Although nothing can turn back the hands of time, your skin can defy its age with just a little extra effort. Between changing a few lifestyle habits and adding a few little steps to your skincare routine, you can improve your complexion for healthier, younger looking skin.
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Obtaining younger-looking skin is all about a good balance of lifestyle and skincare changes. While some can be a bit harder to accomplish (like quitting smoking), others can be simple (like using eye cream).
Good to Know: A big factor in anti-aging skincare is proper moisturization, as most of us will experience an increase in dryness as we age.
Recommended Products: Eyes Eyes Baby, ‘A’ Game, Nectar of the C, H2 Oh Yeah, and Youth Fairy.
From lifestyle changes to skincare tricks, here are our best anti-aging skincare tips:
1. Quit Smoking
There are few things we know of that are 100% guaranteed to ensure your skin ages faster than it has to, but smoking will definitely do it. Smoking will seriously dehydrate your skin, causing fine lines and wrinkles to form, especially around your lips where you take in the smoke. Quit smoking and you will gradually see a change in your skin.
2. Drink More Water
As we age, our skin tends become drier and more easily dehydrated. It sounds like a lot but a good rule of thumb is eight, eight ounce glasses a day If you’re not crazy about the taste of water, you can always try putting in a few lemons, limes, or cucumbers just to jazz it up a bit. You can also keep your skin hydrated topically with a hydrating moisturizer like H2 Oh Yeah.
3. Wear Sunscreen
The only thing that ages your skin as fast as smoking is spending a lot of time in the sun. While we strongly suggest curtailing your time in the sun, we realize that may not always be possible; so do the next best thing and make sure you’re wearing plenty of sunscreen, even when you just leave the house for a bit. And if you’re going to be spending the day outside, reapply every few hours, as sweat can take sunscreen with it.
4. Try To Eliminate Stress
We realize this is much easier said than done, but it’s astounding how stress can cause you to age. Between “worry” lines and bags under your eyes, stress really shows on your face. With all the great meditation and wellness apps out there, why not use one at night to deal with the day’s worries and get you ready for the next 24 hours.
5. Chill Out
It can be hard to accept, but the partying and drinking and working around the clock that used to be a way of life gets a lot harder to maintain as we get older– and it shows on our skin. Alcohol in particular is a serious dehydrator. When you do indulge, make sure you complete your entire skincare routine before hitting the hay. Pro tip- eye cream is your best friend when you’re burning the midnight oil.
6. Change Your Diet
Foods that are particularly known for causing inflammation like sugar, artificial trans fats and carbs, will age the skin. If you haven’t already, increase your fruit and vegetable intake (especially leafy greens that are loaded with antioxidants), and you’ll most likely see an improvement in your skin.
7. Stick to a Good Skincare Routine
Maintaining healthy, young-looking skin is a lot easier than trying to get your skin in shape, so stick to a daily routine that keeps your skin clean and well moisturized. Adding a night cream with retinol, such as Youth Fairy, will really level up your anti-aging routine.
8. Make Sure Your Skin Is Really Clean
Believe it or not, dirt makes skin look a lot older and makes fine lines and wrinkles look more pronounced. Begin your routine with a gentle, non-drying cleanser like So Clean!, which is great for all skin types.
9. Moisturize Like Crazy
Restoring moisture to the skin is one of the best ways to keep it looking young. Keep in mind that although moisture is certainly an important component, it’s not the only way to keep your skin hydrated. We recommend using a hydrating toner right after you cleanse. Our H2 Oh Yeah natural moisturizer will keep your skin hydrated while restoring its glow.
10. Use an Eye Cream
Not only is the skin around the eyes more delicate than the rest of your skin, it produces very little oil, making it one of the first places where fine lines and wrinkles appear. Eyes Eyes Baby anti-aging eye cream will not only get to work on the appearance of wrinkles, it’ll reduce the look of puffiness as well.
11. Add Retinoids to Your Routine
Retinol, otherwise known as vitamin A, is a highly effective antioxidant that helps protect skin from environmental stressors. Known for its ability to increase collagen production, retinol works to firm the skin and smooth lines and wrinkles. If you are new to retinol, start with a gentle retinol serum like ‘A’ Game; begin by using it every other evening until your skin adjusts.
12. Add Vitamin C to Your Skincare Routine
Vitamin C is well-known for its ability to restore skin’s natural glow, which is something we tend to lose as we age. A vitamin C serum such as Nectar of the C will not only help restore radiance back to skin, but it can help diminish the look of dark spots and wrinkles.
13. Switch Your Make-Up From Powders to Creams
Powder makeup can look cakey but on older skin; it can get in the crevices of fine lines and wrinkles, making skin look a lot older than it should. Switch to creme blushes and eyeshadows and only use a setting power on the areas that you are most oily. This allows your natural glow to shine through and keeps your skin from looking dull.
15. Put an extra thick layer of moisturizer on before you go to bed
Slathering on an extra layer of moisturizer and letting it sink in overnight is a great once-a-week-or-so treat for your skin. Find an old pillowcase when you do this to keep your good linens from staining.
We hope you find these anti-aging tips helpful. As you can see, there are many ways you can improve the look at the health of your skin, at any age.
