A Quick Q&A from the Skin Studio ~ “I’m starting to see fine lines and a change in my skin. Help!”

"I need some guidance."

Q: "My face lately has been feeling aged. I am 33, the wrinkles on my forehead are starting to feel like they are very deep. Can you help guide me on what it is I need? What am I missing? Why do my wrinkles feel like they're getting worse on my forehead lately? Help...

A: Thanks for your note and for asking your questions. I recently did a talk at the last Brava Women's Expo held in Madison that relates to this question. The topics covered were skin in our 30s, 40s, 50s, and forward, and how estrogen plays a major role in our skin's health. In our 20s, estrogen is plentiful and typically our skin is at its best. In the 30s, it's about this time that those first wrinkles make themselves known. Many say the wrinkle(s) appear almost overnight... "What?! How did that get there?!" In our 30s, with a change in estrogen, adult acne can be showing its face for the first time around the jawline and chin area, (hello, hormones) and with the change in estrogen comes a change in collagen - which helps the skin retain its elasticity. This is when the first signs of a wrinkle makes itself known.

The forehead lines are sometimes called 'the thinking lines.' Just to be clear... there's nothing wrong with thinking, just don't do it so hard. When the skin on the forehead, or anywhere, is repeatedly moved a certain way, the muscles remember and a frown line, or a thinking line, can start to develop. Smile lines? We have them. Genetics can also be a factor. Try to relax those muscles as often as possible, and feel free to really give the area a fingertip massage while you cleanse and hydrate. Try these facial massage techniques. It feels great, and your skill will love it. Don't let those muscles settle in and make a nook or cranny where you don't want it to happen. Feed your skin with oil, and hydrate inside and out.

Water intake also is extremely important - and we've all heard about that. The water our body retains becomes less and less in our 30s, and the cells that used to turnover naturally in about 28 days hang on longer than they should. Beverages don't count as water - they take water away to digest the beverage. Water and lemon is beneficial, and check out these daily-drinking-water-tips from Women's Health Magazine.

Botanical oils naturally contain a bevy of essential fatty acids - they're essential to our body, but our bodies don't produce them. Oils are beauty foods for the skin, and there are different oils for different needs. The introduction of oils to cleanse, hydrate, and even to treat acne, (we DO love our Spot Serum) is never too early, or too late. Also, it's time to exfoliate regularly. "Mature skin" is considered to be skin that is 35... but it doesn't have to look that way!

SAVE 10% on any and all of our exfoliating treatments this month. Enter code EXFOLIATEMEQET at checkout. Valid online or in our skin studio.

Our exfoliators are like a time capsule of healing herbs and minerals. When mixed with warm water or your cleansing oil, the elements and nutrients once again come to life. Exfoliation is key - it will help moisture find its way and will help remove anything clogging the surface. Once your face is ready for moisture, if it's more moisture your skin begs for, you may want to consider using treatments from the Restoring Skin Suite. Oils can balance too much of an oil production just as they can offer pure moisture. We love to hear it when our customers mention that their skin is clear and it isn't as oily as it once was - and it's because of our enriched oils. Funny how that works, isn't it?! Our Restoring Night Serum is one of our best sellers, no matter what the Skin Suite. If you feel like the Restoring Day Serum is too heavy for the day, then opt for a lighter day serum (Hydrating Day Serum) and go for the Restoring Night Serum just at night. When we rest, we heal, and nourish, and our skin gets a chance to do the same.

Another tip ~ try sleeping on your back at night. A dentist can sometimes tell which side of the face their patient sleeps on because of the facial changes that occur from spending hours on one side of the face or the other. Also, a silk pillowcase eases the tension on the skin, and hair, as we toss and turn while getting our beauty sleep. The Lavish Serum Salve is a bedtime must next to my bed - around eyes, mouth, neck, chest, hands, and even feet get a little pampering every night before I slip into bed. This is the best time to hydrate those hands because it is the longest period of time that they get a rest without washing, washing, washing. You have some options, and keep in mind that sometimes genetics and facial habits come into play. 

Gentle reminders:

~ Wash your face ALWAYS and at least before going to bed, and in the morning if you have a tendency to break out or have pores that need attention. Dryer complexions can get away without a full wash in the morning - just tone and hydrate.

~ Exfoliate ~ choose your option, and gently, gently exfoliate 1-3 times per week. Did we mention to be gentle? Let the herbs and botanicals do the work for you.

~ Keep your skin hydrated twice a day - morning and night, no exceptions. Lighter moisture is available in our Balancing Skin Suite - but remember to moisturize.

~ Do a mask for your condition 1-2 times per week. For hydrating the Lavish Serum Salve fits the bill, and the Antioxidant Mask with Cranberry is wonderful, too). 

Feed, hydrate, massage, and then relax and feel that tension, and maybe even those thinking lines, ease away.