9 beauty hacks to help you look and feel younger
We’re all about embracing your body, but that doesn’t mean you can’t want to look as young as you feel inside. Aging is a complex process that is as much psychological as it is physical. As we age, our skin evolves. It loses elasticity and gains fine lines and changes in pigmentation. Just as your skin will become different with age, you might start to feel different within yourself. You might find yourself dealing with more aches and pains than when you were younger, or you may be dealing with hormonal changes that come with menopause. In short, aging doesn’t always feel like a walk in the park. But it doesn’t have to be that way! We’ve put together some of our favorite tips to looking younger and keeping your body feeling full of energy, so you can do the things you love with confidence.
How can I look younger than my age using skincare?
Skincare products that vow to make you look younger are available almost everywhere. But how are you supposed to know which of them work? Here are our favorite skincare tips for aging skin.
Tip no. 1 - Splurge on active ingredients
Active ingredients are crucial to keeping your skin looking youthful. Dr. Heather Rogers told Dermstore, “buying an expensive face cream with amazing anti-aging ingredients does not mean those ingredients will get to where they need to be in order for the skin to be able to use them. Instead, it is better to get the anti-aging ingredients in a serum that can penetrate the skin, and then follow it with a moisturizer that will protect and hydrate the skin.”
Tip no. 2 - Save on skincare staples
Focus on finding products with textures you love and that you’re inclined to use regularly to make sure you keep up with your skincare routine daily. Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor at Yale Department of Dermatology, told Women’s Health Magazine “Cleansers, and facial creams can be a drugstore. There are gentle cleansers and good quality creams readily available.”
How can I make my skin look younger and glowing?
Dull skin is a common concern among both men and women as they get older. This can happen for a range of reasons, but it’s usually because your skin is either dehydrated or needs to be exfoliated, hence our following tips on how to make skin look younger:
Tip no. 3 - Use a chemical exfoliant
Chemical exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are the ideal tool to combat dull skin. They work by creating a peeling action to boost cell turnover. In short, that means the skin cells on the very surface of your skin will peel, leaving newer, healthier-looking skin cells visible on the surface.
Tip no. 4 - Keep hydrated
Hydration helps your skin to look plump and youthful. Both making sure your water intake is at normal levels (around eight glasses of water per day) and giving your skin access to moisturizers and hydrating serums. Skincare ingredients to look out for when you’re trying to boost hydration levels include hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
What is the secret to younger-looking skin?
An essential lesson about maintaining youthful-looking skin is that what’s happening inside matters as much as any product you apply. Here’s how to take care of your body to help your skin:
Tip no. 5 - Check your nutrition
Maintaining a healthy diet will not only make sure you feel well and have lots of energy, but it can also help your skin to look gorgeous too! Some skincare superfoods include yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (carrots and peaches), leafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.), and berries.
Tip no. 6 - Think about taking supplements.
While getting your vitamins in by eating a well-balanced diet is essential, many multivitamins contain nutrients your skin needs to stay looking its best. If you need to give your skin a bit of a boost, consider adding a vitamin A, vitamin B complex, or Biotin supplement to your diet. These nutrients have all been found to help your skin maintain a gorgeous youthful glow!
What lifestyle changes can I make to feel younger?
As we mentioned up top, feeling young is something we can all work on. These daily practices will help you keep your mind active so you can feel young and healthy for as long as possible:
Tip no. 7 - Keep moving
Staying active is key to looking and feeling young. Naturopathic doctor and author Nigma Talib wrote in her book Reverse the Signs of Ageing: “moving your body lowers levels of inflammation of its own accord, but also helps fight it in secondary ways, such as improving sleep.” So whether you like to go to spin classes or go for a walk on the beach, staying active is something you should try to keep in your routine as much as possible.
Tip no. 8 - Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness and meditation have both been found to help keep the mind young. Beyond that, the practices can also help lower your blood pressure and reduce stress, which can impact how healthy your skin looks. Meditating for just five minutes a day can improve your mental state and help boost your mood.
Can I control how my skin ages?
The way your skin shows signs of aging comes down to many different factors, some of which you can control and others you can’t. This brings us to our final tip:
Tip no. 9 - Embrace your age
Growing old is an incredible thing! Embrace the changes your body is going through. Look at your laughter lines with pride, and remember how many happy memories have been etched onto your skin over the years. Look at the changing skin on your legs, on your tummy, and think about all the adventures your body has enabled you to go on. We’d love to encourage you to take some time to love your body, and embrace how it’s evolving. And hey, if you want to help your skin look brighter, or tighten some loose skin by upping your skincare game, then that’s cool too. There’s no rulebook here!
The bottom line
Aging doesn’t need to be something that’s a source of stress! Learning how to care for your skin at different stages in life can take a bit of work, but it’s doable, and the results are usually fantastic. Learning to embrace your body as you age will pay off by boosting your confidence and helping you feel more youthful. Don’t be ashamed of your fine lines, wrinkles, loose skin, or sunspots: they’re all tiny reminders of the incredible life you’ve led so far. So take time to show yourself some love!