While at times, taking care of your skin may seem super complicated, the road to youthful, healthy-looking skin is actually quite simple. With the right combination of skin care and lifestyle changes, you can not only slow down signs of aging, but also fade fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots, erasing years from your skin. Let's find out how with these 10 anti-aging tips.

10 Best Anti-Aging Tips

1. Antioxidants

A healthy diet is not only key to the health of your body, but it also does wonders for the skin. In particular, antioxidants such as vitamins B and E help protect the skin against free radicals which can break down the skin's elasticity and collagen-producing cells.

Eating foods such as fish, eggs, legumes and nuts will help fulfill vitamins B6 and B12 in your diet, resulting in more youthful, healthier skin.

2. Get Rid of the Straws

While drinking water is hugely important in maintaining healthy skin, it's best to avoid using this seemingly-innocent habit.

Using straws or typical water bottles reinforces the pursing and muscle movements that create and exacerbate already-existing fine lines around the mouth. Therefore it's best to use a glass or wide mouthed bottle that doesn't require pursing of the lips.

3. Sleep on your Back

Sleeping on your face or on your side? These habits can cause lines to form on the cheek and face as a result of the constant compression against your pillow. Try sleeping on your back to prevent fine lines from forming. Switching to this position also helps to ease neck and back pain.

If it's difficult for you to sleep on your back, you may also want to consider using a silk pillowcase which is more gentle than cotton or polyester which can pull at the delicate skin on your face. Silk reduces the friction against your skin and helps to prevent wrinkles on your cheeks. *Tip- Using silk pillowcases also helps to keep your hair smooth and prevent frizziness.*

4. Eating Healthy Fats

Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help your body to absorb essential vitamins as well as promote smooth, youthful-looking skin from within. These fatty acids help to reduce inflammation caused by psoriasis, acne or other skin conditions.

5. Exercise and Stress

Stress and stress-related hormones can accelerate signs of aging and have a detrimental impact on the body. Therefore it's important to finds ways to de-stress on a daily basis. This means getting the proper amount of sleep, exercising and using other methods such as meditation or yoga to relax.

Exercising helps the body to look and feel better as well as generate sweat which rids the body of toxins and impurities. Consistent exercise in this way can help slow down signs of aging.

6. Exfoliate

Exfoliating works to remove dead skin cells which allows your products to fully absorb into the skin. This process, if done consistently, will reveal softer, smoother skin.

Using a facial scrub or cleansing brush to exfoliate the skin will help to generate cell turnover, allowing the skin to re-build itself, resulting in healthier, youthful looking skin.

7. Use Retinoids

Retinoids are likely the most powerful and useful anti-aging product you can have in your skin care arsenal. These ingredients help to generate skin cell renewal and boost collagen production which is key in helping the skin to remain youthful and radiant.

Using a retinol that contains both Vitamin A and Vitamin C will help to fade wrinkles and fine lines as well as improve the look of pores and darkness as a result of hyperpigmentation.

It's important to start using these products earlier rather than later as it's best to tackle signs of aging before they even occur. An effective product to use is the Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Hydrator. This moisturizer contains Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Collagen which all work together to hydrate, rebuild and protect the skin, as well as reduce fine lines and wrinkles. 

Retinols also helps reverse dark spots from sun damage which can age your skin significantly. Therefore if you notice blotchy, freckled skin or developing wrinkles, loose skin or other spots, begin a retinol treatment to brighten the skin. It's also very important to use sunscreen to protect areas of your body exposed to the sun including the face, neck, chest and décolletage areas.

8. Moisturize and Hydrate

Keeping your skin well moisturized will help to fill fine lines and prevent signs of aging. A daily moisturizing cream containing ingredients such as shea butter, ceramides, glycerine and other powerful hydrators such as hyaluronic acid helps the skin to repair itself and retain moisture. These ingredients also help to increase the skin's elasticity, making muscle movements such as pursing, smiling and squinting less damaging to the skin.

Also, using products that contain collagen will help prevent the breakdown of cells as well as stimulate cell growth and regeneration. 

For this step, I would recommend the Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel which contains a powerful combination of hyaluronic acid, collagen, arginine and ceramides. 

9. Lightest to Heaviest

To ensure that your skin is properly hydrated, it's important to pay attention to how you layer your products. The skin best absorbs product from lightest to heaviest. Therefore use your lighter products such as serums first, allowing proper time for each product to absorb into the skin. Then layer with lighter moisturizers, milks, lotions and oils. After using your lighter moisturizers, you can follow up with a heavier cream or in the morning, you can finish up with a sunscreen.

10. Before you go to Bed

Your skin undergoes important rejuvenating processes at night, therefore this is a key time for you skin care routine. In order for your skin to properly regenerate, you don't want to go to bed with clogged pores.Therefore be sure to cleanse your skin every night before you go to bed.

Apply your most rich products at night and focus on ingredients that hydrate and renew the skin.

Conclusion

When it comes to slowing down signs of aging, it's best to start early. If you don't have noticeable wrinkles or fine lines yet, then it's best to start using these preventative measures to maintain healthy and youthful-looking skin. If you've already experienced wrinkles or skin damage, don't worry! Following this combination of skin care and lifestyle tips will help not only to prevent further damage, but also to reverse certain signs of aging.