Make Your Skin Look Healthier and Younger with These 5 Tips

We live in a time when youth is valued above almost all else. Most of us want to look younger. That is why at least $1.1 billion was spent on cosmetic treatments in the United States in 2012. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has reported that this represented an increase of 5.5% from 2011. The market for anti aging services and products in the United States was worth about $2.1 billion in 2013. Botox services are only gaining in their popularity. There were about 489,000 Botox injections given to people who were between the ages of 19 and 34 years old in 2012, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. This was an increase from 2002, when 220,000 Botox injections were administered to people of that same age group.

The good news about anti aging services and products is that there are some things you can do at home to make your skin look better.

1. Use the right kind of sunscreen. One way to keep your skin looking as young as possible is to protect it from the sun. You should be using a sunscreen that has a sun protective factor (SPF) of at least 30. You need to apply this before you leave the house in the morning. If you are going to be outside, you need to apply it every two hours and after you have gotten wet. When people are looking at the sun protective factor, many do not realize that this is how much longer you can be outside without being burned than if you were not wearing any at all. The higher the SPF, the better but this does not mean you can apply it once and then be protected by it all day. Some sunscreens also have vitamin E that has great antioxidant properties that are really fantastic for your skin.
2. Pick a facial wash that is gentle on your skin. As we age, our skin becomes less oily and more dry and sensitive. This means you are in a better shape for avoiding needing professional anti aging services if you use a more gentle cleanser for your face. You should also be gentle in the way that you use the cleaning agent on your face. Using more soft, circular motions to cleanse your skin on your face can help avoid any irritation that is often caused by rough scrubbing. Facial cleaners that have fatty acids to add to your hydration routine along with antioxidants such as those found in green tea can also help keep your skin looking its best.
3. Use an exfoliant every week. All skin is constantly shedding its dead cells. A new skin layer is created every four weeks. Over the course of time, this process will slow down and our skin can begin to look dull or older in some areas. You can help that process along by exfoliating. You do not want to do this too often as that can dry out and irritate your skin. A weekly exfoliation will make your skin look brighter and younger.
4. Add retinoid to your skin care regimen. As we age, our skin loses the protein that keeps it looking lifted, smooth and young. This protein is collagen. When this is lost, the skin gets wrinkled and looks older. Retinol, a stronger form of Vitamin A that you can get from your doctor and is also available in many over the counter creams. These creams can be very effective at providing anti aging services for your skin.
5. Use a more rich face cream. Our oil glands become less and less active as part of the normal aging process. It then starts to make sense to use thicker and more rich facial creams that do ore to moisturize our skin. This can make fine wrinkles lines be reduced. Use this richer cream on your neck and chest to moisturize those areas as well. It does not take much to change your skin cream to a more rich version but it can make a really big difference.

Our skin is a living organ that needs proper care and feeding to keep us looking our very best.