It’s the Holy Grail of grooming – an end to wrinkles and a halt to the ageing process. Were not quite there yet but there’s plenty you can do to hold back the years until that miracle cure finally comes along.
1. Shed some skin. Our skin’s natural renewal process slows down as we get older, especially once we pass the age of 30. Accelerate the process (and bring fresh, plump skin cells to the surface) with the help of products containing Alpha Hydroxy Acids - gentle exfoliants which leave the skin looking younger. Try
N.V. Perricone ALA Face Firming Activator.
2. Thicken up. If your hair’s thinning, ask your stylist to add texture with the help of ‘chip cutting’ and ‘razor cutting’ and use a product like
American Crew Thickening Shampoo to add volume.
3. Ditch the sugar. Along with the sun, sugar is the skin’s number one enemy because it bonds to proteins in collagen causing it to mesh and become stiff and inflexible, which in turn leads to wrinkling. You have been warned.
5. Lighten up. Products containing light-reflecting technology are great for knocking off a few years. They work by reflecting light off the skin, giving it a smoother, even and more youthful appearance, and by diminishing shadows and fine lines. Try
Dermalogica’s Total Eye Care SPF15 which has special optical light diffusers as part of its formula.
6. Cut your cholesterol. When nurses at Imperial College School of Medicine were asked to estimate the age of 318 men for a study, they came up with a startling discovery - the men who looked older than they were also had higher levels of cholesterol. Reduce yours by cutting back on red meat and dairy produce.
7. Dye right. Scarily, a third of us will start to have our first grey hairs by the time we’re 25 and there’s no more obvious sign of ageing. If you want to disguise the greys try a product like
Just for Men Shampoo-in Hair Colour which is an easy to use and effective way of knocking a few years off your age. You don’t have to apply it to your whole head – for a more subtle look use a fine comb to subtly blend colour into areas of the hair that are greying.
8. Tackle your tombstones. Teeth have always been strong indicator of health and youth and having healthy white ones can have an instant anti-ageing effect. Keep yours sparkling with the help of
Teeth White’s Immediate System. Since teeth also act as scaffolding for your face it’s worth holding on to them for as long as possible. As soon as they start to fall out you begin to lose jawbone too and when the bones of your face start to shrink you face starts to sag.
9. Scoff on an orange. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and is crucial for fighting the toxic free radicals linked with the ageing process. It’s also important for maintaining skin’s elasticity. Spuds, cabbage and peppers are other good sources.
10. Sleep on your back. This will help prevent the formation of vertical ‘sleep lines’ – wrinkles that can, over time, become permanent. Using silk pillowcases is thought to help too since it prevents the skin from being ‘squished’ on the pillow every night. They might improve your Lothario status too.
11. Factor up. With 80% of the lines and wrinkles caused by UV rays adequate sun protection is essential if you want to avoid looking like something that’s been dug up from a peat bog. And it’s not just sunbathing that’s to blame - everyday low-level exposure takes its toll too, so use a daily moisturiser with a built in sunscreen like
Lab Series For Men Daily Moisture Defense Lotion SPF15.
12. Do a paint job. If you’re more old fogey that old master, camouflage broken capillaries, age spots and dark circles with a concealer like
Biotherm’s Power Bronze Dark Circle Concealer. To apply, look down into a mirror so you can see where shadows are and look up to blend it in.
13. Stop smoking. Not only does smoking starve your skin of essential nutrients it also increases the body’s levels of matrix metalloproteinase1, an enzyme which actively attacks collagen - the stuff that acts as scaffolding for your skin.
14. Give yourself a facelift. No, not with a Stanley knife and a bottle of brandy for anaesthetic - try an anti-ageing product like
Gatineau’s DefiLift 3D Serum instead which will help lift, tone and firm the skin, making it look more youthful.
15. Become an overnight success. According to some research the optimum time for the body to repair itself is between the hours of 11pm and 3am and that goes for skin too. So before you go to bed/pass out at night think about applying an anti-ageing night cream like
Korres Olive & Rye Night Cream 40ml and grab some real beauty sleep.
16. Have more sex. Yes, according to a study by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital men who have a good sex life tend to look between four and seven years younger than those who don’t. The reason? Sex it seems makes you feel more content, less stressed and enables you to sleep better – and all three things are reflected in your face. If you’re single try a good work-out – the study also showed that exercise has a similar effect, even if it isn’t quite as much fun.
To view more anti-ageing products click
here.
