Father Time is undefeated and untied.
As we age, we experience greater difficulty with energy levels, memory, muscle growth, and fat loss. Hormone production also starts to decline.
But, the most noticeable sign of aging is the changing of your skin in terms of quality and tone.
While there are certain things you can do to stave off the effects of aging and promote more youthful-looking skin, the reality is that your skin (just like every other part of your body) will decline with age.
Faced with this fact, many individuals will turn to surgery when it comes to skin-tightening, but we’ve all seen the effects of a “nip-and-tuck” operation go wrong.
This is why finding a natural solution for skin tightening is imperative.
What Ingredients Work to Make Skin Feel and Look Lifted?
When looking young, beautiful, luminous skin is just as important as a youthful, firm facial shape. But the way to achieve youthful skin is different than what it takes to achieve a youthful facial shape. For aging skin, a surgical procedure doesn't do it. Here are a few of the best ingredients for firming and tightening your skin.
Collagen
Collagen is the main structural protein in the body and plays a critical role in the quality and appearance of your skin.
Unfortunately, collagen production naturally declines with age.
The good news is that supplementing with collagen is an effective means of supporting the body's production of collagen and improving the appearance and quality of the skin.[1,2,3]
A 2019 review on collagen supplementation concluded:
"Preliminary results are promising for oral collagen supplements' short- and long-term use for wound healing and skin aging. Oral collagen supplements also increase skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density.”[1]
A more recent 2021 review of collagen supplements noted:
"...ingestion of hydrolyzed collagen for 90 days effectively reduces skin aging, as it reduces wrinkles and improves skin elasticity and hydration.”
Steel Collagen delivers 20 grams of hydrolyzed grass-fed bovine collagen peptides per serving to support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints.
Caffeine
Caffeine is more commonly associated with pre-workout supplements. Still, it just so happens that in addition to being a valuable ergogenic, nootropic, and pick-me-up, caffeine also offers some alluring benefits for skin-tightening.
Research notes that it has potent antioxidant properties.[4]
Caffeine also helps protect cells against UV radiation and slows down the process of photoaging the skin.[4]
To top it off, caffeine in cosmetics increases the microcirculation of blood in the skin and stimulates hair growth by inhibiting the 5-α-reductase activity.[4]
This is why we include a small amount of caffeine in our best-selling total body toning lotion -- Steel Fit + Tone.
Glaucine
Glaucine is an alkaloid found in various plants, including yellow poppy. It possesses anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator properties.
Glaucine has also been used to support skin health and resists signs of aging.
Specifically, glaucine has been shown to inhibit certain enzymes that compromise the proteins
that are responsible for healthy,youthful-looking skin.
Glaucine is also known to inhibit the enzyme G3PDH, which can help limit the creation of new fat cells.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is a type of fat that comes from cocoa beans.
It has been used as a tonic for over 3,000 years and is loaded with powerful phytochemicals and antioxidants that can support healthy skin.
The potent bioactives may aid blood flow to the skin and slow skin aging by protecting against oxidative stress induced by the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) is an herb related to parsley that has been used for centuries, particularly in dermatological conditions, to help treat:
- Burns
- Scratches
- Small wounds
- Eczema
The potent plant is also renowned for its nootropic and stress-relief benefits.
Concerning skin-tightening, the main components of Gotu kola that are of interest are a group of triterpenoid saponins known as centelloids.
Researchers believe these terpenoids in Gotu kola can increase collagen production and reduce signs of wrinkles.[5]
What Causes Skin to Sag?
Aging naturally causes the skin to sag. And loose skin doesn’t only occur on our faces -- it also tends to happen in those “troublesome” areas, such as the arms, hips, stomach, and neck.
As we get older, collagen production naturally starts to decline. Our skin also tends to lose elastin -- a protein that provides stretchiness and strength for your skin.
Muscles in the face (as in other areas of the body) can weaken with age, leading to loose skin.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, a number of other lifestyle factors can also impact how quickly your skin starts to show signs of aging, including:
- Diet
- Stress
- Smoking
- UV-exposure
- Environmental toxins and pollution
For example, excessive exposure to UVA/UVB radiation can damage the skin's DNA. This can lead to accelerated aging and an increased skin cancer risk. Diet also can significantly impact how your skin. Consuming a diet high in hyper-processed, highly refined foods and low in antioxidants can create a pro-oxidative, pro-inflammatory state that can negatively affect your skin and the rest of your cells.
This is why eating a healthy diet is imperative and living a "fit life."
As is with muscle gain, fat loss, and general health and wellness, prevention (or rather, being proactive) is your best weapon for maintaining youthful skin.
- Eat a diet rich in lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Limit your intake of hyper-processed food, refined sugar, and alcohol.
- Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- If you’re going to be outdoors, protect your skin.
- Drink enough water daily.
- Watch your stress levels.
- Don’t smoke.
In addition to these lifestyle factors, you can also look to supplements, creams, and lotions to augment and support your healthy lifestyle choices.
Skin Firming Lotions to Help Tighten My Skin
SteelFit® offers a number of skin-firming lotions to fit your needs and address those notorious “trouble” areas, including:
Among these, if you’re looking for a total body toning lotion, we suggest Steel Fit + Tone, which includes each of the best skin-tightening ingredients discussed above. For more information on Steel Fit + Tone, click here.
References
- Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovska NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019 Jan 1;18(1):9-16. PMID: 30681787.
- de Miranda, R.B., Weimer, P. and Rossi, R.C. (2021), Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol, 60: 1449-1461. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.15518
- Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 17;11(10):2494. DOI: 10.3390/nu11102494. PMID: 31627309; PMCID: PMC6835901.
- Herman A, Herman AP. Caffeine's mechanisms of action and its cosmetic use. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2013;26(1):8-14. doi: 10.1159/000343174. Epub 2012 Oct 11. PMID: 23075568.
- Bylka W, Znajdek-Awiżeń P, Studzińska-Sroka E, Brzezińska M. Centella asiatica in cosmetology. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2013 Feb;30(1):46-9. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2013.33378. Epub 2013 Feb 20. PMID: 24278045; PMCID: PMC3834700.
