My Thoughts On Ageing

I’ve been a facialist now for over twenty-two years, and I can honestly say I’ve heard it all when it comes to ageing… or should I say, the fear of ageing.

Why is that? Why does the world have us believe that ageing is such a bad thing? Surely ageing is a privilege. Why does everything have to be “anti-ageing”? We’re constantly trying to tighten, smooth, lift, fix and reverse ourselves. It’s what we’ve been taught for years, and if I’m honest, I’m getting a little fed up with it.

I think social media has made it even worse. The saying “comparison is the thief of joy” feels more relevant now than ever. We’re all scrolling daily, whether we like it or not, comparing ourselves to everyone else and then worrying that we don’t look young enough.

When did that become normal? What age does it even start now? And why are nine-year-olds trying to buy retinol for anti-ageing purposes?

So I’m going to say something you might need to hear…

AGEING IS NATURAL AND NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO FIX. IT IS NOT A DISEASE.

When it comes to skin ageing, it’s not about stopping it altogether, because that’s not possible. It’s about ageing well.

So what is actually happening to the skin as we age?

In simple terms, collagen starts to decline, so we lose that natural plumpness. Then elastin weakens, and we lose that bounce then hyaluronic acid reduces and the skin becomes less hydrated. The skin barrier can become more fragile, and cell turnover slows down.

So essentially, all the things that keep skin looking fresh and youthful start to reduce, and that’s when skin can appear duller, less firm and more lined.

Most people blame ageing or genetics, when actually some of the biggest contributors are things like UV exposure, chronic inflammation, poor sleep, high stress, lifestyle choices, and over-treating the skin with harsh treatments.

(Visualise Emmaline typing on her laptop having her Carrie Bradshaw momnent here)

So my question is, is it all ageing… or is a lot of it accumulated damage?

Are we, in some ways, doing it to ourselves?

Which brings me back, once again, to the skin barrier. Possibly the most unglamorous part of skincare, a bit like fibre in your diet, but one of the most important when it comes to how your skin ages.

A lot of what I see is people overdoing everything in an attempt to fix ageing, when in reality they’re accelerating it.

All of the factors I’ve just mentioned also damage the skin barrier. And when you combine that with the fact that the barrier naturally weakens as we age, you end up with more inflammation, and more inflammation leads to faster ageing.

So if you take anything away from this…

If your barrier isn’t healthy, nothing else is going to work properly.

You can have all the Botox and injectables you like, and I’ve spoken about these in a previous post, but they are not going to fix your skin quality or repair your barrier.

So what can we actually do to help the skin age well?

I’m not going to say anything groundbreaking here, but it works, and it’s what I personally focus on.

Protect the skin and the body. This means SPF every single day without fail, alongside good antioxidant support. I’ve used Nimue Sun-C SPF 40 for years and love it. I also make sure I’m getting antioxidants through my diet and supplements. I’ve taken the Skin Antioxidant from Advanced Nutrition Programme for years and wouldn’t be without it. Oh and of course Skinade every single day... that goes without saying.

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Be consistent. I’ve done the constant product switching in the past, buying things based on packaging or offers, and it never worked. Now I stick to a consistent routine. I use the SkinBetter AlphaRet Peel peel pads twice a week, do a weekly facial at home, and keep my skincare the same unless my skin genuinely needs something different. Consistency is key here.

Focus on gentle rejuvenation. I love active ingredients, but only when they’re used correctly. Not everything works for everyone, and not every treatment suits every skin. Gentle stimulation to support cell turnover is key. I love AlphaRet Clearing Serum, peel pads and Nimue Conditioner for this approach.

And then there’s lifestyle. This plays a huge role. Managing stress, getting enough sleep, making better food choices, limiting sugar and alcohol, not smoking, moving your body daily. All of this shows in your skin.

And one of the best things for a healthy glow? Regular orgasms. Yes, really. I’ve written about this before (click here to read about it), and I stand by it.

At the end of the day, ageing well isn’t about having perfect, line-free skin. It’s about having healthy, resilient skin that functions properly.

I’ve said it for years, fine lines don’t make you look old. Stress, poor diet and lack of sleep do.

I would take movement in the face and a twinkle in the eye over a completely frozen forehead and looking dead behind the eyes any day. That’s what youth really is, that spark and energy in the twinkle.

And I hate to say it, but that doesn’t come from a needle… it’s far more likely to come from a bloody good orgasm.

Thank you so much for reading,

Emmaline