Aging is a completely natural process that everyone will eventually experience, but, even when we see it coming, we don’t always feel prepared for it.
Some signs of aging like wrinkles can be because of aging, yes, but they can also be due to stressors outside of natural processes.
There are dozens of little things that you do every single day that you might not even notice are causing you to develop wrinkles because of the damage your skin cells are taking.
For example, even blow-drying your hair at an angle can cause wrinkles to form.
What are the Biggest Culprits?
Although there are tons of little ways that your skin cells get damaged every day, there are a few specific ways that are definitely the biggest culprits.
Sunlight
A list of the major causes of skin damage wouldn’t be complete if the sun weren’t included! Although you can’t entirely remove the sun from your life, you should definitely be careful with how you approach prolonged periods in it.
Some skincare products include SPF as an afterthought, but it’s often a low amount. For that reason, we recommend using sunscreen separately so that your sunscreen can be sunscreen and your concealer can be concealer, for example.
There are various formulations of sunscreen out there – just make sure you find some that works well with your makeup.
Unhealthy habits
We’ve heard it all before – smoking, eating foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats and alcohol are all hard on your body… but they also accelerate the skin’s aging process.
Alcohol dehydrates your skin and can affect skin oils, leaving skin dry and sallow. Smoking – well, we don’t even need to get into that – everyone is better to avoid it completely. Processed foods can lead to higher body mass, which means more oxidative stress and inflammation that shows on the skin.
If you find yourself complaining about having wrinkles and lines at an age where you didn’t quite expect them yet – take a look at what you’re putting inside your body. That nightly glass (or two) of wine or the cookies every night after dinner may not be worth it.
Stress
Stress is hard to avoid – especially these days. But the truth is, is wreaking havoc on your skin. It causes our body to produce cortisol (AKA “the stress hormone”), which breaks down elastin and collagen. The result? More lines and wrinkles.
Stress is inevitable, but there are ways to manage it through daily exercise and meditation. It has also been shown that minimizing or decluttering your surroundings can reduce stress you didn’t even know you had.
Free Radicals
Free radicals are naturally occurring molecules in your body. There’s not much you can do about free radical production in your body because they’re formed through natural processes that your body needs to complete to function properly.
However, they’re known to break down your skin’s collagen and leave you susceptible to wrinkles and other forms of skin damage. For this reason, it can be quite useful to use cosmetic products that replace any proteins or vitamins that are broken down by free radicals.
What Can I Do to Protect Against Free Radical Damage?
The great thing (and only great thing) about free radicals is that scientists have discovered how to combat their negative effects and keep your skin looking great so long as you consistently follow through on a routine!
Almost every moisturizer worth buying will include some kind of antioxidant, and these antioxidants help to protect against both sun damage and free radicals. But not all are created equal.
Fiera’s Apple Stem Cell Cream is an antioxidant powerhouse which includes a special ingredient that competitors don’t make use of: apple stem cells.
Plant stem cells help to protect against the signs of aging by delaying them, and they also revitalize your skin’s appearance, giving it back its youthful bounce.
Apple stem cells have been shown to help lengthen and regenerate skin cells, making them the perfect addition to any skincare routine!