Looking Old at 27? How Not to Look like Lindsay, Amy or Katie!
Everybody ages. Period. The trick lies in ageing well, and slowly. Leaps in cosmetology have enabled women to go under the knife and repair damage, but prevention is still the better cure. The damage that Lindsay seems to have done to her face, looking 40 at 27 is perhaps the worst of all till now.
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How to look young and fresh? Here goes a few handy tips.
- Remove Makeup: Plopping into bed without cleaning the face? This is grave injustice to the skin! If dirt, bacteria and makeup are left on overnight, they irritate the skin and make it age by reducing its healing properties. Makeup removal, a good wash and then some moisturization is basic skin care for all ages.
- Apply SPF: Harsh sun rays literally strip the skin of decades. Leaving the skin unprotected from the elements is a sure shot way to get fine lines, early wrinkles and age spots. Make it a must to wear sunscreen on all parts of exposed skin - face, neck, hands, arms, legs, feet, décolleté every day if you want younger-looking skin, unheeding of the fact that you stay indoors. Choose an SPF that provides the best and longest amount of coverage and protection. The downside of sunscreen is that you have to re-apply it every 3-4 hours! Choose a spray-on to reduce effort.
- Reduce Stress: Emotional upheavals can make your skin look older. Constant anxiety increases the stress hormone cortisol, which breaks down collagen and results in aging. Try and think through the reason for your stress and work out solutions. Meanwhile, eat anti-oxidant rich foods to combat skin ageing.
- Use a Retinoid: Creams and treatments containing vitamin-A derivatives speed cell turnover and collagen growth ,ultimately smoothening fine lines and wrinkles as well as fading those brown (age) spots. Use an Over-The-Counter (OTC) product if under 30, else get your dermatologist to prescribe one - regular use can definitely take away a few years off the face.
- Update Beauty Routine: Change your beauty routine according to weather, hormones, age and skin reactions. Trash a tried and tested beauty product that doesn't seem to be working. Applyingthe same products consistently for 1-2 years means that the skin slides into maintenance mode. To keep it primed for rejuvenation, bump up your OTC retinoid to a prescribed formula that your dermatologist recommends. Include an AHA-based scrub or a deep-hydrating mask that the skin needs.
- Good Fats Yes, Bad Fats No: Omega-3s are essential fatty acids found in foods such as salmon, flaxseed, and almonds boost which the body requires but cannot make. These good fats aid in skin hydration, but the same isn't true of the saturated fat in dairy products and meats, which in turn age the skin faster.
- Get Moving: Women who work out regularly have firmer skin and there's no way around that one. Exercise infuses the body and the skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production. Make time for at least three 30-minute heart-pumping workouts per week. Walk, swim, do yoga or try a new-fangled workout...
Most importantly, addiction to cigarettes, alcohol and drugs are one sure way to look dead, while still alive. Try Lindsay, Amanda or the late Amy! And do reduce the stress, unless you want to look like Katie Holmes!
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