Getting old is tough, but it doesn’t have to kill your confidence. Aging with grace is all about maintaining a beautiful and vibrant appearance … and you don’t need surgery to accomplish those goals.
With a few simple and natural tricks, you can instantly take years off your appearance.
Five Safe Ways to Look Younger
Age, physical appearance, and self-esteem are all closely connected and interlocked with one another. The challenge, obviously, is that aging is inevitable.
And if history has shown us anything, it’s that aging inevitably leads to physical deterioration. Sometimes the decline is slow and graceful, but in other cases, it can be quite unnervingly swift.
As we age, it’s essential to explore what makes our self-esteem tick. If you’ve become entirely dependent on your physical appearance, you’ve set yourself up for inevitable disappointment.
By the same token, there’s little sense in trying to ignore the connection completely. It does play a role in your levels of confidence, and there are proactive steps you can take to look younger for a longer period of your remaining life.
Here’s a look at some of the safest and most effective options.
- Try LLLT for Reversing Hair Loss
Premature hair loss — or loss of any hair, for that matter — can be a confidence killer. Unfortunately, it’s a common experience that’s an inherent part of the aging process for many men and women.
Hair loss doesn’t have to be something you must put up with and suffer through, though. There are a number of hair loss remedies you may try, but most of them require a visit to a doctor and investment in an expensive and time-consuming medical procedure.
If you’re looking for an option that’s cost-effective, safe, and convenient, try low-level light therapy (LLLT). The easiest option is to use an LLLT cap that can be worn at home for short periods of time.
- Apply Lip Liner for Fuller Lips
Could thin lips be holding you back from living your best life? If so, you don’t need to get injections or have a procedure done to fill them out, thankfully.
The best piece of advice is to fake your way to fuller lips by using a lip liner that matches your natural lip tone. Just draw over the bottom lip line and cupid’s bow for a fuller look. A little lip gloss on top can make you look healthy and fully hydrated.
- Exercise Daily
Daily exercise is vital. Not only can it give you a healthy body, but it will also make you feel better by releasing pain-killing endorphins into the body.
This comes with a slight caveat, however. “That hour on the treadmill will make you healthier, but it won’t make you look younger,” health professional Michelle Crouch writes for Reader’s Digest.
“Thinner and more athletic people who are over age 40 tend to look older than out-of-shape people, because they have less fat under their skin.” Rather than spend an hour running every day, however, try supplementing your cardio workouts with weight lifting and exercises that build muscle mass.
If you take the trouble to build lean muscle mass, you’ll be healthier and look younger.
- Drink Plenty of Water
Did you know that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated? Not only can this hurt how you feel, but it also significantly affects your physical appearance.
Dehydration causes skin to become dry and wrinkled; proper hydration replenishes tissues and skin cells. By drinking enough water each day — which means at least six to eight glasses of filtered water — you can keep your skin healthy and supple.
- Stay Out of the Sun
Do your future self a favor and be proactive about your skin. In particular, you should wear sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF rating. It also needs to have the “broad-spectrum” status to protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
As VitaMedica explains, “Damage from the sun’s UVA and UVB ultraviolet light is linked to about 90% of the visible signs of aging. UV rays break down elastin, the tissue that gives skin its elasticity, resulting in a dull, saggy appearance, and they also cause uneven skin tone, wrinkles, and age spots. The damage may not show for years, so early prevention is critical.”
Rediscover a Youthful Appearance
Nobody has discovered the fountain of youth, but the above five suggestions are among the practical things you can do to look younger for longer. As you age, remember that physical appearance is only a part of who you are … and not necessarily the most important part.
Though there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look healthier and more vibrant, the effort shouldn’t control your life. Whenever possible, choose safe, non-invasive approaches over permanent procedures that may fundamentally alter your appearance.
This is how to age with grace.
