We all want to have beautiful skin as we age, but there are some bad habits in need of breaking if we want to maintain our youthful glow into our 40s or later. Here are 5 simple habits to break and alternative solutions to help you keep your fresh-face longer.
Chewing Gum
Gum chewing gives you wrinkles in the lower jaw from the habitual stretching that occurs when chewing, along with other possible jaw problems in the long run. Reach for mints instead of gum; they provide fresh breath without the stress on your jaw or skin.
Not Washing Your Face or Taking Makeup Off
We all know we should take our makeup off at the end of the day, but in college it’s easy to forget every now and then. When we don’t take it off, the makeup and environmental pollutants you accumulate during the day seep into your pores, breaking down collagen and elastin. If you find yourself forgetting often, keep makeup face wipes handy and near where you get ready for bed. They won’t do as well a job as washing your face, but it is better than nothing.
Pulling on Skin to Apply Makeup
Whether you’ve been told this in the past or not, it’s hard not to catch yourself pulling on your eyelid to apply that pesky eyeliner or dropping your jaw and raising your eyebrows when applying mascara. These bad habits stretch the skin in unnatural ways and put a stress on the skin that eventually leads to wrinkles. Look for eyeliners that are softer and wont tug on your skin and practice applying your makeup without pulling on your face.
Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates your whole body, and the lack of hydration works the elasticity of your skin that will eventually wear down. If you’re drinking make sure to hydrate before you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning to try to combat dehydration.
Smoking
Now not everyone smokes cigarettes, but if you are a frequent smoker you’re asking for wrinkles around your mouth. Coined “smoker lines” by the public, these wrinkles are deep and angled towards the lips. There is no good alternative for smoking; tobacco is bad for your health in more ways than giving you wrinkles, so skip the cigs and you’ll be improving your health in more ways than one.