Beautiful skin for baby boomers

Keeping your skin healthy is essential to aging gracefully.

Time brings plenty of changes, yet the desire to have healthy, good-looking skin transcends age. Some skin-care tactics - sunscreen and moisturising - apply to skin of any age, but baby boomers need to update their skin care and makeup strategies to ensure their skin stays healthy and youthful-looking as long as possible.

"Fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration are only the most visible symptoms of aging skin," says Anna De La Cruz, a skincare expert for Glo Therapeutics. "Others are less obvious but every bit as damaging. Dehydration, loss of elasticity and slower cell regeneration also affect skin health, and how good you look at any age."

If you're a baby boomer, it's important to update your skin-care and makeup regimen to keep your skin healthy and looking its best. Here are four skin-care secrets every boomer woman should know:

1. It's not the number of years, it's how well you've cared for your skin during them.

Age causes certain changes in the skin; cell turnover and renewal slows down, skin cells become less adept at retaining moisture, and skin becomes more sensitive. Taking care of your skin throughout your life - moisturising, exfoliating and using sunblock - can help skin stay healthier and more youthful longer.

"As we age, lifestyle habits start catching up to us, some of which have been decades in the making before we see the visible proof," says De La Cruz. "While it can seem as if a wrinkle appears overnight, there is no fountain of youth or instant cure."

It is possible to enhance skin health at any age. For wrinkles and fine lines, look for products that contain firming ingredients that will help stimulate collagen production, antioxidants to help protect against free radical damage, and smoothing ingredients to encourage cell renewal.

2. Your clothing and hair style have changed in the past 20 years; your skin care products should, too.

The moisturiser you used in your 20s may not be a good fit for your skin's needs when you're in your 50s. Baby boomers should look for skin care and makeup products specifically designed to address common concerns of ageing skin, such as wrinkles, fine lines and hyper-pigmentation. The leading edge in addressing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines is phytostem technology.

Plant stem cells and firming active ingredients in the Cyto-luxe collection by Glo Therapeutics work to lift and tighten skin, as well as promote healthy cells and collagen production to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

For boomer women concerned about hyperpigmentation, daily sunscreen should provide protection of SPF30 or higher, and include ingredients that brighten and lighten skin, such as retinol and glycolic acid.

3. Update your diet to include the nutrients skin needs to age more gracefully.

Good nutrition is important throughout life. Healthful nutrition is good for overall health, and it can help improve the skin's appearance. Vitamins A, C and D are vital for skin health, and topical applications of A and C are also good for the skin. De La Cruz recommends boomer women stay on top of hydration by drinking lots of water. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, too.

4. Your look has matured and so should your makeup routine.

The wrong makeup application can amplify the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pores. As skin matures, a "less is more" approach is often more flattering.

"I advise women in their 50s and 60s to explore a clean, classic look," says Janeena Billera, national makeup artist for Glo minerals. "To achieve this, use natural foundations that illuminate and hydrate the skin. Choose neutral shades of matte to satin eye shadows, apply eyeliner tight to the lashline, maintain well-groomed eyebrows and add a natural flush to the cheek."

Finally, Billera advises, growing older doesn't mean you have to give up being trendy and fun. "Use current trends as an inspiration and simply tweak or tone down the look, always keeping placement and blending in mind."