Beauty – Stop the age clock

Make sure the largest organ in your body is in tip-top condition. Use these six ways to take care of your skin

SLEEPING BEAUTY

THE TERM “BEAUTY SLEEP” IS NOT A MYTH. THERE’S ENOUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROVING HOW SLEEP CAN IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE. A LARGE PART OF THE SKIN-REGENERATING PROCESS HAPPENS WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THE LESS YOU HAVE, THE LESS FREQUENTLY YOUR SKIN REPAIRS ITSELF. YOUR BODY ENCOURAGES BLOOD FLOW TO THE LARGEST ORGAN OF YOUR BODY (THE SKIN) WHILE YOU SLEEP. WHEN YOU DON’T CATCH ENOUGH ZZZS YOU RUN THE RISK OF WAKING UP WITH A DULL AND LACKLUSTRE COMPLEXION.

EAT RIGHT

YOU SHORT-CHANGE YOURSELF BY RELYING ONLY ON TOPICAL INGREDIENTS TO GIVE YOUR SKIN WHAT IT NEEDS. WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR BODY WILL DO MORE FOR YOU THAN BOTTLES OF EXPENSIVE CREAMS AND JARS COULD EVER DO.

ADD THESE SKIN-LOVING FOODS TO YOUR DIET: WALNUTS AND ALMONDS AND GREEN DARK-LEAVED VEGGIES LIKE KALE, SPINACH AND BROCCOLI, PLUS FATTY FISH LIKE SALMON. SWITCH SUGAR-LOADED DRINKS FOR GREEN TEA WHICH IS PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS. AND, AS AN EXTRA, TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN TO SUPPLEMENT ANY DEFICIT IN YOUR DIET.

HYDRATION HIGH

JUST LIKE A FLOWER NEEDS WATER TO FLOURISH, SO TOO DOES YOUR SKIN AND WHAT YOU PUT IN IS WHAT YOU’LL GET OUT. IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE GUZZLING FIZZY DRINKS, YOUR SKIN WILL SUFFER.

TAKING STEPS TO ACTIVELY AGE BETTER MEANS LOOKING AT WHAT YOU DRINK.

UP YOUR WATER INTAKE AND DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF COFFEE AND SUGARY DRINKS.

IF YOU BATTLE TO DRINK WATER, MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE BY CUTTING UP A FRUIT OR CUCUMBER TO ADD FLAVOUR.

PULL OFF

A NUMBER OF WOMEN TUG AND PULL AT THEIR SKIN WHEN APPLYING MAKE-UP OR WASHING THEIR FACES. STOP IT – DITCH THIS TERRIBLE SKIN HABIT AS IT CAUSES PREMATURE WRINKLES. AVOID PULLING ON YOUR EYES WHEN APPLYING EYELINER, LIFTING THE AREA ABOVE YOUR BROW BONE TO APPLY MASCARA OR STRETCHING YOUR MOUTH TO APPLY LIPSTICK.

SUN PROTECTION

JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF MELANIN IN YOUR SKIN - A NATURAL SUN BARRIER - DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD ONLY TAKE OUT SUNSCREEN WHEN YOU’RE AT THE BEACH OR FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. WEAR IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AS THE OZONE LAYER GETS THINNER, YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN JUST AS MUCH AS CAUCASIANS. THIS HABIT WILL ALSO HELP REDUCE THE CHANCES OF SEVERE HYPERPIGMENTATION AND THE APPEARANCE OF DISCOLOURATION AND SKIN CANCER. USE A BROAD-SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN TO SHIELD YOU FROM BOTH UVA AND UVB RAYS.

SMOKE OUT

PUFFING AWAY DOES NOT ONLY GIVE YOU HORRIBLE BREATH, STAINED TEETH AND, POSSIBLY, CANCER, IT ALSO KILLS THE COLLAGEN AND ELASTIN IN YOUR SKIN. ANOTHER NEGATIVE IS THAT IT DECREASES THE ESTROGEN LEVELS IN YOUR BODY, WHICH ARE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR SKIN FIRM. KICK THE HABIT IMMEDIATELY .