We all desire that healthy youthful glow but as we age our skin changes and pigmentation, sensitivity and other issues become more prevalent. So how do you maintain a healthy glow despite the turning wheels of time?

According to Juniper Skincare founder Jayne Shepherd, the sun in Australia can add 10 years to your skin! Long-term exposure to the sun and damaging UV rays causes excess production of melanin (the protein which gives skin its colour) resulting in sun spots, freckles, blotchy and uneven skin tone, discoloured skin or large blemished areas. Also referred to as age spots, they’re not always a direct result of the ageing process.

Ms Shepherd says while hormonal changes, pregnancy or skin injury due to acne or psoriasis can cause pigmentation in younger people, it’s far more common in over 60s. “As we age our skin can become more sensitive, we start to lose plumpness due to degeneration of collagen and it can become dry and thin.”

You can prevent future pigmentation and sun damage by wearing a UVA and UVB shielding sunscreen, feeding your face with antioxidants and avoiding excessive sun. You can turn back time with a brightening product after cleansing and toning to tackle pigmentation. “Sensitive and ageing skin needs the goodness of vitamin C. Lipid based vitamin C penetrates deeply and helps stimulate collagen, regenerate cells and lighten pigmentation, whereas water-based vitamin C can irritate sensitive skin. It also doesn’t penetrate deeply enough to have the desired results.”

Vitamin C is the hero ingredient in Juniper’s Vitamin C Night Serum – a plant-based formulae with vitamin E, essential fatty acids, antioxidants and essential oils to target pigmentation, fine lines, acne scars, and sagging skin. “All of the ingredients work together. You can eat a whole bowl of carrots but you know you should still eat your broccoli and a rainbow of other fruits and vegetables.”

“At Juniper we want to give people healthier skin. We know healthy skin starts in the gut; if you have underlying inflammation, it will show in your skin. So we work holistically with practitioners in Go Vita stores to target skin issues naturally.”

Check out Juniper’s range of organic, ethical, practitioner only, plant-based and cruelty-free products in store!