Read on to ensure you’ll have gorgeous glowing skin for ages!

Eat Your Veggies

Make sure you gobble lots of foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants to zap free radicals that cause havoc with your skin. Opt for coloured fruits and veggies for maximum results.

You should also aim to eat a daily dose of foods that contain melatonin, which delays the oxidative damage and inflammatory processes typical of old age. It can be found in some fruits and vegetables, like onions, cherries and bananas, and in cereals like corn, porridge oats and rice, as well as in some aromatic plants including mint, lemon verbena, sage and thyme, and in red wine. Consuming just small amounts of melatonin not only neutralises but also delayed the effects of not only skin wrinkling but also age-related illnesses like diabetes and Parkinson’s, according to researchers from the University of Granada.

For more on healthy foods that boost your longevity, Click Here.

Wear Protection

Not only does basking in the sun’s rays dramatically increase your risk of skin cancer, but it also guarantees that you’ll end up looking like a prune far sooner than you expected.

Reduce your chances by wearing loads of SPF 15 or higher sunscreen every single day (as much as you would moisturiser), and re-applying every 2 hours if you’re outdoors. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and lets you know how effective the sunscreen is at blocking out the sun’s rays – called UVB and UVA rays. The higher the SPF, the more rays are blocked out. Contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with how long you can stay in the sun without reapplying – in fact, no matter what SPF you’re using, you need to put more on at least every two hours. It’s extremely important that you use a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Why? Because UVBs are the rays that cause cancer, and all sunscreens protect against these, but many overlook UVA rays – and these are the ones that cause ageing.

If you’re planning on spending a day in the sun, protect yourself from those harmful rays by wearing hats and light clothing, as sunscreen alone is not enough. Stay out of the sun when it’s at its hottest between 11am to 3pm, even on a cloudy day.

To read more on finding the right sunscreen for your skin, Click Here.

Drink Water, Not Alcohol

Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day keeps your skin hydrated and supple. It also flushes out toxins, keeping your skin healthy. But alcohol dehydrates the skin, strips it of vitamins and minerals and pumps toxins back in. it also damages the blood vessels and capillaries in the skin, leading to a red, uneven, sagging face.

Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise!

Keep your skin hydrated from the outside too by carrying out a careful daily skin regime. Refrain from washing your face with water too often – it strips healthy oils away, increasing your wrinkle risk. Avoid using strong chemical cleansers for the same reason – not only will over-stripping your skin cause it to produce too much and result in blemishes, but you’ll also encourage premature ageing. Instead, stick to mild cleansers and water-based moisturisers.

Cut Back on Sugar

Several studies have indicated that fructose, which is a sugar found naturally in honey and fruit but is concentrated in lots of processed foods, canned fruits, fizzy drinks and jams, accelerates the ageing process.

Researchers of one study for the Journal of Nutrition found that fructose affects the skin’s collagen, the protein that keeps the skin supple – leading to reduced elasticity and, more quickly than expected, wrinkles. Earlier research found that fructose contributes to the faster development of ageing as well as diabetes and cholesterol.

Stop Smoking

As if the cancer, high blood pressure and constantly smelling like a wet dog weren’t enough, smoking also causes your skin to age and wrinkle prematurely, even if you don’t spend much time in the sun.

Many studies have discovered a connection between smoking and an ageing appearance. Recent research from the American University of Michigan, for example, found that smoking is associated with ageing even on areas of skin that are not normally exposed to sunlight.

“We examined non-facial skin that was protected from the sun, and found that the total number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day and the total years a person has smoked were linked with the amount of skin damage a person experienced,” said lead author Dr Yolanda R. Helfrich.

For five steps to quit smoking, Click here.