What’s the next best thing? Aging well.
What does that mean? It’s about embracing and appreciating the process of getting older while leaning into the positive aspects of aging - more knowledge, experience, and wisdom.
Instead of trying to keep up with the teens, use these 10 secrets to age on your own graceful, healthy, stylish terms.
1 - Get Plenty of Quality Sleep
You might be able to function on just a few hours of sleep. But your goal shouldn’t be to just function on as little as possible. You deserve to thrive. And that requires good quality sleep.
Plus, your appearance will reveal your sleep deprivation. Dark circles and puffy eye bags are hard to get rid of, decry your exhaustion, and make you look older than you really are.
If you’re having a hard time getting to sleep or just feeling worn out all the time, try these tips:
No afternoon caffeine.
Sure, caffeine gives you a welcome jolt in the morning. But if you drink coffee after lunch, it may still be active in your system when you try to go to bed.
Wake up at the same time every day.
Consistently waking up at the same time - even on weekends - will help you establish a regular, healthy, and refreshing sleep cycle. If you had a late night, get up at the same time you always do and try to catch a nap later in the day.
Reduce distractions.
Social media, email, and TV can all cause major distractions that throw off your sleep. If your phone is dinging all through the night, you’re much more likely to have sporadic sleep with un-refreshing results. So set it to silent, put on do not disturb, or charge it overnight somewhere outside your bedroom.
2 - Stay Fit and Flexible
If you have bad posture, struggle to stand up out of a chair, or walk all bent over… guess how you look?
Old.
Many guys lose flexibility and suffer from stiff joints as they age. In fact, research shows that range of motion dramatically declines in men by the time they reach their 80’s. So if you make an effort to stay nimble, you’ll naturally look, move, and feel like a younger man.
What if you’re already noticing a reduction in your flexibility? Is it too late?
Nope. The good news is that you can get that flexibility back if you start stretching regularly. A good place to start is with chest openers, hip flexor stretches, upper back stretches, and lower back rotations.
According to Colorado State University, even short bouts of stretches can quickly add up to marked improvements. Besides making you more flexible, these improvements also contribute to better mental health. It’s win-win.
Flexibility, good posture, and freedom of movement are intrinsic signs of youth. But once you hit your 30’s, you start to lose all those things. Stay flexible by avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, doing regular stretches, and doing yoga or similar exercises that build flexibility.
Keep in mind, your goal is functional flexibility, not Cirque de Soleil level contortions. A healthy habit of movement and stretching is more than enough.
3 - Enjoy a Balanced Diet
You are what you eat - so yes, your food choices may be aging you more than necessary. The nutritional content of your meals has a significant effect on the way your skin looks and feels.
Poor eating habits lead to extra weight - which ages you. Whether it’s a second chin, a spare tire, or just general flab, excess weight makes you look several years older than you actually are - not to mention the health concerns of obesity.
Fortunately, it’s not hard to make a few healthy adjustments. And, contrary to popular belief, eating well can be downright delicious. Here are some simple ways to make sure you’re enjoying - not just suffering through - a balanced diet.
Embrace a variety of vegetables.
There are tons of tasty vegetables that can be cooked in a variety of mouth watering ways. Don’t limit yourself to one method or assume that you dislike a certain veggie because one time you tasted it and weren’t a fan.
Pack your own meals.
When you’re on the go and need a quick meal, your nutrition tends to suffer. Fix that by packing healthy meals with and bringing them with you - whether it’s for work or a day out running errands.
Snack smarter.
Switch out candy and chips for carrots, fruit, nuts, and other healthier choices.
Learn to cook (or get better at it).
Be wiling to get creative with meals and use healthy ingredients you may not be accustomed to. Incorporating vegetarian meals into your culinary repertoire can also help you make healthier choices throughout your week’s meals.
4 - Protect Your Skin from the Sun
The #1 cause of accelerated aging is UV exposure. The sun’s damaging UVA and UVB rays can cause discoloration, age spots, wrinkles, fine lines… everything that ages you. And that’s without getting into the increased risk of developing skin cancer from unprotected sun exposure.
One of the easiest ways you can age gracefully is by using sunscreen regularly. If you’re going to spend more than a few minutes out in the sun, do yourself a favor and reach for an SPF product.
Keep in mind, though, that not all sunscreens are the same. Many contain active ingredients that are harmful to both you and the environment. But you won’t find them in our SPF creams:
Daily Defense Face Moisturizer with SPF 20 - Made with zinc oxide and hydrating ingredients, it offers broad spectrum protection, rubs in smooth, and won’t dry or irritate facial skin.
Element Defense Moisturizer with SPF 45 - Use it to keep your body smooth, nourished, and undamaged from sun exposure. It protects from UVA/B with zinc oxide and cares for your skin with green tea, sunflower oil, and vitamin E.
5 - Avoid Harmful Habits
It’s no surprise to researchers that smoking causes early aging. As far back as 1856, that correlation had already been identified and reported on. But the latest research backs up those reports even more.
A recent study by Danish researchers - “Alcohol consumption, smoking and development of visible age-related signs: a prospective cohort study” - analyzed the health information collected from more than 11,000 Danish men and women. The data was collected as participants were followed from 1976 until 2003. The data included their drinking habits, smoking habits, eating habits, and reports from medical exams that measured their heart disease and signs of aging.
Aging can be hard to quantify, so the study looked at 4 common signs: a grey ring around the eye’s cornea, eyelid plaque growth, male pattern baldness, and creases on the earlobes.
What were the results? How do these common habits - smoking and heavy drinking - factor into the aging process?
Men who were heavy drinkers were up to 36% more likely to develop earlobe creases than light or moderate drinkers. Of the four aging factors analyzed, the only one that did not show a direct relationship with heavy drinking was male pattern baldness - it’s mostly genetic. Even so, all the non-genetic signs of aging were accelerated and more clearly apparent in men who drank heavily.
Interestingly, men who totally abstained from alcohol were not any better off than those who drank lightly or moderately. It seems that the old adage, “Everything in moderation,” is worth following.
6 - Prioritize Anti-Aging Skincare
First, commit to the basics - twice a day, use a face wash designed for your skin type to remove dirt, oil, and other debris. And at a bare minimum, use face moisturizer afterwards. But there’s much more you can do for your skin:
Exfoliate regularly.
You’re constantly shedding dead skin cells skin, which collect on your face and form a dull outer layer. To brighten your complexion and maintain a youthful glow, it’s critical that you exfoliate your skin. How?
Every other day after washing your face, use our Renewing Face Scrub. It’s a cleansing product with small, gritty ingredients that scrub away dead skin cells to reveal the fresh skin beneath.
Go deep with serum.
Anti-aging serums are concentrated products that are absorbed deep into your skin. That’s where they can best boost collagen production for firmer, smoother skin on the surface.
Our Reviving Day Serum leverage peptides to tighten your skin along with potent moisturizers that leave it full, plump, and smooth.
Our Repairing Night Serum is made with plant stem cells and other natural ingredients that correct age spots and fight inflammation.
Upgrade to anti-aging cream.
The older you get, the less collagen your skin produces and the saggier it gets. So you need to move from a basic moisturizer to an anti-aging cream that nourishes, hydrates, and firms. We offer two:
Our Resurfacing Anti-Aging Cream with vitamin C is designed for use in the morning to seal in all day moisture and enhance your skin with nourishing ingredients.
In the evening, we recommend our Revitalizing Anti-Aging Cream to help rejuvenate your skin and correct common issues caused by aging.
7 - Keep Your Hair Short and Trim
Think of the old wizard in any fantasy movie. How crazy was their hair? Long and wiry, unkempt and out of control?
That’s because long, untrimmed hair is the look of the old - not the young.
If you want to age slowly and gracefully, you’ve got to keep your hair trim and well groomed. Ask your barber to keep it short with modern lines.
Worried that cutting your hair short will reveal your bald spot or receding hair line? In reality, shorter hair will make you look better. Trying to cover up hair loss with long hair and visual tricks is another sure sign of age.
If you’re concerned about thinning hair, our Daily Strengthening Shampoo can help. It builds volume while cleansing and thickening your hair - all with gentle, natural ingredients that won’t over-dry your hair or irritate your scalp.
8 - Ditch the Facial Hair
Much like long, unkempt hair ages you, so does your facial hair. Any facial hair. If you’re serious about turning back the clock - visually, at least - you’ve got to ditch the beard, mustache, and goatee.
Clean shaven guys look younger. Yes, it requires more upkeep. Yes, you have to be smart about avoiding razor burn and ingrown hairs. And yes - it’s worth it.
Can’t bring yourself to totally remove your beard? A short, well trimmed beard, goatee, or mustache can still work with your goal of seamless aging. Just be sure to step up your grooming game - like by using Beard Oil to moisturize, soften, and shine your whiskers.
9 - Dress Better Than You Have To
The way you look is dominated by the clothes you choose to wear. What do your outfits say about you? That you’re old and out of touch? If so, it’s time for a change.
You don’t have to toss out your whole wardrobe. Just pay more attention to the way your clothing fits. Keep it trim and fitted - not too tight or too loose. Use classic attire that never goes completely out of style. That prevents you from looking a certain age just based on what you’re wearing - and saves you from trend chasing.
Many guys give up on themselves style-wise as they age. Their clothes get messier, looser, and sloppier. Fight that tendency and you’ll shave years off your perceived age.
10 - Embrace New Things
One of the defining aspects of becoming “old” is being set in your ways. Unwilling to adapt. Resistant to learning any new tricks.
If you actively push back on the stubbornness that comes with getting older, you’ll be able to maintain a youthful persona. How can you do that?
Appreciate the young people in your life.
Be willing to learn from the young people around you - both in your family and your community. Adopt some of their habits, music, and language - but not artificially, only if you really enjoy them. The goal isn’t to fake youth; it’s to learn from the next generation and ease slower into the aging process.
Travel.
Getting out and seeing the world - especially people and cultures outside your normal bubble - will help you keep a fresh outlook on life and prevent you from getting into a slump as you age.
Stay informed.
There’s lots of ways to do this - from staying up on current events to reading new works of fiction to participating in community events. The exposure will help you keep a an up to date outlook and allow you to combine the wisdom that comes with age with the advances of modern life.
