We all do stuff that’s ruing our skin without a second thought. Kick these bad habits for a younger-looking face.
As we age, skin elasticity implodes. That means very ordinary habits will suddenly create fine lines and wrinkles, making us look older than we actually are. Let’s destroy these five surprising habits that can make you look prematurely old.
5. Chewing Gum
Those little marionette lines on the upper lip, especially for women, are particularly hard to treat. They also give away age like (almost) nothing else.
The repetitive motion of chewing gum can deepen these wrinkles around the mouth. For the sake of your teeth, switching to mints is wise anyway.
4. Sleeping on Your Side or Stomach
Sleeping on your side or stomach can lead to sleep lines on your face and cause wrinkles over time.
For a lot of people though, sleeping on the back is a one-way trip to snore town, or worse, sleep apnea. Sleep apnea will destroy your health like nothing else. So what to do?
A silk pillowcase isn’t a new idea, but it’s still the best compromise. And they’ve never been cheaper.
This is the one I use. It can’t do much about that compression on your face while you sleep, but it will prevent waking up with a brail version of your bedding burned into your cheeks.
3. Neglecting Your Neck
We’ve all seen the person with the 30-year-old face and the 65-year-old neck. And you know exactly which story to believe.
The skin on your neck is delicate and can show signs of aging faster than other areas. And yet so many people forget to use sunscreen and moisturizer on this delicate area.
This is the SPF I use, and I’ve tried them all. It features a strong but gentle vitamin C, and a physical UV blocker that won’t slowly poison you.
For nighttime, a strong retinol cream this one from my Queen Paula, of Paula’s Choice, continues to be the gold standard for treating wrinkles.
2. Drinking Through a Straw
Like chewing gum, drinking through a straw can cause wrinkles around the mouth because of the repetitive motion.
On the other hand, gulping out of a glass can also cause wear and tear on those nasal labial folds that run from your nose to the corner of your mouth.
Getting enough water is essential to looking your best, so ditch the straws. And ditch the plastic water bottles. Those come with all kinds of other potential health problems too.
This stainless steel and stylish Hyrdro Flask has the best of both worlds. There’s no straw, like so many modern water bottles, and the lip opening is narrow, so you can be mindful about sipping, instead of chugging.
1. Not Using a Humidifier
We all know the feeling of waking up in a dry room with an almost painfully tight-feeling face. Slathering on moisturizer after you’ve already been baking wrinkles for hours just isn’t good enough.
Humidifiers are a pain because they have to be cleaned every day. Otherwise, you’re spewing bacteria into the air and causing yourself other problems.
Self-cleaning humidifiers are an option, but they’re wildly expensive. You can go that way with a Dyson for nearly $1000, but personally, I like before-bed cleaning rituals. Taking sleep and good skin seriously involves work and reminds you how much younger you’re going to look than your friends.
This affordable Ledonti humidifier is highly rated, cool-looking, and can be run from your phone. Over the long term will also do more for your skin than any insanely expensive jar of anti-aging goop on the market.
