Your skin is exposed to a lot of dangers every day.
The radiation in sunlight, the pollution in the air, dirt, germs, bacteria, even toxic chemicals in your skincare products—all of these things can damage your skin, accelerating the cellular decay and potentially speeding up aging.
If you don’t take care of your skin, particularly your face skin, you’re going to start seeing wrinkles sooner than you’d expect.
Good news: you don’t have to overindulge and pamper your skin to some ridiculous extreme to protect it from damage. With just a few simple changes to your routine and lifestyle, you can drastically reduce the chance of developing wrinkles and keep your skin healthier than ever.
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Be wary of sunlight – Spending time in the sun is vital for healthy, glowing skin, as sunlight enables your body to produce enough Vitamin D. However, too much time in the sun can accelerate photo-aging [1], increase dryness, and even risk damage by UV radiation. Try to spend between 30 and 60 minutes in the sun every day. Any more than that, shield your skin by using sunscreen with good SPF protection, and apply moisturizing lotion afterward to stave off dryness.
Use the right skincare products – An immense amount of research has gone into formulating skincare products that can not only reduce wrinkles, but protect your skin against aging (both photo-aging and natural biological aging). It’s highly recommended [2] that you use these products—including topical retinoids (derived from Vitamin A), daily sunscreen, topical antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids, defensins, growth factors, and heparin sulfates—to give your skin a fighting chance against wrinkles. With the abundance of products out there it may be overwhelming which one to pick so we have done the research for you and recommend this dream product for your skin: USDA organic age-defying cream from our partners at Purity Woods.
Drink more water – Water is absolutely critical for healthy, wrinkle-free skin. Water flushes toxins from your body, regulates your internal body temperature, and maintains a healthy hydration in your skin. Studies [3] have proven that drinking more water can improve your skin’s water balance and even enhance the physiology of your skin.
Eat Vitamin C-rich foods – Vitamin C is one of the critical nutrients needed to produce collagen, a protein that is needed for healthy skin structure. Collagen keeps your skin fresh and tight, but over time, your collagen production naturally decreases as you age. Eating more Vitamin C-rich foods will deliver the nutrients that will help your body to maintain higher collagen levels, which will in turn prevent wrinkles from forming.
Moisturize regularly – Moisturizing is the second best way to hydrate your skin, this time from the outside. The nutrients in moisturizing lotion will infuse your skin with nutrients and liquid, and often provide an oil barrier to lock in the moisture and protect your skin against dryness. Moisturizers containing Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are particularly effective at combatting wrinkles. Combine a good moisturizing regimen with sufficient water intake, and you’ll never need to worry about skin dryness again!
Eat anti-inflammatory foods – Foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients can help to reduce skin damage and maintain the natural elasticity of your skin, which will in turn prevent the natural aging process [4]. Foods that are particularly effective include: flax seeds, carrots, leafy greens, broccoli, olive oil, salmon, green tea, pumpkin, avocadoes, and pomegranates.
Quit smoking – If you’re a smoker, your face is definitely going to show it—always in the form of wrinkles. Smoking actually makes your skin appear older [5], because it causes your blood vessels to constrict, decreasing the blood flow that keeps your skin looking fresh and healthy. Smoking not only makes your skin look paler, but it will deplete the nutrients and oxygen needed to maintain healthy, young skin. The damage smoking does to elastin and collagen will accelerate skin decline, and you’ll notice more wrinkles around your eyes (from squinting against the smoke) and mouth (from pursing your lips).
Turn down the heat – Specifically, avoid using overly hot water when you shower or bathe. Water that is too hot can remove oils from your skin, increasing the risk of dryness and eliminating the important oil barrier that shields your skin from damage. Use warm water instead of hot water for your showers and baths.
Reduce stress – Stress can drastically accelerate skin aging, make you more prone to allergies, and trigger acne breakouts. People who are chronically stressed also have a harder time eating healthy, taking care of themselves, exercising, and drinking enough water—all critical steps in your healthy wrinkle-free skincare regimen. Manage your stress through meditation, mindfulness, and therapy, and you’ll protect your skin—and your mind—from aging.
Relax -- Relax your body for sure, but make certain to relax your face. Squinting, frowning, pursing your lips, and scowling will all contribute to the formation of wrinkles. In fact, the more you make these facial expressions, the faster your wrinkles will form. Make it a point to keep your face relaxed, your expression calm, and your facial muscles loose. If you squint a lot, you may need to consider glasses or contact lenses, or sunglasses when out in bright light. Try to avoid frowning or scowling excessively as well.
Taking care of your skin isn’t an overly complex or involved process; it just takes a few minutes of your day, every day. Being faithful to give your skin the nutrients and moisture it needs will go a long way toward shielding your skin from damage and age-related decline. Armed with the information above, you can incorporate this anti-wrinkle regimen into your daily life and keep your skin looking young, fresh, and healthy for decades to come!
Resources:
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32213934/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31280856/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4529263/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29692196/
[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237
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