If you’ve been following me here for a while or have stumbled upon my YouTube channel, then you know that I have a knack for sharing about skin care and all the things I do to keep me looking somewhat alive ha! The thing is, I never meant to become any sort of skincare influencer (hate that term) or content creator. I much prefer to wax and wane philosophical about life and my observations of it…but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had more and more friends ask what I do to retain some semblance of youth as I’ve headed at lighting speed towards 50.
Because I’d already been sharing about health and wellness.…talking about natural aging became second nature. I suppose I like the idea of being one of the village elders dispersing some wisdom on how to cut the noise we hear from social media and celebrities, and try to balance realistic skincare routines with healthy living in order to age gracefully and beautifully….saving our skin while still embracing the changes and looking like our authentic ourselves.
So today, I wanted to sit and write a little nutshell blog post about my views on healthy aging and how it’s not all about skin care. There’s so much more to it. I’m also not telling you to ditch good skin care, I just don’t think there’s enough of an emphasis made on all of the “behind the scenes” things we need to be doing to stay looking healthy as we age. I suppose it’s because there’s no money to be made out of us being naturally well and radiant…but I digress. To put it simply, skin care is just one small piece of the aging puzzle and it is way too easy to get caught up in the latest skin care fads, thinking that the secret to a wrinkle-free life lies in some miracle cream or in a syringe.
When you think about it, skin is a living organ. Just like the heart or lungs, it responds to what we eat, how we sleep, and how we manage stress. I’m not talking about maintaining perfect habits (lord knows I don’t have the time or wherewithal for that…and I’m sure you don’t either!). It’s about supporting our skin from within. You can slather on the world’s most expensive and revolutionary serums, but if your body isn’t getting what it needs internally your skin will reflect that, and all those products with their lofty promises won’t have a strong foundation to work with.
While I use and share about some of my favorite skin care products, the biggest changes I’ve noticed in my own skin hasn’t come from some luxury cream, but from the simple act of eating nutrient-dense foods. The power of antioxidants, for instance, can’t be underestimated. Which is why as I’ve gotten older, I’ve made it a point to pack more berries, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds into my meals. These foods are rich in vitamins C and E, which help combat the free radicals that damage skin cells and lead to premature aging, and, of course, there’s the added benefit of just feeling better overall—fewer energy crashes, more mental clarity, all the good stuff. I also make sure to eat probiotic rich foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, and kefir to keep my gut microbiome as happy as possible (the gut-skin connection is real!).
Then there are healthy fats, which I know some people are still wary of, even though we’re well past the “fat is bad” phase. Omega-3s, in particular, are crucial for skin health. Foods like salmon, oysters, walnuts, avocados, and flaxseeds help keep skin moisturized from within, boosting elasticity and reducing inflammation. Since I started incorporating more of these fats into my diet, I’ve noticed a definite difference in how my skin feels—there’s a suppleness to it that no moisturizer can replicate on its own. You know how our parents would always tell us, “you are what you eat!”….well, they were not wrong! Our skin reflects our health and our health is dictated by our nutrition. You want great skin? You want to age better? Then eat like it! Is it always possible and realistic? No. I don’t always eat perfectly, sometimes I eat terribly…because life, parenting, work, stress, and on and on and on…but I do believe in the 80/20 rule, and if I’m eating well 80% of the time, my skin definitely shows it.
Let’s also not forget about hydration. I know it sounds basic, but there’s a reason people keep talking about it, and I harp about drinking your water in so much of my content. Drinking enough water genuinely makes a difference, not only in how you feel, but in how your skin looks. When I’m dehydrated, or simply haven’t had enough to drink in a day, I can immediately see it in my face especially now that I am in perimenopause and happen to live in a very dry climate. These days, I try to make it a habit to keep a water bottle nearby so that I’m always drinking water throughout the day. It’s one of those simple, easy wins for better skin that costs nothing and takes almost no effort. Trust me, when you are well hydrated, those little fine lines and wrinkles have a funny way of getting a lot less noticeable (and that’s worth a few extra trips to the bathroom in my book).
Then there’s sleep, my favorite (and most elusive) skin secret. I know, life gets busy, and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day, but I genuinely believe that good sleep is a cornerstone of graceful aging. Our bodies repair themselves during sleep, producing growth hormones that help restore damaged skin cells. Aiming for a solid 7–9 hours a night is one of the most underrated ways to support your skin—and I write this weeping gently into my keyboard because hormonal fluctuations have me sleeping as if I had a newborn or a brand new puppy in the house. The sleep deprivation of perimenopause is real. So, I have added more magnesium to my evening routine, and make sure to read a book instead of look at my phone before going to bed. I’ve also implemented flower essences and CBN into my nights to help calm my nervous system for better slumber, and I’ve been going to bed earlier (when I can…because teenagers have a way of wanting to tell you everything and anything as the clock hits midnight) in an attempt to accrue more zzzz’s.
Now, because no conversation about aging would be complete without talking about stress, I’ll say this: managing stress levels is not something I’m good at. I would venture to say I fail miserably in this department, but a lot of it is circumstantial and not always in my control. However, I am always trying to learn better ways of managing my stress levels like practicing short guided meditations (because short is all I have time for!) and gifting myself a massage once in a blue moon. Stress is an absolute health and skin killer because it raises cortisol levels, which breaks down collagen and elastin—two proteins that keep skin firm and elastic. To be honest, I feel like I should look double my age for the amount of stress I’ve been under for ages, and since I, like so many of you, don’t have the bank account or privilege to escape adulthood and go on vacations, retreats, or just weekends away to “de-stress”, managing stress has come down to finding little moments of peace, whether that’s a few minutes of deep breathing, a quick walk outside, or simply taking some time away from my screen. These moments add up, and I think my skin (and sanity) are grateful for them. Yours will be too.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the endless stream of products, routines, and trends promising to “stop aging”, but I find there’s something liberating about accepting that aging is natural. The goal isn’t to stop time; it’s to feel and look our best and let our skin reflect that. I want to look like me as I age—just a more nourished, healthy, and vibrant version of myself.
So while I’ll keep sharing skincare products that I genuinely love, my advice to anyone who wants to age well is to start with the basics: eat well, hydrate, get enough sleep, and find ways to keep stress in check. These are things we can all do, regardless of budget or access to some highly rated MedSpa. After all, real beauty isn’t about chasing an impossible ideal; it’s about embracing who we are, supporting our health from the inside out, and being kind to ourselves as we navigate this journey of growing older….or as I like to say…rewiring adulthood. 😉
**To find some of my favorite products on AMAZON visit: MORAYMA’S AMAZON STOREFRONT
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