It’s inevitable: When you reach a certain age, you can’t help but feel excited (and smug) when you get carded. Talk about a self-esteem boost. Compliments ensue, you brush them off nonchalantly while, inside, you’re beaming and doing your happy dance. Oh, and congratulating yourself on the wellness strategies you’ve incorporated into your life.
Men, there are the everyday self-care tricks. You know, the basics: Drink enough water, exercise (at least five times per week), find coping mechanisms for handling stress (meditation, workouts, travel, etc.) But here are 7 more super-simple anti-aging tips for men to stay (and look) younger longer. Try them and see for yourself!
How to Look Younger: 7 Easy Anti-Aging Tips for Men
You need a skincare routine. A minimal one, at least. Exfoliate a couple times weekly with a gentle physical exfoliator that you can manually use to slough away dead surface skin; it’ll lead to a brighter, younger-looking complexion. (Bonus—shaving your face does count as exfoliation, but your T-zone needs some love as well.) Exfoliating removes the skin’s surface debris, i.e., dead skin cells, dirt and impurities that can clog pores and cause acne.
And moisturize twice daily, once in the morning and at night. Opt for a hydrating moisturizer and one that suits your skin type. (Dry skin? Look for moisturizers packed with ingredients like ceramides, which help create a barrier to lock moisture into the skin. For those prone to acne, oil-free moisturizers are your best bet.)
A great place to start? The Waxxpot Body Collection.
Keep showers short (10 minutes or less) and nix the steam (i.e., tap in to warm water, not hot). Hot showers are actually too harsh for your skin: Too-hot temperatures strip away the sebum, or natural fats and oils needed to protect your skin’s surface, and causes dehydration. When skin is dehydrated, it leads to quicker aging, including fine lines and wrinkles. As for short showers, a similar concept applies: Long ones can dry out your skin.
Stand up straight. Sure, you spend long hours at the computer or hunched over your phone—it makes complete sense why you slouch. But poor posture instantly makes you appear older than you are, so get over that slump.
Groom yourself. It’s not vain, it’s self-care. Groom your brows. Get waxxed. Handle that currently untamed hair you have going on—whether it appears on your head, face or body. Seriously, though, book a wax and be amazed at how much more confident you’ll feel. (Bonus: A body wax creates a more toned, defined look.)
And yes, men do wax.
Be sun-conscious. The thought of sunscreen never crossed your mind in your younger years (ah, the arrogance of youth), but years spent in the sun without protection have likely wreaked havoc on your skin. Excessive sun exposure can damage skin by drying it out and diminishing its supply of natural lubricating oils; UV radiation can bring on burns and structural issues in your skin.
Rethink your basking-in-the-rays-glory-days and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 (at least). And no, don’t forget to reapply every couple hours.
Don’t deny the power of Zzzs. Yes, it’s called beauty sleep, but it might as well be called keeps-you-youthful-longer sleep. Poor sleep can lead to skin that ages faster and doesn’t recoup well from environmental stressors. So count those sheep, take melatonin or a drop or two of CBD, do whatever you prefer to do in order to acquire sufficient sleep.
Cut back on vices like drinking and smoking. Yes, grab a beer with your buddies from time to time but don’t go overboard. Alcohol can age you faster than normal. Alcohol is not only dehydrating, but it dries out your skin, too. It’s an example of extrinsic aging—where your skin ages quicker than it should because of your environment and lifestyle. (Let that sink in.) Remember, everything in moderation (except smoking—cut that habit completely, asap).
xx,
Waxxpot
