These 5 Mistakes Will Make You Look Older Than You Are

November 14, 2018

Let’s play a guessing game. How old do you think Madonna is? 40s? Early 50s? She’s 58! How about Meryl Streep? She’s 6…7! Unbelievable but true, just how did they achieve the incredible feat of defying age? Avoid some of these common pitfalls and you wouldn’t be mistaken for a day past your real age.

#1 Getting your dose of Vitamin D from the Sun

Did you know that about 70% of skin ageing is attributable to the Sun? This means that by staying out under the blaze without a hat, sunglasses and most importantly a sunscreen you’re as enthused about getting rough, pigmented and wrinkled skin as potentially being a skin cancer patient. At Ready Set Beauty, we task Umbrella which is 100% chemical-free, fragrance-free, water and sweat proof to help slow down the ravages of the Sun and effects of time. Combined with antioxidant ingredients, it does an incredible job of protecting skin against UV rays for up to 4 hours!

#2 Dressing down when out

Unless you’re Mark Zuckerberg, dressing to impress is legit. “Comfortable, fitting and bright clothes can do wonders to your confidence and lift your spirits while clothes with gray undertones like dusty rose and pale cream can make you seem uninteresting, older and dull,” says Evelyn Hobs, an image consultant. Time to leave those baggy and washed out clothes for when you stay at home.

#3 Hack care about hair

Spot a bad haircut and your bffs will let you know. Similarly, having dull and greying hair can affect confidence and even put years on you. The culprit may be genetics but more often, it’s it your hair care habits or that you’ve decided to go on an austerity drive and frequent barbers that charge $5 a cut (it’s too good to be true!). What’d you do then? You attempt to hide damaged hair behind colouring which might backfire as this could worsen the problem and result in hair thinning or bald patches.

We speak with Dr Kenneth Lee, medical director of SW1 Clinic for solutions and he highlighted that just as our body needs vitamins, our hair needs TLC too. “While it is important to use the right shampoo, we advise supplementing hair essentials with Viviscal® Professional to improve hair conditions. Made of pure natural ingredients, it also contains a potent AminoMar C™ marine complex that is effective in stimulating growth and rejuvenating hair.”

Dr Lee adds that to treat serious hair issues, he would recommend pairing medication with Revage Hair Growth Laser, a short 30-minute, FDA approved, painless hair therapy. “A cool laser energy will be emitted to enhance blood flow to the hair follicles. It has no downtime, is clinically proven to increase hair density by 40% and has an impressive 85% success rate in slowing hair loss.” Visit a medical professional and rescue your mane today.

#4 Not working out like Meryl

Staying in shape is a sign of youth, vitality and responsibility. Being active sharpens your mind and helps you stay agile amongst other reasons so you actually feel and look young. It gets increasingly tough to maintain the figure, but hey even Meryl Streep has been reported to swim three or four times a week, up to 55 laps a time! Your additional efforts of a healthy diet consisting of Vitamin C and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables will reward you with a strong, impressive body that will help you fit right in with the college grads.

Read More: What Pimples on Your Face Mean

#5 Smoking

Smoking kills stealthily by adding decades to your skin, mind and body. What first reveals age is the traces of fine wrinkles around corners of the eyes and above the upper lip from taking drags. Since smoking also reduces up to 60% of Vitamin C critical for collagen production, you can easily point out a heavy smoker with their rough and saggy skin that has lost suppleness and elasticity. With smoking eventually affecting health, your breathing and energy, quit today to gain back some years of your life before it’s too late.