Dull, Tired Skin? Natural Skin Care for Aging Skin

By Joni Keim

Skin will naturally age, however, a healthy lifestyle and natural skin care program can rejuvenate even the most tired complexions. Though the skin’s ability to repair and respond slows with age, it does not stop. Mature or aging skin can significantly improve from proper care, and it is never too late to start. A vibrant, beautiful complexion is possible as we get older!

Natural skin care for aging skin is designed to nurture, protect, and rejuvenate. Always be gentle. Below are the minimum actionable steps to practice daily. Additional treatments can be added according to what you need and what works for you.

Easy Natural Skin Care for Mature and Aging Skin

Daily in the morning: Compress, (omit cleansing, if it is appropriate for you), tone, moisturize, and use sun protection. Include your additional treatments, such as a serum (before your moisturizer), your chosen product for the eye area, a lip balm, and a facial mist.

During the day: Mist. Re-apply moisturizer, if needed.

Daily in the evening: Compress, cleanse (always sleep with a clean face), tone, and moisturize. Include your additional treatments, such as a serum (before your moisturizer), your chosen product for the eye area, a lip balm, and a facial mist.

During the week: Include your additional treatments, such as aromatherapy, exfoliant, mask, or steaming.

For more specific instructions on how to follow this routine please see page 168 of my book, Natural Skin Care: Alternative and Traditional Techniques.

Here are some additional suggestions to keep in mind for mature skin.

Sun Protection: Protect the skin from UV sun damage. For daily use, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 that uses non-nano particles of zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Choose a sunscreen designed for aging/mature skin, if available.

Aromatherapy: Condition and help rejuvenate aging skin. Choose essential oils that are specifically indicated for your skin type. The essential oils for aging skin that we suggest include Chamomile (German and Roman), Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Carrot Seed, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Rosemary, and Patchouli. Essential oils can be used in a compress, cleanser, toner, moisturizer, facial oil, facial mask, facial mister, serum, and for steaming.

Exfoliants: Help remove dry, dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Choose an exfoliant for aging/mature skin and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Exfoliating once in a while is important for this skin type because it encourages cellular turnover and helps to keep the skin soft and smooth. However, because aging skin can also be delicate, use exfoliants carefully, and only if they work well for you. If there is any sign of irritation, reduce the frequency of use, the amount used, or discontinue use.

Facial Mists: Hydrate, cool, and condition the skin. Depending on the formulation, mists can have a variety of actions and benefits. Choose a facial mist for aging skin and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Regular use of facial mists can help prevent dryness and soften fine lines. It may be one of the single best treatments for aging/mature skin, as long as the product is 1) well formulated and contains a good humectant and that 2) it is used on skin that has a moisturizer on it that contains a good humectant. The humectant will help hold moisture next to the skin for hydration. Mist as needed throughout the day. Facial mists used without humectants can actually cause the skin to become drier.

You can find additional recommendations, along with special recommendations for mature skin care on pages 169-171 of Natural Skin Care: Alternative and Traditional Techniques.

Our skin starts to age as soon as we are born. So, taking care of one’s skin should begin in childhood. If the skin is well cared for, it can stay in the best possible condition for a lifetime. If you have a question on how to incorporate natural skin care for aging skin, please let us know.