How to Get Skin That Gets You Carded

We know, we know, it sounds like the pitch of a snake-oil salesman: Make these simple changes to your life and watch years melt away! But research shows that there are real strategies that do produce glowier, younger-looking skin, and they don't involve needles or a dermatologist visit. There aren't a whole lot of these proven tactics—many hoped-for solutions don't bear out under scrutiny in the lab—but there are enough. Here, a skin-improvement plan that actually, truly works.

1. Add Retinol to Your Skin Care

As antiaging ingredients go, nothing—honestly, nothing—works better at boosting collagen, reducing fine lines, evening out discoloration, and tightening pores than the little vitamin A molecule called retinol. "There are decades of research about how it stimulates cell turnover and gets skin looking and acting younger," says Scottsdale, Arizona, dermatologist Jennifer Linder, M.D. "And that doesn't even get into how great it is at fighting acne too." Retinol can prevent breakouts, she explains, and even reverse sun damage: "It's really the be-all and end-all in antiaging." What's been exciting recently, she adds, is how far over-the-counter creams and serums have come from the earlier harsh, face-peeling versions like prescription Retin-A. "The improved blends are more stable and are now paired with skin-calming ingredients," says Dr. Linder. The usual retinol caveats apply: Use SPF religiously, since retinol can initially make your skin more sun-sensitive; apply it at night (sunlight deactivates retinol); and ease into a routine by applying every other day for the first few weeks. "But now there are elegant formulas that have moisturizers like hyaluronic acid or oils, plus all these great additional antioxidants, so you can tolerate it better," she says. You should see wrinkle-minimizing in about six weeks, if not sooner.

2. Boost Your Cardio Workout 
Here's the most intriguing antiaging news we've heard in a while: Doing cardio may erase years from your skin. In a recent study from McMaster University in Ontario, researchers found that active adults had skin that was more resilient and thicker than that of their sedentary peers. But good news: They also found that if those sedentary 65-and-older volunteers—the ones with thinner, older-looking skin—rode on a stationary bike or jogged twice a week, the inner layer of their skin plumped up after three months. So start exercising now; it's never too late. 

3. Massage Your Face
You know those moments during a facial when the aesthetician gives your face a little rubdown, midtreatment? It turns out that's more than just a fancy way to put on a moisturizing mask. Face massages have been shown to improve your mood—and emerging research indicates they may also help reduce puffiness if you do one a couple of times a week for three months. Or if you want to treat undereye bags and dark circles, San Francisco facialist Kristina Holey advises smoothing on an eye serum, then tapping your middle finger near the inner corner of your eye, just underneath your eyebrow, and gently pressing all the way around your eye. "Start with three minutes a day," says Holey. "There can be a lot of congestion there."

4. Eat More Vegetables
Specifically, add these vitamin-rich, antiaging powerhouses to your diet: For brown spots or unevenness, load up on vitamin A (the same vitamin retinol is derived from), which studies have shown can protect the skin from UVA sun damage. You can find tons of the stuff in carrots. Los Angeles nutritionist Kimberly Snyder also loves red cabbage, which, she says, "contains the anti-inflammatory vitamin E, not to mention lots of cleansing fiber to help lower cortisol levels and prevent lines around the eyes from starting in the first place." (Cortisol, the hormone your body produces when you're stressed out, has been shown to cause a whole cascade of bad-for-skin reactions.) Last but not least, look for vitamin C, which you can get in red bell peppers (and a slew of other fruits and vegetables): "It can help to repair and regenerate your skin's collagen and strengthen cells," says Snyder. Cabbage plus carrots plus bell peppers: You've got the beginnings of a nice slaw, and some seriously glowing skin. "People go to great lengths with supplements," notes Snyder, "but it's so simple—and delicious!—to get gorgeous skin through whole foods."

First published at www.glamour.com