9 Surprising Everyday Things That Are Aging You

Aging is unavoidable, despite how many anti-aging products there are on the market that promise you'll look like you're in your 30s again.

While that's impossible, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that there are external factors that impact the way we age, like our environment and how we treat our bodies.

What might shock you, however, is exactly what's making an impact on your skin.

There are things that you're doing every day -- that might be second nature to you -- that are causing you to age faster!

We can buy expensive skin care products and get treatments to try and reverse signs of aging and damage, but if we're not making lifestyle adjustments, then those treatments are only going to go so far.

Well, ladies, today I'm going to let you know those sneaky everyday things that are making you age faster!

This way, you can make some changes to your life if you want to.

I'm sure you'll find some shockers on this list!

1. Inflammatory Foods

What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your body.

Some inflammatory foods that can cause you to age faster include:

• Sugar

• Processed foods

• Fatty/Red meats

• Fried foods

But why is this so?

Eating too many inflammatory foods can break down cells in your body that are responsible for collagen production.

As a refresher, collagen is essential to our skin as it keeps your skin firm and wrinkle-free.

If processed, fried, and surgery foods are a part of your daily diet, you might want to make some adjustments.

Not only for your skin’s health, but for your overall body health!

Inflammatory foods also lead to more serious conditions, like heart problems.

A good rule of thumb is everything in moderation.

Rather than eating a donut for breakfast every day, trying having them only once a month or on special occasions.

Substitute fatty meats for fresh fish rich in omega fatty acids.

Eat more fresh fruit and veggies instead of potato chips at snack time.

Small changes in your diet will improve your overall health and the health of your skin.

If you are looking to learn more about how your diet can affect your skin, read this article.

2. Stress

I'm sure most of you reading this article are a little too familiar with stress.

Kids, work, family...the list of things to worry about goes on and on.

Subjecting your body to stress over a long period of time results in stress hormones, such as cortisol, being released into your body.

This is great if you’re running from bears and dodging other threats.

Cortisol keeps you on high alert, ready to act.

But these days, we aren't constantly under attack by predators; we're now worried about meeting deadlines and finishing reports at work.

Being in this constant state of flight or fright puts a huge drain on your immune system and other body functions.

If your insides are working overtime, that means it’s going to show up on the outside.

So, if you can’t quit your demanding job and lay on a warm beach 24/7, how can you handle your stress?

Good news -- there are plenty of easy and effective ways to manage it!

• Breathe. When was the last time you closed your eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath? Close your eyes, inhale, and let new oxygen fill every nook and cranny of your body. Let those shoulders relax away from your ears while you’re at it. Go on, I’ll wait.
• Sleep. While you sleep, your body heals. Make an effort to increase the amount of sleep you get each day.
• Exercise. Moving your body at least three times a week will do wonders for your stress levels. Thank you, endorphins!
• Practice self-care. Treat yourself to a massage or facial once a month, or practice hygge at home. Now that’s the stress relief I’m talking about!

Apply a face mask and chill on the couch while you're at it. My Clear Collagen Peel-Off Masque delivers a youthful contour to your face in just 20 minutes!

If you're interested in more stress reduction tips, here's a great article.

Now that you have some helpful tools to combat stress, let’s continue on our journey.

Speaking of stress…

3. Alcohol

Oh Mai Tai, take me away.

Do you ever consume alcohol because you had a bad or stressful day?

Hey, it's OK!

I’m not here to judge, because someone along the way invented Mai Tais and they’re delicious.

But drinking too much and too often is very dehydrating.

Alcohol is a natural diuretic, meaning it zaps a lot of your fluid from your body.

This leaves your skin looking dry and dull, and fine lines and wrinkles appear more prominent.

It can also make your face appear more flushed as it widens blood vessels.

You can find out more info about alcohol and your skin in this article.

I mentioned moderation before and it applies here, too.

Enjoy life and drink your cocktails!

Just not every single day.

4. Ignoring Your Eyes

If you have a skin care routine for your face, I hope eye cream is a part of it!

Many people I know write it off and think plain ol' moisturizer is a good enough substitute.

This is not so.

Think of all the squinting and constant movement our eyes are doing!

You can start using eye cream as early as your 20s to prevent future signs of aging.

I say this all the time here on my blog -- prevention is easier than treatment.

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate, so it's more prone to dryness, dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles.

Eye cream is thicker than a traditional moisturizer and contains active ingredients to correct some of these issues.

An eye cream that contains peptides is best, like my Anti-Aging Peptide Eye Cream.

Peptides help revitalize your skin by retaining firmness and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

My formula also nourishes and protects the sensitive skin around your eyes with natural ingredients like passionflower extract and grape leaf extract.

5. Washing Your Face Too Much

Besides applying sunscreen, cleansing your face is the most important part of your skin care routine.

It removes acne-causing bacteria, excess oils, dirt, makeup, and impurities while prepping your skin for your other products.

However, you shouldn't cleanse more than twice a day.

This causes your skin to dry out by stripping those natural oils that are there to protect your skin and keep it looking youthful.

Cleansing your face in the morning and the evening is the best rule of thumb.

If nothing else, be sure to cleanse your face in the evening to remove everything that has collected on your face during the day.

If you're looking for a great cleanser, I've got you covered!

My Foaming Pumpkin Cleanser has a non-drying and gentle formula that will balance your skin's pH and refine pores for a noticeably glowing complexion.

It's made with refreshing, soothing ingredients like aloe, carrot seed oil, and pumpkin seed oil.

6. Sleeping Face Down

Now, this is a tricky one.

What if you’re someone who only sleeps really well laying on your tummy or side?

Do you sacrifice a good night's sleep to save your face from wrinkles?

I would say getting enough sleep at night is more important than worrying about fine lines, but it's up to you.

Let's talk about why this happens.

If you sleep on your stomach or side, your face is going to be in the pillow.

You might risk imprints or pretty patterns on your face that later turn into lines.

As we age, we lose the elasticity in our skin.

This causes creases in our skin to stay permanently.

7. Lack Of Sleep

You're probably thinking, "Gosh, first it's HOW I sleep, now it's HOW MUCH I sleep that affects aging?!"

The CDC recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

Excuse me while I try and hold back a laugh -- if you have children, you know that this seems impossible!

However, this number varies from person to person since we're all different.

You know how much sleep you need to feel your best.

I really try and squeeze in those recommended hours by moving around my routine if I need to.

When we sleep, our skin has time to repair itself and recover from environmental stressors, and nighttime skin care products have time to go to work.

Consistently NOT getting enough sleep can create dark undereye circles, puffiness, and dull skin.

Plus, there are countless studies that show not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your overall health.

Some of my clients have reported that it also leads to a flare-up in skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

In case you needed more proof, one study revealed that those who didn't sleep well exhibited more fine lines, uneven pigmentation, and reduced skin elasticity than their counterparts who got enough sleep.

My Night R1 Retinol Facial Oil is my absolute favorite product to wear at night to ensure I'm waking up with glowing, younger-looking skin.

I love skin care products that do all the work for me while I'm sleeping, thank you very much!

8. Not Using Sunscreen

If you've read my blog before, you already know that wearing sunscreen every day is the quickest and easiest way to fight aging.

Yes, even when it's cloudy outside.

I get it -- it can be easy to forget about, and the sun's warmth can be addicting (especially for those of you who live in colder climates).

But the sun and excess exposure to UV rays break down your skin cells, causing age spots, uneven texture, wrinkles, and even skin cancer.

You can check out some of my previous articles about sun damage here and here.

If that wasn't enough, here's a serious statistic.

Luckily, wearing sunscreen doesn't have to be a chore!

Personally, I love the Image Skincare Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50 for its moisturizing abilities.

It blends with my skin so smoothly that I forget I'm even wearing sunscreen!

9. Using A Straw

Not only have straws fallen out of favor lately (hello, Starbucks and Disneyland), but they also create fine lines around your mouth!

Using a straw to sip your favorite beverage has the same effect on the skin around your lips as smoking does.

The repeated pursing movement will eventually cause permanent lines around your mouth, as well as a loss of elasticity.

Don’t Despair! Everything In Moderation...

Did I mention aging is unavoidable?

Even if you never leave your house, exercise the right amount, and drink within reason, you’re still going to age.

And to top it all off, this list isn’t complete.

That’s right, there are more things out there that contribute to aging!

So, what’s a gal to do?

Well, my hope is you keep living.

The point of life is to live it and live it your way.

As a friend of mine recently said, “I earned these wrinkles!"

Exercise daily, or don't.

Sleep face down, or don't.

Whatever your choices are, be happy with them and embrace your beautiful self.

Final Thoughts

If you don't make adjustments to your life to prolong the health and vitality of your skin, it may not look exactly the way you want it to in 10 or more years.

Luckily, there are products out there created to help!

No, they're not a cure-all, but they do show results.

If you're looking to specifically tackle aging signs, my Deluxe Anti-Aging Set is a great place to start as it has everything you need to establish a regimen.

It contains my Daily OC Cream Cleanser, Clear Collagen Peel-Off Masque, Night R1 Retinol Facial Oil, and Daily Vitamin C Moisturizer.

Now, go and live your best life and make choices that you're happy with!

Do you have any anti-aging hacks that you'd like to share with other readers? What's one method or product you use to combat aging? I'd love to read your input in the comments!