I recently read an article that was all about embracing your age from the inside out, warts, wrinkles and all. And whilst I can’t help but applaud this outlook on aging, for now, I know in my heart that all I really want to do is turn back time, slap SPF everywhere, take my make up off every night before bed (big nights out especially included), drink WAY more water and way less booze. Had I done these things maybe I would be one of the people in this world that put their young faces and toned bods down to good genes. But alas, I had too much fun and not enough sun cream. Thank goodness then for the following tips and tricks that promise to reset the aging clock naturally…

Face Gym
Facials are my thing – I love them. So, I was a little apprehensive when I was told before my Face Gym “Runner Face” facial that this was not going to be the relaxing treatment I am use to. Revered as the ultimate destination for Facial Exercise, celebrities and influencers alike flock here before big red carpet do’s and important shoots and now I know why. Completely non-invasive but incorporating electrical techniques such as Radio Frequency and Laser Technology to tighten and tone the skin, the treatments are pain-free and quick. The results are actually quite astounding – I genuinely did have younger looking, plumper skin, so much so it even garnered a comment from my husband “you look glowing… oh god, are you pregnant?”.

Mindfulness & Meditation
Anxiousness and worrying does nothing for our skin. In fact, 9 times out of 10 if you check yourself at work you’ll be clenching your jaw, frowning, or squinting at your desktop. Learning to use mindfulness to relax facial muscles is a great way to minimize the effects stress has on our skin. Research suggests that regular meditation and mindfulness lowers cortisol levels (the stress hormone that causes your body to age faster than it should). Next time you find yourself getting wound up by an email or stressful phone call ask yourself “are you ok, in this moment” the answer will nearly always be yes, then try and focus on relaxing the parts of your body that are tense as a result of your busy day. Lower your shoulders; relax your jaw; breathe in for 10 seconds and release. You’re doing it now aren’t you…?

Hydration
We all know that we should be drinking more water (Nutritionist Madeleine Shaw suggests ideally 2 litres a day) but did you know that it could have an immediate effect on the way your skin looks too. Sometimes, a new wrinkle can go just as quickly as it comes by drinking more water. This is because creases in the skin are much more prominent when your body is dehydrated. TIP: have a water jug or one of our S’well Bottles on your desk to sip from every few minutes.

Banish Pigmentation (for good)
Since my mid-twenties I have suffered from pigmentation on my forehead and under my eyes on my cheeks. Just before my wedding I tried everything to get rid of it but it was only recently that I found the answer, or two answers to be precise. One was removing all soy products from my diet, which are said to increases oestrogen levels (which sometimes causes pigmentation) and the other was using pro-biotic skincare from Aurellia. Pro-biotic skincare is fairly new to the market but has been scientifically proven to help manage the level of inflammation within the skin, maintain balance and increase cell regeneration – which is great for pigmented areas as it means that cells can return to their normal, balanced state quicker.

words by Sadie Reid