Shrewsbury Imagine Spa - skin care blog

 

As professional skin care experts in Shrewsbury, our Imagine Spa therapists often hear clients say they miss how their skin used to look, or that it has lost its youthfulness as they’ve gotten older.

But you might be surprised to learn that how youthful your skin appears has less to do with your age and more to do with how it’s being treated. As a result of excessive sun exposure, smoke and stress, your skin can start "acting old," losing its collagen, glow and elasticity. Lines may develop prematurely and your skin can look dull.

Of course, it’s easier to prevent damage than repair it, but the good news is we can all halt premature aging and get our skin back towards mint condition with our ten dos and don’ts.

 

DO…

Wear Sunscreen, Rain or Shine

You probably know that sun damage is the number one cause of premature aging. What you might not know is that whether the sun is shining or not has very little to do with the levels of UV the sun produces. It can be a cloudy day and UV levels may still be high enough to harm our skin. Continued, unprotected sun exposure can lead to damaged skin cells, as well as more serious health risks.

It’s best to check UV levels online before you head outside and wear protective products accordingly. We recommend that whether the sun is shining or not, you should always wear a sunscreen of at least SPF15. Thankfully you can get a lot of moisturiser-type products these days that include lighter sun protection technology. Day and night creams, mists and even makeup with sunscreens incorporated into them means you can go outside feeling protected without having to add an extra layer of sun cream.

Stop Smoking

As well as the obvious health risks, smoking is the second biggest cause of skin damage, as the nicotine constricts blood vessels and decreases the flow of oxygen to the skin. It also promotes premature aging lines around your mouth and eyes from pursing your lips and squinting at cigarette smoke. Another reason to quit…!

Use a Retinoid

A retinoid is any of a group of compounds that have effects on the body much like those of vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for our bodies and is important for a huge range of things from sustaining a strong immune system to ensuring your heart is working properly.

Retinoids are primarily used in creams because of the way they regulate epithelial cell growth, the cells of your skin. In fact, dermatologists claim retinoids are basically the one anti-aging product that really works. Using a moisturiser rich in retinol daily can make us look years younger.

Get Facial Treatments

A regular facial treatment can dramatically improve the appearance of our skin. Imagine Spa Shrewsbury naturally offers a fantastic range of facials J from a mini 15-minute Cleanse & Boost to the Anti-Aging Powerlift – it’s as miraculous as it sounds, with results you can see and feel. Men don’t have to miss out either, with our Men’s Energy Release Facial.

Shield Your Windows

The average commuter gets 200 hours of sun exposure each year and 80% of sun exposure is through car windows.  To protect your skin against sun damage, invest in a special window shield. Some with SPF 285 can block UVA and UVB rays by 99%.

 

DON’T…

Tan

Yes, it’s a killjoy, but we have to look at the facts. Even if the wrinkles haven’t appeared yet, it’s advisable to stop sun worhsipping now because they will. Once signs of aging appear, you may find yourself having to spedn a lot of money to reverse it…!

But staying in the shade a bit more doesn’t mean you’re doomed to staying paler than you’d like. Tan yourself a little in the sun, sure – everyone has to go on holiday! But if you like the sound of spray tanning, Imagine Spa Shrewsbury cab certainly help. We offer full body spray tans from Kissed by Mii for only £25. You can become a bronzed goddess (or god!) in one relaxing half-hour session….

Pull at Your Skin

We’ve mentioned this one before in our Eye Makeup Tips article but it’s true, so we’re saying it again! Never pull or rub your skin harshly.

Throughout the day, our skin is under a lot of stress from UV rays, the heating or the air conditioning, washing up, wearing makeup… the list goes on. The least we can do is treat it gently.

Skip Moisturising

This one goes for everyone out there – men too. As we get older, our skin’s natural ability to keep itself moisturised diminishes. This happens because the epidermis gets older and has less contact with the dermis, which helps with moisturisation.

What moisturising does is improve the appearance of lines by temporarily plumping them up. It also helps our skin protect itself throughout the day, stopping it from chafing, cracking and drying out.

You don’t have to buy anything fancy - a pinch of Vaseline will do the trick. But be aware that not all creams were meant for all bits of your body. Some creams aren’t good for your face, for example, as they contain harsher chemicals. OK for your legs, not for your delicate eye area. Investing in a good face cream is highly recommended.

Ignore Your Neck and Chest

The neck and chest are first to show the signs of aging as they have fewer oil glands than the rest of your body. Yet most of us tend to forget this and instead focus only on the face. Look for moisturisers that have age-fighting ingredients such as vitamin A (retinols), kinetin, copper or vitamin C.

Take Continual Care of Your Skin

Taking simple steps is the key to better skin. One intense weekend of an anti-aging regime isn’t going to work if you don’t keep it up – those initial effects will go away if you stop.

Remember to cleanse your face every night to avoid clogged pores and to wash away all the pollution your skin has been subjected to throughout the day. Keep a tub of cream on your nightstand or by the couch – somewhere you know you’ll see it in the evening and can spend a minute applying.

For the best results, you need to start treating skin care as a necessity, not something you only do when you feel like it or have the time. Work a simple routine into your everyday life that you’ll find manageable and easy to maintain and we promise you will see a change.

If you would like any further advice about skin care from one of Imagine Spa’s beauty therapists in Shrewsbury, please fill out the enquiry form below or call 01743 467755.

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