These 12 Anti-Aging Tricks Will Stop Wrinkles In Their Tracks
Your skin’s lovely bouncy youthfulness doesn’t have to be something that goes AWOL in your 30s and 40s. Nor does skincare have to feel like a mission impossible. Yes, aging is inevitable, but you can maintain your skin’s healthy youthfulness and preserve your collagen, the substance in your skin that keeps it smooth, supple, and free of wrinkles. Here are 12 things to start doing right now — your skin will thank you!
1. Throw away your cigarettes
You know that smoking’s bad for your health, but it’s also unhealthy for your skin because it produces an enzyme called metalloproteinase that actually breaks down collagen. The result? Your skin becomes wrinkled and can start to sag early on. By binning your cigs, you’ll open the door to tighter, more beautiful skin.
2. Add a vitamin C serum to your routine
Vitamin C is a must to lather into your skin every morning because it’s an antioxidant that maintains your collagen. It also goes one step further by boosting the body’s natural collagen production for younger skin. Try Medik8 Super C Ferulic serum, which has 30 percent Vitamin C while being suitable for all skin types.
3. Start using retinol
Retinol is a skincare ingredient that gets lots of hype, but for good reason. It reduces how quickly collagen breaks down while making your skin plumper and more elastic so it looks younger. And, using it in combination with Vitamin C enables you to tone and even your skin. Try L’Oréal Revitalift Derm Intensives Night Serum with 0.3 percent retinol which gives you brighter skin and removes wrinkles. Its nourishing ingredients, such as glycerin, don’t leave your skin dry.
4. Slick on the sunscreen
Protecting your skin from UV rays isn’t just about keeping your skin cancer-free and pigment-free, but it also preserves your collagen so you hit the brakes on aging. Protect your skin daily by using a sunscreen of at least 50 SPF. It’s never too late to start! Research in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that daily sunscreen slows down skin aging even in middle-aged people.
5. Stop eating sugar
While you might not think you consume a lot of sugar, it can sneak into many foods. In the body, sugar encourages the production of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), compounds that destroy collagen. Make sure you scrutinize those food labels to give sugar a miss! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), any ingredient that ends in ‘ose’ usually has sugar, such as glucose, dextrose, and sucrose.
6. Fight free radicals with fruits and veggies
Eating healthy food in the form of fruits and veggies daily floods your body with antioxidants that fight free radicals. You want to nip these in the bud because they dehydrate the skin, cause dullness by slowing down skin cell turnover, and decrease collagen production.
7. Cut back on your favorite cocktails
You can stop wrinkles by reducing how many delicious cocktails you consume. When you drink too much alcohol, it dehydrates your body’s mucous membranes so your skin looks dry and dehydrated. Now, imagine if you’re drinking all the time, all that dehydration will contribute to you looking older than your years.
8. Don’t sleep on your face
If you wake up with your face squished against your pillow every morning, it’s going to result in permanent lines and wrinkles. A study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that when people slept on their stomachs or sides, it led to distorted skin and wrinkles. It’s time to get into the habit of sleeping on your back!
9. Zap stress so you don’t frown and squint
When you’re highly stressed, you tend to tense your muscles and face. For example, you might frown, squint, or purse your lips, which contributes to lines and wrinkles. Relieve your stress and relax your face with daily relaxing practices, such as yoga, deep breathing, and meditation.
10. Wash your face for longer
Take an extra few minutes to wash your face at the end of the day so you don’t sleep with any makeup or sunscreen residue. Your skin will absorb those impurities, resulting in oxidative stress that ages your face. An oil-based cleanser like Curél Makeup Cleansing Oil removes waterproof makeup and moisturizes your skin without drying it out.
11. Eat more fatty fish
If you’re not loading up with protein in the form of fatty fish like wild salmon, you’re missing out on a skincare elixir that plumps your skin and neutralizes free radicals. It also reduces inflammation. Try to consume 2-3 weekly servings. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, try plant-based alternatives such as flaxseed or take omega-3 supplements.
12. Hit the gym regularly
Although exercise is great to keep you healthy, it’s also good for your skin. In a study published in Aging Cell, active participants displayed healthier skin cells, a thinner skin layer, and a thicker (deeper) layer than their non-active participants, all of which are associated with younger-looking skin. Now that’s a good reason to hit the gym, no?
