Important Anti Aging Skin Care Tips

If you're over 30, you are probably already concerned with anti aging skin care.  I recently read an article at Prevention that gave 7 steps you need to be doing NOW for younger looking skin tomorrow.

Some of the steps are obvious, but some of the ideas were news to me.  Here they are:

1.  Wash your face at night.

Okay, not really news here - remember the old tale you will age your face by 6 years for every night you go to bed with makeup on? It's no news that cleaning your face at night will allow the anti aging creams to work better. But did you know that oil production slows down after 40 and they don't recommend washing your face in the morning? Washing too much can dry the skin and make wrinkles look more pronounced.

2.  Wear sunscreen every day.

Okay, no news there. Sun damage can occur at any time and most of it goes unnoticed under the skin. By the time you get wrinkles and sun spots, the damage is done.

3.  Manage your stress levels.

Stress is bad for us on so many levels, but did you know that the stress hormone cortisol actually breaks down the collagen in your skin? If you're getting acne flareups or redness, start eating (or taking) more antioxidants and do something to de-stress.  Taking a few deep breaths works wonders.

4.  Retinoids are the best anti aging creams.

You can get them by prescription (Renova) or in milder form as Retinol . For some people, retinol products can be strong, so they need to used sparingly until your skin gets used to them. It may take up to 3 months to notice a difference, so patience is the key.

5.  Change your cream routine.

Changing even one thing you do differently at night every six months can help with results. Your skin gets used to the routine and goes in "maintenance mode".  Changing a product can snap it out of that routine.

6.  Eat Omega 3s "good" fats.

That's salmon, flaxseed and almonds, not dairy products and meats. The good Omega 3s help hydrate your skin, the bad fats increase free radical damage.

7.  Exercise regularly.

No news here, but now they have studies to back it up.  Women who exercise have firmer skin than those that don't. Exercise means 30 minutes 3 times a week.

So there you have it - 7 steps you can do now for your anti aging skin care program to ensure everything else you do works!