Wrinkles

Remember when your mom used to say “Don’t scrunch up your face, or it’ll stay that way”? Well, she was right. Over the years, your skin develops a “memory” for your most common facial moves, including squinting, frowning and raising your eyebrows. The result, sorry to say, is wrinkles.

Other things cause wrinkles, too. Anything that robs your skin of moisture, such as too much scrubbing or the overuse of astringents, can lead to problems. But the worst offender is too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Experts recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 on your exposed skin every time you go outside. The natural remedies in this chapter, used with your doctor’s approval, may help prevent or reverse wrinkling, according to some health professionals.

Acupressure

To tone facial muscles, press both Facial Beauty points, St 3, which are situated at the bottom of each cheekbone, directly below the pupil, says Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points. (For help in locating these points, refer to the illustration on page 564.) Dr. Gach recommends holding these points for one minute three times a day.

Aromatherapy

To minimize the appearance of wrinkles and help prevent new ones, Fair Oaks, California, aromatherapist Victoria Edwards suggests a skin-nourishing face oil that she says she discovered quite by accident. “I created it when my daughter had chickenpox to keep her skin from scarring, but I found out it is great for my skin as well,” she explains.

To prepare, says Edwards, add one drop of rose and two drops of everlast (sometimes called immortelle or helichrysum) essential oils to one ounce of rose hip seed essential oil. She says to store the mixture in a dark glass bottle and apply it every morning, immediately after cleansing. This blend smells great and keeps skin hydrated, according to Edwards.

“It’s a little expensive to prepare because of the rose oil,” she admits. “But a six-month supply will cost under $100, less than what a lot of women pay at the cosmetic counter for products that don’t do what they’re supposed to.”

For information on preparing and administering essential oils, including cautions about their use, see page 19. For information on purchasing essential oils, refer to the resource list on page 633.

Massage

Two self-massage routines, done daily, can nourish and relax facial tissue and skin, says Monika Struna, author of Self-Massage. The first, called patting, is done while you stand with your feet about one foot apart. Lean forward slightly at the waist for balance. Then start patting your face as if you were gently slapping it with the bottom sides of your fingers. Your left hand should do the left side of your face, and your right hand should do the right side. Continue patting the cheeks and sides of your face for 15 to 20 seconds.

The second technique is called wrinkle release. Place the fingertips of your right hand on the right center of your forehead and the fingertips of your left hand on the left center of your forehead. Apply gentle to moderate pressure, so you can feel the layer of tissue beneath the outer skin. Then move your fingers back and forth as you would if you were washing your hair. Be careful not to move the fingers too far and stretch the skin. Do this for a few seconds, then move your fingers across the forehead to the sides of the face, down and back across the cheekbones. Continue moving your hands over your face, working your way down the left side with your left hand and the right side with your right hand. Struna says this will help relax and nourish the tissue under your skin, where wrinkles start. Continue for 30 seconds to a minute.