To maintain a youthful appearance after 40, take care of your skin, adopt healthier habits and refresh your style. Invest in sunscreens, night moisturizers, and retinoid products to keep your skin looking youthful. Get enough sleep, exercise, drink water and eat healthy to have a healthy body. Refresh your style by dyeing your hair, whitening your teeth and improving your wardrobe.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Taking Care of Your Skin
Step 1. Apply sunscreen every day
To keep skin young, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day. UV protection helps prevent wrinkles, age spots and pigmentation changes. Choose a lotion or moisturizer with broad-spectrum protection that prevents damage from both UVA and UVB rays.
- Apply sunscreen to bare skin at least 15 minutes before going out.
- Buy a lip balm with SPF to protect your lips from sun damage.
- Always remember to wear makeup after putting on the sunscreen. There are also tricks with SPF.
Step 2. Use a rich, moisturizing night cream
If you buy an all-purpose moisturizer with SPF, buy a separate product to apply generously to cleansed and make-up-free skin before going to bed, when UV protection is not needed. Ask a perfume shop clerk for an opinion or read online reviews to choose a cream that's right for your skin. Look for ingredients targeted for your skin type, such as:
- Ceramides, glycerin and mineral oil for dry skin;
- Lavender oil, rose oil or green tea extract for sensitive skin;
- Hyaluronic acid or glycerin for oily or combination skin.
Step 3. Use retinoids to combat fine lines and wrinkles
Retinoids, which are derivatives of vitamin A, stimulate collagen production and regulate the growth of epithelial cells, making the skin visibly younger. Buy a gentle retinoid cream at a perfumery or other cosmetic store, or see a dermatologist for a more concentrated treatment. Prescription retinoids may be more aggressive on the skin in the first few weeks of use (they can, for example, cause redness or peeling), but ultimately offer faster and more visible results.
To get used to using retinoid creams or lotions, apply a small amount for two or three evenings before using them as a regular day or night product. If the formulation of a retinoid moisturizer is too harsh for your skin, try a gentler one
Method 2 of 3: Adopt Healthy Habits
Step 1. Sleep for 7-9 hours a night
To maintain a youthful appearance, make sure you sleep between 7 and 9 hours every night. Fatigue can cause the body to release higher amounts of cortisol, a stress hormone that has a negative impact on the elasticity of the skin. Getting enough sleep also prevents bags from forming under the eyes and keeps you from looking tired in general, two factors that can contribute to aging.
Step 2. Eat healthy, all-natural foods
To look youthful after 40, be aware of what you eat and commit to choosing products that aren't processed or full of saturated fat, sugar, or sodium. Many food additives can cause skin inflammation and general aging of the body. Choose to incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into your diet, such as:
- Kale, spinach and other leafy vegetables
- Salmon and other fatty fish;
- Beans, lentils and peas
- Tomatoes;
- Carrots;
- Apricots;
- Blueberries;
- Dried fruit.
Step 3. Drink water or other moisturizing drinks
Maintaining proper hydration is important for visibly elastic and youthful skin. Generally speaking, men should consume approximately three liters of fluid per day, while women should consume approximately two and a half liters. Make sure you drink water before, during and after exercise to replenish lost fluids.
To stay hydrated, drink before you feel thirsty
Step 4. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day
Sport can help maintain a youthful appearance, as it promotes circulation, tightens the skin, reduces stress and eliminates excess fat. Get at least 30 minutes a day of moderate cardiovascular exercise (meaning any activity that raises your heart rate by up to 50-60% above your resting rate). Train 5 times a week for good results. If maintained consistently, these rhythms can decrease cellular aging that occurs in the body by nine years.
- Resistance training, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises, can help maintain strong bones and good posture.
- Stretching also helps maintain good posture.
Step 5. Reduce the stress in your life
Stress can accelerate the aging process. Learning to relax helps you feel and look younger. Try to identify the main sources of stress in your life. Determines whether they can be reduced or deleted. If not, try to take time out every day to take care of yourself. You could:
- Learn to meditate;
- Indulge in a hobby, such as writing a journal or painting
- Take a walk;
- Take a Nap.
Method 3 of 3: Refresh the Look
Step 1. Use light makeup that gives you a youthful look
Going overboard with your makeup can actually give you a few more years, so aim for a fresh, minimal look. Apply a light tinted moisturizer and a small amount of concealer to hide age spots and dark circles. Enlarge your eyes (to make your eyes look fresher too) by curling your lashes and putting on a black mascara. Applying slightly pink products on lips and cheeks will brighten your face and make it look younger.
Step 2. Dye your hair
The dyes not only cover gray hair, but also give brightness, especially if you opt for a lighter tone or soft and natural highlights. To get the best results, ask a hairdresser to do the color. If for budget reasons you can't go to a salon, buy a semi-permanent dye without ammonia in perfumery, which will allow you to practice and experiment with different shades without having to make drastic changes.
Semi-permanent dyes generally last for several washes. The exact duration depends on the brand and type of color chosen
Step 3. Whiten your teeth
Yellowing of the teeth is a consequence of aging and can give you a few more years, regardless of whether you have supple skin and a youthful style. Invest in whitening toothpaste with enzymes and microabrasive ingredients, or see a dentist to consider even more effective options, such as whitening. Also, reduce your consumption of products that can stain your teeth, such as:
- Coffee;
- You;
- Fruit juices;
- Cigarettes;
- Carbonated drinks;
- Red wine.
Step 4. Invest in a better quality wardrobe and clothes that fit you perfectly
To maintain a youthful appearance after 40, your goal should be to buy clothes that fit you well and that flatter your body while giving less importance to trends. Opt for classic and tailored pieces (for example, a simple but sophisticated black blazer and a fitted white shirt), while avoiding casual-looking clothing (such as printed T-shirts and shorts), which may be inadequate and highlight the years. what do you have. Avoid all clothing that is too loose or too tight, as it can give you a few extra years.
