All of the “dos” or “don’ts” have at least one correlating blog post that has been published on that subject, so just click on the blue text and you’ll be taken directly to that article.
- Avoid direct sunlight on your face. Other than genetics and the natural aging process, sunlight is the number one cause of aging.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking encourages wrinkles to form around your mouth from the constant pursing of the lips and cuts off all-important oxygen to your skin cells.
- Don’t drink. Alcohol is a diuretic and increases the removal of vital fluids from your body. It also depletes important vitamins.
- Curtail caffeine. Another diuretic, caffeine will release fluids from your system and taxes your adrenal glands.
- Wear sunscreen. Make this a daily habit.
- Drink more water. It will help all of your organs to perform optimally, including the largest organ, your skin.
- Eat right. Without supplying vitamins and minerals to your body—daily—the aging process will take hold sooner rather than later.
- Don’t do facial exercises. Regardless of what you read and hear, facial exercises will encourage lines to form or become deeper. Why rush your wrinkles?!
- Don’t use facial products with alcohol, specifically isopropyl and ethyl alcohols. These alcohols dry the surface of your skin and can make your skin look hard and wrinkled.
- Exfoliate. Keeping the dead cell buildup off the surface of your skin will help your skin feel softer and look younger.
- Avoid rubbing your skin. This includes rubbing your eyes and rubbing your face with a washcloth.
- Use eye cream. Moisturizing the tissue around your eyes will help soften the look of the lines.
- Sleep on your back. Sleeping on your side or stomach causes folds in your skin, encouraging wrinkles to form.
- Moisturize. Without proper hydration, your skin will look and feel older.
- Don’t wear foundation. Less is more when it comes to wearing makeup. Foundation accentuates all of your lines and wrinkles.
- Watch your expressions. Lines are formed when you make facial expressions. I am not saying, “Don’t express.” I am simply saying watch how expressive you are. This will affect your wrinkles.
- Stop looking at your skin in a magnifying mirror. This gives you an unrealistic view of your skin. Even a child’s skin can look old in these mirrors!
- Exercise. All forms of exercise, even simply walking, increase the oxygen to your cells, supplying proper nutrition, helping you age better.
- Get enough sleep. Perhaps the impossible dream, but without proper rest your body will age faster.
- Learn to manage your stress. Although it is not directly linked to aging per se, stress is surely an indirect and important part of how you will age. Stress isn’t going to magically disappear from your life, but learning to manage it and finding time to relax and breathe throughout the day will help you in the short-term and the long-run.
Obviously some of these are not doable or desirable to abstain from completely (like having a glass of wine at the end of a long day), but hopefully this list will be a reminder of the many ways you can help to keep your skin looking its best by avoiding certain substances or activities whenever you can.
