Beauty is but a flower, Which wrinkles will devour.

It's almost automatic until puberty, but your all-clear, wrinkle-free complexion can hit some bumps in the road as early as adolescence, in the form of dreaded pimples. And as you age, skin becomes less and less stable, with genetic changes and sun damage taking their combined toll. You can't control certain factors of natural aging, but today we know that the sun — not our genes — is mostly to blame for our baby-fresh faces turning blemished and wrinkled. Besides limiting sun exposure and wearing protection from damaging UV rays, focus on these other changes you can make to keep bad elements at bay: Don't smoke. Limit your alcohol intake. And choose a natural skin care regimen that makes you feel comfortable in your skin.

As early as puberty, hormonal changes can turn your fresh-faced complexion into an acne-prone one. In addition to using simple over-the-counter cleansers,blemish remedies, or consulting a dermatologist if a more potent treatment is needed, wearing an SPF 15+ daily is the best thing you can do to save your skin.

Below is an idea of how the skin ages as we go through life:

Some Wear-and-Tear In Your 20s. Expression lines will begin to form from talking, laughing and frowning. The collagen and elastin that have kept your skin supple begin to break down. Wearing sun protection remains your best bet for controlling the amount of damage.

Early Environmental Damage In Your 30s. Sun-induced wrinkles are starting to form. Good news is, they're hardly seen so there's time to to start wearing an SPF 15+. The skin's collagen and elastin are losing still more of their spring. 

Skin Irregularities In Your 40s. It can be the decade of dry skin. More dead skin cells are sticking around, darker patches may appear, and expression lines can become entrenched. If you're dealing with dry skin, make a moisturizer a regular part of your successful skin care routine. And don't forget to drink lots of water! 

The Sun's Damaging Effects Can Become Evident In Your 50s. Expect that some damage has already been done if you haven't been a loyal wearer of sun protection. Wrinkles, age spots and spider veins are bound to be developing, and skin can be dryer than ever these days. It's not too late to start using a daily SPF cream — you can still reap some rewards in terms of slowing down sun damage and perhaps even repairing some of it by use of exfoliating agents and regular facials.

Starting in Your 60s, a Lifetime of Skin Protection Pays Off. Skin should be pretty stable these days, with women having survived the menopause-induced hormonal imbalances. Wrinkles, red veins and dark spots are common, but are probably less pronounced if you made a habit of protecting your skin from the sun. 

It's very important to be knowledgeable of your skin and how to protect it using organic and natural ingredients as well as wearing a sunscreen everyday and drinking plenty of water. A healthy clean diet along with regular exercise is important as well for beautiful healthy skin. I always say, "beautiful skin, starts from within". 

It's true that some wrinkles might be inevitable as we age. But healthy habits — most of all wearing sunscreen every day — can go far to preserve the pretty bloom of youth. :)

Come into Le Reve for a complimentary skin consultation with myself and together we can put your best and healthy skin forward!

xxAshley, Esthetician with Le Reve Organic Spa and Boutique

Visit le-reve.com for a list of our facials! $10 off your first treatment for NEW clients.