Ern Westmore, the Dean of Hollywood make-up for over forty years often said, ‘We spend 24 hours a day growing old, why not take 5 or 10 minutes of each day trying to stay young and beautiful.’
I try and live by that philosophy and while I might occasionally spend a little bit longer on my beauty regime, by and large I follow a quick and simple routine.
We all wish we could turn back the clock and keep those visible signs of aging at bay and while a lot of it is predetermined in our DNA, I do believe there are lots of things we can do to stay looking younger.
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.
― Sam Levenson, performer and author of In One Era & Out the Other
Beauty does come from within and our attitude to life, thinking good thoughts, eating good healthy food and staying hydrated are definitely contributing factors.
Another corner stone to keeping my skin looking as youthful as possible and stopping it from drying out is not using soap.
The reason the majority of soaps are so detrimental to our skin is because of their pH level.
In chemistry, pH is a scale used to measure the acidic or alkaline level of a water-based solution. Acidic solutions have a lower pH, while alkaline solutions have a higher pH. At room temperature (25 °C), pure water is neither acidic nor alkaline and has a pH of 7. [source: Wikipedia]
Most soaps have a pH level of around 9 to 10, which is a low level of acidity. However, our skin’s natural pH level is around 4.5 to 6.5 [source: Dr Zoe Diana Draelos MD].
It’s been decades now since I’ve used soap on my body. I always choose a body wash instead that has a pH level closest to my skin’s pH level, which doesn’t dry out or irritate or strip the natural oils out my skin.
I never use soap or body wash on my face, only a good facial cleanser.
We shouldn’t forget that our skin is the biggest organ in our body and it is porous, which means it absorbs whatever we put on it.
In fact, there have been many certified studies published looking into the skin’s absorption rates of chemicals found in drinking water as well as the chemicals and fragrances in skin care products. Other studies have found the face to be much more porous than the rest of our body and like our underarms, has a 100% absorption rate.
It is easy to see that what we use on our skin ends up inside our bodies through our blood stream and lymphatic system, which is why it is important to read labels and become aware of what harmful ingredients to avoid when selecting skin care products.
When you start doing your research, you’ll be alarmed to learn how many toxic chemicals, preservatives and synthetic fragrances are added to many skin care products. Many of them are listed under several different names so it can become quite confusing.
It’s wise to steer clear of products that contain Sulfates and Parabens and ingredients that are derived from petroleum.
There are many certified organic and natural skin care ranges on the market these days that aren’t very expensive.
It’s particularly important what you put on babies and children’s skin as they are particularly sensitive to chemicals.
Another corner stone to good skin care is to exfoliate regularly.
I exfoliate regularly and especially when I notice my skin has a slight dullness to it. The reason we exfoliate is to remove the dead skin cells that build up on the skin’s surface and can clog our pores and make the skin lose its natural glow.
Mandy Gray, who heads True Solutions International, has been a revered mover and shaker in the beauty business for over three decades and exfoliating is top of her beauty ‘must-dos’.
Mandy uses the analogy of toast and fresh bread to illustrate the importance of adding exfoliation to your beauty routine.
If you try and spread butter on cold toast it’s hard to spread and doesn’t absorb very well, however if you butter fresh bread it will spread easily and absorb more and you’ll probably use much less butter in the process.
The same thing happens with your skin. If you don’t exfoliate, the products you apply to your skin won’t penetrate as well and therefore they won’t give you maximum benefits.
There are lots of different exfoliating creams on the market; it’s just a matter of preference. Some people like the grainy scrubs that you can work into the skin, while others prefer a cream or chemical peel that you simply apply, leave on and rinse off. You can also go to a beauty therapist and get a professional Microdermabrasion.
Once again it’s important to keep it as natural and chemical free as possible.
If you’ve never exfoliated before, you will be amazed at how soft and smooth it leaves your skin.
Wrinkles are hereditary. Parents get them from their children
– Doris Day, legendary US singer and actor.
Another thing to remember is the amount of germs we carry on our fingers so the less we touch our face the better.
I always complete my beauty regime by applying a moisturiser to my face, neck, décolletage and the backs of my hands. Even if you have oily skin it’s still important to replenish your skin’s moisture.
Sun Exposure
Exposure to the sun gives us much needed Vitamin D but prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays without protection will, at best, give us premature aging and many more wrinkles at an earlier age and at worst, skin cancer.
In fact Australia has the dubious distinction of having the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world.
You can find sunscreen added in many moisturisers, foundations and mineral make-ups. Be sure to apply sunscreen on all exposed areas including your ear lobes and re-apply if you’ve been swimming.
Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been –Anon
Wrinkles are expression lines and if you look in the mirror and notice vertical lines between your eyebrows then you’ve been frowning far too much.
You might be frowning because you’re stressed or worried or you’re straining to see. Think about having your eyes tested.
If you’re not sure if you frown or not, the best way to tell is to relax your face, then apply egg white on your forehead and any expression lines on your face and let it dry. You’ll soon feel and see when you start moving your face whether you’re frowning or not.
Wouldn’t it be SO great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for 10 minutes and come out wrinkle free and three sizes smaller
– Anon
Take care…cheers susie
Susie Elelman AM JP
Author, TV & Radio Broadcaster
About The Author - Susie Elelman
Susie Elelman is an Australian television presenter, radio broadcaster, and author, most famous for her appearances on daytime television in Australia. She has been an ambassador of the Australian Menopause Centre since 2016 and it is a pleasure to have such an influential figure support our work.