There are many great things about getting older and aging, but we’re pretty sure everyone will agree that sagging skin is not at the top of the list.
This, of course, is why we have a market of a million different skin care products and lotions making lofty promises to tighten and firm us up in mere moments. We stock up our carts and fill up our beauty cabinets, and then we get busy with the application-and-waiting game!
Instead, lighten your load by sticking to what works. Here are our favs:
Trick No. 1: Just say no to sugar
Step away from the sugar!!!
Sugar is not only the worst enemy of your waistline, but it’s also not your friend when it comes to keeping your skin looking young and supple. The issue with sugar (or should we say, one of the issues with sugar) is that it causes swelling and loose skin. Who knew? So, take a deep breath and just put the sugar down. Walk away, and then you’ll be one step closer to achieving the younger skin you desperately crave.
Trick No. 2: Just say yes to superfoods
Now that we’ve set aside the sugar, it’s time to add in the foods and vitamins that will absolutely change your life. And by your life, we mean your skin.
Every morning, we suggest starting your day with the juice of one lemon squeezed into a cup of hot water or green tea. Lemon juice has vitamin C, which helps to reduce swelling, and this morning drink is a perfect way to detox and get everything alkaline before your day begins.
Also, try incorporating more salmon into your diet. It’s high in DMAE and protein, which both help to improve your skin’s elasticity. Even better, try adding salmon to a delicious kale salad — that will get you the added benefits of antioxidants!
In addition, make sure to always have olive oil on hand. Its essential fatty acids help decrease inflammation, and the less inflammation you have, the firmer your skin will be!
Last but not least, skip the sodas and flavored waters. Instead, make green and black tea your new best friends (3–5 cups a day is ideal). These two incredible teas contain EGCG and theaflavins, which help combat the breakdown of collagen — which is one of the causes of wrinkles.
Trick No. 3: Learn the ABCs (and Es) of vitamins
Nature is full of incredible anti-aging fighters, so it’s time to get familiar with the ones that matter most to your skin!
- Vitamin A: This vitamin helps your skin retain moisture and encourages the reproduction of new skin cells.
- Vitamin B: Applied topically, this vitamin is known to hydrate your skin cells and in turn tighten everything up!
- Vitamin C: This vitamin can also be applied topically to bring back the elasticity of your skin, making it all kinds of firm, which in turn makes us all kinds of happy!
- Vitamin E: This gem boosts collagen production, also aiding in the growth of skin cells and blood vessels, thus giving your skin strength and firmness.
- Other top supplements choices would be the following: DMAE, CoQ10, hyaluronic acid and alpha-lipoic acid.
Trick No. 4: Get “back to sleep”
All day long, we are fighting the effects of gravity — and while we appreciate it keeping our feet on the ground, the downside is that its doing much the same to our skin.
One trick to fighting gravity is to put yourself to bed in much the same way the experts say to lay newborn babies down. That’s right, the “back to sleep” rule goes for you as well. Since side and stomach sleeping can increase wrinkles, it’s time to start training yourself to sleep each night on your back instead.
Trick No. 5: Detox
Impurities in your skin enlarge your pores and make your skin look anything but firm. The Clarisonic Deep Pore Detoxifying Solution (Clarisonic.com, $169) gently removes impurities from your skin. The results are pores that look smaller and skin that looks and feels firmer and healthier.
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