Aging is an inevitability that affects everyone. You may be the most beautiful, youthful, and attractive person, but time is coming for you too. Many Americans fear aging. They imagine growing old and becoming a withered husk of who they once were. However, aging doesn’t have to be bad. In fact, for some, a little gray can help them look more attractive, wiser, and distinguished.
Take a look at celebrities like Steve Carell, Idris Elba, George Clooney, Giancarlo Esposito, and Oscar Isaac. Despite showing wrinkles and grays, they’ve embraced their age rather than running from it. These gentlemen — these silver foxes — show that it’s possible to still look sharp even when you’re older. So here are four ways to do just that.
- Use the Right Products
One of the primary reasons people start to look older is because their skin loses elasticity as it ages. Youthful skin cells naturally retain more hydration, but their ability to do so weakens with time. Dried skin is prone to wrinkling, creasing, and sagging. And although some wrinkling is inevitable, there are ways to help ease the degree to which it does.
So how do you help your skin retain its moisture longer? With moisturizer! It’s a simple solution, really, but using a daily moisturizer will help your skin cells continue to retain hydration as you age. Investing in a moisturizer with SPF or an additional facial sunscreen is also important. Exposure to UV radiation makes skin look older by damaging or killing skin cells.
In addition to moisturizer and sunscreen, retinoids are a great anti-aging treatment for fighting off the signs of old age. These vitamin A-based treatments are incredible at helping the skin heal from sun damage. They help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. The combination of a moisturizer, sunscreen, and a retinoid can help take years off your face.
- Cut Out Alcohol and Cigarettes, Drink Water Instead
Topical treatments — like moisturizer, sunscreen, and retinoids — are great for your skin. However, you also have to pay attention to what you’re putting inside your body. Simply put: smoking, drinking lots of alcohol, and healthy skin don’t mix.
Both of these substances have serious detrimental impacts on the health and longevity of your skin. Not only that, but they tax your lungs, heart, liver, and brain, among other organs. One glance at this twin study shows how dramatically smoking steals your youthful visage. It even removes the color from your hair!
Next time you reach for a smoke or a swig, drink some water instead. Just as moisturizers help topically, drinking water helps from within. The more consistently hydrated you are, the more your skin will look healthy and glowing. By maintaining your internal hydration you’ll also help push back the facial sag that comes with aging. And the rest of your organs will thank you too.
- Develop Healthy Habits to Enjoy a Long Life
When focusing more on what you put in your body, it’s important to cultivate a healthy diet. What a healthy diet means can differ from person to person based on allergies, preferences, and beliefs, among other factors. But in general, diets that include a balance of dark, leafy greens, fruits, and healthy proteins are the best for your body.
Diet is a great way to feel good and look good, but it’s not all you need to focus on. If you might want to look great as you age, you’ll need to actually live that long in the first place. Exercise, specifically strength training, has been shown to increase longevity for numerous reasons. As you age, you’ll naturally lose muscle, so working to maintain it will keep you looking fit and youthful. Taking the long-term approach to your health will make sure you’re still looking sharp as you age.
Finally, it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting enough shut-eye. Sleep is the way the body recharges, so you can begin to deteriorate without it, both physically and mentally. If you struggle getting enough sleep, put your phone away before bed. If you need it for an alarm, consider buying an analog alarm clock instead. Sweet dreams are an essential part of looking young and well-rested.
- Dress Your Age
This list has included a lot of long-term, proactive solutions to help buffer your aging. These methods can take a lot of commitment and dedication to see significant results. If you’re not already, one thing that you can start doing today is dressing your age.
Everyone’s style is different, but if you’re a bit older, avoid wearing clothes like graphic tees or jeans with holes in them. While these can be emblematic of youth, they can contrast with your naturally aged appearance. The same can be said of hoodies, sweats, and other oversized clothes, as well as clothes that are too trendy. If you try too hard to look younger, it can have the reverse effects.
Instead, buy clothes that fit well and complement your body. Go to a tailor and have them take your measurements. Focus on wearing clothes with solid colors that reflect the season. In general, the warmer the season, the lighter the color, and vice versa. Look up photos of your favorite celebrity and look at what they’re wearing. Ask yourself what works about their style, why, and what you can borrow from it to create your own.
Embrace Your Age
Aging may be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be horrible. By using skin care products, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and dressing well, you’ll age more gracefully. Your body and your mind will thank you, and people will think you’re much younger than you actually are.
