There are easy ways to fight the onset of ageing that you might not
have tried before. Incorporate these simple steps into your life and
challenge the clock.
1. Eat your Sunscreen: Rule number one – always wear broad spectrum
SPF on your face which protects against UVA and UVB rays. Rule number
two – eat them! Certain foods are known to increase lycopene, the
skin’s own SPF. An antioxidant found in tomatoes, and other red and
orange fruit and veg, it can boost your sun protection by a whopping
33%. One of the best sources is tomato paste. Green tea is another
great example and it also contains caffeine which is thought to help
cut your skin cancer risk. If you need a treat, high quality dark
chocolate is packed with flavonoids that can help protect against
sunburn.
2. Facial Massage: Take a minute every night to massage in your
skincare products, which in turn helps to lift your facial muscles. Do
circular motions with the fingertips in opposite directions on each
hand, this encourages elasticity and breaks the pattern of tension
helping prevent a degeneration of the tissues.
3. Exfoliate twice weekly: Encouraging the sheading of dead skin cells
speeds up the growth of new ones. Young skin is smooth and reflects
the light better whereas older skin tends to be rougher which refracts
light, so regular exfoliation will help you maintain your radiance and
a bright youthful glow.
4. Up your oils: By taking omega oils from a young age – fish or
vegetable omega oil capsules consumed daily, as well as applying a few
drops of rosehip (or another omega-rich) face oil every night. These
‘good fats’ are responsible for the health of the cell membrane, which
– when healthy – yields more subtle skin.
5. Always remove your makeup: Never go to bed with an uncleansed face
– it’s undoubtedly ageing given that it immediately clogs (and
stretches) pores and over time causes collagen breakdown. Use a balm
or a gentle foam cleanser in the shower – they take your makeup off as
well and rinse off clean.
6. Facial Yoga: Your face needs to move to retain elasticity. Like
your body, if you don’t exercise your facial muscles they can slacken.
The more they move, the more they retain elasticity and suppleness.
Try these six yoga poses for a pain-free facelift! Yoga, for the face
or not, is also a good technique for stress-busting which is important
in the fight against ageing as stress can accelerate skins ageing by
up to 10 years.
7. Get more beauty sleep: When you’re tired you tend to get stressed
easily and crave junk food – both of which are notorious agers. Not
only does getting 8 hours shut-eye minimise this, when you sleep your
skin repairs itself and new cells grow to replace older ones. The
growth hormone functions only at night, so beauty sleep is more than a
myth – it’s why humans are diurnal.
