How to look good and stay young!

It is possible to look ten years younger by following these simple tried and tested tips. These tips work by addressing the common areas that mostly impact how others determine our age; the big give-aways. Get these areas wrong and watch the age barometer shoot up to the stars.

1)    Makeup: Whenever you wear makeup make sure that you are using the right shade for you, from your foundation to your lipstick, the colours must complement your own facial canvas i.e., skin tone, eye colour, hair colour and such. The easiest way to matching your makeup with your face is to pop by any good stores such as Boots or John Lewis, and have a chat with one of the beauty consultants. By doing this you will get to test different colours (lip sticks, eye shadow etc) and gather valuable information to include on your beauty regime for free! Better still why not shop online for the ‘new age’ foundations with a ‘light-reflecting’ technology such as Sheer Cover or Bare minerals. These foundations contain a substance that reflects light giving the skin a healthy glow. Some high street brands also offer such foundations, ask at the store.
      Many other top cosmetic brands now include UV protection and anti-ageing compounds in their foundations. Choosing these multi-tasking foundations is beneficial as it limits having to apply multiple products to protect and nourish your skin. Try brands like IT Cosmetics or Tarte Cosmetics 

2)    Application: Do not overdo your makeup at any cost; always aim for the natural look. The natural look always makes the person appear younger.  Heavy makeup overwhelms the skin, suffocating the pores and basically sits on the face accentuating every wrinkle. Use a ‘primer’ (e.g. Smashbox Photo Primer) to smooth the skin before applying makeup. Choose subtle colours that complement your skin tone and eye colour for eye shadow and lipstick/lip gloss. Avoid ‘loud or bold’ colours if you pale skinned or colours with a pink undertone or if you are dark skinned with yellow undertones. Wear mascara to open up the eyes and accentuate them by shaping the eyebrows.

3)    Hair: As tempting as it may seem do not let yourself loose with a pair of scissors and a dye! Visit a professional/recommended salon for advice. Or pick one from the Yellow pages; a simple telephone enquiry should enable you to spot the dodgy salons. Alternatively put your photo on beauty websites with a program allowing you to test different hairstyles and colours. This is fun, free and can at least give you some ideas. Don’t gamble with your hair, you have to live with it remember.

4)    Hands & Teeth: There are a few things that can age you faster than bad kept teeth and wrinkly hands. Use a good toothbrush; electric ones like Oral B range are great. Use toothpaste with whitening ability or home-whitening kit to brighten up your smile. If the idea of whitening kits does not appeal to you, there are a number of simple, cheap yet effective organic teeth whiteners. Try charcoal or coconut oil both of which have no chemicals and are simple to use. If your teeth are badly stained or damaged then seek dental help. Use anti-ageing hand moisturizers with UV protection regularly on your hands and protect them from harsh chemicals by wearing gloves. If you work in an industry where you have to wash your hands frequently such as a hospital or if your hands are especially dry and you are struggling to find an effective hand cream then try Chemistry Brand. The hand creams by Chemistry brand are formulated specifically for very dry, ageing hands and they actually work! 

      Nails should be kept clean and polish applied to further compliment your makeup e.g. matching nail polish with lipstick/eye shadow. A lot of nail brands also offer nail nourishing products which, help the nail cuticle from within. 

5) Multi Vitamin Tablets: I am a firm believer in nourishing our bodies from within. It is true that the condition of our skin, hair, nail are an indication of how well our bodies are nourished. Nutritions only reach our skin, hair, nails last as the bodies utilize nutrients for other more important organs and functions. To ensure that your body has all it needs and more, so that your skin, hair, nails aren't neglected take multi vitamins. There are many brands selling multi vitamin tablets containing all nutrients and mineral necessary for a well balanced body. Choose the ones best for you at a price you are happy with and eat healthy. The tablets only work if you eat healthy but need an extra top up. If your diet leaves much to be desired, I am afraid the minerals/nutrients in the tablet will only be used by your body for other functions and not your skin, hair or nails.

6) Use a cleanser: Always use a good cleanser on your face to ensure that the dead skin cells are removed. This is so important that without this step, you could simply be wasting your time and money. In order for the face creams to penetrate the skin and thus deliver the anti-ageing benefits you want, the skin must be clean. If you do not incorporate a cleanser into your beauty routing then you could be piling up creams on top of a clogged up skin surface! This means that the dead skin cells and other impurities that normal washing of the face does not remove, form a barrier which, restricts and prevent any subsequent products from absorption into the dermis (the inner layer of the skin). Cleansers allow a more deeper cleaning of the skin which preps the skin for quick and direct absorption of the products.
      Personally I would advise to also include a toner as well as a facial scrubber in your routing. Toners are great in rebalancing the skin ph, something that some cleansers can alter, and thus protecting the skin from dryness. facial scrubber can be added to the route on a weekly basis to allow an even thorough cleansing of the skin.
      There are many cleansers, toners and facial scrubber on the market so choose one suitable for your skin type i.e., oily, dry, combination and so forth. Also choose one that fits your budget. I personally recommend Liz Earle's Cleanse & polish as its suitable for even the most sensitive of skins and is very effective. 

Follow these tips and watch the clock turn back. Enjoy!