Once I reached my sixtieth birthday, I was looking back at a life chockfull of memories. Life had ups and downs for me, including divorce and cancer survival. Through so many things, I tended to neglect my skin often. After my battle with skin cancer at the age of 50 I had to change some of my habits. This is also when I took the initiative to revitalize my skin.

It was at this time that I started searching for information on how to revive my skin. Now that I am sixty, there are 7 principles for my skin care which I follow to the tee. They have worked for me, my skin feels firmer, softer and glows more now than it used to, even more than when I was 45!

I want to share these 7 principles for skin rejuvenation with you. Simple, healthy and easy things to remember. Some of them you probably do already, maybe your doctor has mentioned them to you.

7 Principles to follow for Facial Rejuvenation at Sixty

First Principle: Eat Right

A balanced diet full of vegetables, fruits and whole grains will make a huge difference in your life. Foods rich in vitamins A and E become particularly important as we grow older because our bodies naturally become depleted of these essential vitamins with time. Vitamin E and A is needed for new cell growth, especially skin cell growth. Aging skin needs this, to renew itself at the cellular level. You can find these two vitamins in dark green and yellow vegetables, such as squash, pumpkin and cantaloupe.

Principle #2: Wear Sunscreen

Leathery skin, wrinkles and sun spots are all results of over exposure to the sun. Sunscreen with at least SPF 30 is important to prevent skin damage, the severest being skin cancer. Lucky for me I was diagnosed at an early stage of the cancer. Regular skin cancer exams from a dermatologists can save your life! With early detection and proper treatment, the cure rate for skin cancer averages 95%. When detection and treatment are delayed, the outcome is not as favorable.

Principle #3: Use High Quality Creams

Older skin tends to be dry and tight, with a rough, wrinkled texture and a dull appearance. Hormonal changes, reduction in the water content of the uppermost layer of the skin and a decrease in intracellular lipids all contribute to increased dryness. For skin to stay soft, supple and smooth, moisturize in the morning, after a bath and before you fall sleep. The moisturizer you chose should contain soy, retinol and alpha hydroxyl acids that are beneficial for a woman's skin, and it should be a high quality, thick consistency. Any treatments that encourage collagen and elastin stimulation are a good bet.

#4: Drink More Water

Plenty of water! As we age the layer of fat giving skin its plump and firm appearance begins to shrink and does not regenerate. This shrinking fat layer also reduces the amount of moisture in the skin, leading to dryness and wrinkles. To counter balance all of this dryness we can drink water, how easy is that?

Fifth Principle:An Excellent Skin Care Routine

Upon reaching our sixties our skin become fragile, and it becomes easier to injure and slower to heal. Use high quality cleansers and scrubs to keep your skin fresh. Masques will increase moisture and firm up the skin. Products with retinoids and anti-oxidants help the skin rebuild cells.

Sixth Principle: Take Your Vitamins

You will need extra calcium, vitamin E, and vitamin A, as these are all skin related vitamins which become depleted from our skin as we age. Skin loses its elasticity and becomes thinner as the years go by. Calcium is needed namely for the loss of skin density, while Vitamin E helps your skin to rebuild itself. Vitamin A contains retinoids which assist in reversing the signs of aging.

Principle #7: If you Smoke, Then Quit Smoking

Leathery textured skin at sixty is the result of smoking. Smoking also steals the nutrients right out of your skin. The good news is that as soon as you quit smoking, your body begins to heal itself immediately. To stop the aging process quitting smoking is essential. Maybe you have considered quitting already for your lungs, and now you have another reason, younger looking skin.