No BS Rituals for Mature Skin

As we grow wiser and learn to conquer the obstacles in our lives--one of our many purposes in this life of ours--we also start showing visible signs of maturity. Some love it, others don't. The fact is, with age, our skin becomes drier (due its inability to retain as much moisture), it becomes less supple, it loses elasticity, circulation slows down, free radicles multiply by the second (well, not quite) and as a result, fine lines begin to appear. 

A healthy diet and the use of herbal treatments rich in fatty acids, protein, minerals, antioxidants are important for maintaining healthy mature skin as they can help strengthen collagen, increase elastin, and stimulate cell rejuvenation. Antioxidants, notably vitamin A, C & E and selenium can prevent or at least stall the formation of free radicals, which accelerates aging. As mature skin loses its water content to 7% from an average of 13% in younger skin, hydrating and using humectants in addition to occlusives (agents that seal in moisture) is essential! You can read about this in detail here. Today I’m sharing a step by step ritual on how to care for your mature skin so that you can protect it, nourish it and even rejuvenate it.

Compress:  Compresses are usually encouraged to before exfoliating as it helps loosen up dead cells and dirt from pores. But with mature skin, you don't need to exfoliate more than 4 times a month. But, use a warm compress every morning, anyway, to increase your circulation. In the process, dead skin cells will also loosen up enough for you to just rinse off with water. Pat dry.

Mist: Apply an organic floral mist, such as our Aqua Vitae Rose, formulated to balance your skin tone, to hydrate your skin and provide it with important nutrients. Normally these can be added before moisturizing and anytime after. But check the specifics of each brand. Ours is best used prior to adding a face oil, and anytime after as a refreshing boost. 

Moisturize: use a moisturizer with effective active ingredients such as essential oils to stimulate circulation and as a source of antioxidants, a good humectant to draw in moisture, and botanical extracts to provide vitamins, fatty acids and other nourishment, such as minerals. I personally like face oils. But oils do not add moisture. They seal in moisture and can attract moisture (I say "can" because it all depends on the type of oils you use and its quality). For maximum results, our face elixir should be applied after the mist as this is a great way to ensure that you are also getting important water-soluble botanical extracts. 

Cleanse: At the end of the day, cleanse with a milky cleaner as it's waterbased with enough fat to extract oil-soluble, it's light, contains no alcohol nor strong acids, and it's soothing. However, clean (natural and sans potentially harmful chemicals) milky cleansers are hard to come by and I am not a fan of milk on my face. So here are some options if you are like me:

1. Organic live-culture-containing yogurt: thin 1 tsp of yogurt with warm water. Massage over face and gently wipe off with your preferred face cloth (I like cheesecloth). Rinse with warm water. Your last splash should be cool water. Pat dry. 
2. Botanical Cleansing Mix: this is our amazingly simple but lovely mix of oats, chamomile, vanilla, seabuckthorn, and bamboo. Soak the mix in warm water, creating a soft milky slurry (see instructions). Massage over all over your face. Rinse with warm water. Your last splash should be cool water. Pat dry. Read more here as there are many ways to use this Mix.
3. Botanical Cleansing Elixir: though this is not a milk-based cleanser, as an oil, it is very, very light and works as well and as gently as a milk when applied to a damp face. Read more here. Rich in B vitamins and helps reduce the size of pores, make this a great alternative. 

That Special Touch: After cleansing, apply Therapeutic Lip Cream and proceed with your nighttime ritual which may include an eye cream, more face mist, and a very light moisturizer or a very light face oil. The latter depends on how dry your home is, and how dry & thirsty your skin is. Just make sure that whatever you decide to apply, allows your skin to breathe! Remember, your body naturally goes into the reconstructive mode at night. The best thing you can do to help this process is to get enough sleep and a light meal before bed. 

Are there any other steps that you take that you love and feel we should know about? Please share!

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