Better With Age
Even if we don't necessarily mind the idea of getting older, "looking old" is another story. But coloring our hair or staying in shape isn't much of an age-disguise if wrinkles or sagging skin are present. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to help your skin age gracefully, says Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who is also an assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and author of "Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From A Top New York Dermatologist." Follow her advice to keep your skin glowing—no matter what decade you're approaching.
Spot Treatment
Brown spots rank up there with wrinkles in giving away your age. And keeping them from appearing is all about prevention, no matter the weather. "If you're getting brown spots on your face and uneven pigment, maybe your sunscreen isn't giving you broad-spectrum protection," says Dr. Jaliman. "Choose SPF 30 or above with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen every single day, rain or shine, because ultraviolet light penetrates through the clouds. Reflection off the sides of the clouds increases the UV penetration."
Beauty Sleep
Sleep is crucial to keeping your skin looking young and your vitality going strong, so aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night, suggests Dr. Jaliman. And upgrade the material you're laying your head on while you're at it. She recommends sleeping on silk pillowcases to prevent any sleep lines from leaving their mark night after night.
Daily De-Puff
Another trick to keep your skin looking refreshed is to sleep on two pillows, which prevents your eyes from getting puffy, says Dr. Jaliman. She also recommends using gel ice packs and putting them on your eyes for ten minutes each morning to reduce any puffiness. Or an equally effective solution is to keep your eye serum in the refrigerator, since the cool gel will also remove any swelling, she says.
Sugar Less
What you eat can have a substantial impact on how you look, especially when it comes to your skin. If healthy, vibrant, ageless skin is your goal, cut back on the amount of sugar you consume, which can stiffen collagen and cause wrinkles, says Dr. Jaliman. Instead, swap sugar for healthy fats, such as nuts or avocado (Dr. Jaliman especially suggests eating some avocado every day) since their oils are integral to skin health.
Drink This, Not That
When eliminating sugar, a good place to start is with your beverages. Swap your soda for green tea, which offers a bounty of antioxidants and polyphenols—a powerhouse combination to keep your skin youthful, says Dr. Jaliman. Also, stay hydrated throughout the day and take probiotics to maintain immune function, she recommends.
The Brighter, The Better
As you're scaling back on sugar, increase the amount of fruits and veggies you're eating. Since they're high in antioxidants, they give a glow to the skin, says Dr. Jaliman. As far as which ones to eat in particular, always go for ones that are richly colored, which indicate a higher level of antioxidants. For example, choose red peppers over yellow or red grapefruit over white. And make eating blueberries a daily habit, she suggests.
Vitamin Power
A key component to graceful aging involves intercepting free radicals, which—due to missing a molecule—cause damage to the DNA and cells, says Dr. Jaliman. But antioxidants like vitamin C and resveratrol have the power to inactivate free radicals while being a gentler alternative to retinol—a common anti-aging skincare ingredient. To get double the antioxidant boost, apply an anti-aging product with vitamin C or resveratrol and also incorporate more of these antioxidants into your diet. Good sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwi, broccoli and berries, while sources of resveratrol include grapes, pistachios, blueberries and cranberries.
Key Ingredients
For anyone looking to minimize the appearance of wrinkles, niacin and niacinamide (forms of vitamin B3) are the buzzwords you want to look for. Niacin and niacinamide affect the transfer of the melanosomes, which contain the pigment melanin, and can help with skin lightening, says Dr. Jaliman. Furthermore, niacinamide stimulates collagen secretion and boosts fatty acids, which helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles while increasing moisture content in the skin. Look for skincare products that contain niacinamide, such as Aza Clear (a lotion typically available in doctors' offices) or Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer, she says.
Essential Oils
Finding that coveted balance between dry and oily skin can feel like a never-ending quest. But well-hydrated skin is happy skin, and happy skin won't easily tell your age. If you notice your skin tends to be dry after you wash daily, it may be time to forgo the exfoliating cleanser and use a gentle one instead, especially one that contains hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin, notes Dr. Jaliman. "This way you're not stripping your skin of its essential oils," she says. She suggests Sea Radiance Gentle Cleanser or CeraVe.
Overnight Results
To maximize the benefits of anti-aging products, use them at night, since the skin repairs itself while you sleep, says Dr. Jaliman. And as far as which product to choose among the plethora of anti-aging products out there, try ones with as many of these ingredients as possible: Retinol, green tea, hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxyl acids, salicylic acid, peptides, resveratrol and lactic acid. Dr. Jaliman personally recommends Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster since it contains glycerin, hyaluronic acid and aloe to moisturize and soothe the skin along with green tea extract, which helps guard against free-radical damage.
