You never thought the day would come. You peer into the mirror and see you—only different, older. Whether you call them wrinkles or laugh lines, there’s an entire market of beauty products devoted to erasing them. But the key to minimizing the appearance of wrinkles might not be hiding in expensive creams. Rather, you may just find a home remedy in your own kitchen pantry and in your every day habits, says Judy Fulop, a naturopathic doctor (ND) at Northwestern Integrative Medicine.
“As one ages, there is a decrease in the amount of oils created from the skin, causing drier skin and a wrinkled appearance. A decrease in the amount of fat in the deepest layers of the skin also leads to decreases in collagen and elasticity,” Fulop says.
Preventive measures are your best bet home remedies for wrinkles. Portland, Ore., naturopathic doctor Amy Bader, who is on the clinical faculty of the National College of Natural Medicine, cites what she calls the “Four Ss” for preventing wrinkles: avoid the sun, don’t smoke, don’t eat sugar and minimize stress.
Bader and Fulop agree that the journey to beautiful skin and fewer wrinkles starts on the inside. Take a look at your diet and make changes now to create supple skin to last well into your future.
- Eat healthy oils. Fatty acids found in cold water fish (like salmon, tuna and sardines), olive oil and flax oil help provide plumpness and elasticity, Fulop says.
- Minimize sugar. Sugar starts a cascade of stress hormones in the body that accelerate the aging process, Bader says.
- Boost antioxidants. Powerhouse foods like green tea and dark chocolate boast antioxidants that are fantastic for healthy skin, Bader says.
- Refill your glass. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of filtered water each day.
What about the wrinkles you already have? It’s unlikely you can improve the appearance of deep wrinkles, Bader says, but there’s still hope for naturally treating fine lines. What’s more, these skin-hydrating home remedies, shared by Fulop, are available from your own kitchen pantry.
- Weekly face mask. Mix honey, almond oil and a few drops of rose essential oil; apply to skin and wash off in 20-40 minutes.
- Overnight moisturizer. Combine finely ground kelp powder (available at natural-food stores) and aloe vera gel. Apply to face before bedtime to purify, help absorb impurities from the skin and restore lost nutrients.
- Natural exfoliator. Gently exfoliate as often as every day with oatmeal, which removes dead surface cells and increases blood flow to the area to restore moisture. Mix 1/2 cup oatmeal with 1/4 cup warm water to make a paste. Gently scrub in circles, then rinse skin with warm water. Then, in the skin’s moisture with coconut oil.
This article was originally published as Home Remedies for Wrinkles on SpryLiving.com.
