By Dr. Ania Rynarzewska, Founder of Lux Leonis Skin Care Formulator and Professor at Mercer University
We are like good wine: we get better with age. Unfortunately, our skin does not think so. As we age, our skin begins to lack elasticity and suppleness. As a result, it begins to sag and wrinkle.
(I know, I know, the "w" and "s" words should be forbidden in our vocabulary as they simply hurt us.)
There is a way to defy some of these processes. The most basic is to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, nourish and moisturize the skin.
1. Cleansing prepares your skin for product by removing any dirt and make up from your skin.
2. Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells that may be leading to clogging of pores.
3. Hydration makes skin look plumper. Hydration comes from products containing water.
4. Nourishment, often in form of oil based products or products containing oil, help your skin look healthy and happy.
Skin that is hydrated and nourished appears plumper and lines appear fuller which, optically, reduces their appearance.
In skin care regiments that I create, I focus on adding ingredients that science has proven to be skin loving.
In my everlasting youth serum, I include luxury oils and exotic butters. To boost the amazing benefits of this oil, I added ginseng extract and vitamin E which is an antioxidant.
Today, I would like to spotlight ginseng.
Here is a direct quote from a scientific study published by the National Institute of Health (read full article). As you read, though, keep in mind that ginseng, in skin care, is not considered a drug unlike what it has been traditionally used by Koreans. "Ginseng is an important traditional drug used for more than 2000 years. Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae), is physically and chemically different from ginseng grown in other countries. Studies reported that it can activate the skin’s metabolism (Tanaka and Okada, 1991), reduce keratinization (Kim et al., 1989), provide moisture and soften (Curri et al., 1986; Gezzi et al., 1986), alleviate wrinkling and enhance skin whiteness. The major effects are thought to be due to enhanced skin nutrition as a result of stimulation and increase in blood circulation and cell proliferation, resulting in increased metabolism which leads to an ‘antiaging’ effect (Lee et al., 1997). Many studies indicate that the ‘antiaging’ activity is due to free radical scavenging action of the ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) and inhibition of lipoperoxidation (Pan et al., 1993; Liu and Xiao, 1992; Choi and Byun, 1986; Choi and Oh, 1985; Choi and Oh, 1984).
The review of literature in the study above is giving hope to me and many women and men who are concerned with aging skin.
To summarize, here are a few things you can do to defy aging:
1. cleanse and exfoliate
2. moisturize
3. nourish
In addition to these beauty tips, get a lot of sleep, eat balanced diet and hydrate by drinking plenty of water. After all, other than beautiful expression lines, who wants to be saggy and wrinkly? Not me.
