Anti-aging - By Jacqui Faucitt (FOUNDER & CEO of RégimA Skin Treatments)

August 12, 2024

Anti-aging - By Jacqui Faucitt (FOUNDER & CEO of RégimA Skin Treatments)

Anti-aging is now not just a buzz word, but I feel, a necessity of modern life. You must not be left behind, keep up with the technology, I remember the free school milk we were all given at primary school. That was the start of education for our well-being, milk will build strong bones and teeth! Aging affects our bodies, inside and out so what we put into it really counts.

Like many things in life, fashion in lifestyle comes and goes. Do you remember your Grandma ever mentioning anti-aging? The nearest to anti-aging was when she would slap on a thick cream at night and say that this would keep her looking beautiful for longer. That was the start of the anti-aging craze I remember well.

Anti-Aging means every aspect of your life. Sometimes it feels like we are being bullied into eating certain foods, feeding our children the ‘right’ things to prevent rotting of their teeth, helping prevent obesity and diabetes.

We all want to look as good as we possibly can, that is human nature. Most of us, if we are honest, want to age well, to retard the onset of aging skin by using products that will feed, stimulate collagen, that we know is the scaffolding for skin, seek out treatments that make us look and feel better. Some people wrongly search for a “cure” for aging. Aging is not a disease, it is a natural part of the progression through life. The good news is, we now have the ability to make that transition throughout life to go smoothly. I am not saying there is an actual “Fountain of Youth”, but you can look and feel so much better, despite your actual age, but you have to try and put in a bit of time and effort, don’t get lazy and only use your ‘Anti-Aging products on the weekend when you have more time! That will not do much good. You need to be consistent.

Every day you must get out of bed and set your daily routine. I suggest exfoliation of your face and body, then apply your best serums and creams. Never lounge around in pyjamas saying oh I am not going anywhere today, you owe it to yourself to be motivated, make the effort to look after your skin, slap on some make-up and be ready to face the world.

You have heard of the holistic approach, but do you know what it means? A holistic approach is a way of thinking and acting that considers the whole person or system, not just the parts. It is based on the idea that everything is interconnected and interdependent, and that the best way to understand and improve something is to look at it as a whole.

Keeping fit is very important, particularly as we get older. If you do not want to go to the gym then take the dog for a walk or meet a friend and have a walk in the park. Exercise is vital to your mobility and well-being. If you have suffered any injury do something about it. I had a bad accident 3 or 4 years ago, breaking a number of bones. I could feel myself stiffening up, particularly when winter crept in. I realised I needed a good physiotherapist. It works, I do feel more supple after each treatment. It is critical to stay mobile, you will stand taller and pain can be controlled. It is amazing how much better you will look when you minimize pain and are more mobile.

Now take a good hard look at yourself, all the things that have perhaps changed over the last couple of years, your hair, is it now grey and maybe in need of a good shaping? Think hard about it before cutting your hair, get a good hairdresser who can make suggestions that will suit your face, particularly if you have maybe put a little weight on, or lost a little weight? A problem that can be particularly aging is weight loss in the face, when someone loses subcutaneous fat from the cheeks, that is when the saying gaunt kicks in. It is one thing losing some weight that you may have wanted to do for some time, but losing too much has the opposite effect to what you want to achieve.

There is a craze over in the USA at this point in time where, not only celebrities are taking one of these “miracle” slimming drugs, but many ‘normal’ people have jumped on the bandwagon. When they start off they are happy and I feel they become “addicted” as they start to lose the dreaded weight. What they do not realise at that stage is they can go beyond the point of no return. In other words, they risk their lives, but also, they start to look so much older than they are. Do not become one of those. It is not attractive, not anti-aging and very dangerous.

So, back to your hair and you get some good advice. If you decided to go grey during ‘the lockdown’ when all our lives were put on hold, are you happy with it? Get some old photos out showing how it was before you took that decision and weigh up whether you look younger and better before or now? Don’t let laziness make your decision. Why not jazz up your look with some highlights or low lights, warm tones. Remember, you owe certain things to you, your hair, your skin, your style, with clothes appropriate to your feelings, not just to your age.

When you look at your skin, do you look tired, older than you did last time you really scrutinised your skin? Have you considered a therapeutic skin peel? Do you need some professional help? You should have a free assessment of your skin and see what can make you look much better, feel fresher and start your anti-aging clock rewinding. You owe it to yourself, and it does not have to break the bank!

Is your make-up wrong for you? Do not follow trends if you don’t like them or they do not suit you, that is what teenagers do, or used to do. Why not try something bold, even if it is just when you are at home and want to practice a new application, or new colours. Keep your foundation within the boundary of never go more than one shade lighter or darker than your natural shade and remember that your neck needs nourishment as it can be an age give away. Blusher or contouring makes a lot of difference not only to the shape of your face, but it can add vibrance, life to your face, and takes away a dull look. Maybe you could try brushing the blusher over your upper eyelids, particularly peachy shades, plus under your cheekbones (feel for the cheekbones and brush underneath), on the temples and a little bit along the jawline, particularly if that chin has become a little bit droopy. This contouring can have a dramatic impact on the way you look.

Take some photos before taking the plunge. If you need an incentive to push you into making a life changing move, get a photo which is not very flattering and stick it on the fridge as a reminder of what you want, what you need to do and why. Go on pick up the ‘phone and make that move towards a younger looking, rejuvenated you. There are so many options so set yourself a goal, a realistic one.

If you are nervous, start off gradually, maybe have a ‘normal’ facial, which must include an exfoliating treatment, whether it is a masque or a peel. You need to get rid of all that dead skin that may be making you have a tired, or dull look. Bring that glow back to your cheeks and make you smile. When you smile and have a fresher complexion, you will be amazed how it can cheer yourself up and when you smile you can immediately look younger.

There are some very good permanent make-up artists, so think about having eye liner or eyebrow tattoos done so you wake up ready to face the world. Before going ahead with this ask to see photos of their clients, or maybe meet up with any of their clients. Remember tattooing is permanent.

How about slimming toning treatments? If you either want to trim down or tighten up your body to improve your overall look, then visit a salon that offers toning treatments. They generally offer a series of treatments, so just ensure you know the price and are happy and determined to work on toning, not just for a couple of weeks, determination is essential when it comes to body treatments.

Anti-aging does not stop at the jawline. Remember your neck, decollete and backs of your hands can give away your age, so do something about them. The number of people who stop their skincare at the jawline is astonishing. Years later they realise what they should have done and back-pedal. There are some divine neck and decollete treatments which can remove a lot of years of sun damage, which will not only make you look younger and better, but also helps remove a lot of the potential for cell changes that often happens on the skin exposed to the sun, ‘chest’. There are daily creams that should definitely become part of your anti-aging regime, that can make a visible and dramatic difference.

Let us be honest and agree that certain ingredients and products are essential to anti-aging and skin health. The number one product that we must always use, winter as well as summer, - Sunscreen – particularly if you were a sun worshipping goddess, it is never too late. Retinol (vitamin A) or equivalent, such as Bakuchiol. This is Vitamin A, an equivalent, a natural derivative of retinol that also stimulates cellular turnover, increasing skin’s existing collagen production.

Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, works well with sunscreens to protect the skin from UV and free-radical damage. Vitamin C helps build collagen, and can help deal with hyperpigmentation (patchy dark pigmentation). Collagen occurs naturally in the human body and it's an important substance for maintaining the skin's firm, bouncy appearance, but it decreases as we age. Using a product containing Vitamin C daily is a great way to protect your skin from UV related collagen loss, but also to help stimulate collagen production. RegimA Pigment Perfector really helps even out the complexion, plus adding to the anti-aging armoury.

Peptides penetrate and are building blocks of protein. They send signals to help build collagen. There are many peptides available, they send signals to improve moisturization in the skin.

Alphahydroxy Acids (AHAs) Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric A, used in super anti-aging Night preparations Omega High Impact and Rejuvoderm Night Maintenance. These home care products will help remove the dull, dingy skin, promoting skin health. It is suggested that these are used in safe and effective skin peels.

For dry skin in particular, look for products that contain Hyaluronic Acid, which can deliver an immediate plumping effect as well as continually improve the skin. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the best anti-aging ingredients. It is not an acid that will peel your skin. It is critical to achieve what you want to consistently use penetrating ingredients. There are many ingredients that offer out of this world results, at a price, but they do not always penetrate.

Ceramides are another buzz ingredient, lipids and sphingolipids. Ceramides help keep the skin barrier intact, which contributes to a complexion that is firmer, more hydrated, and overall more youthful-looking.

Epi-genes Xpress is an anti-aging must for the over 35s and 40s. As one ages, skin regeneration slows down, your complexion loses luminosity, elastin and collagen and as a result it becomes thinner, drier, due to impaired barrier function and decreased production of essential oil, your nerve endings in the skin decrease and all these changes make the skin more susceptible to damage and slower to heal.

There are very technologically advanced ingredients that have the ability to stimulate our bodies to activate our genes, stimulate protein conversion and activate essential functions such as enzyme function, hormones and receptors, promoting epidermal recovery. Actives used at maximum efficacy help stimulate renewal, leading to a thicker, healthier, youthful, glowing radiant skin. This topical booster helps fight epidermal thinning, leaving the skin visibly smoother, radiant, with a younger healthier look and feel! RégimA Epi-Genes Xpress epitomises multifunctional anti-ageing excellence.

It is very important that key ingredients are high on the ingredient list when you are looking. In the skin industry there is something they call “fairy dust”, which means a manufacturer can legally put on the packaging that it contains something “life changing”, but is in such a tiny quantity that it does not have any or very little effect. When you are looking for products go with your eyes wide open and do not think that if something costs a fortune that it is better, more powerful, that is advertising!