As our bodies start to age, confidence often wavers. Our body and skin changes constantly, but it seems to reach “the point of no return” once we reach a certain age. You and your skin are beautiful no matter what, but it can feel as though aging does nothing but harm: wrinkles, age spot, dry skin—it all can hit at once!
The Best Anti-Aging Secrets
Once you start getting lines under your eyes, it may seem like it is too late for your skin. But it’s not! There are things you can do once you see a wrinkle, in addition to preventative measures, to stop the effects of aging and give you glowing, healthy skin.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is made from those delicious seeds we find on top of our hamburger buns. Along with being delicious, the oil extracted from these seeds is a great moisturizer for your entire body! Moisturizing your face and body is an essential preventative measure for wrinkles—wrinkly skin is dry skin. However, this oil is very… well… oily. So you should not to use it on the way out the door. The best way to utilize the beneficial effects of sesame oil is to apply it before/while in the shower. You could add it to your homemade body wash, or simply apply it to a loofa and scrub all over. Sesame oil naturally cleanses your skin, getting rid of dead skin cells and all the “flakes” that may be on your body! The best part of this product is the smell—talk about aromatherapy!
Fish Oil
You may already realize that fish oil is good for your mental health, and you have seen it as a supplement that is taken orally. This vitamin is literally a panacea for all—it improves mental health, contains anti-inflammatory properties, is an anti-aging agent, improves heart and immunity functions, and contains omega-3. It improves not only your outside, but your inside as well! This inexpensive supplement is great for skin complexion, especially because of the anti-inflammatory properties. Most redness of the skin (especially the face) is caused by inflammation, which can take the idea of rosy cheeks a little too far! Fish oil can reduce the appearance of redness and give your skin a smooth evenness.
Go Natural!
Believe it or not, foundations can actually intensify the appearance of wrinkles! As the base settles, it can adhere to the cracks of your skin. Yikes! Although we all love to use bases to cover blemishes, it can do more harm than good. Foundations are oily and full of chemicals, contributing to blemishes, breakouts, and irritation. The first step to clear skin is to skip the base and apply a tinted moisturizer or simply go natural! A mineral powder can also do the trick, as long as it’s light and oil-free.
Keep It Simple
When it comes to our daily skin care routine, some people can get a little…. out of control. Some have a 5 or 6 step process that take 30 minutes of their day. As crazy as it sounds, the more products you use and the more time you spend scrubbing at your skin, the worse off your skin will be! It’s best to keep it simple—get a gentle cleanser for your face and wash it once in the morning and once at night. If you are like some women and you get your workouts in during the day, you may need to add a third cleansing to that routine, but only lightly (it’s just to get the sweat out of your pores). After gently cleansing the face, apply a moisturizer–and that’s it. That’s all your face needs, even those prone to oily skin. Once or twice a week, use a gentle scrub to reduce the amount of dead skin cells on your face, but avoid scrubbing too hard! Irritation or overdrying are two of the top causes of blemishes—over time, they are the top causes of wrinkles.
Learn How to Use Sugar
One of the most dangerous ingredients that you should avoid eating is white sugar. It is over-processed, full of chemicals, and, well, it is sugar, so it is generally not the best for you. Eating too much sugar has been attributed to acne, as well as drying out your face and causing irritation and wrinkles. It is important that you watch your sugar intake and try to eat only natural sugar, such as the sugars found in vegetables. So what should you do with all that sugar sitting in your cupboard? Why, use it as a scrub, of course! Simply add it to any gentle cleanser and massage into your face. Be sure to moisturize after!
Watch the Eyes
The area around your eyes is sensitive and can react badly to any anti-aging creams used on other parts of your face—and there is nothing worse than puffy, red eyes reacting badly to a treatment! Use different, gentler products around the eyes. Look for hypoallergenic products or treatments that are made specifically for eye care. Be sure to apply it carefully. There are also natural treatments that have anti-aging properties, such as cucumbers, anti-inflammatories (such as our beloved fish oil), and even ice cubes.
Pamper Your Hands
The first place most women notice wrinkles or age-spots is their hands! Our hands are constantly working for us, so of course they would start to look tired and aged before the other parts of our bodies. Oddly enough, the hands are quite sensitive, despite the work they put in. They are easily dried out, so moisturizing is key (especially to prevent wrinkles)! Try washing your hands with a soft cleanser (steer-clear of antibacterial cleansers, as these dry out your hands). Afterward, massage a light amount of coconut oil or gentle lotion into your hands, emphasizing the palms. Let them dry and absorb the moisturizing agent, and then go on with your day! Repeat this twice per day (after you have washed your face, perhaps) for best results!
Get a Massage
Docile skin is wrinkly skin—but do we really need excuses to get massages? Going once every week or every other week to get your body rejuvenated by a masseuse is one of the best ways to prevent the looks of aging. Between de-stressing your body, using the moisturizing creams and oils, and stimulating the skin cells, massages are a great way to prevent wrinkles and relax the mind and body. But you do not always need a professional to help you achieve the same effects! Simply invest in a foam roller or massager and work your back, neck, arms, and legs to reduce tightness, cellulite, and promote healthier skin!
Protect Yourself from the Sun
Although it can give us a beautiful tan, as well as our daily dose of Vitamin D, the sun is also skin’s worst enemy, if over-exposed. Its harsh rays are capable of depleting our body of moisture, as well as causing sunburns. Even those who “don’t burn, only tan” are known to have frustrating problems with wrinkles in the future! It is best to always be protected, no matter what. Using a foundation or powder with SPF 15 or higher is a great way to protect your skin daily. Even if you are not outside that long, it can still do wonders over time. Planning a week at the beach or a day at the pool? Be sure to use adequate amounts of sunscreen all over, including within the bikini lines, to ensure that you are always protected. And don’t forget your lips! Your lips are very sensitive, which makes getting burnt lips one of the most painful and frustrating types of burns. It can also do major harm to your mouth! Try getting a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher, or even use coconut oil to reflect the rays of the sun.
SLEEP
Although it can be hard with our busy schedules, getting enough sleep is key to getting healthier skin from head to toe. Sleeping gives our bodies time to rest, increasing cell production and healing, which can prevent the formation of wrinkles, age spots, and blemishes. When you sleep, your body not only physically improves, but mentally, as well. Stress is the number one cause of wrinkles, blemishes, and of course, gray hair! Sleeping is how the body heals—let your body heal every night so as to impede any unwanted changes to happen to your body!
All in all, aging can be a beautiful thing. When your skin is taken care of, it can make the changes less radical and occur more slowly, so you do not have to worry as much—which is also good for your skin! Test out these tips to see what works for you. Remember, you can achieve younger-looking skin with the help of using less chemicals, more natural products, gentle cleansers, protection from the sun, massages / stimulation of the skin cells, and of course sleeping. Making these into habits will not only treat current signs of aging, but it will also prevent wrinkles and age spots from appearing in the first place, giving you the confidence you need to tackle your hectic schedule–all while looking flawless. Contact Bellezza Spa for more information.