There are so many wonderful aspects of aging—the wisdom, the insight, the financial stability, the self-assuredness—but let’s face it, watching our faces and skin change is not easy. Crow’s feet, fine lines, lackluster skin, sun spots, all of the woes that result from loss of skin elasticity. The good news is, there are natural anti-aging skin care regimens that can help treat these issues:

1. Wear sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen is single-handedly the most important thing that you can do to protect your skin. Whether it is sunny or cloudy, summer or winter, protecting your skin from UV rays is essential. These harmful rays warm up your skin, which breaks down the elastin and collagen causing a slew of issues from premature aging to discoloration.

2. Limit sugar intake
This one can be a difficult pill to swallow, but sugar can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging. When sugar is ingested, it causes a cross-linking of collagen which affects the skin’s elasticity. This loosened elasticity results in wrinkles, skin sagging, and dark spots. Opting for an all-around healthy diet is extremely helpful, but if you aren’t ready for the whole lifestyle swap, start by eliminating sugar.

3. Quit smoking
Smoking has shown to be bad for health in general, but especially in skin health. The nicotine leads to the narrowing of blood vessels in the outer layer of skin, which impairs blood flow and causes wrinkles. Beyond just nicotine, there are also thousands of other chemicals that damage the collagen and elastin. For the health and longevity of yourself and your skin, it is best to quit smoking.

4. Use coconut oil
In recent years, coconut oil has risen in popularity with miracle claims for both inner and outer health—including anti-aging properties! When applied topically, the oil absorbs into your skin and connective tissues, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

5. Take beta carotene
Beta carotene is a pigment found in red-orange fruits and vegetables that is converted into vitamin A. This antioxidant can be taken through supplementation or through its natural form in carrots and other vibrant fruits/vegetables. The vitamin A and antioxidant properties help reduce wrinkles and fine lines by promoting the production of skin-building compounds.

6. Wash your face
Whether you wear makeup or not, washing your face every single night before bed is a must! Washing your face removes the build-up of pollution, oil, and sweat. If your skin isn’t clean and in the state to repair itself, it will not be able to fight the wrinkles that occur through collagen breakdown.

No matter how old you are, taking these steps toward anti-aging and skin repair is vital. If you haven’t begun seeing signs of aging, use these as preventative; whereas if you’re overwhelmed by frown lines and wrinkles, these anti-aging skin care tips can help reverse and reduce your woes! We are bombarded by the media of procedures and artificial ways to reverse aging, but in reality, there are plenty of natural, inexpensive ways to get that supple, youthful glow!