Take
years off
your face.....
...
in just 10 easy steps!
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By
Victoria Edwards
AGEING is something the body does from the moment we are born; it
is a fundamental part of our body's programming and cannot be stopped
or changed. We can however give nature a hand by observing a few
careful rules.....
Your skin's enemies:
The Sun
This ages your skin more
than any other single thing by destroying the collagen that helps
to keep your skin youthful. Always wear at least factor
15 sunscreen when out in the sun to help damage. Have regular 'mole'
checks with a good dermatologist.
Smoking
This deprives the skin of a healthy supply of oxygen leaving it
looking 'tired' (or sallow) and in need of rejuvenation. Lines also
appear around the lip-line from pursing your lips as you puff on
your cigarette.
Alcohol
This dehydrates the body and destroys vitamins that help fight free-radicals
- the things that destroy skin cells and create wrinkles. It is
also responsible for the broken blood vessels which appear on the
cheeks and around the sides of the nose.
Lack of exercise
Exercise is natures way of helping the body to replenish itself.
Without it the body becomes saggy & sluggish, and can make you
prone to illness and various other conditions.
What can we do?
Maintaining a reasonable level of fitness whilst cutting out cigarettes
and alcohol will make an enormous difference to your skin.
Diet
Drink plenty of water and herbal tea to keep hydrated. Eating fruit
and veggies also helps to detox the body and clear out harmful waste
products. Remember - you are what you eat!
Exercise
All areas of the body benefit from exercise, such as the heart,
lungs, muscles, blood & spine. Exercise releases 'endorphins'
(happy chemicals!) in the brain which overcome melancholy feelings
and pain - the 'feel good' factor!
Try to incorporate exercise into your daily routine - like taking
the stairs instead of a lift, or getting off the bus a stop earlier
to walk the remainder. Even a few sit-up's in front of the telly
will make a big difference!*
Invest in a good moisturizer - try to find one
that contains a sunscreen and vitamins.
*Always check with you doctor before starting a new exercise regime.
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Help from make-up
Of course, we shouldn't rely purely on cosmetics to give ourselves
a healthy, youthful appearance, but use it instead as a way of enhancing
our natural beauty. Here are a few tips to give nature a helping
hand:
1.
Use self-tanning creams (such as Clarins) rather than sunbaking
or sun-beds. There are many excellent creams available now which
don't leave you looking like streaky bacon (see our special article
here)
2. Try dyeing your eyebrows and eyelashes. It's best to ask
a friend to help or visit a salon.
Pluck away any unruly eyebrow hair with the help of a magnifying
mirror. To keep them in shape all day, try running some clear hair-gel
or clear mascara through them.
3. Bleach or wax away unwanted facial hair and pluck out
any long hairs from your chin, or consider electrolysis.
4. Always use a good moisturiser every day after cleansing
- make sure it is compatible with your skin type, the cheaper brands
are sometimes better than the expensive ones. Always protect your
face from the sun with a good sunscreen.
5. Try this instant skin hydrator:- Near bed-time smother
your face with petroleum jelly and leave for 10 minutes. Tissue-off
and see how soft your skin feels!
6. For concealing laughter lines and crow's feet around the
eyes, invest in a lotion which tightens the skin as it dries. These
lotions are generally available through most department stores.
7. Lines can also be concealed by using a white eye pencil
- draw a thin line right inside the furrow or wrinkle - especially
those which appear from the nose to the corners of the mouth and
those between the eyebrows. Apply your foundation over the top as
usual.
8. Use a highlighting fluid or a concealer on dark circles
around the eyes. Try to avoid cream or stick foundation around the
eyes as this will gather in the furrows! Liquid foundations work
best here, try to avoid using powder.
9. Blusher should be a applied sparingly, it is better to
have a healthy glow from a tanning cream than to apply too much
blusher which will look false and dated. Try using a cream blush
or even a lipstick for a more natural look.
10. Use more natural shades of lipstick - it is easier to
apply the lipstick after you have filled-in your lips with pencil
to prevent 'bleeding'. Use a pencil which is the same colour as
your lips, or by the end of the day you will be left with a dark
pencil outline only!
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