Everyday habits that can make you look younger

Forget ageing gracefully – here’s how to age youthfully. Keep a healthy glow, a spring in your step, and a radiant appearance with tips from the experts.

Young, middle-aged, and older individuals studied thousands of photographs and were asked to guess the age of models with various facial expressions. Neutral expressions yielded the most accurate results, and fearful expressions made subjects look older; happy faces were rated as younger than they really were.

Also, avoid saying these words that make you sound old.

As we age, our hair changes. “It often becomes coarser in texture and more dry,” says hairstylist Jenna Mast. Heat styling can damage hair, so try air drying and only use an iron around your face. Whether you have your hair washed at home or at a salon, use deep conditioning treatments regularly to combat dryness.

Avoid these other hairstyle mistakes that age you.

Keeping your eyebrows well-groomed and shaped helps provide a frame for your face and draws attention to your eyes.

Cleansing and moisturising helps protect skin and keep it healthy; but banish regular soap, which can be drying for older skin. Instead, use a cleanser that gently washes without stripping skin of its natural moisture. Avoid skin toners, especially those with a stringent or alcohol base. Follow with a good moisturiser, morning and night.

Follow these tricks for naturally glowing skin (no makeup required).

A study showed that people could accurately guess women’s ages by looking at their hands. Use a good hand cream frequently, preferably one that contains SPF for daytime. Brighten dull hands by exfoliating regularly: Mix sea salt with lemon juice and gently scrub into your hands with a soft toothbrush.

Watch out for these daily habits that could be ageing you prematurely. 

Vitamin K – in kale and other green vegetables – helps your blood coagulate, reducing the impact of bruising. Lycopene in tomatoes gives the skin powerful protection against UV rays. Fruit and veggie consumption resulted in better skin complexion, according to a study.

Here are 8 clear signs you’re not eating enough vegetables. 

Instead of heavy makeup, pick pink, radiant hues that mimic the look of natural youth, says makeup artist and What Not to Wear star Carmindy. “As we age our skin loosens and is not as taught as it once was, so the more makeup you apply, the more it can move, settle, and travel,” she says. “Less makeup will adhere to mature skin much better so you stay looking fresh all day.”

Salmon and other oily fish are rich in DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), a compound that boosts muscle tone and is one of the must-have ingredients in expensive “mature” skin creams. Eating oily fish twice a week offers the same benefits.

Here are more foods that can help fight wrinkles.

A recent study showed that regular exercise can slow the ageing process. You’ll fend off muscle loss and sleep better when you exercise most days of the week. Combine cardiovascular exercise for heart and lungs, stretching for flexibility and resistance exercise for muscles,. “Regular strength training, with your own body weight or using external weights, can help to increase metabolism, increase strength, and improve balance,” says fitness and nutrition expert Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies, who also recommends Pilates classes. “Pilates can help to increase core strength and improve posture,” Palinski-Wade says. “Holding your body more upright with improved posture improves balance, protects against falls, and helps you look younger.”

Sneaking in these 60-second exercises can transform your body.