Is Your Skin Stressed? The 3 Most Common Skin Concerns And How To Fix Them

TOP 3 SKIN CONCERNS

Two months ago, we ran a skincare survey among our Romilly Wilde customers. Thank you to everyone who joined in – we had a huge response. Three key skin concerns came out of the survey.

• 69% of people said that they were worried about Fine Lines and Wrinkles
• 55% said that Skin Elasticity was a concern
• 45% said their skin was Dry/Dehydrated

We spoke to our Head of NPD and Cosmetic Scientist, Mateja Weber to get her advice. She has written the below which explains the science behind these skin concerns, and her top tips on how to address them.

1. Fine Lines & Wrinkles
2. Skin Elasticity
3. Dry/Dehydrated Skin

Fine Lines & Wrinkles

The Science Behind Why We Get Them

As we age, we develop ‘dynamic lines’ (i.e. lines caused by repeated movement of mimic muscles such as frown lines and crow’s feet) and ‘static lines’ (i.e. lines which develop independent of mimic movement such as the nose-to-mouth lines).

Wrinkles fall into two categories:

Fine lines: These fine, surface lines develop due to irregular skin thickening, and because of a decrease in the amount of moisture held in the skin. Sun damage and exposure to environmental stressors are the main causes.

Furrows: Deeper lines or furrows can be classified as dynamic or static. Dynamic face lines appear with movement, e.g. from muscle activity, while static lines are unchanged with muscle movement. Dynamic lines will eventually become static.

The substances that keep our skin smooth and firm, such as Collagen, Elastin, Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides begin to deteriorate as we get older and wrinkles tend to become visible in certain areas first, often those that are most often exposed to the sun, like the face, neck, hands and forearms. Some of ageing’s influencing factors are natural and inevitable, but some are largely environmental and can be controlled.

Key Causes Of Wrinkles:

• Collagen Decline - Young skin has a structure that is similar to building blocks, with a regular arrangement of dermal tissue and a plentiful supply of Collagen, Elastin, Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides. It appears even and feels firm, but from about the age of 25, however a decline in Collagen levels together with an increasingly disorganised dermal tissue arrangement causes loss of skin strength. This results in the appearance of fine lines which develop into wrinkles as the creases manifest throughout the layers of skin.
• Age induced dryness - As a result of reduced skin functions, mature skin becomes increasingly dry and may be itchy and rough too.
• Sun Damage- Sun damage is the primary cause of photo-ageing (premature skin ageing caused by the sun) and contributes to wrinkles. Prolonged and repeated sun exposure causes damage to Collagen, and this results in a less elastic, weakened skin structure that wrinkles more easily.
• Pollution - Pollution triggers the release of free radicals and accelerates oxidative stress in the skin. Free radicals damage the skin’s structure and contribute to the general signs of ageing, including wrinkles. This also has an effect on the skin’s elasticity and may also cause wrinkles.
• Stress/Lack of Sleep - The skin needs sleep to repair and regenerate. Poor sleep contributes to your day-to-day stress levels. When the body experiences stress it produces the hormone cortisol which is known to negatively impact the collagen levels, further accelerating the development of wrinkles.

5 Tips to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles:

1. Invest in a good Night Cream – Use a night cream that supports Natural Collagen production – Romilly Wilde Night Duty stimulates natural Collagen production, while also increases cellular turnover (Clinical studies showed Night Duty helped dramatically reduces the signs of ageing in just two weeks).
2. Switch to a hydrating balm cleanser – Romilly Wilde Light + Energy Serum Cleanser is packed full of Omega-3,6,7,& 9 rich plant oils such as Sea Buckthorn, Grape Seed and Echium which are loaded with Antioxidants, such as Vitamin E and nutrients helping to soothe and calm the skin, leaving skin feeling nourished, hydrated and plumpTake Ashwagandha – Ashwagandha can help reduce stress levels. We love the one by Wild Nutrition. Ashwagandha helps to lower cortisol levels, and promote a calmer state of mind, optimising the bodies stress response. It also helps to optimise hormone health. https://www.wildnutrition.com/products/food-grown-ksm-66-ashwagandha-plus?currency=GBP
3. Early nights - Try going to bed a little bit earlier, and make sure you stop looking at your phone at least an hour before bed
4. Put on the SPF - Always, always wear sunscreen…even in the winter and on cloudy days.

Skin Elasticity

The Science Behind Why We lose Skin Elasticity:

Skin elasticity is all about how structured and supported your skin is, and how well it returns and bounces back to its natural placement after being stretched, such as when you wash your face or laugh.

Our skin is made up of three layers: The epidermis (the outer layer), the dermis (the middle layer) and the subcutaneous layer (the innermost layer).

The dermis contains two kind of key proteins – Collagen and Elastin. These proteins are found in the skin’s connective tissues and are responsible for its elasticity and making skin strong and resilient.

As skin loses its elasticity it starts to wrinkle and sag.

Key causes of Skin Elasticity:

• Skin Ageing – Loss of firmness and deepening wrinkles are an inevitable part of skin ageing. However, it is our biological (not actual) age which determines the structure of our skin.
• Hormonal Changes – Hormones act as messengers in the skin, stimulating the production of substances such as collagen and elastin that give skin it's firm structure and smooth texture. As we age, and move through menopause, hormonal activity slows down, decreasing collagen and elastin levels in the skin.
• The Sun – Exposure to the sun’s rays can weaken the skin’s structure and accelerate skin ageing.
• Pollution – Pollution accelerates oxidative stress in the skin, this can cause skin to age prematurely Stress– Stress can cause the proteins in the skin to change and lose elasticity.
• Lack of Sleep – Collagen is produced as skin cell regenerate, if you cut back on the amount or quality of sleep you’re getting, it give the skin less time to repair.

5 Tips to improve Skin Elasticity:

1. Eat the rainbow – Look to have a diet rich in Antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A, Carotenoids (such as Carrots of Broccoli) and Lycopene (found in tomatoes).
2. SPF Everyday – Even if the sky is cloudy, make sure to apply your sunscreen before leaving the house to protect your skin from UV damage.
3. Get your beauty sleep – Make sure lights are all off while you sleep, and you put your phone in another room. Ideally aim for between seven and nine hours sleep per night.
4. Use a natural Retinoid – Romilly Wilde Night Duty contains a natural Retinoid which is gentle on the skin, but stimulates the production of Collagen and increases cellular turnover.
5. Manage stress – Try facial rollering to help manage stress. Use morning and night across your face and neck. The process is great for the skin, increases blood flow and can also help to reduce stress.

Dry & Dehydrated Skin

The Science Behind Why We get Dry/Dehydrated Skin:

The underlying cause for dry skin can be an insufficient production of natural lipids (oils) and/or water-holding substances (e.g. Natural Moisturising Factor aka NMF) in our skin. The consequence of that is that our skin can’t hold on to its natural water content sufficiently and loses too much water via (invisible) evaporation. This process is also called TEWL, transepidermal water loss.

The term ‘dehydrated skin’ is used to describe a more extrinsically caused reduction of water content in the skin (e.g. dehydration of the skin caused by over cleansing or over exfoliating); while ‘dry skin’ may be used to describe a genetic predisposition for dry skin. However, the endpoint in each case is a reduction in the water content in the skin (that’s what gives that uncomfortable feeling of dry/dehydrated skin).

Symptoms of dry/dehydrated skin may include a tight uncomfortable feeling, as well as a rough and/or flaky appearance. When the skin becomes very dry/dehydrated, it can flareup, become red and inflamed and feel itchy and sensitive.

Key causes of Dry/Dehydrated Skin:

• Age induced dryness – Aged skin ages it can become increasingly dry and itch. This is partly because the level of Hyaluronic Acid in the skin starts to reduce after the age of 23, and by the age of 35 hyaluronic acid production has decreased by 20%. This is the moisture-binding substance that surrounds the skin cells and gives skin it’s smooth, youthful appearance.
• Ultraviolet (UV) Light – Sunlight can breakdown your own hyaluron in the outer layer of the skin, this causes it to lose its natural water content and become dehydrated.
• Environmental/Seasonal –Air conditioning, heating can all affect how much moisture is available to the skin, while harsh weather can strip the skin of its natural, moisturising oils.
• Skincare – Frequent washing, or long, hot baths or showers, removes the lipids that make up the skin barrier. Inappropriate skin care routine – It is important to follow a routine, and use products, that are suitable for dry skin. It is especially important not to use strong soaps that strip away natural skin lipids.
• Unbalanced Microbiome – Your microbiome is the first line of defence for your skin. An unbalanced microbiome can lead to a disrupted skin barrier causing skin dryness.

Tips to improve Dry/Dehydrated Skin:

1. Hydrate from the inside out – drink water, lots of water. Start the day with a pint of water with the juice of one whole lemon. Keep drinking water throughout the day. Reduce coffee (and alcohol), and stay away from any sweet drinks. It’s simple, but drinking a lot of water really instantly helps skin feel more hydrated.
2. Move to a hydrating cleanser – switch to a gentle hydrating cleanser. Move to a balm cleanser (like the Romilly Wilde Light + Energy Serum Cleanser) which is rich is natural oils, and gentles cleanses without stripping the skin.
3. Use a facial oil daily – look for a facial oil with a high content of Omega 9, this is proven to increase water content of the skin, and Squalane – this is a natural component in the skin and is a rich source of fatty acids and Antioxidants. Apply morning and night. We like to mix it into our Advanced Supercell Serum – we call it the ‘Power Pair’.
4. Feed your skin at Night – night time is a key time for skin hydration. Find a rich night cream with Hyaluronic Acid, which will help repair the skin barrier, and levels of hydration. See Romilly Wilde Night Duty.
5. Use a humidifier – running a humidifier can help put moisture back into the air, which in turn will help to keep your skin hydrated. The Tech Bar do a portable humidifier which is great for home and office. https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/cat/the-tech-bar-momax-portable-humidifier-and-lamp_R03754716/