As you grow older, your skin will start to sag and wrinkle – and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if you’d like to hold onto your young-looking skin for longer, there are a few things you can do to maintain your glow. You may not be able to stop your skin from aging or turn back time, but you can slow down the skin aging process. Here’s how to do that:
7 Anti-Aging Tips for Your Skin
Make sure to moisturize
Dry skin doesn’t cause wrinkles but can make wrinkles more noticeable. That’s why people with dry skin tend to display signs of skin aging earlier than those with oil-prone skin. The reason for this is that your skin needs oil to stay hydrated and to maintain its smooth and soft surface. Without oil, your skin will be dehydrated and skin imperfections will be more likely to show.
To maintain your skin’s moisture content, it’s crucial to moisturize daily. Moisturizer traps water in the skin to make sure it’s well-hydrated all day. When going on a flight, a good moisturizer is one of the many things to bring in your carry-on. The air inside planes tends to be drying, so make sure to slap on some moisturizer so it doesn’t suck the moisture out of your skin.
Protect your skin from the sun
The sun is to blame for most of your skin’s age-related concerns, and it’s all because of ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays speed up the skin’s aging process by breaking down your skin’s collagen content. Collagen is what your skin relies on to maintain its structure – without it, your skin would lose its firmness and be susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles.
That’s why it’s non-negotiable to wear sunscreen every day – even on days when the sun doesn’t seem to be shining. Sunscreen can protect your skin against the sun’s aging effects by blocking UV rays.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the best sun protection product is a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30. Apply sunscreen to unprotected parts of the skin, such as your neck to prevent neck wrinkles. Other sun-safety tips include wearing sun-protective clothing (e.g. long-sleeved tops), sunglasses, and avoiding the sun altogether.
Don’t smoke
There’s a long list of reasons you shouldn’t smoke, and skin aging is one of them. The main reason why smoking is bad for the skin is that tobacco contains chemicals that can break down your skin’s collagen. Plus, the motion of sucking on a cigarette makes a person more prone to wrinkles, particularly around the mouth.
This bad habit can also cause vasoconstriction – this is when your blood vessels become constricted. When this occurs, the blood supply to your skin is reduced, which means your skin won’t be able to get enough nutrients. Smoke that’s released into the air can also dry out the skin, causing what’s known as a “smoker’s face” – the dry, dull, and wrinkled look of someone who smokes.
Add retinol to your skincare routine
As you age, your skin starts to lose collagen, causing your skin to sag and look creased. Fortunately, you can slow down skin aging with the use of retinol. This wrinkle-fighting ingredient slows down the breakdown of collagen to give your skin a youthful glow. Retinol also prompts skin cells to turn over more rapidly to allow newer cells to surface. In other words, it gets rid of dead skin cells that can accentuate your wrinkles.
It will take your skin some time to get used to retinol, so it’s a good idea to start slow. Use it once or twice a week, and then work your way up to every other day. Once your skin has adjusted, you can add it to your daily skincare routine. Since retinol can cause skin dryness, it’s best to use it alongside moisture-boosting ingredients such as glycolic acid.
Retinol is one of the best anti-aging ingredients in the skincare world, but it won’t work overnight. It will take a few months of continuous use to see results. Also, it’s worth mentioning that retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so don’t forget to wear sunscreen during the day.
Eat healthily
Watch what you eat! Certain foods can cause you to look older. Foods containing sugar, for instance, can decrease collagen and accelerate aging. Alcohol can also lead to dehydration, so limit your Mai Tais and margaritas! While a drink or two a day won’t compromise your health, more than that can be the catalyst for skin concerns.
Instead, support your skin by sticking to a well-balanced diet. Eat more protein-rich foods, such as fish, legumes, and lean meats. Other great anti-aging foods include fatty fish (e.g. salmon and swordfish), walnuts, sunflower seeds, and sweet potatoes.
Exfoliate your skin
The skin sheds dead skin cells by itself, but this regenerative cycle can slow down with age. To give you an idea, cell regeneration takes around 28 days for teenagers, but once you hit middle age, it can take anywhere between 28 to 42 days. This means that dead skin cells will stay on the surface of the skin for a longer time. When dead skin cells sit on the skin, they can accentuate your fine lines and wrinkles.
Exfoliation gets rid of the dead skin cells, giving way to a clearer complexion. There are two ways to exfoliate: manual and chemical exfoliation. Manual exfoliation uses products infused with particles or grains to scrub off the dead cells from the surface of the skin. Its downside is that the scrubbing motion can be harsh on the skin, and can lead to additional skin damage.
That being said, it’s best to go for chemical exfoliation. It uses alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) to dissolve the bonds between the cells, allowing them to break free from the skin themselves.
Stay active
You probably know that exercise is good for your body, but did you know it’s also good for your skin? Regular exercise can improve circulation, giving you a younger complexion. It works by improving the blood flow in your body to allow more oxygen and nutrients to travel to your skin. Exercise can also lessen stress, which is one of the main contributors to wrinkles due to the existence of cortisol. That being said, to get wrinkle-free skin, you must maintain a consistent workout regimen.
If you’re having a hard time maintaining your fitness routine, that might be because you haven’t found a workout that works for you. Try a variety of exercises and gym gear until you find something that makes you want to get up and work out.
Say hello to younger-looking skin
Aging is part of life, but if practicing anti-aging tips is what will make you feel more beautiful, go for it! Through these simple tips, you can reduce the signs of aging and maintain your radiant glow for years to come.
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About the author: Trent (IMDB | Youtube) has spent 10+ years working on an assortment of film and television projects. He writes about his experiences to help (and amuse) others. If he’s not working, he’s either traveling, reading or writing about travel/film, or planning travel/film projects.
