These two simple tests will let you know if your skin is at risk of premature aging. They will help you evaluate the underlying condition of your skin so you can head off problems before they arise. And they will point to the most important things you can do to keep your skin beautiful, supple and smooth.
HYDRATION TEST
We are all clear that we need to drink plenty of water every day and that a good moisturizer is required to keep us from losing moisture through our skin. But how well are we doing? Do we drink enough water, and is our moisturizer working properly? You can tell immediately with this simple test.
- How to tell if your skin is de-hydrated
Stand in front of the mirror and pinch your cheeks. If fine lines start to appear above where you are pinching, your skin needs more hydration. Spraying water or hydrators onto it will not give you the help you need. The best things to do are to make sure you routinely drink plenty of water ,and to change your moisturizer for a more effective one. That means an oil-based product, ideally organic, and without any alcohol.
COLLAGEN TEST
Collagen keeps skin firm, elastic and free of lines. When it is depleted, our skin forms lines and loses its suppleness. So it is good to know that we can take a quick snapshot of the status of the collagen in our skin with this simple test.
- How to tell if you need collagen
Stand in front of the mirror and pout your lips. If you see deep vertical lines above your mouth, you could use more collagen.
Collagen is too big a molecule to penetrate the skin, so topical collagen creams are not the answer. The best way to boost your collagen is through your diet. Vivid colored vegetables, fruits and berries have just the ingredients your body needs to produce collagen. A good guide is to chose foods with strong colors across the entire spectrum: everything from the reds in tomatoes, beets and carrots to the deep greens in kale and cabbage, and the rich purples in blueberries and blackberries. They are all good! There’s more information here about colors for collagen, but the basic idea is to eat a rainbow every day and to make sure you also eat foods high in sulphur, as the body cannot produce collagen without it – broccoli, kale, garlic, onions, eggs, nuts – it’s easy to find.
Beautiful skin starts as an inside job, in the form of good hydration and diet, but there comes a time when it needs to be supported with high quality, organic skincare. For the cultivation of timeless beauty, diet and quality products go hand-in-hand. Avoiding sun exposure is totally basic, also!
