Brought to you in partnership with SkinCeuticals | photos: Eliesa Johnson
As much as I hate to admit it, my skin has changed. I no longer wake up like this?with that lit-from-within glow of my youth that required little more than a quick slap of moisturizer and a little blush. And it definitely doesn?t bounce back after a sleepless night or stretch of living on pasta and cheese like it used to. I can see that puffiness and dullness coming from a mile away.
Now, in my late 30s, good skin takes effort. The inner beauty part I?ve gotten better at, with a healthy diet, hot yoga, and loads of water. My skincare regimen requires equal diligence, especially in the moisture department. I can?t seem to get enough, especially this time of year when the elements are in flux.
My latest obsession is with products that promise to restore the moisture barrier, the buzz phrase for the precious yet invisible reserve that makes skin look plump, dewy, healthy. Used in a sentence: I am guarding my moisture barrier with my life.
With age, the moisture barrier weakens (why can?t our fat cells weaken instead, I ask you"), making it increasingly susceptible to lipid depletion. Quick science lesson: Lipids are natural compounds found in skin, most commonly in the form of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. As lipid production declines, it compromises skin?s natural protective barrier, resulting in visible signs of accelerated aging, as skin loses its ability to effectively self-repai...