EIGHT SECRETS TO YOUNGER LOOKING SKIN

In Aging

Younger looking skin — is it really possible? Yes, according to the experts at The Pond’s Institute. The secret lies in being aware of your skincare habits, lifestyle choices and how you treat your fine lines and wrinkles. Although you might not be able to turn back the clock, a few changes to your daily routine, diet and skincare regime could make all the difference to your skin.

As we age, our skin changes. Wrinkles and fine lines appear, skin loses its elasticity and we can develop hyperpigmentation. All these changes are completely natural and our genes often play a part in how our skin ages. But, there are many environmental and lifestyle factors that can affect how our skin ages.

For example, research has shown a link between cortisol – the main stress hormone – and aging skin. Over exposure to UV rays has also been linked to skin aging. And, smoking and poor diets can also stop our skin looking younger. You can find out more about why skin sags as we age here.

By eating well, de-stressing and using products packed with antioxidants you can help your skin to look younger and more radiant. Follow these tips to keep your skin looking youthful.

1. Hydrate

Keep skin hydrated to prevent it from looking dull and tired.

Water makes up two-thirds of our bodies. It flushes out toxins and keeps skin healthy.

Swapping sugary carbonated drinks with green tea could also give your skin an extra boost. Green tea is full of antioxidants that have been shown to provide some protection from UV skin damage. Green tea extracts are also found in lots of anti-wrinkle products because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

2. How to Look Younger Naturally: Eat Well

Eating well can help promote more youthful-looking skin

A balanced diet rich in nutrients and vitamins will not only improve your health, it will also make you feel and look young.

Skin aging can be caused by oxidative stress. This occurs from over exposure to UV light, where free radicals damage the skin’s cells. But, eating a diet that’s rich in antioxidants and vitamins can help fight oxidative stress. Look for foods that contain vitamins E and C, like:

• tomatoes
• broccoli
• red bell peppers
• leafy green vegetables
• raspberries
• mango
• kiwi

It’s best to avoid too much sugar too. Sugary diets can damage collagen and elastin – molecules that our skin needs to stay wrinkle-free. To boost your body’s vitamin D intake without getting too much UV exposure, try adding more oily fish like salmon or tuna to your diet. As an added bonus, oily fish is also high in healthy, unsaturated fats like omega-3.

3. Quit Smoking for Younger Looking Skin

Smoking can increase the rate at which your skin ages, leading to premature wrinkling and sagging skin. It’s not only your face that can get wrinkles due to smoking either, the skin on other parts of your body can age too. Here’s why:

• Nicotine in cigarettes narrows the blood vessels in the top layer of your skin, so it’s much harder to transport oxygen and vital nutrients like vitamin A that your skin needs.
• There are over 4,000 toxins in cigarettes which can damage collagen and elastin. Your skin needs these fibers to stay strong, supple and youthful.
• Pursing your lips when smoking can also create wrinkles around your mouth.

4. Get your beauty sleep

Your sleeping hours are the prime healing time for your cells. When you sleep your body and skin has time to repair. Cell regeneration doubles during sleep and your body produces more collagen, which skin needs to stay looking young.

Sleep deprivation can also leave you with dark circles, eye bags and dull skin.

Most people will need around eight hours of sleep each night. This is key for overall health and immunity, and it helps to regulate stress hormones.

Eating and sleeping well can help promote more youthful-looking skin.

5. Relax

Chilling out can make all the difference to your physical and mental wellbeing. Stress can not only deprive you of sleep, which your skin needs to renew itself, but the stress hormone cortisol has also been linked to skin appearance.

Make sure you take time out for yourself to relax and de-stress.

6. Exercise

Exercise improves blood circulation and helps your skin flush out toxins.

Exercise pumps up your blood circulation and promotes healthy cell renewal processes inside your skin. Plus it can flush out toxins, reduce stress, and help you to relax and sleep better too.

A good workout can also reduce stress and boost collagen production.

7. Wear Sunscreen

Overexposure to harmful UV rays can prematurely age your skin. This is called photoaging. UV radiation creates free radicals that can damage the skin and make it look less youthful. As we get older our body’s defense against free radicals declines, which can lead to wrinkles. You should apply a broad spectrum sunscreen that helps to block UVA and UVB rays that can lead to skin cancer and aging.

For the best defense, use a sunscreen with a high SPF (30 or above) and apply daily. Also look for cosmetics or moisturizers that contain sunscreen.

8. Step up Your Beauty Regime

A Pond’s Institute study found that using facial care products frequently could decrease your perceived age by at least two years.

You can eliminate the toxins and dirt inside your pores without affecting your skin’s natural moisture function with good cleansing products and a daily anti-aging skincare regime.

Add products containing retinol – a vitamin A compound – to your daily regime. Retinol is widely used in anti-wrinkle creams because of vitamin A’s antioxidant properties and its ability to fight free radicals. Retinoids can also help to increase cell renewal by exfoliating clogged pores to reduce fine lines and clear skin.

Aging skin becomes more fragile and dries out because it doesn’t produce as many natural oils. But, moisturizing daily will help lock in moisture that skin loses with age.

Exfoliating can also give you younger looking skin. By removing dead skin cells, skin looks brighter and it can absorb treatments more effectively. Long term, exfoliating can also boost collagen production. But, pick an exfoliating treatment that’s right for your skin type.

Find skincare tips for different skin types here. For more tips on younger looking skin, try out the beauty regime below.

The Younger Skin Beauty Regime

Incorporate anti-aging products into your skincare regime and make it a daily habit.

Younger looking skin is possible with a few lifestyle changes and great skincare. Pond’s Age Miracle range includes intelligent Pro-cell ComplexTM to help your skin’s cell renewal process function at the optimum level so it can maintain its radiance and elasticity. For a regime that works, follow these steps:

1. Begin with Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGen Foam.

2. Tone to prep your skin for the nutrients you’re about to add on it.

3. Massage the Age Miracle Intensive Cell ReGen Serum into your skin. This intensive, highly potent serum contains 20x the concentration of our best AA actives* to dramatically boost skin’s capacity for young cell regeneration.(*20x concentration of CLA4 compared to Pond’s Day Cream)

4. End with the Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Day Cream, if you’re preparing for the day. If you’re getting ready for bed, swap this for Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Deep Action Night Cream. The retinol boosters in each cream prevent the breakdown of retinol, boosting their efficacy. They also help to promote skin cell renewal from deep within, resulting in a naturally plump, smooth and radiant skin outside.

Learn more about other habits you can develop for healthier skin, or find out more about what causes skin to lose radiance.