Ageless Beauty – Looking Youthful As You Grow Older

 My Self Care “Secrets” For Mid-Lifers

Ageless beauty is one of my mantras and the focus of The Cheryl Jones Experience blog.  Self care, a term that I use a lot, is an important part of physical and mental well being. It holds the key to feeling great and looking your best at any age.  

When we take good care of ourselves, it definitely helps to minimize the effects of aging as we grow older.  Have you ever encountered someone you haven’t seen in years and notice that they haven’t aged since you saw them last?  Actually, they may look even younger!  You wonder about or outright ask them if they got any “work done” or what their “secret” is.  There are many factors involved in maintaining a youthful appearance.  Some people go the cosmetic procedure route (which is totally cool); others are just genetically blessed.  Either way, self care still plays a large part in it.

Who doesn’t want to look great at any age? It’s not all about vanity, however.  It’s also about having the best quality of life possible. Little things like walking up a flight of stairs or bending down to pick something up can become an issue as you get older. For women, hormonal changes caused by menopause add another element into the mix.  Aside from the obvious effects of menopause like sudden weight gain, sleep interference and hot flashes (good grief!), the loss of collagen also changes your skin (causing wrinkles).

The Importance of Self-Care As You Age

People are usually surprised when they learn that I’m in my 50s.  I have my mom to thank for that! She is currently 86-years old and my role model for ageless beauty, self care and maintaining a good quality of life. Mom does not look her age and gets around better than some people half her age.  She still rocks 4-inch heels, keeps an immaculate home and drives her own car. She says her “secret” to looking youthful and feeling good is keeping herself busy (mentally and physically) every single day!

Genetics definitely help with having a youthful appearance, but again self care plays a key role. I always notice a big difference in my skin, hair, stamina – pretty much everything – when I am on point (or not) with taking good care of myself.

Most of the tips I share below are just good old common sense. You may look at them and roll your eyes but, hey, they do work if you apply them regularly!  Inner self care is also addressed.  The key is to make these steps a daily mission. Do the work and, trust me, you will see and feel a difference in as little as two weeks!

“Secrets” To Ageless Beauty

Outer Beauty Tips

• Wash and moisturize your face EVERY day and night. Keep your skin clean and moisturized with a proper beauty regimen that works well with your skin type. Never, ever go to bed with any makeup on! That is one of the worst things for your skin!
• Exfoliate and moisturize your body well. The skin on my body has always been SUPER dry and requires a couple of layers of moisturizing every day. My body care regimen includes cleansing my skin with an exfoliating skin brush, moisturizing soap and two layers of moisturizers. It helps to keep my skin soft, smooth and supple for 24 hours.
• Moisturize your hands throughout the day. Hands show noticeable signs of aging very quickly!  However, your hands will look worn and “old” without exfoliation and moisture even with the best nail care. I load up on hand lotion throughout the day to keep my hand soft and moist! My favorite hand lotion these days is Glysomed Hand Lotion. 
• Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase. I started sleeping on a satin pillowcase a few years ago to help maintain the moisture in my naturally curly hair.  I then noticed that my complexion started looking so much better! Silk/satin helps to balance and retain the moisture in your skin which is especially good if you suffer from dry skin.
• Keep your hair “right.”  When I say “right” I don’t mean just a great hairstyle! I can dig really deep into importance of hair care, but will keep things simple here. Make sure to follow a great hair routine (just like for your skin) to keep your strands clean, healthy and moisturized. Clip your ends periodically to keep split ends at bay and to prevent breakage.

Ageless Beauty From The Inside/Out

• Get your beauty rest!   A good night’s rest offers so many benefits. Better mental alertness and great skin (yes!) are just a couple of things. Your metabolism is also affected by the amount of sleep you get.  More sleep increases it which helps you to lose weight more efficiently.
• Water is the true fountain of youth. Drink it….a lot!  My skins glows, my eyes sparkle and my energy is higher when I drink plenty of water!   When I don’t, I feel and look crappy…period!
• Eat whole, quality foods. I’m an “everything in moderation” person, but working my way towards a cleaner, healthier “diet.” I’m far from perfect! What I do know is when I eat better, I look and feel better! Start with cutting out processed foods, lowering your sugar intake,  and minimizing starchy carbs. Eating lean protein and organic fruits and vegetables make a huge difference! 
• Add collagen to your diet. Remember I mentioned above about the loss of collagen as we age?  Well, there’s an easy remedy for that! Every morning when I have my cup of coffee I add a scoop of the nutritional supplement NeoCell Super Collagen Powder. It has no taste and actually makes my coffee creamier. It’s also great in smoothies. I’ve been using it for well over a year now and, believe me,  this collagen supplement does some amazing things for your skin, hair, nails and joints.  Try it and thank me later! 
• Maintain a healthy weight range.  A healthy weight range is so important for good health.  It lowers our risk for many diseases including diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Plus I’ve never met anyone who looked younger from unhealthy weight gain…myself included.  Hormonal changes from aging do cause a shift in our body composition resulting in a growing waistline (sigh!); however, we can still win the battle of the bulge with healthy eating habits and an exercise program.
• Stay active daily.  My mom’s #1 tip for staying youthful is keeping herself busy.  She still does her own household chores, runs errands, and plays music on her keyboard.  Being active keeps her in shape and mentally sharp.  She also exercises for 30 minutes a day to maintain muscle tone and a healthy weight. Personally, I work out at least 5 days per week.  I have a great post on the workouts that I do.  Here is a link to that: Midlife Fitness – Working out In The Comforts of Home!

Ageless Beauty Words of Wisdom 

• Remove any stressful situations or people from your life!  Stress is no joke!  It can very easily age you and damage your health if you’re not careful.  I call myself “the gatekeeper” and “self-protector” of keeping my stress levels to a bare minimum.  Any person or situation that has room to cause any drama gets shut down and out with the quickness.  My life and health are all the better for it and I’m sure it helps with keeping those wrinkles away too..lol!
• Let “ish” go!  Inner beauty goes a long way with reflecting your outer beauty. It sounds a bit “new age-ish” but hear me out! Unkind behavior and holding grudges take a lot of work.  It’s also unnecessarily exhausting. It wears you out and shows on your face and body.  Be kind to yourself and others!  Imagine yourself on the receiving end of what you’re dishing out. Treat people the way you want to be treated.  It’s that simple.  Your mind, body and soul will thank you for it!

I hope that you try a least of few of them and find them helpful as well!  Have a blessed day!