How to Keep Your Skin from Developing Signs of Aging

You don’t have to use expensive products or drop thousands of dollars at the facialist to keep your skin looking great. In fact, using too many products and treatments can be more damaging than doing nothing at all. So here are a couple of inexpensive ways to protect your most valuable asset...

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Sunscreen--okay, it’s a product, but not an expensive one. You should use it everyday, even when its wintry or cloudy, or make sure your makeup foundation contains it. And if you have short hair, don’t forget to put it on your ears and the back of your neck, where the sun can do a lot of damage.
2. Staring at a computer all day under fluorescent lights can give you sallow skin. But don't buy a facial massager, just give yourself one with your fingertips to get the circulation going and freshen up your complexion. And take outdoor breaks. A little fresh air will do you and your skin good.
3. You want to keep your natural collagen so you don’t have to buy expensive products to replace it when you’re older. You’ll find it in foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, nuts, and eggs; and those high in antioxidants, like dark greens and berries. Fried foods have been shown to reduce collagen, so go easy on the Krispy Kremes.
4. Don’t over-exfoliate. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. You may be stripping your skin of the natural protectants it needs. Once a week is a gracious plenty.
5. Consumer Reports recently did a study comparing anti-wrinkle creams. You know what they found? The least expensive was the best–-Olay Regenerist. And always apply serums or creams onto damp skin, it absorbs much better that way.

Tips & Warnings

• Water's great for your skin. Drink a lot of it.