Can I see some ID, please?

An old friend from my childhood posted a question on my Facebook page today wondering whether I could tell her how to stop the aging process. I certainly wish I could, but alas, there is no "cure" for the aging of the skin. But her question made me realize how often I'm asked about proper skin care rules and regulations by clients and friends. We all want to look young and beautiful forever! Personally, I believe beauty is a matter of confidence...being comfortable in our own skin. I know 60-year-olds that seem 30. I also know 30-year-olds that seem much older (and I don't mean "wiser").

The basic truth is that your face reflects a lot about who you are, what your life is like, and what age you appear to be. Ever wonder why you're not carded at a bar anymore? Here's a little lesson in how our skin ages...

Ages 0 to 25: Life is good. Our skin is perfect. Ok, maybe not perfect, but that is mostly due to the horrendous teenage years when our hormones are completely in flux and disrupting the natural balance of the body.

Age 25 to 30(ish): We start to see the damage we've done to ourselves for the first quarter of a century. It has everything to do with sun exposure, diet & lifestyle.

Age 30-35: The production of collagen and elastin in our skin begins to slow. These two elements are what make us so beautiful when we're young. They keep the skin young, tight and are the essence of that "youthful glow." If we haven't picked up a good skin care routine by this age, we really need to kick it into gear now.

Age 35-45. We'll start to see the signs of our past damaging behavior coming to haunt us. Laugh lines appear. Those darn crows feet are visible. The skin reflects a certain fatigued look. Yes, it's a bummer.

Age 45-55. Menopause happens around this time. The lack of estrogen further slows the production of collagen and elastin...like, it kind of falls off a cliff. And once menopause occurs, all that sun damage we've incurred over our lifetime makes itself known with obvious sun spots, new moles, freckles and other things. We get out of the shower one day, look in the mirror and say, "Hey! Where did that come from???" (If there's any concern, be sure to visit a doctor to have it checked).

Beyond 55, our skin just IS. The skin will become dryer and the pores will enlarge. If you had oily skin for most of your life, it's actually a positive later on. If your skin was dry for most of your life, the wrinkles will develop unless you regularly moisturize and keep your body hydrated.

Next lesson: I'll share all kinds of secrets about the beauty industry that you're not supposed to know. Stay tuned.