If you’re upset when you look in the mirror and see aging or flabby skin, and you know it’s time to take action but you aren’t sure where to start, then you are in the right place.
Perhaps this has been bothering you for a while now. Maybe you have already tried out one or two firming creams but know deep down that they won’t solve the problem.
Have no fear! While it took me quite a while to figure out my secrets to firm skin, you’ll learn them in a few minutes.
There is so much information available, but it’s challenging to tell what works and what doesn’t. As much as I love skin care products and makeup, I can confidently say there are more lies in the beauty industry than in any other.
Want to know why?
Manufacturers understand how important beauty is to so many of us. They know the main problems we suffer from and use emotional appeals to describe every product or procedure. And we keep falling for them.
For example, I am against plastic surgeries and fillers. Still, yesterday, after I read more on this subject, I almost changed my mind.
“Maybe now is the time to find a doctor to trust my skin with and give me a few Botox treatments,” I thought after reading some advertisements about fillers.
After all, soon, it may be too late. My inner voice kept repeating the sentences I’d read online.
Think about it. How many times have you bought anti-aging creams that promise you’ll stay young because looking old was too sad to imagine? After thinking about this, I closed my laptop. I knew that the people who wrote these descriptions had very clear intentions.
They know how to mess with our minds and make resisting almost impossible.
If you spoke with a wise Korean or Japanese woman, she would frown on the idea of fillers. She would show you a picture of her grandmother, who had perfect skin until she was 80 because she nurtured it using completely different methods.
Skin care is nothing more than advertising and culture, and much of it depends on attitude.
The constant fear of aging, losing your charm and beauty.
Oh, the life of a woman.
Manufacturers understand this fear and use it. Before making any decisions, think critically and don’t jump to conclusions.
Like you, I want to maintain my beauty and youth for as long as I can. I am constantly searching for trustworthy and practical tips from all over the world.
Today, I will share the discoveries I have collected and tested for many years.
You have probably already heard many of the things I will mention. My goal is not to tell you something new—it’s to help you get a clear picture of which methods and tools effectively maintain youthful skin and how to distinguish them from the massive sea of information you may be drowning in.
First, a short story . . .
My skin revealed its first signs of aging when I was 25.
I enjoyed sipping wine and lying in the sun. It’s no surprise that my skin was dry, “decorated” with brown spots and freckles, wrinkled around my lips, and extremely thin under my eyes.
Then I enrolled in a beauty school in Los Angeles and learned skin care secrets from an old Thai woman.
She often talked about how her mother taught her about skincare when she was still very young. I liked her philosophy very much and studied hard. I was very fortunate that my first teacher was Asian. Asian women don’t hurry to get fillers or surgery.
My first goal was to revive my tired and flabby skin.
My second goal was to act as soon as possible so that when I was 80, I would look as good as the Korean grandmother in the picture.
I combine Western technologies with Eastern secrets in my skin care routine, and I am pleased with the results.
It’s been 20 years since the day that I truly started to care for my skin, and I can confidently say that it looks better now than it did 20 years ago.
Of course, time changes our appearance and perspective. Still, from my experience, I believe how we act and treat ourselves daily influences our well-being and appearance.
Whatever condition your skin is in today, you can improve it. With such technological advancements and the abundance of information and products available, it would be a crime not to take care of yourself.
The most beautiful woman is the one who loves herself, accepts the changes in her body, and begins each new year with excitement. Love what you have, but don’t neglect yourself, either. Always stay in balance.
Self-acceptance and inner glow is another article. Let’s get back to the issue of flabby skin.
The key to good skin is collagen.
To improve our skin, we first must understand why it gets old and flabby. This is where collagen comes in. Collagen is one of the most important things to understand. Everything else is the result of factors we can’t do much about.
The word “collagen” comes from the Greek word for “glue.”
This means that it’s responsible for keeping everything in place. Wikipedia says that collagen is a protein that begins to decline once people reach the age of 25.
This is when we begin to experience unpleasant changes in our skin:
✘ It loses its firmness, elasticity, and smoothness.
✘ It gets dehydrated, forms wrinkles, and becomes flabby.
Let’s not try to understand collagen with complicated terms. Think about it as a spring mattress. The springs are collagen and elastin, and the filling in between them is hydration. To ensure that our mattress is firm and strong, it’s not the surface we need to take care of but the springs.
Think about your skin as an innerspring mattress. The springs are collagen and elastin, and the filling between them is hydration. To ensure that our mattress is firm and strong, we must take care of the springs, not the surface.
After all, if the springs become damaged and weak, the mattress loses its firmness and resistance. Squeezing the mattress will form bumps and prevent it from returning to its previous beauty.
It quickly becomes stretched out and wrinkly, right?
Another good metaphor for collagen is a net.
As soon as collagen declines, the ropes holding the net together wear out, the knots break loose, and no matter what you cover it up with, the bumps are still visible.
So now that you understand why you need to focus on collagen and not on firming cream when reviving your skin, here are 8 simple but effective steps to prevent aging:
–1– Sunscreen is a MUST for any time of the year.
Before we talk about improving our skin, we first need to discuss not making it worse.
The first thing you should pay attention to is sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays stimulate free radicals, damaging collagen, elastin, and skin cells.
This causes premature aging, the formation of wrinkles, and dark spots.
Take a look at any place on your body that is usually hidden from the sun. Compare it to the parts of your skin that “enjoy” the sunlight.
For example, the skin on my stomach, thighs, and chest is very smooth and soft. But my hands are a completely different story. They’re full of spots and moles, and the skin feels much different and thicker. Once, I was walking from the store carrying bags, and the handles left marks on my hands that wouldn’t disappear for half the day.
What do you think this means? That’s right, lack of collagen.
For the past ten years, I’ve been wearing sunscreen all the time, no matter if it’s sunny or rainy outside. I recommend you buy at least one skincare product with 30 SPF.
–2– Nutrition
I would love to persuade you to eat healthy foods if you don’t already, but I know that’s not always possible. Understand, however, that clean eating does wonders for your skin.
If you only make one change, I encourage you to reduce your sugar intake because it dramatically influences collagen production.
–3– Vitamin C serum
This vitamin is essential because it is involved in almost all collagen production processes. Buy a high-quality vitamin C serum and incorporate it into your daily skincare routine.
Vitamin C serums also give your face some extra glow, but don’t expect any quick and drastic results. This is a time-tested product that may not seem impressive at first. Still, it slowly and effectively promotes collagen production.
I’m currently using Timeless Skin Care – 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum 1 oz.
–4– Retinol
This is another time-tested ingredient that helps us keep our skin glowing and youthful. Retinol is the basis for all functions of our skin cells. It focuses on the nucleus of the cell and promotes regeneration.
The effect of retinol depends on its density in a product. The higher the density, the more effective the product.
If your skin is beginning to look old and dull, a cream with retinol may be your best option. I use retinol twice a week and apply it during the evening.
–5– Serums with antioxidants
More and more research studies are proving how effective antioxidants are in reducing wrinkles and slowing the aging process.
Antioxidants can be consumed not only with food and supplements but can also be applied directly to your face with various skin care products.
They’re also great for boosting collagen production.
When we’re exposed to free radicals, collagen is broken down. By using creams or serums with antioxidants that penetrate the deepest layers of your skin and neutralize free radicals, the damage caused by them is reversed.
I currently love the Timeless Skin Care – Coenzyme Q10 w/ Matrixyl 3000 Serum.
–6– Massages and physical stimulation
The only massage that has ever given me actual results is the Japanese Kobido massage.
This type of massage stimulates my face with gentle squeezes and vibrations. The session actively boosts the production of collagen and elastin.
You need to move and exercise to tone your body. The same goes for your facial muscles if you want your face to look firm and beautiful. The Kobido massage is a way to exercise your face.
–7– Acids.
If you’ve never tried glycolic acids, get ready to be pleasantly surprised.
Famous American scientists N. V. Perricone and J. C. DiNardo conducted two experiments back in 1969 demonstrating the benefits of glycolic acid for our skin.
Dead skin cells do not reflect light, making wrinkles appear larger. AHA acids remove the layer of dead skin cells, making the skin look better immediately.
Later research conducted by American scientists revealed that 20–70% of glycolic acid deeply penetrates the skin, boosting collagen and elastin production. I like to use Ordinary acids.
–8– The lymphatic system
Did you know that along with our bloodstream, there is a system underneath our skin that often experiences blockages? The lymphatic system moves lymph through your body, cleansing our bodies and skin of various toxins.
Think about it: if your skin is flooded with immobile lymph, which contains waste from our cells, how can your skin possibly glow? We don’t talk much about the lymphatic system, but Asians have known about it for years. It is important for glowing skin, so I take good care of my lymphatic system.
There you have it, my favorite and most effective “anti-aging” list.
Remember—the only way to ensure beautiful skin is to know the truth and be able to make the right choice in the endless sea of advertisements.
Don’t let yourself get lost, thinking that skincare is too complicated. I’ve written this down so that you will know what is worth your time and money and what is not.
Don’t fall into the marketing trap. Most products and procedures on the market are worthless.
Next time you want advice about how to help your skin, refer to this article and follow one or two recommendations.
Feel free to experiment, choose products according to your finances and needs, and decide for yourself what works best for you.
With love,
Ruta
P.S. If you were interested in this article, you will definitely love my new book “THE WHOLE TRUTH about beauty, youth, and skin care”👇
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