I know, I know. It’s gross to always be trying to chase the fountain of youth. Yes I think you should embrace your age. Yes I think that you should grow old gracefully. However, there is also a voice inside me saying “giiiiiiirl, you sure don’t look the same as you did five years ago”. So instead of making a Botox appointment yet, there are a lot of tricks you can use to your advantage when it comes to looking a bit younger and well rested. They aren’t permanent either. So if you’re looking for a little pick me up instead of a procedure, then read on.

Wear Less Makeup

Thick foundation can actually settle into fine lines, making them more noticeable. So if you’re used to wearing foundation, keep skin well hydrated and blend, blend,blend. Dark eye makeup can accent crows feet as well. So focus on keeping your eyes light and bright.

Loosen Up

Tightly pulled back hair draws all of the attention onto your face. If you are feeling self conscious about any lines that you have, then this style will only make you feel worse. Try a looser style that softly frames the face.

Keep Away From Lipstick

Our lips can lose volume as we age. A lot of people think that the answer to filling our lips back into a full pout is through liner and lipstick. Wrong. A soft pink or rose gloss is the answer to the problem. Shiny pinks and roses make lips look more full.

Get Some Oil

A few drops of jojoba or rose hip oil rubbed into your face will temporarily fill fine lines. You can easily find both at health stores or drug stores.

Whiten Up

When it comes to teeth, a white smile can take years off. When doing at home white strips, it’s best to do two back to back rather than every day. The first application will make the teeth porous which will help the second application absorb better.

Get The Cut

Switching your part or adding some bangs can make a whole world of difference. Side swept bangs will hide wrinkles and give you a great hair update. Switching how you part your hair is a great way of hiding a couple of years too because the sun can actually make it grey faster. It also adds more volume.

Add Some Mascara

To add oomph to your eye lashes and take away from any lines, start with one coat of a lengthening formula mascara. Then before it completely dries, add two coats of thickening mascara. You will have lashes that stand out.

Warm Up

Remember the next time that you do your eye makeup, stay away from the cool tones and reach for the warm. A bronze eyeshadow rather than a dark grey will make your face look more youthful.

Sexy Time

Sex is good for a lot of things. One of these things is that if you have sex three times a week it can make a woman look up to ten years younger (it’s been proven). Another is that after sex you have a great youthful glow. So giddy up ladies.

Highlight

Putting a few highlights around your face will lighten and brighten your whole look. Too dark or too light of hair can age you beyond your years. A nice subtle color with face framing highlights are the way to go if you want to take some years off.

Remember Your Hands

A lot of the time women think that their faces tell their age. In a lot of cases, the hands will give you up. Wear nail polish or a ring. It makes your hands look younger.

Smile

It has been proven that optimists look better as they age. Screw anything to do with aging though. Who cares about their age when you look happy and content with your life! A good smile can make people feel at ease with you and make you more approachable.

Get Your Ass To Bed

Going to bed earlier will reduce dark circles, perk up sallow skin and improve your mood. People who get five hours of sleep a night will age more quickly thank if they were getting eight or nine hours.

Do Your Brows

Filling in your brows with a shimmer cream shadow will give off a more natural and youthful appearance than harsh pencils or powders. Just remember, a little will go a loooong way. Don’t go too dark or too thick because it will actually have the reverse affect.

At the end of the day aging isn’t a bad thing. I would never do my twenties over again, even if it was just for the great skin. I have felt the best about myself in my thirties. You have more wisdom and self esteem. To be honest, I can’t wait to see what my forties and beyond will bring me. With that being said, I understand wanting to make a few tweaks here and there as a pick me up. As mothers, women in the workforce, wives, bosses, we can get so busy that we forget to take care of ourselves. Sometimes taking an hour for ourselves, even if its just to get a few highlights, can do wonders for our faces and our spirit. Plus, these are all easy and simple things that you can do without trying something drastic. As much as I do contemplate Botox (and I’m not saying I won’t try it at some point) the lines on my face mean something. My laugh lines are from all the times I have laughed and enjoyed my life. My frown lines are all from spending time with my husband and my son (yes I love them dearly and I would go to the ends of the earth to protect them, but lets face it, if a vase is getting broken or a mess is made its because of those two). There’s something to be said for showing the life that you’ve lived proudly on your face.

xo Stephanie