As we start to age one of the first things we begin to notice is slight wrinkles on our face. First it's the laugh lines, then the crows feet and before you know it, your skin is starting to sag everywhere! BUT it doesn't have to. Do you want to look younger than you are? People often mistake me for someone in my 20's and 30's because of my recent discovery.
As a post menopausal (surgically induced) woman, going on eleven years now, I have definitely noticed the changes in my body and skin that should only come with gradual age. In fact, it seems like the last five years have been a bit more rough than the first six when it comes to menopause symptoms. So, of course seeing and feeling the changes have made me a research queen! Today I would like to share with you my skin care regimen and my secret weapon for combating wrinkles.
Oh! Side note: This works on the neck and back of the hands as well.
Several years ago I started to do research about how to properly care for the skin on my face. That was just about the time that people started to use oil to wash their faces. I started with coconut oil and used that for about a year with no issues. In year two, the coconut oil that I was using to wash and moisturize was starting to make me itch. So, I now try to switch up my oils between, jojoba, olive, grape seed and others, I like switching it up often. I recently discovered that using rosehip oil is beneficial to keeping the skin on your face looking and feeling youthful. Rosehip is an expensive oil, so I use it to moisturize, not to cleanse.
The practice of using oil to clean your face at night is very easy.
- Get a washcloth, run the water to warm/hot (however you like it), pour a quarter size amount of oil (I like to experiment with different oils) in your palm then spread on your face.
- Rub into your eye lashes to remove mascara and around your face. Don't worry, it doesn't burn at all if you get a bit of oil in your eyes.
- Take the washcloth run it under the water, ring it out and place it over your face for just a few seconds.
- Wipe the oil off. When you are done, your face will be very clean.
Now, for the exciting part. What I use immediately after washing my face is a mixture of vitamin E oil (45,000 IU), an organic (all natural ingredient) moisturizer AND a smidge of estriol cream that was compounded specifically for me. When I say a smidge, I mean about 1/4 of a pea size.
It's easier to see the difference in your skin on the back of your hands, so to really test the results of this practice do the following; when applying the estriol to the face/neck also apply your moisterizer/estriol mixer to the back of one of your hands. Within just a couple of weeks, you will see the difference in the skin on the back of your hand that will give you a lot of confidence in what is happening with the skin on your face.
Estriol cream isn't something you can buy over the counter in the dosage needed to make a significant difference in the appearance of your skin. You will also need to consult with your doctor before using estriol cream to be sure you don't have any issues with using topical hormones. I personally consulted with my gynecologist regarding using estriol on my face to combat the signs of aging. Interestingly, she too used a bit of estriol on her face as an anti-aging serum!
It made perfect sense. If estrogen is what keeps us young looking, and feeling young in our early years, and also helps to combat vaginal atrophy in our post menopausal years, then why wouldn't it work on our face? The good news is, it does! No surgery, no pain, and it's not expensive! You will be very happy with the results and it only takes a matter of days to see and feel the difference!
If you would like to read more regarding the systemic effects of using estriol for skin aging, please follow the links:
- Treatment of skin ageing symptoms in perimenopausal females with estrogen compounds. A pilot study.
- Treatment of skin aging with topical estrogens.
Tina