With Summer in full swing, have you noticed how INTENSE the sun is on your skin!?! Wow and we are only in the first week of December! So apart from the obvious Slip, Slop, Slap and wearing your essential Vixen Trucker cap, what else can we do to protect our skin from wrinkles? Well as we get older the internal side of things becomes just as important as the external ways to protect our skin from turning into a prune!

Keep a wrinkle-free complexion with these simple anti-ageing beauty steps:

What’s the secret of youthful skin?

With age we all start to notice the beginning of wrinkles. And wrinkles appear more prominent on dry skin so moisturising your skin from within is the first step in reducing them.

There are lots of great things you can do to improve the health of your skin from the inside.

RULE no 1: Eat essential fatty acids

The key nutrients to moisturise skin from within are the essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6. These will make a healthy cell membrane and can be found in nuts, seeds and oily fish. Make sure you have a portion of these every day.

In addition, you may find it very useful to supplement with an essential fatty acid which contains both omega 3 & 6. Check the label to make sure that the fish oil has been filtered to remove any pollutants from the seas.

Oily fish rich in omega 3 include salmon, sardines, mackerel and fresh tuna.

Nuts and seeds including almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are particularly rich in omega 6. Buy bags of each of these and mix in a big jar, keep in the fridge and have a handful every day.

RULE No 2: Drink plenty of H2O

Did you ever consider what your skin is made of? How your skin cells are formed?

Skin cells are born in the deepest layers of your skin and each skin cell is formed a bit like a water bomb. The inside of each skin cell is filled with water, this makes it plump. The outside of the skin cell (the balloon part) is made from fat and this fat holds the water in.

So if you suffer with dry skin, you may not be drinking enough water or you may not eat enough of the right kind of fats to make a watertight cell membrane.

RULE No 3: Take Grapeseed Extract

Research has shown that grapeseed extract inhibits the breakdown of collagen (this breakdown manifests as wrinkles). So taking grapeseed extract may help to keep skin thicker and ward off the wrinkles.

RULE No 4: Avoid bad skin foods

Don’t spend money on foods which can detract from skin health. For example, sugary foods like biscuits and sweets can make skin tissues less elastic and more wrinkled.

Avoid saturated fats found in junk foods, fatty meats, butter and cheese. Saturated fat upsets the balance of oils in the skin and can contribute to dehydration and blocked pores. Avoid salt, as this can result in puffiness which reduces skin’s elasticity. And finally minimise caffeine as this can have a diuretic effect which dehydrates the skin making it tired looking.

By applying the external protection factors along with the internal preventative measures, you are on a winning streak of clear, wrinkle free glowing skin! Happy Summer Vixens 🙂