How to Prevent Wrinkles, Naturally

My best friend is only 29 and she’s already stressing about wrinkles. Although she’s one of the lucky ones who was spared from teenage acne and has itty-bitty pores, she complains a lot about the visible horizontal lines on her forehead. So, whenever we hang out, our wide range of topics often includes skin care and wrinkles. And she almost always wraps up that subject with the big “WHY?”

It’s obvious that, as a person ages, the skin undergoes some, ahem, unfavorable changes. That’s not news. Being mere mortals, we unfortunately don’t have the power to stop the passage of time. However, we can still reduce the signs of aging – and wrinkles, for that matter.

So I’ll start with this: don’t stress too much about wrinkles. It won’t do you any good since stress is a major cause of aging. Take good care of your skin in order to minimize the damage, but stop obsessing about youth. After all, wrinkles also indicate the sincerity of a smile and can even signify wisdom.

Anyone who matters doesn’t care about your wrinkles.

Don’t do Botox. It looks unnatural, and besides the horrors of a procedure going wrong, we don’t know the side effects of injecting a toxin into our faces yet. There are many effective alternatives to injecting poison into your face.

Throw out your skin care products if they have chemicals in them. Lots of anti-aging products cause inflammation to trick you into thinking they’re working. What they really do is temporarily puff up your skin to smooth lines, but cause cellular damage and more wrinkles in the process. Sneaky! Make your own using certified organic essential oils instead.

Wait, as you’re reading this, are you squinting? I bet you are! Stop that! Don’t squint your eyes! If you can’t clearly read the fine print, go get your vision checked. Then, wear your new reading glasses (blue light filtering ones) and that will help you relax your facial lines.

And speaking of blue light filtering, one of the simplest ways to reduce skin aging is to get enough Zs. We have been reminded over and over again about the importance of adequate sleep and how it spurs healing and regenerative hormones to create thicker and healthier skin. Here are 10 hacks to help you get better sleep.

What you may not realize, however, is that even sleeping can cause wrinkles. When you constantly press your face into the pillow, it pulls and folds your face and etches sleep lines that slowly become permanent. So, what now? The technique is to sleep on your back. Also tuck an extra pillow under your head. As your head is elevated, the fluid is prevented from settling under the skin around your eyes.

An inflammatory diet also plays a big role in wrinkle formation. Sugar, animal products, and gluten all cause inflammation, which not only ruins your organs and is pretty much the root of most diseases, but it damages your skin in a big way. The less of these you consume, the younger you’ll look. A plant-based, low-sugar diet can rewind the clock. Just ask Michelle Pfeiffer. 

By eating a whole-food, plant-based diet, you’re also giving your body the antioxidants and nutrients it needs to repair your cells. Amplify that by eating raw veggies and fruits as often as possible. There are loads of great raw cookbooks out there. Try one!

Skip your daily dose of inflammatory coffee and opt for a organic caffeine-free herbal tea.

And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that drugs, smoking, and boozing are bad habits that have to be curtailed. ‘Nuff talking about this. Just Google the photos of the infamous cocaine-snorting celebrities and boozers in Hollywood. The dramatic changes in their physical appearance will help you understand how important it is to avoid this stuff.

While my brother seldom drinks alcohol and coffee, he’s always outdoors and forgets to put on sunscreen and sunglasses. He gave me the most ridiculous excuse! He says he can’t be bothered!

Although he can’t handle the fuss of putting on a simple cream or sunglasses, he needs to know that UV radiation does major damage to the skin. He should be using broad-spectrum zinc-oxide SPF 30 sunscreen every day. Here’s our list of safe sunscreens.

 Have you ever used Botox? Do you put on sunscreen every day? Are you bothered by wrinkles?