the firmest link (pardon the pun) is that sugar in foods with a high glycemic index binds to your collagen and elastin, causing them to go hard and stiff through a process called glycation. Glycation results in sagging skin and a general loss of elasticity. And you know what that means… oh hi there, wrinkles. 

The Solution: Sugar-proof your skin by lowering your glycemic food intake which not includes the obvious sweet stuff, but also processed carbs like white bread and pasta. Instead, maintain a balanced diet that includes plenty of protein, fresh veg, nuts and grains. It’s also a good idea to up your topical antioxidants to help combat free radical damage. Try Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum which contains two of the best antioxidants in skincare, vitamins C and E, plus green tea and hyaluronic acid.

4. Make-up Mistakes

Whether make-up is your daily fix or reserved for special occasions, getting it wrong can amplify fine lines and make you look older than you are. You see, heavy foundations and concealers seep into crevices, no matter how small, and when your skin moves the coverage literally creases. You can even give yourself extra lines which aren’t normally noticeable. As for face powders, yes they’ll mattify your skin but they could also settle into fine lines making them no good for wrinkles. 

The Solution: Ditch the heavy stuff – your skin will really thank you for it and surprise you with some improvements. If you need some coverage, opt for a tinted moisturiser for a complete win-win (again, join the waitlist here to give our Organic Tinted Moisturiser with SPF  25 a try!). And if you really love your powder or can’t face the world without the full-fat coverage, use these products sparingly and avoid putting any on fine lines.

Of course, quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol and swapping chemical-laced skincare for gentle, natural formulations will also go a long way to keeping wrinkles at bay. You’re on your own with the first two, but our Seven Phase Ultimate Collection literally crushes the latter, covering your core skincare essentials. Throw in Natural Luminosity Scrub too for your gentle daily exfoliation to clear away dead skin cells and dirt which love to hang around in fine lines, making them look more than what they really are.