5 Things Women Over 50 Should Know About Their Skin

No one’s denying that our skin needs much more attention than it used to. Whether it’s wrinkles, fine lines, or unsightly bruising—there’s always something we want to improve. We asked board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Roger Ceilley, to help us understand how our skin changes over time, and what we can do to keep it looking radiant.

1. Your skin changes on more than one level, not just what you see
on the outside.

“Gravity exerts its force on us every moment of the day, and it can make skin sag as we age. You can see the pull of gravity everywhere, under the arms, buttocks and thighs. The underlying structure of the skin also changes. When we’re younger, the outer layers of the skin, called the epidermis, are supported by the lower layers, called the dermis, where collagen formation takes place.

As we age, many factors influence collagen production. Too much unprotected sun exposure over a lifetime, for instance, can weaken the collagen-producing cells and cause fine lines and wrinkles, as well as jowls and a less defined jaw line.”

2. Your everyday habits can affect your skin.

“Protecting yourself from the sun is of utmost importance. UVA rays can be especially harmful to collagen formation. Moisturize immediately after bathing and before bedtime, using creams and lotions containing retinol, ceramides and glycolic acid. Exercising regularly helps blood circulation and the right exercises can help firm up flabby skin.”

(more…)

{Giveaway} Replenish Your Skin’s Barrier

Bye bye, bruises.

Our skin thins over time, which means our natural barrier against bruises does, too. Even a little bump can result in an unsightly bruise, so it’s important for us to do everything we can to protect ourselves! Fortunately, our friends at DerMend have developed a fabulous formula, rich in ceramides, retinol, and arnica oil, to help restore the skin’s natural barrier and help defend against future bruising.

FOF Jennifer tried the formula and loved it: “I saw definite improvement in my skin the first day I used it. By the third day… I was sold!”

FOF Julie said: “DerMend helped my bruises and my spider veins! My skin also felt so soft after using it.”

Now is your chance to win a tube to protect your skin. Use DerMend ($29.99 for 4.5oz) twice a day on your arms and legs to help replenish damaged skin and help prevent future bruising. 10 FOFs will win!

(more…)

6 Tips To Protect Yourself This Summer

Most of us will probably dance in the streets once the sun comes out, and stays out, this summer.

Who isn’t ready to shed their heavy coats and cumbersome boots after this brutal winter across much of the country? Before you perform your sun dance, however, heed these six crucial ways to keep your eyes, skin, and hair healthy this summer.

Eyes

  • Rock a pair of shades. We all want to look cool in sunglasses, but lens size is one of the most important facts to consider when you’re making your selection. Over time, UV exposure can damage the cornea and lens of the eye, so double check your fab new frames to make sure they’re adequately protecting you! Oversized glasses provide the best coverage from the sun. Period! They also should feature UV400 protection and dark lenses to lessen the intensity of the light hitting your eye and reduce potential eye damage.

  • Invest in eye cream. Even in darker-skinned people, exposure to sunlight, especially during the summer months, can cause a higher-than-normal level of skin pigmentation (melanin) under the eyes, where the skin is quite thin. A tan makes us look terrific, but the raccoon look should be limited to raccoons. Apply a thick eye cream with SPF under the eyes, to reinforce and protect the skin. Use it every day.

Skin

  • Protect against bruising. Once we shed our bulky winter clothes, we want our newly exposed skin to look its absolute best in our warm weather outfits and swimsuits! However, more outdoor activity brings with it more opportunities to bump, trip, fall—and bruise our thinning skin. A smart way to help strengthen your skin’s natural barrier, and to help protect it against bruising, is to apply DerMend Moisturizing Bruise Formula, twice a day. If you do develop a bruise, use DerMend to help fade its appearance.

  • Say “yes” to sun screen. While sun damage can occur year round, your skin is most prone to damage during the summer months, when UV indexes are high. Make sure that your sunscreen has at least SPF 15, is water resistant, and has broad-spectrum protection. You should apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, and if you’re sweating or swimming, remember to reapply it frequently!

Hair

  • Hats on! Light rays can seriously dry out your hair, but wearing a wide-brimmed hat will help keep it glossy, as well as provide up to 100 percent protection for your scalp from UV damage. Many other clothes are specially made to block the sun’s strong rays. Look for a label that says Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), which should indicate how much of the sun’s rays are absorbed by the fabric.

  • Treat your locks lovingly. More and more hair products are including UV protection. Keep your hair radiant all year long with a UV-protectant spray or a higher-end salon product.

This post is sponsored by Ferndale Healthcare. Thanks for supporting FabOverFifty!

The Layer That Protects You The Most

How thick is your skin? As we age, our skin’s underlying elastin and collagen fibers start to break down, which causes it to lose its firmness and elasticity. While genetics and other factors play a role in this process, our skin invariably becomes thinner. Making matters worse, thin skin is more susceptible to developing unsightly bruises. Sometimes, bruising can occur when you don’t even remember bumping into anything.

Applying DerMend Moisturizing Bruise Formula, twice a day, helps build the skin’s barrier, making it thicker and less susceptible to bruising. Among DerMend’s ingredients are six effective elements that help improve the appearance of existing bruises:

  • Retinol helps to smooth lines and improve the skin’s texture
  • Alpha hydroxy acid exfoliates and helps encourage new skin growth
  • Arnica oil restores suppleness in the skin
  • Ceramides help the skin retain moisture
  • Niacinamide and phytonadione help improve the appearance of skin

We don’t think twice about layering our outfits, to protect us against the elements, so don’t forget the most important layer—DerMend Moisturizing Bruise Formula. It will help protect your skin a lot more than a jacket.

This post is sponsored by Ferndale Healthcare. Thanks for supporting FabOverFifty!