Benjamin Franklin was on to something when he coined the term, “an inch of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So, here’s some of my best tips…what to do in your 30s to have great skin your 50s.

When it comes to your skin, it’s a lot easier when you start with a good foundation. I guess you could say I have a proactive personality. I grew up in the Sunshine State, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that marinating in the sun was not going to do much for my skin. Now, I can’t say I didn’t have my share of brown summers, but I had pretty much given up laying out in the sun by the time I hit my 20s.

Keep Your Face Out Of The Sun

I know you’ve heard about the negative effects of sun exposure a thousand times. Every girl wants to look tan when the sun goes into hiding for Fall or in anticipation of an approaching summer season. Even if you can’t resist tanning every other part of your body; protect your face.

Here’s something you may not have stopped to consider; you have young skin for about 30 years, but you’ll be living in that same skin for hopefully 80+ years. There is a lot of life left to live after 30.

There are some excellent self-tanners and bronzers on the market, so use those instead.

Use The Same Products on Face, Neck And Chest

A lot of us only focus on the face. But, interestingly enough, the crepey skin on the neck is one of the first things to give away your age. The skin of the neck really has to fight against the pull of gravity, so you want to make sure to keep it as tight and moisturized as possible.

Always Remove Your Make-Up Before Bed

Forgetting every now and then will not do much harm, but habitually going to bed without cleaning your face can really age your skin. Make-up and foundation clog the pores and introduce bacteria that can cause acne and inflammation.

Throughout the day, our make-up soaks up free radicals from the environment. These eventually break down the collagen in the skin; leading to fine lines.

Also, your face needs to have the opportunity for cell renewal while you sleep. By removing your make-up and using proper moisturizers, you give your skin time to repair itself.

Use Serums On A Cleansed Face

To be honest, I only discovered the value of simple serums over the last few years, but I wish I had started using them long ago. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to spend a fortune to find good quality face serums. I buy mine on Amazon. These brands don’t run brick and mortar stores, nor do they have to spend tons of money on advertising, so you reap the benefit of lower prices.

Here’s the ones I use:

Use A Low Percentage Retinoid/Tretinoin On Your Face

Retin A is one common brand name of Tretinoin. Basically, a retinoid is a vitamin A molecule. It is commonly prescribed for acne, but it has also shown great results as a long-term beauty regime when used in small amounts and at low percentages. Unfortunately, this product is not available without a prescription in the US; however, there are a number of products that contain retinol in lower concentrations.

Avoid Sleeping On Your Stomach Or Side

Remember waking up with a ”bed head” when you were young? The creases down your cheeks were an instant giveaway that you’d just crawled out of bed. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity, which means it just doesn’t bounce back like it used to. In fact, the older we get the more those creases etch permanent wrinkles and sagging into our skin.

Alcohol Is Not A Friend To Your Skin

Alcohol consumption causes the blood vessels to widen and expand. This affects your skin in several ways. First, it causes your cheeks to redden. Small blood vessels around your nose and mouth can also pop; leaving small spider veins. And, the whites of your eyes will darken and yellow over time.

If not for your health, then you might consider what the cumulative effect of twenty years of drinking will do to your face.

Lose The Goal of Looking Younger

Age happens to us all and there’s not a thing you can do to stop it…so, stop trying! Instead of striving to look younger, learn to be satisfied with being the best version of you…no matter what your age may be. Constantly, striving for the fountain of youth is a futile effort.

The more years I add to my life, the more I come to realize that true beauty really does radiate from within….so, embrace your age.

*This post contains some affiliate links, which don’t cost you one penny. This just means I may receive a few cents if you choose to click on them or decide to purchase something I recommended.

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~ Shellie

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