Home Remedies for Eternal Youth
Stay-Young Secrets
Ever wonder why your peers somehow look years younger than you do? The editors at AOL Health decided it must be more than luck and good genes. So we asked real people what works for them.
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Remember Your Neck
This friend raved about Bath and Body Works body butter -- she uses it on her hands, elbows, knees, feet, and neck every single night, but her secret is, "focusing on my neck a lot because you can't really get a neck lift like a face lift. Keeping it moisturized helps you to stay looking younger."
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No More Baggy Eyes
Our friend stumbled on this trick by a happy accident. "Last year I ran out of my eye cream. It was winter and very dry and I wanted to put something underneath my eyes before I went to bed. I tried my Carmax [lip moisturizer] and not only did it work, I felt like it worked better than my eye cream. It has the menthol in it, and it cools the under-eye area. I use it every night, and it absorbs into my skin. I think it does wonders!"
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The Key to Keeping Wrinkle-Free Is
"Glycolic acid peels and regular treatments with glycolic acid, completely changed my life," says one of our co-workers. "I never had bad skin, but when I was in my 20s and working at a women's magazine, the beauty editor was looking for a guinea pig to try a new treatment a local plastic surgeon had formulated. Everyone on staff said no but me, and within six weeks, every single person I knew was asking what I had done to my skin. I used his formulation for about three years. Since then, I just get occasional treatments and have a cream with glycolic, and still no wrinkles. If used properly, the stuff is amazing."
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Stay Hydrated
One of our youthful-skinned editors says her stay-young secret is, "Water, water, water. I am convinced that water keeps me looking young. Not only does it fill my stomach and help me stay slim, but water keeps my skin hydrated, which is a key to looking young and fresh. I've been drinking at least five glasses a day for as long as I can remember, and don't feel right if I can't. Besides water, I believe moisturizer is important, and I use it on my face and body every morning and night."
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Combat Arm Jiggle
Yes, one way to avoid that middle-aged-lady giveaway (flabby arms), is to lift weights. One person advised us: "I use five pound dumbbells and only spend five minutes at a time, but it keeps sagging arms from appearing and helps fight against that slumping older people have."
Try our step-by-step arm exercise guide.
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Moisturize at Any Price
Another friend said this is what works for him: "Slather on moisturizer twice a day. It doesn't matter how expensive or cheap the moisturizer is, as long as it is slathered on. If you have money for a more expensive one, good, but any will do."
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One Never Grows Old at the Table
"I don't believe in dieting, but I do believe that every calorie should count... If you think of your body as a machine and know what it takes to run it properly, there isn't much room for eating anything except good healthy food," according to one of our acquaintances. She said that living in Italy taught her the joys of dining and the celebration of eating based around long, leisurely meals cooked from fresh ingredients and served with a glass of red wine. After all, she says, "Italians have a saying, 'One never grows old at the table'. Perhaps that is the best remedy of all!"
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Stay Active
"I believe in exercising and doing exercise that you love!" is the advice of our fit friend. "That way you will stick with it. I run in the soft sand three to four days a week and it's an experience for me! I feel so good afterwards, and I know it is helping my body stay in shape. My muscles are more defined as a result and that looks youthful to me!"
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Don't Let Your Smile Give Your Age Away
Stained, discolored teeth may tell others how old you are without you realizing -- or so we hear. Learn about surprising causes of teeth stains. Plus, we've asked the experts about tooth whiteners for any budget.
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Recent Comments
NEME99 09:01:10 PM Mar 10 2009
Thank you for bringing this topic to the forefront. An excellent book that I would like to recommend is: "Not Just a Pretty Face" by Stacy Malkan. I found a company and represent their skin nutrition, Non-toxic, fragrance-free, green and clean. Please check it out. Excellent results. www.normarose.inf
Lila0228 11:20:36 PM Oct 15 2008
Another great, cheap way to keep skin looking young is a microdermabrasion cloth. You can get them on ebay for $2. All you do is use it to exfoliate once or twice a week and it's just as good as a microdermabrasion treatment at a dr's office. Very good for lines in the forehead, acne scars, blackheads, etc. Its good for all skin types because you can use it as little or as much as you want.
Lila0228 11:17:57 PM Oct 15 2008
It's great that everyone is moisturizing, but people, look at the ingredients on the back of the bottle. It's all chemicals! Get an organic moisturizer and use that. How in the world would slathering a bunch of chemicals all over your face and body every day keep you young?? I'd think that it would age you faster because it's all toxins going into your skin. I use plain olive oil soap on my skin, and it works great for oily or dry skin without drying it out. It also takes off your makeup. And organic natural moisturizer when i do need it.
QLittlestar 11:02:08 PM Oct 15 2008
MOISTURIZE!!!! I noticed when I went to my 20th year class reunion all of the women looked great and the White guys looked busted, when I asked my friend what kind of moisturizers does he use, he said "you are crazy, white guys don't moisturize!" That's sooooo GAY!!! I told him that EVERY Black person in America moisturizes from head to toe after every shower. So it makes me wonder if it is melanin or moisturization that makes Black look so young for so long.
QLittlestar 11:01:04 PM Oct 15 2008
MOISTURIZE!!!! I noticed when I went to my 20th year class reunion all of the women looked great and the White guys looked busted, when I asked my friend what kind of moisturizers does he use, he said "you are crazy, white guys don't moisturize!" That's sooooo GAY!!! I told him that EVERY Black person in America moisturizes from head to toe after every shower. So it makes me wonder if it is melanin or moisturization that makes Black look so young for so long.
Sammyshaffer 12:49:47 PM Oct 15 2008
Don't smoke, tan or drink. I'm 43 and I don't look a day over 25. :)
Audioslave978 10:41:14 AM Oct 15 2008
Petroleum jelly as eye cream keeps the wrinkles at bay! Try it.
C24ROWN 09:19:49 AM Oct 15 2008
I too am using Arbonne skin care line. I am about to be 52 and have been using Arbonne for almost 4 years. My skin doesn't look a day over 40. Is it expensive? not really. IT WORKS....that is what matters.
Pfran0557 07:06:55 PM Oct 12 2008
Goldengodess is exactly right about sweat being beneficial to your skin. My mother used to get really aggravated that she sweated no matter what she did. (no she was not overweight), but even when she was in her seventies, she had skin like a woman of 50. I am the same way, and luckily, and I have very few lines even though I'm 51. I'll never gripe about sweating.
RockBott0m543 06:29:22 PM Oct 12 2008
They say that staying out of the sun is nonsense but that makes sense if you ask me. The sun dries out your skin which is bad. It also burns your skin which is bad. The only good thing is that it gives you vitamin D. I'm not saying you should carry an umbrella, but you don't need to be bronze.
