Who could have imagined that our days would be spent mostly inside and that venturing outdoors would require us to wear protective masks? Definitely not me!

But this new way of being can also be seen as the perfect time for us to embrace the art of aging gracefully and to recognize that it’s never too early or too late to adopt a good skincare routine. But of course, starting sooner and at a younger age, rather than later in life has advantages when it comes to taking care of our skin.

We all know that as we get older, our skin naturally becomes less elastic and more fragile. We can’t change that, but there are lots of things we can do to prevent our skin from aging prematurely. It comes down to making choices that will add elegance and style to aging so that with each birthday, we can be comfortable in our own skin and love ourselves even more.

Clearly, prevention is preferable, easier, and much less expensive than fixing a problem with procedures such as eye lifts, facelifts, and injections. Just hearing those words makes me shudder, which is why I’m such a stickler for adopting a routine that works well for your individual skin type. If you stick to the routine, you’ll look and feel your best on that next Zoom call and when we’re finally allowed to step out into the real world.

When it comes to beauty, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in skincare. For years, I’ve been intrigued by the effectiveness of Japanese beauty techniques because they are fresh and straightforward. The basic Japanese skincare routine boils down to removing makeup, cleansing, hydrating, perhaps treating with a serum, and then more moisturizer. What could be easier or make more sense? For me, it’s a skincare regimen that is already helping me reach a personal goal of saying “bye-bye and good riddance” to the time consuming and expensive ritual of applying makeup.

Here are a few of the tips that I believe will help you achieve extraordinary and radiant-looking skin, which is part of my larger and more important aspiration to age with grace.  

It’s true, beauty comes from the inside and you really are what you eat!

Having beautiful skin now and as you get older starts on the inside. By that, I mean to reap the benefits from any beauty product, you must first have a healthy and trouble-free gut. And the most important thing to remember about making your gut happy is that everyone is different. A diet that’s working well for a friend or colleague might not work at all for you.

As a person who comes from an ethnic background, I’ve struggled for years with how to make my gut happy. Maybe you have too. To learn the facts about how best to improve the health of your gut you can either ask your doctor, or you can take an in-home test. I used the Viome Gut Intelligence Test, which showed me how to take control of my overall health.

After you order the test, which is on sale right now, you send in your sample for an analysis that includes determining how the bacteria inside you are working and what toxins or nutrients are being produced from what you eat. Viome provides you with individualized dietary recommendations that are delivered to you through a phone app. I have found the whole concept amazing and just what I needed to improve my health and my skin’s appearance.

Skincare products don’t have to be expensive to work

Sure, there are several very effective and expensive brands on the market. But keep in mind that everyone’s skin, like the bacteria inside your gut, is different. While we cope with stay-at-home orders, search out alternatives to expensive products. Much of the hype around some of the priciest products is more about branding than it is about benefiting your skin. Two of my favorites:

  1. I was fortunate to experiment with a line of products while on last year’s vacation to Tuscany. Here is Seed to Skin. But of particular note is their “divine cleanser” product. It’s a natural facial cleanser that’s gentle, but also deep cleaning. It also helps your skin produce more collagen giving you plumper cheeks and a more clear and luminous complexion.  
  2. I’m also a fan of the Estee Lauder facial moisturizing product with nutritious super pomegranate. Interestingly, this product’s abundance of vitamin C helps reduce skin inflammation and can protect your skin from harmful UV rays. It’s not a substitute for sunscreen but can provide a bit of added protection.

Join the trend by trying some innovative skincare technologies

It’s being said that technology is now the future of the skincare industry. There are apps that can detect dryness, changes in skin tone, unevenness, and even conditions such as rosacea. These apps also recommend products designed for specific skincare needs. Additionally, there are several different technology tools that make it easier to take care of your skin. Currently, I am using a couple of beauty devices that are best known for deep cleansing and nourishing mask:

  1. I’ve experimented with both the LUNA and UFO smart mask products offered by FOREO and am pleased with the results. The products are revolutionary and do a much better job of cleaning your face than you could ever do with your hands. So, your skin will be super clean, which will put you on the right path to achieving a gorgeous, clear complexion and blemish-free skin.
  2. I am loving the fully wearable, anti-aging CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Mask. The mask has improved my skin tone and I’ve noticed a difference in the texture and firmness of my skin. I’m lucky to not have to worry about wrinkles, but I know it’s only a matter of time. And it’s nice to hear that this product is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles and fine lines in a relatively short amount of time — they say about four weeks.  

Try changing your skincare routine every six months

After sticking to a certain routine for six months, I recommend making changes because your skin changes over time. Additionally, it’s also possible that the products you’ve been using are no longer as effective as they once were. Or, those products might not be delivering on promises they made, such as cleaner pores, or the radiant glow you were expecting.

As a general rule, you should change your moisturizer and sunscreen twice a year – once from winter to spring, and once from summer to fall. Think of it as something that’s similar to changing your wardrobe for every season.

The saying, “beauty is only skin-deep” rings truer than ever for me because it’s not how we look on the outside — it’s the goodness inside of us that matters most. But I also believe that being confident in our outward appearance can make us feel good about ourselves and in turn about others. It is my sincere hope that these simple tips on skincare and overall wellbeing will give you a healthy-looking complexion while also providing an optimistic perspective as we make our way through these trying times together. Stay healthy and safe!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zainab Wadood is a self-described citizen of the world. She started writing her blog at the request of several friends who consistently asked for advice on everything from how to set a table to the best way to get along with millennials. She says it’s her close relationship with her parents that’s given her an ability to offer guidance to both friends and colleagues. 

In her blog, The Z Philosophy, she taps into her parent’s values and sense of grace and style to offer her 21st-century audience advice that’s founded on etiquette, good manners, and common sense. As she would say, “it’s a bit of old school with a topspin”.