Sugar, Glycation, & Skin Longevity
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A note from Shlomit Heller, founder of Shlomit Skin Ecology and licensed esthetician since 1991.
When we talk about healthy, beautiful skin, we often begin with what we can see: skincare products, treatments, and the routines we follow each day.
And while what we put on our skin absolutely matters, skin longevity begins with a bigger picture.
As I recommend skincare products to my clients, I always focus on the concerns they want to improve and choose products that support meaningful, long-term change. But the skin is not separate from the rest of us. Its health is influenced not only by topical care, but also by how we care for our bodies.
One everyday habit worth understanding is our relationship with sugar.
Sugar is wonderful, addictive, and delicious—and I certainly don’t believe life should be lived without enjoying it. This is not about fear, restriction, or perfection. It is about awareness and balance.
When excess sugar is available in the body, it can interact with proteins through a process called glycation. This can contribute to the formation of Advanced Glycation End Products, or AGEs.
Why does this matter to the skin?
Collagen and elastin help give skin its structure, strength, and elasticity. Over time, glycation can affect these proteins and contribute to changes associated with the visible aging of skin.
This is one reason I believe skin longevity is about more than skincare.
What we put on our skin matters.
What we put into our bodies matters, too.
Sleep, stress, nutrition, movement, hormones, our environment—and yes, even how much sugar we consume—are all part of the larger picture. None of these factors needs to be approached perfectly. They simply give us more information about how to support our skin with greater intention.
Because healthy skin is not about fighting age or chasing perfection.
It is about understanding the skin we have, caring for it wisely, and supporting its health, resilience, and longevity at every age.
This is the philosophy behind Intelligent Skincare for Intelligent Skin™.
The more we understand the intelligence of our skin, the more open we become to learning how to support its longevity.
— Shlomit