Life is good! Your career is going well, you are healthy and lucky to be surrounded by great friends and family. As you glance in the mirror, you look fabulous, but on closer inspection you notice fine lines are beginning to appear, where yesterday there were none. To make things worse, your adorable 4-year old is asking you about your “crinkles”. Don’t despair…it’s not too late to slow down the aging process and repair your skin. Here are some anti aging skin care beauty tips to help.

Lifestyle changes can help you resist aging. The major contributing factors are sunlight, smoking, excessive alcohol, poor nutrition and lack of exercise. What has worked for us before seems to be futile now as we begin to put on weight, workout less (or not at all) and eat poorly. Although we have used the same skin care products for years, our skin looks dull and lifeless. As we age, our metabolisms slow down and it takes more work for us to maintain our bodies: less food, more exercise and attention to our skin care needs.

AVOID SUNLIGHT AT ALL COSTS
Sunlight ages the skin and makes it sag. Contrary to popular belief, tans DO NOT make us look better. Think about it…cow hides are put through the tanning process to make grainy leather purses and briefcases. Who wants their skin to look like or feel that? A bronzed, sun-tanned look means that in twenty years, your skin will begin to look like that…..crinkly. Add in a few brown spots to mottle the pigment, and a few red blood vessels and the picture isn’t pretty. Make the choice now to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily and often. Wear a hat and protective clothing and know that not only will you look better, but you are also preventing skin cancer.

STOP SMOKING TO LIVE HEALTHIER
Smoking causes cancer and many other diseases. Heavy smokers a five times more likely to show prematures wrinkles. Squinting thru smoke, and puffing etch deep lines around the mouth and eyes. Dull, gray lifeless skin is dehydrated and oxygen deprived among smokers. Save your life and your skin by quitting.

LIMIT ALCOHOL AND DRUG INTAKE
Drinking can contribute to weight gain, and dehydrates the body, robbing it of vitamins and nutrients that are essential to our skin and well-being. Both alcohol and drugs can be addictive and speed the aging process.

EAT PROPERLY
Forget convenience food. It’s processed, high in fat, sodium and calories and lacking in nutrients and minerals essential to good health. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, and low fat proteins high in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha lipoic acid . If you are unable to follow a healthy diet, there are skin-friendly nutritional supplements available.

EXERCISE DAILY
A healthy heart works efficiently and improves our circulation. It keeps our body strong and our skin firm, supple and oxygenated. Try to exercise at least 20 minutes a day. The more you can exercise, the better you will look and feel.

Here are some products to help you defy aging:
• PCA Weightless Protection SPF 45
• Neostrata Ultra Daytime Smoothing Cream SPF 15

• Helpful websites:
• The American Lung Association has a program called Freedom From Smoking.
• The Food and Nutrition Information Center is an excellent resource for dietary and nutritional guidelines.
• The Dept. of Health and Human Services has a wealth of information booklets and on drugs and alcohol.

Looking for a specific tip? Skintique’s own skin care expert, Pamela Farrell, is here to answer all your questions.

Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reproduced or copied without the express written permission of Skintique.com. This article is provided for informational purpose only and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for such advice from your physician.