We wish there would be a magic trick to instantly make you look younger, but there isn’t. It’s the small, everyday habits that can make the whole difference. Aging is normal and we should try to enjoy the process as much as possible, however, sometimes it’s ok to forget about aging gracefully.
Instead, you can learn how to age youthfully. You can achieve that by implementing a few healthy habits into your day-to-day routine. Of course, the effect won’t show itself overnight, but a proper routine can make you look ten years younger.
And no, we’re not just referring to healthy food, because there are other things as important that most people forget about. Life can get hectic sometimes, you tend to neglect to take proper care of yourself, but there comes an age where you start realizing how important it is to feel good and look even better. Curious how to achieve that? Read on to discover the 22 everyday habits that will change your life forever!
1.Don’t forget to smile!
Such a cliché, right? However, this couldn’t be more important and a lot of people seem to forget that. Life get’s so busy and crazy sometimes, you focus on work, raising children, and providing for your family that you forget how important it is to feel joy.
And while the idea of happiness varies from one individual to another, there’s one small habit that can change your whole mood: smiling. In fact, a recent study asked participants of all ages (young, middle-aged, and elderly) to look at several photographs with strangers and guess their age.
Sad and fearful expressions made subjects look older, neutral expressions provided the most accurate result, but happy/smiling subjects were believed to be younger than they really were?
Wanna look younger without too much effort? Smile. As often as you can.
2.Drink more water.
As you probably know already, our body is made mostly out of water. Also, our skin is our biggest organ, so we need to make sure we’re taking good care of it. Hydration is key in order to avoid wrinkles and dry skin.
As fitness and nutrition expert Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies has explained, if you want your skin to appear youthful and plumper, you need to drink as much water as possible.
“In addition, staying hydrated can improve energy levels and fight against cravings, which makes it easier to stay on target with your exercise goals and healthy eating habits.”
3.Eat oily fish.
The truth is, you also need fats in your diet, but it’s important to include healthy fats, such as salmon or other oily fish that are rich in dimethylaminoethanol. DMAE is a compound proven to improve muscle tone.
Additionally, dimethylaminoethanol is also commonly used in very expensive mature skin moisturizers. But there’s no need to waste a lot of money on creams when you can just eat oily fish instead, twice a week to take advantage of the benefits.
4.Try to eat more grapes.
Grapes contain high quantities of sorbitol, a substance that attracts water when applied to the skin. Therefore, this humectant will help your skin absorb and retain moisture for a longer period of time.
Other fruits that contain sorbitol are plums, berries, and pears. Include them in your diet as well and enjoy the benefits!
5.Don’t forget to eat your greens!
You probably know this since you were little and you didn’t like that brussel sprout near your masked potatoes, but greens are essential for your health. Vitamin K, in particular, is known for reducing the impact of bruising and helps your blood coagulate.
Try eating kale, broccoli, or other green veggies to get your vitamin K intake. Tomatoes are also great for your health, thanks to the lycopene quantities in them, that help protect your skin against UV rays.
A recent study has shown, that eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis contributes to better-looking skin.
6.Include antioxidants into your diet.
Vitamin A and C are among the most important antioxidants that help maintain your skin young and smooth and also fight against free radicals. According to Palinski-Wade, “When free radicals from diet or the environment threaten to damage skin cells, antioxidants fight against these compounds and protect skin cells.”
Antioxidant-rich diets also help protect your skin against the sun’s UV rays and protect against inflammation that tends to be enhanced with age. Therefore, make sure t include strawberries, blueberries, oranges, spinach, and bell pepper into your everyday routine to take advantage of all their benefits.
7.Cut down on your sugar and salt intake.
Just how you need antioxidants and nutrients for a healthy diet, it’s also important to cut down on the things that are not healthy. According to Palinski-Wade, too much sugar and salt could increase inflammation in the body, which will also make you look older than you really are.
The enzymes produced through inflammation will break down collaged into the skin, making it look dull and saggy, accelerating the aging process. And I guess you wouldn’t want that to happen, so you need to make sure you’re cutting down on your sugar and salt intake.
8.But also limit your alcohol intake.
Just like sugar and salt, alcohol is not good for you when it is consumed in large quantities. While a glass of red wine here and there didn’t hurt anybody, overindulging in alcohol could have negative effects on your body.
Alcohol has been linked to inflammation in the body, dehydrated, wrinkly skin, and accelerating the aging process. Therefore, try to drink in moderation, because even though it’s true that alcohol can have positive health benefits, going overboard will have the opposite effect.
9.Protein is also very important.
Getting enough protein is very important in order to build muscle and keep your body looking fit. With age, we tend to lose muscle mass and replace it with fat. And with that, we also experience loss of strength and balance, according to Palinski-Wade.
Muscle loss will also contribute to looking older and will give the impression of sagging skin. So make sure you eat enough protein, even though experts recommend taking it from plant sources rather than meat.
10.Try to exercise at least four times a week.
Regular exercise has been shown to slow the aging process and help you avoid muscle loss, which usually tends to happen with age. But for that, it’s important to do it as often as you can, at least 30 minutes per day, four times per week.
Experts recommend mixing cardiovascular exercises for the heart and lungs, such as running, jumping rope, or walking on an inclined treadmill, with resistance exercises for muscles (you can use weights for extra calories burnt) and stretching for flexibility.
11.Let go of stress and conflict.
Stress has been linked to faster aging, so you should try to let go of it if possible. Luckily, you can also reverse aging when you’re taking proper care of your body and soul. According to psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD, the author of Positive Energy, by reducing stress, you’re also turning off stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, while activating endorphins.
Endorphins are known to be natural pain killers, ad they’ll also contribute to looking younger and fresher.
12.Cleanse and moisturize on a daily basis.
In order to look young, it’s important to take good care of your skin. Just how you brush your teeth every morning and at night, before going to bed, you also need to take 5 extra minutes to cleanse and moisturize your skin.
This will help protect your skin, keep it fresh, healthy, and glowy throughout the day, and moisturized throughout the night. Try not to use regular soap on your face, because it can be drying for mature skin. Instead, opt for a hydrating cleanser and make sure to wash your face every morning and evening, no exception. Then go in with a hydrating moisturizer and you’re good to go. It takes less than 5 minutes and your skin will thank you for it!
13.But don’t forget about your hands.
Now that we’ve established how important it is to take care of your skin, let’s not forget about your hands. A recent study has shown that most people could guess other women’s age simply by looking at their hands.
So if you want to postpone getting wrinkly hands for as long as possible, include a hand cream into your daily routine, and make sure to choose one with SPF for the daytime. You can also make your hands look fresher and more luminous by exfoliating frequently.
And for that, you don’t need to buy a new product, and you can try making your own scrub at home using items that you probably have in your pantry. Try mixing sugar and honey for a more hydrating scrub, or sea salt and lemon juice for a more luminous one, and then scrub your hands using a soft toothbrush to remove dead skin.
14.Buy skin care products with good ingredients.
As dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD, creator of Visha Skin Care has explained, wearing SPF during day time is essential in order to avoid damaging your skin from the sun’s UV rays and having wrinkly, saggy skin.
However, it’s also important that you know what other ingredients you should look out for in a skincare product. Patel recommends retinol and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) for those fine lines and wrinkles and hyaluronic acid for smooth and moisturized skin.
15.Sleep is essential.
Your body needs rest, so it’s important that you sleep at least eight hours a night. Beauty sleep is a real thing, and it contributes to making your skin look younger and fresher overnight. At the same time, lack of sleep will give you dark circles, puffy eyes, and dehydrated skin, according to sleep expert Richard Shane, PhD, creator of the Sleep Easily method.
16.Take care of your teeth.
As we all know, our teeth tend to suffer a lot with age, that’s while regular dental checkups are very important. As dentist Nancy Rosen, DMD has explained, it’s recommended to get cleanings at least twice a year, to make sure your gums and teeth are looking good.
By removing plaque and calculus from your teeth, your mouth will appear younger and your smile brighter. Also, Dr. Rosen recommends using an electric toothbrush for a deeper cleaning, and don’t forget to floss every night and use a fluoride rinse.
According to Dr. Rosen, yellow teeth can make people less attractive. So if you’re feeling a little extra, you could try whitening your teeth, as it will also make you look younger. If you don’t want to do that at the dentist, you could try over-the-counter (OTC) whitening products, such as the Crest White Strips.
17.Take good care of your hair.
As we get older, our hair suffers a lot of changes. As hairstylist Jenna Mast has explained, “It often becomes coarser in texture and more dry.”
Heat styling can damage your hair, so you should try to stay away from it. Additionally, you need to make sure your hair is clean, so wash it whenever it needs. To avoid dryness, it’s important to use deep conditioning treatments as frequently as possible or go to a salon for a complete treatment.
18.Try not to wear too much makeup.
When makeup is done right, it can highlight your features and make you look younger. However, not everyone knows how to achieve that effect, so we better leave it to professionals, because makeup can also make you look older if it’s not properly applied.
According to makeup artist and What Not to Wear star Carmindy, try to avoid heavy makeup as much as possible and use radiant hues that make your skin look fresh and glowy.
“As we age our skin loosens and is not as taught as it once was, so the more makeup you apply, the more it can move, settle, and travel,” she says. “Less makeup will adhere to mature skin much better so you stay looking fresh all day.”
19.Wear clothes that suit your body type.
If you had no problem wearing tight clothes in bright colors when you were younger, maybe now it would be better to actually wear clothes that suit your body type and age. Therefore, if you have a wrinkly neck or jowls, it would be recommended to avoid tight-fitting clothes and crew-neck tops.
Instead, wear a shirt collar over your round-necked jersey to hide the areas that could give off your age. Additionally, if you have some extra pounds and you want to hide them as well, you can wear dark-colored shirts.
Additionally, choosing bright colors might not be the best idea, and not because of age, but mostly because they can make you look dated and older than you actually are. Instead, try neutral colors, they’re always chic and in style, and suit every skin color.
20.But make sure to dress smart, not shapeless.
Even though we can hide a few extra pounds we might carry after the holidays by choosing the right clothing, that doesn’t mean choosing big, baggy clothes is the best option. According to Harver, you should pay close attention to the cut of the garment more than you look to the volume.
Also, even though it’s ok to hide a little flaw here and there, you should be proud of yourself, so try not to hide any parts of yourself from anybody. Harver recommends standing tall and proud in well-fitting clothes, and you’ll look better than ever.
Read also: 28 Fascinating Facts About Love.
21.It’s important that you wear the right bra.
Wearing a bra that suits you can change your entire look by making you look younger. According to style expert Sharon Haver, founder of FocusOnStyle.com, “Pop culture research states that over 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra.”
Haver recommends getting fitted at a lingerie store, just to make sure you’re choosing the right fit and shape for your breasts.
22.Wear the right accessories.
Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you should dress boring and not wearing accessories. You can make your outfit a lot more fun by properly accessorizing it. As Harver has explained, accessories are always chic, so you can add a belt or a scarf if you’re wearing classic clothes or even a nice hat for a more youthful appearance.
