TIPS TO MAINTAIN A YOUTHFUL APPEARANCE

Let me preface this post by stating that I am NOT an expert in health or wellness, but I know what has worked for me to maintain a youthful appearance. What works for me may not be right for you. My way is not the only way or the best way. We good? Haha! Now that we got that covered…

I used to not openly share my age, mostly because my parents told me not to. Weird, right?! Well, I come from a VERY superstitious culture and they fear that someone will give me the “evil eye” since I look young for my age. Personally, I think it’s because it reveals how old they are lol! Iranians do not like to share their age. Like ever. Speaking of family, my parents are partly to thank for why I look younger than my age. They both have the cutest babyfaces. When people find out my age, they usually don’t believe me and I have to show my ID as proof lol.

I guess it’s time to address the elephant…

I’m 39, turning 40 in November. EEK! I’m not gonna lie, it makes me cringe just because I feel like I haven’t accomplished enough in life. Thankfully, I don’t dwell on that too much though. Insert stats of all the insanely successful people that didn’t start their career until age 50+. Plus, what’s important is that I feel young and I believe that age truly is a state of mind. Enough blabbing, let’s get to it…

TIP 1: BOTOX IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

Botox has saved my face Y’all! I started using Botox in my mid-20s. You may think that’s crazy, but let me explain. I make all kinds of facial expressions: squint my eyes when I smile (I smile a lot!), frown while focusing on pretty much anything, raise my eyebrows endlessly, the list goes on. Over time, all these movements result in wrinkles, many times, very deep ones. In full transparency, I did not want to use Botox but I had full trust in my dad. Oh yeah, maybe I should have mentioned that – my dad is a Plastic Surgeon! He basically told me I would thank him one day. You win dad, THANK YOU!

Where do I get Botox?

I get Botox on my entire forehead, between my brows, and my crows feet. I don’t want to look like a Real Housewife so I still have mobility. You don’t have to fully paralyze the muscle!

What most people don’t know…

If you have already decided that you want to get Botox, but are waiting for a certain age to get it, please know that it doesn’t make existing lines disappear. However, it will soften them so it’s technically never too late to get it. What most people don’t know is that it’s preventative, meaning you use it before you develop lines and wrinkles, not after. I can’t tell you when it’s the right time to get it, that is something to figure out when consulting your doctor.

I COMPLETELY understand that Botox is scary AF! I am lucky to have someone I trust with my life to administer it. You have to be extremely diligent when looking for a doctor. In my opinion, I would recommend that you only go to a licensed Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist. Best thing to do is ask around and do tons of research! See who your friends go to or if they know of anyone. Ask questions! Request a consultation and have all your questions written down so that you don’t miss a thing.

If Botox isn’t your thing…

If Botox isn’t for you, don’t worry, there are other options. In that case, medi-spas are your best friend! There are so many amazing new facials, lasers, lights, etc. that are gentle on the skin and don’t have really any downtime.

TIP 2: SKIN PROTECTION

Wearing sunscreen is a no brainer. Whether you burn easily or not, you need it. What a lot of people don’t know or forget about is reapplying it every 2 hours is just as important…especially if your outdoors for a prolonged period of time or frequently throughout the day, or indoors but close to a window. Trust me, this seems so high maintenance and a major pain in the butt, but it doesn’t have to be. Many brands now have face mists with SPF so you don’t have to disrupt your makeup at all (if anything it witll refreshen your skin). Here are some popular ones I found online:

TIP 3: EXERCISE

This one isn’t a huge surprise. We all know that regular exercise can help you build stronger muscles, prevent chronic diseases, and look better in your clothes. But you may not have known that it actually slows cell aging. It’s even been shown to reverse the aging process in people who start exercising later in life. Amazing, right?!

How to make working out your thing…

I think one major reason people fail to keep up with working out is that they set unreasonable goals and go in too hard. I would ease into it and build up your strength and stamina. Start out by committing to working out 2-3 times a week and build up from there. Even if you walked 30 minutes a day, you’re good. To be in the fat burning range, your heart rate only has to be between 120-130 BPM…that’s nothing! I know it can be boring but the trick to making it fly by is to watch a show or listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook.

The one exercise I will almost never do…

I’ve been working out regularly since I was 15. One thing I’ve avoided almost completely is running. I’ve always admired a runner’s body but noticed that their faces didn’t always match their tight figures. Turns out high impact exercises cause the skin to jolt which can cause the collagen to tear, resulting in loss of skin elasticity. This applies to not just running but other high-intensity workouts like plyometrics or jump roping.

But pounding the pavement is not the only reason for the accelerated aging, many times avid runners are outdoors and don’t use skin protection properly. Look, I’m not saying that you should never run, a lot of the time loss of fat and skin elasticity is found in long-distance runners. Obviously, genetics, age, and lifestyle choices are also factors. But if you don’t want to lose fat in your face, think twice before you decide to do any high impact exercises.

COMMON TIPS

Reduce stress, eat healthier, sleep more, drink more water, drink less alcohol…

This all may seem overwhelming, but just like I mentioned with exercising, remove the pressure and start slow. If you need to drink more water, instead of drinking the daily recommended amount, start with 2 water bottles a day. Need better eating habits, try eating healthy for 2 out of 3 meals a day. I find that if I start the day strong, I make better choices (even on cheat days). However, you start snowballs and then you’re like “F” it. And don’t try to do the most all at once! Incorporate one new habit each week and you’ll be amazed by the results.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Just to be clear again, these are all things that have worked for me. Everyone is different! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to comment below or reach out to me on Instagram:

As always, thank you for stopping by! xxSarah

PS I wanted to focus more on eating healthier, but I think I’m going to write a separate post on it. 😉