IN THIS DAY & AGE
Like it or not, lines and wrinkles are something we all experience as we get older. But as ‘antiageing’ becomes banished terminology in the beauty world, what does it mean to have youthful skin, and is it possible at any age?
Lines and wrinkles are something we all experience as we get older.
When it comes to skin goals, my biggest one was, up until now, a secret. After years of being relentlessly hassled for my ID, the inconvenience gradually became more flattering, and, thinking I must be doing something right with my skincare routine, I was hopeful that I could keep that up indefinitely. For the past couple of months, however, the ID has remained firmly in my purse. I’m on the cusp of turning 37, so, to be fair, I’ve had a pretty good run. And perhaps my goal was a little lofty. Or was it? Surely with all the innovation going on in the beauty world, great, youthful skin is possible at any age.
“We don’t age as our grandparents did,” says Vanessa Feehan-Meldrum, technical trainer for premium cosmetics house, Sothys. Our modern lifestyles are the culprit – sleepless nights, new-age diets, sunscreen compliance and our access to active skincare ingredients invariably meaning that the signs of ageing manifest differently for us, compared with previous generations.
It’s not just the way we live that’s changing how we age – we’re embracing ageing in a way that we haven’t before. “It’s much more of a positive experience,” says FeehanMeldrum, explaining that, while ageing is inevitable – the magic pill that will erase lines and wrinkles hasn’t been invented yet – there’s less of a stigma around it. People simply want to look and feel their best at any age. Emma Hobson, director of education for Dermalogica Asia Pacific, agrees. She points out that on top of having access to all manner of products and resources that enable us to age healthily, the conversation around ageing has shifted dramatically, and for the better. “Today, the conversation is less about ageing and more about looking good and feeling healthy,” she says.
“We’ve seen a real change in the beauty world and the way we talk about skin and expectations,” adds Feehan-Meldrum. “You can still be youthful at 70; things don’t suddenly stop once you hit a certain number.”
Thinking about it, I have to rack my brain to recall the last time I was pitched an ‘anti-wrinkle’ serum or moisturiser. “That’s because these days, women relate more to the terms ‘luminous’, ‘smooth’, ‘bright’ and ‘vibrant’ than we do ‘lines’, ‘ageing’ and ‘wrinkles’,” she says.
Part of this shift comes down to the fact that ageing skin is so much more complex and individualised than we once thought. Although the appearance of lines is a key, and highly visible part of the ageing process, there’s a whole lot more going on beneath the surface of our skin. “As we age, our cells start to change and break down,” says Feehan-Meldrum. “When we look at ageing, we look at wrinkles, lines, sun damage, pigmentation, lack of luminosity, lack of nourishment; all of these things are part of ageing. It’s the breaking down or damage done to different cells as we age.”
As well as ‘anti-ageing’ being all-but removed from the beauty world’s vocabulary, we’ve also seen a dramatic decrease in the number of age-specific skincare products and treatments being launched. Where it was once commonly thought that certain age groups experience the same skin changes at the same time, the one-size-fits-all approach has since been debunked.
GENETICS & LIFESTYLE
As far as how we age, genetics still hold a large piece of the puzzle. But skin experts and medical professionals around the globe are increasingly emphasising the impact of lifestyle and extrinsic factors on our skin. “You can’t go past your genetic programming; your DNA has a built-in code as to how fast or slowly you age,” says Hobson. “However, what is becoming more and more apparent is that it’s our lifestyle that is the true determiner of the ageing process. Where you live, what you drink, smoke or eat, how much sleep, exercise and sun exposure you get ... the list goes on, and that’s the true measure of how well you will age.” So, gone are the days when we could assume two 50-year-olds would age in the same way? “You can’t sit there and say, ‘Well, they’re 50 so they’re going to have these skin concerns.’ It’s not how we work any more,” says Feehan-Meldrum. Most skin experts now believe that genetics account for 20-25 per cent of the changes we see in our skin; the other 75-80 per cent of skin health comes down to extrinsic factors. “Back in the day, we thought it was all about our DNA – my grandmother aged well, so I’m going to age well and be fine. But that’s been blown out of the water; a much more relevant indicator is what your skin has been subjected to over time,” says Feehan-Meldrum.
With this in mind, one might ponder whether it’s possible to have the same skin at 50 as you had at 35, if you live a skin-health-enhancing lifestyle. “It’s a tricky one,” says Feehan-Meldrum. “It depends on your life. We see people who have been more proactive early on and started a good skincare routine in their twenties or thirties. They might have fewer lines and better skin quality.” But when it all comes down to it, there is no magic elixir that stops the ageing process. From around the age of 20, the average woman’s skin decreases in thickness by seven per cent every 10 years, explains Hobson. And that’s not all that’s going on. As we age, our cell turnover rate slows down, “So at 30, it’s about 30 days; by the time you’re 40, it’s about 40 days, and that’s why we start seeing duller and more randomly pigmented skin.” Natural production of the hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin that provides skin with hydration and bounce begins to screech to a halt, too.
The takeaway so far? Ageing is inevitable, but when it comes to healthy, luminous skin, there are more variables at play than just age itself; lifestyle and extrinsic factors play a significant part. As far as what we do with this information, skin experts agree that since everyone’s skin ages uniquely and for unique reasons, it’s only appropriate that our skincare regimes become one-of-a-kind too. Feehan-Meldrum is a vocal proponent of a personalised, prescriptive approach to skincare, arguing that we all want to feel like we’re using products that will target our unique needs. “It’s what people want; they don’t want to be one of many. It’s about what’s in it for them. That’s the way you make a skin goal and plan what you need to do.”
Finding a great skin therapist is the perfect starting point from which to set about achieving your skin goals, especially once you hit a certain age. “From the age of 25 to 30, your skin has helped you out. But once you move past there, the good old ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ isn’t going to cut it,” says Feehan-Meldrum. “As good as moisturisers have become, it’s still not the one-trick wonder. There has to be an investment in what you’re doing. And I guarantee you’ll be happier when you know that investment is personalised to you.”
Even with this in mind, most experts will say there are a handful of steps we can all take, and factors we can all be aware of, if we want to optimise our skin health. According to Feehan-Meldrum, the three significant extrinsic factors are sun exposure, sleep and stress. “We all know the sun is very damaging to skin. But people underestimate how significant sleep is to the ageing process. It affects how skin ages and how it repairs itself.” Then, there’s stress. “It’s a huge factor, and people don’t realise it has a cumulative effect, or that over a long period it can be very destructive.”
Taking these factors into consideration, it makes sense that Hobson and Feehan-Meldrum believe protecting skin from the sun should be our number one priority. “First and foremost, my advice is to protect the skin from UV rays, both UVA and UVB, and all throughout the year. It’s essential to wear a daily sunscreen with a minimum protection of SPF 30 to 50,” advises Hobson.
As for additional steps, FeehanMeldrum is a big believer in doing what works for you. “Sometimes it’s about getting the right products with the right ingredients that do the job, and keep life simple,” she says. Terri Vinson, Australian skin scientist and founder of Synergie Skin agrees. “Youthful, healthy skin is all about investing in a clean lifestyle with an emphasis on evidence-based skin care. Take the time to read your labels to ensure you choose clean, ethical products that are backed by science. Cosmeceuticals containing active ingredients at effective dosages, combined with a moisturising physical sunscreen, is the ideal skin investment. It’s never too late to embark on your skin journey!”
Whatever your skin goals are, crucial to achieving them is ensuring your chosen methods will bring about the desired results. Feehan-Meldrum says there are a handful of ingredients that will never lead you astray. “Hyaluronic acid is the big one – it hydrates the skin, and we know it’s
“YOUR DNA HAS A BUILT-IN CODE AS TO HOW FAST OR SLOWLY YOU AGE.”
EMMA HOBSON