You want to look younger
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| Healthy Magazine |
If you want to look younger than you are, it helps to consider the
total package. Because women who look forever 31 don’t just have great
complexions, they also have, "thick hair, smooth hands … even a whiter
smile," says New York City dermatologist Marsha Gordon, MD. So, how do
you become one of those lucky types who goes to her class reunion and
elicits comments like, "Wow, she hasn’t aged a bit!"? Follow these
age-proofing tips that start with your head (well, your hair) and end
with your toes (even they can date you, believe it or not).
Give your hair a boost
Hair naturally thins as you get older, so anything you can do to
counteract that process will help you stay gorgeous. Volumizing shampoos
are great, but the most effective (and quickest) youth boost comes
courtesy of a volumizing spray gel, like Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Spray Gel Root Lifter
($4; drugstores). "These sprays are like a collagen injection for your
hair," says Jet Rhys, owner of Jet Rhys Salon in San Diego. The key,
Rhys notes, is not to spray it all over your crown but to get it onto
the underside of your hair, near the roots.
Get younger-acting skin
The old way of thinking about your face was that if you could just
get rid of a few wrinkles, you’d take years off your looks. While that
may be true, it’s not just wrinkles that make you look older, according
to a study in Evolution and Human Behavior; skin tone and luminosity
also affect your perceived age. Luckily, the newest anti-aging products
have been formulated to take all the signs of aging into account. L’Oréal Paris Youth Code SPF 30 Day Lotion
($25; drugstores), for example, tricks your skin into acting like it
did back in your 20s. With adenosine, a collagen-stimulating molecule
found naturally in your skin’s DNA, and biolysat, which stimulates your
skin’s own repair process, it’s able to not only reduce wrinkles but
improve texture, tone, and radiance, as well.
Use a redness-reducing concealer
"You may not realize it, but redness and visible blood vessels on
your cheeks and nose are another sign of sun damage, and they do make
you look older," Dr. Gordon says. The best way to get rid of the red is
with a laser treatment, which can cost up to $500 or more at the
dermatologist’s office. If you’re not ready to spend that kind of cash, a
yellow-based concealer, such as Clinique Redness Solutions Targeted Corrector
($20; clinique.com), can do wonders. Dot the concealer over any red
areas—pay special attention to the notoriously rosy crevices near your
nostrils—tap it into skin with your ring finger, then smooth on your
favorite tinted moisturizer or a foundation that matches your skin tone.
Brighten your smile
"Stains accumulate on your teeth as you age, so whiter teeth make you
look younger," says Lana Rozenberg, DDS, a dentist in New York City.
In-office light-activated whitening treatments can take you up to eight
shades whiter (at a cost of up to $1,000), but you can now get similar
results at home. Go Smile’s Smile Whitening Light
($198; gosmile.com) comes with a handheld light that activates the
included whitening gel; three back-to-back 10-minute sessions with the
light will brighten your teeth up to five shades. Caution: Because these
new whitening systems are more effective than ever, it’s easy to go
overboard—which can look fake. “Just make sure your teeth aren’t whiter
than the whites of your eyes,” Dr. Rozenberg says.
Spritz a zesty scent
Weird but true: People may think you look up to five years younger if
you’re sporting a grapefruit scent, according to a study at the Smell
and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. Make that little bit of
science work in your favor by wearing Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne
($55; jomalone.com). The spray’s citrus note is balanced by vetiver and
rosemary, so it comes off bright and fresh, not grapefruit-juice
acidic.
Don’t yo-yo diet
You don't necessarily need to drop pounds to shave a few years off your looks. (In fact, a study in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
suggests that after age 40, a lower BMI can actually make some women
look older.) Rather, it's important to do your best to get to a healthy
weight and stick to it through the years. "Rapid weight gain or loss can
cause visible changes in the skin, such as stretch marks and laxity,"
says Jennifer Linder, MD, a dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Healthy living is nature’s beauty treatment: "If you drink plenty of
water and consistently eat a healthy diet, your skin will look better."
Make over your legs
Varicose and spider veins are an instant ager, and the most effective
way to remove them is with sclerotherapy, Dr. Linder says. "The
procedure involves injecting
a therapeutic solution into the veins, which causes them to collapse,"
she explains of the in-office treatment, which can cost anywhere from
$150 to $1,000, depending on the number, size, and location of the
veins. For a quicker fix—which will also hide spots and scars you’ve
accumulated over the years—try a leg-perfecting lotion or spray. Perfekt Body Perfection Gel ($48; perfektbeauty.com) has a luminizing tint that evens out your skin tone.
Need more coverage? Water-resistant, spray-on Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs ($10; drugstores) is opaque enough to cover veins completely.
Need more coverage? Water-resistant, spray-on Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs ($10; drugstores) is opaque enough to cover veins completely.
Fix up your feet
Age makes you wiser, more confident, more successful—but it doesn’t do much for your feet. "The constant pressure feet endure can lead to dry, callused skin," Dr. Linder explains. Nothing gets soles smoother than a foot file like Tweezerman Sole Mates Dual Sided Foot File ($20; tweezerman.com). Use it at the end of your shower, then follow up with a rich cream that contains at least 10 percent lactic acid, like PCA Skin Body Therapy ($60; pcaskin.com).(If your rough feet are accompanied by yellowed nails, get those toes to a doctor; you could have a fungal infection.) Final tip: Pick a bright, fun toenail polish like hot pink instead of a staid shade like mauve.
