Could someone tell ‘time’, that famously good healer, to go easy on our skin please? Because the simple passage of it, and all that entails – the late nights, the long days…life – can wreak havoc on a once glowing and youthful visage. There really is no reversing it.
We’re constantly bombarded with health advice – quit this, reduce that, do this more or die – and while worthwhile, it’s sometimes too much to take in, let alone actually put into practice. And in an age where every drunken slur, half-shut eye and double chin is caught on camera and kept online ad finitum, it can be one hell of a slog to look ‘normal’, let alone glowing.
There are, however, a few small scale changes you can make to your everyday to keep your skin looking as radiant and perfect as it should be. These are those; our 5 IDEAL tips for maintaining a youthful glow without surgical intervention.
Give The Sunbeds A Swerve
It’s a piece of advice so often uttered that it’s practically public property. And while that bronzed post-sunbed glow might have you looking more youthful temporarily, in the long run you’re much more likely to develop coarse, leathery, wrinkled skin prematurely, and worse, you’re greatly enhancing your risk of skin cancer. Yep, the only bed good for your skin as that one you sleep in. In short, stay off the sunbeds.
Instead, using fake tanning products is a much healthier route to walk down; a simple application of bronzer, a moisturiser which contains fake tan or a professional spray tan from time to time, for example, is going to give you that much longed for glow, but without the massive risks of U.V overexposure. And who wants to look like Donald Trump anyway?
Hydration Stations
One of the most to-hand beauty aids is also the most simple; stay hydrated. And this is one of those rare times when it really is as easy done as said. Just drink more of it. Lots more. Every time you allow yourself to become dehydrated, it impacts your skin. In the short-term this causes it to become dry and dull looking, in the long-term it can cause early onset ageing to occur. To ensure that your skin looks and feels healthy, aim to drink at least two litres of water a day, at least.
Botox
Aging is a natural process and will happen eventually to everyone. Lifestyle changes are of course the first line of defence against looking worn out before our time; prevention before cure and all that. But another tool towards getting that youthful shine and shimmer is to use botox.
Botox works by paralysing the muscles of the face and thus reduces the wrinkles formed by the contraction and relaxation of these muscles. This isn’t a totally long term solution – using the injection improves skin elasticity for close to 3-4 months during the time the drug stays active – and as such should be used in conjunction with those lifestyle changes we mentioned before for the best potential results.
It’s also important to be aware that not all toxins work for everyone, and it’s not as simple as a quick prick and away you go. Being patient and cooperative during this process is highly advisable, as it takes investigation and consultation before undergoing the procedure. A wholly welcome level of due diligence, we think.
The procedure can also be used for those concerned about the shape of their jaw, which may have become misshapen due to bruxism. Known as Masseter or ‘jaw’ botox, the procedure aims to refine the jawline. You can find clinics specialising in Masseter botox in many major urban centres in the UK.
Is There Anything Exercise Can’t Do?
Exercise is, without doubt, one of the best things you can do for your body and brain. It can fight off depression, weight gain, heart disease and more. And you can add the effects of ageing to that list, too. Indeed, aerobic and cardio exercise, in particular, is brilliant for protecting us from ageing at a cellular level. With the myriad other benefits that it brings, there really should be no excuse not to be lacing up those running trainers as soon as you’ve reached the end of this article.
But ‘working out’ needn’t be confined to the tedium of the gym. Sure, it’s a great way to keep fit, but even the smallest of workouts can yield tremendous benefits. It needn’t even be termed as ‘exercise’; as long as the body is moving, it starts combating stress and uplifts your mood. Take the stairs, not the elevator. Leave the car in the drive and walk to the shops. Take a stroll every hour away from your computer in the office. Consider a wake-up ritual – do 25 jumping jacks before you first leave your bedroom in the morning.
Diet Right
Just as exercise has been hailed as a modern day miracle cure, sugar, it seems, is the antithesis, blamed for obesity, coronary issues, high blood pressure and yep, you guessed it, making you look older.
Though it’s fairly easy, with a little willpower, to stay away from obvious sugars like chocolate, cakes and processed biscuits, you should also be on the lookout for those sly sugars in disguise, too. These crop up stealthily in smoothies, salad dressings and cereals amongst other things, so always read the label carefully and wherever possible, and make your food from scratch so you’ve got full control of how much goes into your food.
There are certain foods which can greatly help in fighting wrinkles. A fish heavy diet, especially oily varieties high in omega3, can make you look, and feel, young and radiant. Nuts are another superb source of nutrients which combat wrinkles. Ditto avocados, berries and tomatoes. The list goes on, just maybe don’t eat them all together!