The Skin Nerd: Pro-ageing skincare shows the beauty of growing older

Let’s ditch the 'anti-ageing' approach to our skincare and be kinder to our skin

We can't stop skin ageing but we can lessen its effects if we introduce protective, pro-ageing skincare ingredients into our routine.

Pro-ageing is a sentiment that I can really get behind. We should celebrate getting older as it is a gift that many are not granted, instead of adopting an attitude that signs of ageing are an enemy we should “combat” or “attack” – words commonly used in the beauty industry. To me, a pro-ageing approach to skincare encourages us to follow a regimen that aims to protect and support skin health.

Our skin will age as we grow older: it is an inevitable, genetically determined process known as intrinsic ageing. This involves dead skin cell removal and skin cell turnover rates slowing down, our natural stores of collagen, hyaluronic acid and ceramides depleting, and elastin (which keeps our skin firm) losing its snap back. Therefore, we start to notice fine lines, dark spots, and skin sagging. Exposure to external aggressors such as UV rays and pollution can speed up the ageing process, otherwise known as extrinsic ageing.