True enough, we can’t escape the hands of time. Ageing and its consequences are a natural thing we all have to embrace one day. But that’s not to say we can’t cheat the clock a few years back! With a proper routine, you can hold off the wrinkles and keep your skin glowing like in your youthful self.
To save you from the pain of Google-ing and the onslaught of advertising, we’ve created the ultimate guide to achieving younger-looking skin – all year round.
Protect your skin from the sun.
Nothing makes your skin age faster than the sun and its harmful UV rays. These rays penetrate your skin deep enough and damage your cells, leading to premature ageing. Without adequate protection, it’s only a matter of time before you see wrinkles, lines, and age spots. Your best line of defence is a sunscreen that has at least SPF 30 in it. The rule of thumb here is that the higher the SPF, the better the protection.
And before we forget: you still have to wear sunscreen even during cloudy or rainy days! UV rays can still peek through the thickest of clouds, so there’s no acceptable excuse for skipping SPF.
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Add retinol to your routine.
Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, is an anti-ageing hero. It speeds up cell turnover and collagen production to help reduce the visible signs of ageing and improve skin elasticity. Plus, it has antioxidant properties, which greatly help against sun damage. Retinol also helps unclog pores and clear acne, which could come in handy during menopausal zit breakouts.
Use eye cream.
The skin around your eyes is very thin and delicate, so it’s more prone to wrinkles and fine lines. It also has fewer oil glands that add moisture to the surface. Not to mention, it’s also exposed to tons of micro-movements, which are the perfect wrinkle accelerant. Thankfully, we have eye creams to the rescue! Eye creams are specially formulated to hydrate, revitalise, and brighten the eye area. Not only do they relieve puffiness in the morning, but they also help firm up the area and smooth wrinkles. A good eye cream also protects your eyes from external aggressors that can cause further damage and speed up ageing.
Exfoliate your skin.
Your skin comprises many layers, with the topmost one piled with dead skin cells. As such, you must exfoliate regularly to get rid of the dead skin cells atop your skin. This allows newer, younger skin to resurface so your complexion looks firm and radiant. We recommend using exfoliants like glycolic and lactic acid since they gently slough away dull, dead skin. A bonus: they also help with cell turnover and tone down wrinkles and fine lines.
Move your body.
Fun fact: you do not only gain muscles during your workouts, but you also get younger-looking skin! A study by Brigham Young University suggests that regular physical activity slows down ageing by nine years. Those who ran for at least 30 to 40 minutes a day were biologically younger than those who led sedentary lifestyles. But if you don’t particularly enjoy high-intensity runs, you can take a brisk walk or do yoga. You can also dance along to your favourite songs or enrol in group workout classes. As long as you’re moving your body and sweating out the toxins, you’re all good!
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