It seems as if everyone is applying SPF 50 every three seconds starting at age ten nowadays, HOWEVER, what can you do if this hasn’t been on the forefront of your mind?

First of all, I would just like to make it clear that, getting older is a completely natural occurrence and getting wrinkles here and there is SEXY and shows that you’ve laughed, and enjoyed the ups and downs of life. I wanted to share some of my best tricks to encourage confidence and make yourself feel great…

• The Natural Botox

The most underrated quick fix to tighten skin and improve complexion: facial acupuncture. Tiny needles are inserted into the skin which creates little wounds, stimulating the body’s healing response and increasing the delivery of oxygen, lymph and blood flow. This improves the overall texture of the skin, giving a lovely glow and promoting collagen production, therefore lessening wrinkles. Pretty smart right? Some of the benefits include:

• Improving skin texture
• Reducing puffiness
• Reduces sagging
• Reduces wrinkles
• Minimizes pore size
• Reduces jaw tension
• Helping conditions such as acne

The Gua Sha also has similar advantages!

• Cold Showers

Yup, I know this one certainly doesn’t sound very… relaxing, however, some of the advantages seem too good to be true (yet they certainly aren't). Cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve which is responsible for reducing stress and transports dopamine, serotonin and GABA from the gut to your brain. It is also the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system. By regularly reviving the vagus nerve, inflammation in the body will be taken care of, a sense of calm will be felt and your immunity boosted. Cold water decreases redness on the skin and also increases circulation around the body so you get that radiant look. Cold water also stops bacteria and dirt from finding their way into the skin due to the fact it closes pores. You certainly don’t have to carry out this practice for long, even a quick thirty seconds will reap the rewards but you can build it up slowly over time!

• You are what you eat

I cannot stress the importance of the nutrients you feed your body and how this impacts you physically. It seems obvious but reaching for a sugary bar every time cravings arise will certainly not help your skin out. The more sweetness we add to our diet, the more our skin begins to suffer. Sugar is an ageing accelerant to the MAX, however, believe it or not, once you quit the pesky need for doughnuts and brownies slowly eradicates. Sugar causes a cross-linking of collagen therefore, the elasticity in youthful skin will be lost, so yes, you guessed it… wrinkles galore. A few months ago I decided that enough was enough. My skin was making me miserable so bye-bye processed sugar. Within eight weeks my skin had cleared up almost completely, although this was in no way easy (chronic sweet tooth) I was DESPERATE to have clear, bouncy skin once again. I guess you could say that proof is in the pudding.

• Drink Less Alcohol

Drinking excess alcohol causes your skin to look lifeless and dull and you may even notice that puffy, grey effect which of course doesn’t make us feel particularly attractive. Not only this but how alcohol encourages us to feel within our bodies in the long term (or the morning after) is not worth it. As people age we get worse and worse at dealing and detoxing from drinking. In the short term, alcohol will lead to flushing, dry skin, puffiness, and sleep disruption, which has its own set of problems. For example, dull and pale complexion, fine lines and dark circles under the eyes. Long-term heavy consumption gives rise to a multitude of health worries. Yellowing of the skin due to liver disease, visible blood vessels around the face and neck, rosacea, psoriasis, increased risk of skin cancer because of the weakening of the immune system and increased skin infections. These are only a few side effects so be aware and drink responsibly.

• Manage. Your. Stress

Easier said than done, am I right? The important thing to remember is that there are SO many different ways out there which actually make a difference. Having ‘me time’ is one of the greatest things one can do for their mental health and should fit into anybody’s routine no matter how busy they are. Even if you dance around the kitchen to your favourite tunes, or get organised with a list or plan so you know exactly what needs doing. I find that if I know what lets stress take hold of me, then I can easily combat and shut it down, for instance, when I leave work to the last minute or my time management hasn’t been utilized, I feel anxious and overwhelmed, but now I know that and take steps to avoid unnecessary panics.
My Top 6 Ways To De-stress:

• Connect with others- talk to a close friend or family member
• Learn to say no- do not overload yourself with other people’s burdens
• Create a routine
• Take breaks when you need
• Move your body- go for a quick walk or some relaxing yoga
• Journal- let out any worries or feelings