The Keys To Looking Younger For Longer

Ageing is inevitable. Unfortunately, so are the side effects. Although ageing gracefully is the dream, it very rarely becomes a reality, and often the body needs a helping hand to look as lively as we’d like. Luckily, there are several things you can do to encourage a more youthful appearance. With the best additions to your skincare routine, some sneaky makeup tricks, a spanking new hairstyle and some general TLC, these are the secrets to looking younger for longer. 

Change Up Your Skin Care Routine

Skincare can make all the difference when you’re trying to look younger. Looking after your skin will keep it in prime condition, meaning you can hold on to that coveted glow for much longer. Experts recommend that anti-ageing products should start making their way into a person’s skincare routine before they hit their early 30’s [i], but never fear! There are several things you can do to help nourish your skin, no matter your age.

Add Vitamins To Your Skin Care

Vitamins A and C boost the skin’s collagen and elastin production. As well as this, they contain retinols and retinoids, some of the most important anti-ageing ingredients. So, use a stable form of Vitamin C day and night before moisturising – a serum is the most potent form and the easiest to work into any routine. Then, apply a Vitamin A derivative every night to even out discolouration and support healthier skin cell production.

Wear Sun Cream Everyday

UV exposure can be detrimental to the skin, so wearing sun cream is vital. Even on darker days, you should be applying sun cream to the face and neck at the very least because UV rays are always present. The eyelids, under-eyes and neck are the first places to give away ageing, so apply at least SPF 25 to these areas for complete protection.

Use An Acid Peel

Acid peels are specially designed to remove dead skin cells and encourage the growth of new, healthy cells. This helps to improve the texture of the skin and smoothen its appearance. Using a good-quality acid peel at least once a week will help smooth out fine lines, rebuild collagen and thicken up the layers of the skin. Look for a peel with both glycolic and salicylic acids for maximum benefit.

Give Yourself Regular Facial Massages

Facial massage is an underrated godsend for looking younger. Incorporating facial massage into your regular skincare routine can help sculpt the cheekbones, tighten the jawline and increase blood flow to nourish the skin cells. For visible changes quickly, a daily massage of the entire face and neck should provide results, specifically focusing on the cheek muscles and temples. You could take a massage course or invest in professional massage tools for maximum results if you’d like.

Take Care of Your Hands

The look of your hands and nails can make quite a difference, so keeping them nourished and hydrated is in your best interest. Dry skin on the hands, no matter your age, tends to make you look older. Invest in a good-quality hand cream to moisturise the hands and nails, and use it daily. To nourish your nails, regularly coat them with Jojoba or Vitamin E oil. For a more youthful look, apply a nude polish colour with orange undertones. This will draw the attention away from any signs of ageing and flatter any skin type.

Go For Products With Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that works to keep it hydrated and youthful-looking. Unfortunately, as we get older, our hyaluronic acid levels decrease, which contributes to the visual effects of ageing. Investing in products with low or medium molecular weight hyaluronic acid will help rejuvenate your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Try Collagen Supplements

Collagen is a structural protein that occurs throughout the body, though it is most plentiful in the skin, bones and tissue. Once we reach the age of 20, our collagen production decreases by 1% each year[ii], thinning the skin and making it more fragile. Collagen supplements can boost your body’s natural collagen production and make for a more youthful-looking and feeling body in general.

Try A Bit of Makeup

While a top skincare routine is the basis of a more youthful appearance, a bit of instant gratification won’t hurt. With some clever tricks and tips, makeup can make you appear much younger with little effort.

Foundation

Foundation makes the skin look smooth and even, which is perfect for that youthful look. When it comes to using foundation to look younger, though, do so sparingly. For example, if you have large areas of clear skin on your face, leave them with only a light coverage and then spot correct any discoloured or red areas.

Concealer

Colour correcting concealers have a much better effect than skin shades because colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel will cancel each other out. This gives a much more natural and youthful finish. For example, green concealers will help with redness, yellow will battle the blue colour of dark eye circles, and purple will cancel out any yellow undertones to the skin. Mix these colours with a natural-toned concealer for the perfect result.

Highlighter

Highlighter can contour and lift the face, giving it a more young-looking appearance. Use warmer tones that reflect light along your upper cheekbones and the décolletage area to smooth them out and give your face some youthful-looking structure.

Lipstick

Research suggests that the amount of contrast in the colours on your face affects how young or old others perceive you to be[iii], so choosing bold shades that contrast with your skin tone can make you appear more youthful. Go for hydrating formulas with moisturising ingredients so your lips can stay hydrated throughout the day. Alternatively, you could opt for a light lip tint that can be embellished with a gloss. This is best done with natural tones and makes lips look soft and dewy.

Eyes

For a lifting effect around the eyes, avoid dark shades. Instead, choose neutral cream shadows that will add texture and flatter your face. Follow this with a soft pencil liner in a kohl shade applied in a very subtle flick. Then, curl your lashes and apply several thin layers of brown mascara to open up your eyes and add a subtle appearance of youthfulness.

Blush

Choose blushes with warmer shades and natural tones to enhance your skin tone and create the illusion of youth. When applying blush, start on the apples of your cheeks and blend outwards rather than upwards. This will make the face look fuller in areas that have thinned with age.  

Take Care of Your Hair

Long, luscious locks signify youth and beauty, but our hair naturally thins as we age. Luckily, there are several things you can try to keep your hair looking as young as the rest of you.

Cold Rinse

Finishing your shower by rinsing your hair with cold water can lock in conditioning and help it shine. A cold rinse will also reduce frizz and improve blood circulation to the scalp, leading to healthier hair growth.

Deep Condition

Deep conditioning can battle the ailments that make hair look older, including breakage, grey strands and dryness. Deep conditioners are usually left on for 10 – 30 minutes and will restore your hair’s moisture levels and improve its elasticity.

Warm Highlights

Highlighting your hair with warm undertones can invigorate both your hair and face by giving them a softer appearance. Choose golden shades to revitalise your appearance and avoid ashy tones that could be mistaken for grey.

Try A New Hairstyle

A new hairstyle that flatters your face shape can make a world of difference. Several styles can create a youthful appearance. Messy ponytails with plenty of added texture are a chic choice, long bangs will soften the features and disguise the appearance of fine lines, and asymmetrical cuts draw attention away from signs of ageing.

Look After The Rest of Your Body

Trying new makeup and hairstyles can undoubtedly make you look younger, but nothing will help youthfulness like a well-nourished body. Taking care of yourself inside and out is the biggest secret to looking young, and you only need to make a few minor changes.

Eat Well

Getting your five a day is never not important. Consuming at least five different fruit and vegetables a day is vital to your health, and good gut health can work wonders on the skin. Include leafy vegetables, healthy fats and fruits packed with vitamin C in your diet for an ever-youthful feel.

Drink Plenty of Water

Water keeps your body hydrated, helping to maintain your skin’s elasticity and even reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Experts usually recommend that you drink around 2 litres of water per day[iv].

Work Out Regularly

Exercise improves blood circulation, which will help deliver oxygen and healthy nutrients to your skin. These nutrients promote collagen production and healthy cell turnover, so working out for three to five hours per week will contribute to a youthful appearance.

Change Your Mindset

There are so many tricks that you can use to look younger, but ageing is a natural part of life. Ageing gracefully is all down to your mindset. Understand that there are things you can’t change as you age, yet take the steps available to reduce the effects of extrinsic ageing for a healthy, glowing ageing process.

What’s your secret to looking younger? Let us know in the comments below!  

Sources

 [i] https://www.healthshots.com/beauty/skin-care/what-is-the-right-age-to-start-using-anti-ageing-creams-a-dermatologist-reveals/

[ii] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-skin-wrinkle-wit/#:~:text=After%20the%20age%20of%2020,production%2C%20and%20less%20GAG%20formation.

[iii] https://www.glamour.com/story/bold-lipstick-makes-you-look-y#:~:text=March%2019%2C%202013-,According%20to%20a%20new%20research%20study%20done%20by%20Professor%20Richard,lipstick%20make%20you%20look%20younger.

[iv] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day