Bette Davis, the doe-eyed icon of Hollywood’s Golden era, famously said “old age ain’t no place for sissies.”
Davis, who made it to 81 despite breast cancer, four strokes and 100 cigs a day, probably had a uniquely combative relationship with the passage of time. We also doubt she encountered many of the problems you, the guy reading this on the internet in 2019, face on a daily basis.
Bette Davis, the doe-eyed icon of Hollywood’s Golden era, famously said “old age ain’t no place for sissies.”
Even so, she was kind of right.
No matter your gender, getting old is tough. Worse still—and this is very much a scientific fact, people—it’s an absolute certainty. But as Davis made clear in her famous quote, you can’t be a pushover when confronted by it.
With our two new products – Mr Moisturiser and Wrinkle Warrior – engineered to bring you smoother, healthier skin, we’re taking a look at the effects ageing has on your body’s biggest organ—and the steps you can take to stop it in its tracks (or, you know, slow it down a bit).
A Timeline for Skin
Just as the wind howls, the tide shifts and the sun sets, your skin ages. Sure, you can blast it with botox and fillers for that coveted blow up sex doll look, but beneath this artificial rictus your skin will still be experiencing something the American Academy of Dermatology calls ‘intrinsic ageing’, AKA growing old naturally.
Yet a distinguished and rugged appearance can easily slide into battered boot leather vibes if we fail to take care of ourselves…
As you age, skin becomes thinner and drier; the rosy plump cheeks of youth give way to fine lines and wrinkles, and everything tends to get a bit rougher. This, of course, is no bad thing. We want our body’s largest organ to be resilient, and the lines on our forehead and calluses on our hands hint at a life well lived, lending character to our distinguished, rugged appearance.
Yet a distinguished and rugged appearance can easily slide into battered boot leather vibes if we fail to take care of ourselves, say, by smoking 100 cigs a day, or through any of these other detrimental factors….
What Causes Skin to Age Prematurely?
The Sun – As much as we Brits love jettisoning articles of clothing at the first sensation of a UV ray, we’d do well to remember one thing: the sun will wreak havoc on your skin if you regularly bask in its glory without protection.
Even when it’s cloudy, the sun’s ultraviolet rays mutate the cells in your skin, causing sunburn, rashes, moles and—worst of all—melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. But before all of that nasty stuff, too much sun will, quite simply, make your skin look haggard and old.
By all means, work on your tan. But use sunscreen when you do, preferably SPF 30 or more.
Smoking and Drinking – Smoking is bad. It’s bad for every cell in your body. It’s bad for skin because the nicotine in cigarettes narrows the blood vessels in its outermost layers. This impairs blood flow and limits the amount of oxygen and nutrients skin can receive, meaning more wrinkles and a sallow complexion. According to the Mayo Clinic, the 4,000+ chemicals in tobacco smoke also damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, resulting in an always unwelcome saggy look.
Drinking dehydrates the skin, drying it out and making it prone to damage. If you really get after it on a regular basis, your skin may also suffer from something called rosacea, a flush of redness in the face that, in serious cases, can lead to disfigurement.
Repetitive Facial Expressions – Granted, it’s tough to hear, but sporting an excessively animated array of expressions can actually increase the lines on your face. So sure, you could preserve a porcelain smooth complexion by keeping your face in a permanent stasis, or you can risk a few crow’s feet by continuing to rock the ear to ear smiles, raised eyebrows and contorted cheeks that come with being the life of the party.
But in doing so, maybe nourish your skin with some of this good stuff…
What are the Best Ingredients to Tackle Ageing Skin?
Hyaluronic Acid – Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a substance—specifically, a glycosaminoglycan—that occurs naturally in the body, with the highest concentrations being found in the eyes and joints.
It has a unique capacity to retain water, meaning it can be used as a moisturiser to help keep skin hydrated. HA is in both our Wrinkle Warrior and Mr Moisturiser face creams, where its moisture-binding qualities can help keep your skin looking plump and healthy.
Along with your favourite citrus fruits, Vitamin C can be found in high concentrations in your body; unless you’re, we dunno, an old-timey pirate.
Allantoin – Allantoin is a chemical compound that soothes and protects the skin while increasing the skin’s water content. It also hastens the removal of dead skin cells. This results in smoother, healthier skin. One study also found that Allantoin improves wound healing processes.
Vitamin C – Along with your favourite citrus fruits, Vitamin C can be found in high concentrations in your body; unless you’re, we dunno, an old-timey pirate. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin against the harmful effects of free radicals and UV rays, the primary cause of wrinkles and premature ageing. This is why we’ve stuck it in our Wrinkle Warrior face cream.
Coenzyme Q10 – A healthy level of Coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring nutrient which also plays a key role in Wrinkle Warrior, ensures your body has the energy it needs to produce collagen and elastin. These proteins not only keep your skin looking supple, but they ensure your skin can shield itself against the external causes of ageing (and the wrinkles that can follow).
To Conclude…
Every single one of us is going to come face to face with the realities of ageing. If you’re the sort of person who prefers a robust diet of Polish lager, rolling tobacco and prolonged exposure to the glorious British sun, you might be faced with the realities of ageing a bit sooner than most.
However, even if you do top up your ABV and UV levels a little more than the doctor recommends, you can still nourish your skin with ingredients to keep it smooth, hydrated and strong.
Though for the sake of your skin’s long term health, you might want to keep your shirt on when the next 30 degree summer day rolls around.
