Graceful #002 - The Real Reasons We Age
Hi, again! And thank you for signing up for my new email series I’m calling ‘graceful’ — a weekly note from me, for anyone looking for practical, real-world guidance on skin health, aging, and full-body wellness.
I wanted to go start by unpacking a few key reasons we age — it's a bit science-y, but stick with me. It’s important groundwork to help make sense of why we do certain things (and what we’re actually targeting when we talk about ‘anti-aging’).
We’ve been fascinated by aging for centuries — it isn’t just a modern-day preoccupation. Ancient Egyptian women exfoliated with sea salts and saw beauty as a sign of holiness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, visible signs of aging were treated with herbs and dietary changes to restore internal balance.
In ancient Greece, youth was considered beautiful and heroic, and old age was seen as tragic, even ugly. It’s a stark contrast — but it shows just how long humans have struggled with the shift that aging brings.
Perhaps it stems from a universal fear of death, but I think it’s more than that. We know what it feels like to be young and full of energy, to have that glow and youthful cheeks full of collagen (even if we didn’t recognise it as valuable at the time).
There’s a lot of noise online around biohacking and longevity. While some of it is helpful (and some worth ignoring), I think what most of us really want — instead of living to 150 — is to increase our healthspan: the number of years spent in good health.
This lens can be applied to how we think about aging, both in terms of our skin and how we feel in our bodies. And it doesn’t have to mean cold plunges or taking 100 supplements before breakfast. Skin longevity is a trend I can get behind (despite it being highly commercialised) — it’s about keeping our skin cells as healthy as possible to prevent premature aging.
Only around 20–25% of aging is genetically predetermined; the other 75–80% is influenced by lifestyle and environment.
Let’s talk about how — and why — we age.
Intrinsic factors of aging:
This refers to the internal, genetically programmed aging process — changes that occur within the body’s cells and tissues. These include oxidative stress, hormonal shifts, and the body’s natural decline in repair mechanisms.
Extrinsic factors of aging:
These are external influences that speed up aging, including UV exposure (photoaging), pollution, smoking, poor nutrition, and excess alcohol.
You might have been investing your time (and money) into managing external factors — and that’s valid — but it’s equally important to understand just how deeply internal health and external appearance are connected.
Five root causes of premature aging:
Why we age (aside from simply existing over time):
1. Nutrient Depletion
As we age, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing and using nutrients — especially if we’re stressed, sleeping poorly, or eating highly-processed food. At the same time, much of today’s food is grown in nutrient-depleted soil, meaning it contains fewer vitamins and minerals our skin and body need. This impacts everything from skin repair to hormone health.
2. Chronic Inflammation
Sometimes called inflammaging online, chronic low-grade inflammation slows cellular repair, breaks down collagen, and contributes to dullness, irritation, and fine lines. It’s often triggered by high sugar intake, stress, poor sleep, and environmental factors. While acute inflammation (like that triggered by a chemical peel or microneedling) can be helpful, chronic inflammation accelerates aging.
3. Collagen Degradation
Collagen gives our skin its firmness and bounce and makes up 75–80% of the skin’s structure. From age 25, production starts to decline by about 1% per year. Menopause accelerates this process significantly due to falling estrogen levels. On top of that, collagen can also be broken down by sugar, UV exposure, smoking, and stress. While topical skincare and treatments help, supporting collagen through diet is essential — because collagen is a protein.
4. Free Radical Damage (Oxidation)
One of the most significant causes of physical aging is oxidative stress — damage from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells; they can be generated by pollution, UV exposure, processed foods, alcohol, and even intense workouts. This oxidative stress is like an internal form of “rusting” that damages skin cells and leads to uneven tone, weakened skin barrier, and premature aging. Antioxidants (think vitamin C) in your diet and skincare can help neutralise this damage.
5. Cellular Waste Build-Up
Lastly, and I know this might feel a bit like a science lesson, but it’s important! Autophagy; is the body’s process of clearing out damaged cells to make room for healthier ones. This natural “spring cleaning” slows as we age, which means more cellular waste builds up — when this happens we might notice general fatigue, dull skin, and slower energy overall. There are a few ways to support autophagy, especially through diet and fasting.
Why These Factors Matter
I would argue (and many others* do too) that these are some of the main causes of ageing skin, as well as internal aging and are all things I like to specifically think about when it comes to consciously (and gracefully to stay on theme…) getting older and supporting the way we look and feel.
Each of these factors can be supported by how you treat your body and the routines you build. An anti-inflammatory, protein-rich diet, for example, can help fight free radicals, support autophagy, and boost collagen production. Certain treatments also work by creating controlled trauma in the skin to stimulate repair, renewal and localised collagen production. You get the gist. Understanding the “why” behind these processes makes it easier to use your own logic to decide what’s actually valuable for you— and to make sense of the endless advice you see online.
Of course, there are always going to be other theories and ongoing research into aging — with lots of unanswered questions, but I like to focus on the areas we can actually influence through our daily choices.
I’ll keep sharing practical solutions in the newsletters to come — from lifestyle shifts and daily routines to skincare and treatments — all designed to support the way your skin looks and feels as you age.
Until next time,
Charlie x
P.S. If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts — just comment below, or send me a quick message and let me know. And if you know someone who’d find this helpful, feel free to forward it or share the sign-up link below. The more of us aging consciously, the better.
* supported by *Dr Anthony Youn, Dr Barbara Sturm, Dr Will Cole and huge amounts of research.
For any additional references please reach out.
