It's dermatologists' most frequently repeated refrain: "Use sunscreen daily wherever your skin is exposed. It's the easiest and least expensive shield against future sun damage and wrinkles." Naturally, Calabasas-based dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman agrees. "Skin ages both intrinsically based on genes and extrinsically based on environmental exposure," says the doctor, who recommends using a moisturizer that contains SPF to eliminate the extra step of applying two separate products. (Try OLAY Complete SPF 30 Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, $14.99.) And, says Earle, "If sunscreens tend to irritate your skin, use a mineral-based reflective sunblock that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide."
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Step up your skin care
After age 30, you'll likely need a significant boost in hydration. Cleansing and moisturizing remain your important skin care activities, but you'll want a sulfate-free cleanser and different face moisturizers for day and night (try OLAY Regenerist Night Resurfacing Elixir, $24.99). Consider adding an eye product to replenish the tender area, a mask to remove impurities, and a gentle exfoliant to increase cell turnover to your routine. And, to help keep your complexion hydrated, seek out products that contain ingredients high in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, such as avocado, wheat germ, argan oil, rosehip seed oil, or evening primrose seed oil, says Earle.
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Spot treat
When it comes to reducing brown spots, an intense pulse light (IPL) treatment can be beneficial -- not to mention less painful than dermabrasion or laser resurfacing, says Luftman. However, IPL can be expensive (several $300+ treatments are typically required to achieve desired results). Instead, look for prescription or over-the-counter creams that contain vitamin E (aka d-alpha tocopherol), hydroquinone, kojic acid, or retinoic acid, which will gradually help lighten and brighten your skin for a more youthful appearance. (Try NeoStrata Skin Brightening Gel, $38.)
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Load up on wrinkle fighters
Lasers, Botox, and fillers like Juvederm are typically used to combat wrinkles and laugh lines. But if you'd rather skip such treatments, you can get wrinkle-fighting power from prescription or over-the-counter products that contain retinoic acid (like Retin-A or Renova), which increases cell turnover. If your skin is sensitive, start with a low dosage and work your way up. Or switch to gentler ingredients, such as niacinamide or peptides. (Try OLAY Professional Pro-X Eye Restoration Complex, $47.)
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Fight sagging skin
With the right products, stress-free living, and proper nutrition, there's a lot you can do to maintain youthful skin tone and color. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about drooping eyes, sagging body parts, and loss of definition in the jaw or chin area. Luftman's only recommendations for these problems are cosmetic procedures: Thermage, a typically low-pain radiofrequency treatment, and Juvederm, an injectable filler that can be used to give you a "liquid facelift." Neither delivers the same results as a surgical facelift, but they can help tighten slightly sagging eyelids and elevate brows.
To keep the skin on your body as firm as possible for as long as possible, Earle recommends regularly applying body moisturizers that contain skin-firming ingredients such as kigelia africana (sausage tree extract), quince, and mangosteen.
Recently Kate Winslet, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Thompson poo-poo'd all their plastic, frozen-faced Hollywood counterparts by forming what they call the "Anti-Cosmetic Surgery League," and I couldn't be happier. Three beautiful, accomplished women taking a stand against freezing their furrows and plumping their lips? Awesome.
But as much as I admire them for taking a stand, I'm starting to feel the societal pressure of having to stay young-looking. And I must admit that as the effects of gravity on my face (and other regions) begin to show themselves, I do sometimes daydream about getting cosmetic surgery. I think about how nice it'd be to have a smoother brow, a more taut jawline, a ...
That's when I usually snap out of it and wonder whether there's an effective way to shift course naturally, without the incisions, pain, expense, and risks that come with operations or injections.
According to natural beauty expert and author Liz Earle, I'm not alone in wanting to remain young-looking without heading to the doctor or med spa. Earle says that while it's true that most people start to notice visible signs of aging in their 30s -- signs like dullness, sunspots, dryness and fine lines -- with a few easy changes, you can age naturally -- and beautifully.
