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Experts Weigh In On Children’s Fixation With Anti-Aging And Skin Care 

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The children and young tweens of generation Z are becoming obsessed with their skin care routines, and anti-aging, despite being so young. Generation Alpha, which includes children as young as 10-years-old, are buying expensive skin care products that contain ingredients that could actually damage their skin in the future due to the fact that they simply don’t need anti-aging and other ingredients on their skin. 

The Guardian recently interviewed multiple experts on this concerning trend of children being obsessed with their self-image, specifically regarding their views on aging. 

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“We have seen an increase in teenage girls using skincare … prematurely using anti-ageing products and increasingly valuing beauty and looking young. Access to social media will be a big influence here. TikTok, in particular, has millions of videos dedicated to this topic and we are starting to see the younger generations of influencers coming through: it’s now the children of the Kardashian family sharing skincare routines online,” said Josie O’Brien, health and beauty consumer insights director at consumer analysts Kantar.

“Kantar data tells us that teens are specifically using social media for skincare and makeup recommendations. So they have access to that information, whether it is appropriate or not.

Another factor is the in-store experience. The ability to try samples, products that stand out on the shelf, and nice smells are big deciding factors for young people when choosing skincare. Brands such as Drunk Elephant and Sol de Janeiro are viral among this demographic at the minute, and if you look at the products you can see why they would appeal to younger people,” O’Brien explained. 

“Certain aspects of this are positive and other elements less so. The rise in people wearing sunscreen younger is positive and that awareness will hopefully bode well in adulthood,” said Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics.

“Why are young people more interested in anti-aging products? A big factor is social media. Everything is pointing towards looking as good as we can. There is that pressure now in marketing, and social media massively influences how we perceive ourselves. If people see perfect skin and perfect routines they are more likely to follow them,” said Dr. Perry.

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“Feminine identity is very much positioned in terms of appearance and looking a certain way and the beauty standards culture and societies put upon us. We know girls and women, as well as gender-diverse people, are particularly affected by this. Historically, there is pressure on women to look a certain way as they are objectified in culture. There is a lot of pressure to manipulate and modify their bodies,” said Phillippa Diedrichs, professor of psychology at the University of the West of England.

“As a result, we see a high rate of self-objectification among women and increasingly young girls. They have internalized this societal pressure and see their bodies as objects to be modified. They spend a lot of time focused on their appearance. That gets distilled down to girls being silly and vain or trivial, but there is a cultural pressure to do it, and they see people who conform to these standards. They are often held up as the most rewarded in society.

Cosmetic procedures are also more accessible financially and in terms of who offers them. For example, Botox is now advertised at the dentist,” Diedrichs stated. 

“Unlike smoking or drinking, skincare is seen as an innocent way of playing with being older. It is not as obvious as makeup. I think brands encourage it, and like the fact it has become a luxury accessory and there are a lot of myths being peddled. People are told they must do certain things to keep their skin healthy and that exposure is good for brands sometimes,” explained Dr Emma Wedgeworth of the British Cosmetic Dermatology Group.

“It’s reflective of our obsession with aging as a society. We are supposed to as a society evolve and become more enlightened but we are failing in terms of how we value older people and maturity.”

Blood Sample

New Research Reveals Blood Proteins Could Hold The Key To Staying Youthful

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New research by experts at Stanford University in California has revealed that the proteins in our blood could hold vital secrets to helping people to turn back the clock and stay young.

Scientists have uncovered three ‘waves of change’ that occur within our blood as the ageing process takes place and now it is entirely possible to determine an individual’s age simply from their blood sample. In fact, evidence has already shown that younger blood has had a rejuvenating effect on younger animals, suggesting that in the future, blood proteins could be used as part of anti-ageing treatments in humans.

These treatments are likely to be some way off, so what can we do in the meantime to help keep the ageing clock at bay? At 72, this is Stella Ralfini’s reality thanks to the power of nature and what it she has to offer. The author of Sensual Sourcery does not believe in wasting hundreds of pounds on high street beauty products that we all know are filled with preservatives and chemicals.

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“The claims of big brands are nothing compared to what fruits, vegetables and essential oils can offer our bodies, inside and out,” she says. Stella is keen to share some of her best anti-aging recipes using only produce derived from nature that are guaranteed to give amazing life-changing results.

Her anise wrinkle busting skin tonic is excellent for targeting wrinkles. The recipe includes the use of fenugreek, an amazing herb which is packed with minerals, rich in folic acid, vitamin B6, A, C and niacin, a nutrient essential for the human body. The anise itself has antiseptic, antibacterial properties and protects against outbreaks, not unusual on older skin. All you need is a bottle of rose water, one star anise, half a teaspoon of fenugreek powder and 2 drops of rose, geranium and frankincense oil to help deal with wrinkles further and soothe the skin. This beautiful skin tonic is a great way to bust wrinkles when used either straight from the bottle on a piece of cotton wool, or sprayed directly onto the skin from a spray bottle.

We all know that eliminating wrinkles and dark circles under the eyes can be difficult, however with repetition and dedication using the below recipes, you will be able to see results. One recipe Stella swears by involves mixing half a tsp of ginger powder, which helps with blood flow, into half a tsp of honey, a brilliant natural moisturizer. Massage this mixture into the trouble area below your eyes and leave on for 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

A second remedy for the under eye area involves yogurt and parsley, the latter of which contains beta-carotene, vitamin C, folic acid and minerals to even out skin tone and prevent wrinkles. My grandmother swore by this recipe to get rid of dark circles, making it a very special recipe to me. All you need to do is crush some parsley leaves and mix into a tablespoon of plain yogurt. Apply the mixture and wait 10 minutes before washing off with cool water.

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Pineapple is a magic ingredient for anti-aging as it is packed with vitamin C and powerful antioxidants that stimulate skin and the immune system. This recipe is made up of four simple ingredients that, if used regularly, will work together for a powerful face lift and visibly tighter skin! All you need is ¼ cup of pineapple juice, 1 teaspoon of coconut milk, 3 drops of lavender oil for problem skin (or geranium oil) and half teaspoon of baking soda. Blend the pineapple juice and coconut milk together before adding the oil and baking soda to the mixture. This is enough for three treatments to be used for three days in a row.

Dab your clean fingers into pineapple mix and apply to your face and neck in small circular movements before leaving to dry and repeating twice more.When finished, rinse off with warm water then dab face with rose water to tone. The following day/evening, the recipe will be even better as the enzymes in the pineapple will have further fused into the other ingredients to add extra zest to your mixture!

Strawberries are a fantastic ingredient for anti-aging as they are rich in vitamin C, giving the skin an added glow. This recipe is also great for any discoloration you may be suffering from. All you need for this simple mask is ¼ cup of mashed strawberries, 1 tablespoon of single cream, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 4 drops of carrot seed oil. Blend all the ingredients together, smooth over face and leave on for 20 minutes before washing off with warm water. This mask is incredibly simple to make, smells delicious and is a fraction of the price of packaged store bought ones.