AGING SKIN TIPS

I think one of the biggest misnomers about aging skin is that it is always dry. I am 45 years old and I am definitely an oily/acne skin type. I realize that one of the reasons I have younger looking skin is because I am oilier. It is also partly due to genetics, but honestly, I have worked hard to keep my skin younger. My downfall from this is that I break out - which is tricky but by following my oily/acne skin type routine, you will not age prematurely.

I constantly get told I look younger that I am. Usually, I get told at least 10 to 15 years younger. The people who know me probably don't think that, but the strangers who see me do. I truly believe it is because I adhere to a strict regimen of vitamins, supplements, great skincare, purified water, vegetables and exercise. I especially believe the adage that the oilier your skin is, the better you will age.

Francis Feliciano loves the Clarifying Mask and the Day Lotion."Order both here."

MY ADVICE IS:

• Read and follow Section One thoroughly.

• Follow my skincare routine that is right for you.

• Increase your Omega-3 intake. You can increase it to as many as six softgel capsules per day. You have to gauge this by starting out with one softgel capsule per day. Then increase your intake until your skin is producing enough oil to make you happy.

• Always take key supplements. Other key supplements for aging skin are aloe vera, multi-vitamins and vitamin E.

• Drink lots of purified water.

• A&D Baby Ointment has saved my eyes and lips. I live in the ointment. At night, I pat it on and leave it all shiny and greasy. During the day, I put it on after my skincare routine, let it soak in for awhile, and then I either lightly pat the area dry with a Kleenex or I apply eye make-up and then pat with a Kleenex. It definitely makes your under eye make-up slide on easier. Don't feel bad if you are a little shy in the eye area. Top makeup artists around the globe are recommending highlighters under the eyes for a more youthful look. Just make sure you are not too shiny.

• Exercise. It makes you look younger without a doubt. It's key to sweat for the health of your body and your skin. Always make sure to wash your face immediately after exercise, especially if you are prone to breaking out. I have to hit the shower right away after a good sweat because I am very acne prone. If I don't, I break out by the next day.

• Do not smoke. Nothing will age you quicker. If you smoke and have any vanity at all, you will give it up. It discolors and yellows your skin. The lines above your lip from inhaling smoke will increase tri-fold and you will look a decade older in no time flat.

• Alcohol, if at all, in moderation. Excessive amounts of alcohol will age you quickly. I don't drink much at all - sometimes going weeks with none and that I believe keeps my skin younger. Still, I enjoy wine, usually red, and have no more than two glasses when out. Stress will age you as well. So, if it takes a glass of wine to wind you down, that is perhaps better than the effects of stress. But, if you over do it, that could add to your stress and also stress out your liver which will not help your overall body and skin to keep it in tip top shape.

• Sleep is a must. Lack of sleep shows on older people more than anyone. You must have your beauty sleep. If you are very sensitive under the eyes, avoid salty foods as your eyes will only look worse the next morning after a high sodium intake day.

• Maintain a good attitude about your looks. Think positive, enjoy every day, know you will get great results and you will. Mind over matter does great things.

• Meditate. Learn how to meditate and the more you do it, I promise you the younger you will look. Studies have shown that if you just meditate two times a day for 3 minutes each time that it can make a difference.

• Cut out caffeine. The minute I cut out caffeine, my skin looked younger instantly. I do drink green tea which is coined a "good caffeine" as it actually keeps you alert but not aggressive. I only drink one cup of green tea a day. I drink a lot of calming herbal teas throughout the day due to my hectic schedule (I'll take all the help I can get!). Caffeine is also a diuretic and your skin needs to stay nourished in water, not lose it.

• When all else fails, there are the advances of medicine. I am a believer in trying all the less evasive solutions first, but many models get great results due to the advancement of technology with skincare. We are lucky that these far less evasive procedures than face lifts are available to help slow down the aging process. They are not for everyone, and I recommend trying all the healthier measures mentioned in this series before going to this next step.

• I am not against Botox. I think Botox looks natural as long as it is not overdone around the eyes or mouth. If it is done excessively in these areas you can tend to look fake without expression. Botox is used to relax muscles that create lines. Most people are paranoid about Botox injections. I recommend you research Botox to your satisfaction before trying it. Make sure to use to a highly recommended and licensed skincare technician.

• The "Marionette Look" puts years on your face. The lines that begin to run down both sides of the nose past the mouth are the biggest indicators that increase our look by years. Model managers constantly judge a model's age by if those lines are beginning to show. It is called the "Marionette Look" because it carves into your face like the lines of a wooden puppet's mouth. You know it is happening when people ask why you are not happy when you are in a good mood. It is because these lines make you look sad. I love the results my models have achieved with Restalyne which fills in the lines around the mouth. Restaylyne is a hyaluronic acid which holds one thousand times its own weight in water to help restore volume or plumpness to the skin, and it lasts a lot longer than Collagen with no allergy testing required.

• Forehead lines will make you look much older. I have seen models with premature lines on their forehead and once they see it, they realize they have to stop lifting their eyebrows so much. I am quite animated but don't lift my brows much, and I don't have any deep forehead lines at the age of forty-five. You can learn to not do this. While at home, wear tape on your forehead in a cross over both brows until it doesn't fall off, or you can try Botox to stop those muscles from contracting.

I wish I could say that aging is just all genetics but it's not. It's a state of mind, it's a dedicated individual who will take the steps to have great skin, and above all it's about enjoying life. The great thing about these steps is that they will most likely lengthen the years you live and with a little more happiness as well. If your life doesn't make you happy, then you have to start taking the steps to make it so. Follow my advice, read books that inspire you, watch movies that make you happy and make you laugh, hang around people who make you feel good about yourself, and above all, treat yourself and others with kind, loving care.