Ageing is a fact of life, but how soon those tell-tale wrinkles appear depends a lot on how well you look after yourself. Laura Day asked skincare and nutrition experts for advice we can all afford to follow
Our best skin years are over in a flash. At the surprisingly tender age of 25, it all starts going south. Our body clock begins to tick that little bit faster and the natural signs of youth – think plump, clear and glowing skin – start to deteriorate.
Collagen, the skin’s natural building block, begins to decline; there’s a weakening of facial tissue structures and a reduction in the substances that keep us looking firm and smooth. To top it all off, when women hit the menopause, the ovaries stop producing oestrogen, which is also responsible for collagen production. But how long or short a time the skin-ageing process takes is determined by more than just good luck.
‘I see beauty as a state of health,’ says Alexandra Soveral, cosmetic designer, aromatherapist and facialist. ‘Treatments and products are designed not to give quick results, but to sustain the health of the skin by keeping it supple, healthy and beautiful, alongside a good routine and a healthy diet.’ It’s not just what you put on the skin and into your body, she says. ‘High stress levels and not getting enough sleep are also major contributing factors in the accelerated ageing of the skin.’
Laura Day 