How to Look 5 or 10 Years Younger – Without Injections or Plastic Surgery

By Kimberly Blaker

Regardless how gracefully women try to handle aging, it’s something most of us dread from early adulthood. The proof is in that women as young as their 20s are getting Botox injections with many more who spend hundreds of dollars a year on anti-aging lotions and potions.

But the good news is women can maintain a youthful appearance without undergoing risky and costly injections and surgery or resorting to concoctions that seldom work.

It’s All In The Application

Several makeup techniques go a long way toward fine-tuning your features to create a more youthful appearance. So give these a try.

• The eyes have it

To make your eyes look larger, line the inside of your lower lid with a white or flesh colored eyeliner.

Now, brighten up your eye area by dabbing a pale pink, flesh or oyster color shadow to the inside corners of your eyes. Then add a couple more dabs just under your lower lashes moving from the inner corner of your eye to the center.

• More youthful lips

Full lips also appear more youthful, so invest in a good long-lasting lip liner. Line your top and bottom lip along your lip line. For fuller lips, line just to the outside of your lip line.

• A perfect complexion

As you age, foundation often makes you look older because it cakes on your mature skin. The good news is there are lightweight foundations that offer excellent coverage without caking. One of them is L’oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation, which is very light weight, yet it does a superb job of hiding those lines.

Products That Work

There are countless products on the market from supplements to lotions and creams that claim to make you look younger. Unfortunately, few hold up to muster. Occasionally, however, there’s one that does the trick. These are a few that do as they claim.

• Dermastrips

Are you tired of looking at the lines around your mouth? If so, you don’t need to resort to lip injections. Instead, try Angelift Dermastrips. Insert these specially designed rubber strips under your lips along your gum line, and wear them for up to 30 minutes a day. In about four weeks, you’ll see a remarkable improvement. After that, wear them just once a week for maintenance.

• Invisible eyelid strips

Are your upper eyelids no longer visible because of sagging skin that rests on your eyelashes? Now there’s an easy correction for this. Eyelid strips are made by a several manufacturers. Look for Bynanda Double Eyelid Tape, Eye Magic Instant Eye Lift, or Magic Strips, among others. Just stick these tiny clear strips along the crease of your eyelid, and voila. Your eyelids are now visible and look years younger.

• Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum

When it comes to anti-aging lotions, few on the market stand up to their claims. But this clinically proven serum has shown significant improvement in reducing deep lines. It takes about four weeks to see the full results.

Clothing That Compliments

The clothing you choose can either add years to your age or it can make you look younger. You just need to know the tricks to make clothing work in your favor.

• Out with the black

It’s time to banish the black. As you age, black tends to draw attention to the fine lines on your face. Instead, wear colors that compliment you. Everyone looks great in certain colors, so play those colors up. Hold on to your black pants, but keep the black away from your face. This also includes black-framed eyeglasses. Opt for metallics, bright colors, or lighter colored frames.

• Keep it stylish, but don’t overdo it.

As you age, dressing trendy from head to toe doesn’t work so well. In fact, it can make you look your age because the style contrasts with your physical maturity. Instead, mix a pair of classic pants and shirt, with a trendy sweater. Or add style to a pair of jeans and a classic top with a pair of trendy boots (so long as they aren’t bulky). Another option is to choose pieces that are mostly classic but have a stylish flair.

• Shapers aren’t what they used to be

And that’s excellent news. There was a time when most women wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the hideous shapewear that was available to them. But lingerie companies have finally gotten the message and come out with shapewear that’s both sexy and more comfortable to wear. Shapewear can shave years off your image by creating a sleeker look.

Health and Attitude Is Everything

Finally, being healthy both mentally and physically goes a long way toward looking and feeling young. If you have a positive outlook on life, it benefits your health. In contrast, anger, stress, and depression are known to increase your risk for diseases. Not to mention, it reflects in your posture and your face.

So make exercise a part of your daily routine. A regimen of aerobic exercise for your heart and lungs and weight lifting to keep your bones and muscles strong will help you maintain your youth. Exercise also helps with your mood by releasing endorphins.

Remember, whatever methods you choose to create a more youthful appearance, good health and a positive attitude will show and make you glow.

Kimberly Blaker is a lifestyle and parenting freelance writer. She also writes a blog, The Young Gma’s Guide to Parenting at www.theyounggma.com