As well as the inner problems with aging - the production of less elastin and collagen by our skin, and the slowing down of the rate at which new skin cells are created - we have to deal with the environmental factors. These environmental issues can really have a big impact on how much we accelerate the natural aging process.

The good news is that they at least can be controlled. This obviously makes the job of any natural health and beauty products we use much easier.

The sun, and cigarette smoke, both lead to the creation of oxidants, which are unstable molecules that cause damage to our cells. These free radicals slow down the production of collagen and elastin even more - not great if you’re advancing in age and these are naturally slowing down anyway.

Smoking has a few more effects on the skin too. It restricts the flow of blood to the epidermis, which is a problem because the blood transports nutrients to the skin, and takes waste products away. So, if the circulation is poor, this will affect skin renewal.

It’s not only smoking that accelerates aging of our skin. Pollution in the air also contributes to the formation of wrinkles. It does this by depleting our skin of vitamin E.

The trick is to avoid the things that are bad for your skin as much as possible. In the case of the sun, we need some sunlight to create vitamin D in our bodies. The sun is not all bad. It’s also important in reducing SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. Ultimately, if we have a diet rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins and minerals, we should counterbalance some of the poor environmental effects our skin is subjected to.