Although we cannot prevent the inevitable — aging, we can do something to make sure our skin stays as radiant as our younger days. Beautiful women such as Angela Bassett, 53; Stacey Dash, 45; Nicole Murphy, 43; and Nia Long, 41, have aged ever so gracefully throughout their careers, giving us inspiration and hope that aging well is within our reach. Here are some tips that help keep these stars on their A-game. –mckenzie harris
Wear Sunscreen … and Not Just at the Beach
Protecting your skin everyday is the single most important thing you can do to prevent sun damage and skin cancer. So lather up by making sure you have at least an SPF 15 in your daily moisturizer.
Don’t Smoke
Not only does smoking cause bad breath and cancer, but it also destroys collagen and decreases the levels of estrogen necessary to keep skin firm.
Use a Retinoid
Retinoids minimize the appearance of existing age spots and fine lines and prevent new ones from forming. It’s also the cream that slows down the clock the best.
Stay Hydrated
This one is a given … and we mean with water. That diet Coke doesn’t count. Drinks lots of water, cut back on the coffee and soda and moisturize regularly. The more hydrated your skin is, the less wrinkly you’ll look.
Sleep Well
A lot of us cut back on that much-needed daily eight-hour dose of ZZZ’s, but it’s a crucial weapon in the anti-aging fight. Not only does your skin require downtime to repair itself, but sagging skin and puffiness around the eyes make wrinkles look much worse.
Eat Right and Get Moving
You know the saying — you are what you eat. The more balanced your diet, the younger you’ll look. And if you’re not taking a multivitamin, start now. Working out for just 30 minutes four or five days a week will give you a glowing, healthy-looking complexion.
Try to Relax
The mind-body connection is a powerful one, so do whatever you need to do to decompress. Stress causes cells to age faster, which absolutely shows on the skin.
Don’t Pick Blemishes
Yes, the same advice you were given as a teenager still holds true. Sun damage causes dark spots as you age, and picking at blemishes doesn’t help, either. As you age, your skin takes longer to repair itself, so those spots won’t disappear right away.
