Unlike your iPhone, I’m not planning on becoming obsolete within the next, say, five years or so. And while I’m not expecting a magical scroll to bestow immortality upon me (or a moisturiser to return me to my twenties), I’d at least like to know if I’m making any grooming mistakes that are prematurely ageing my look.
Some of the culprits are easy to overlook – saving sunscreen for holidays, for example, or assuming that more products must mean better skincare. Others are simply worth reconsidering, like whether the beard you’ve grown actually gives you the look you wanted. Thankfully, fixing them doesn’t have to involve spending more money or claiming another shelf in the bathroom. Honest.
Leaving dry skin untreated
Dry skin can make fine lines more noticeable. Before you decide that you need an expensive wrinkle treatment, though, it’s worth checking whether your skin could simply do with some moisturiser.
The AAD’s wrinkle guidance explains that moisturising traps water in the skin, and can temporarily plump up fine lines. It won’t erase wrinkles, but it can make them less obvious.
Apply a suitable moisturiser after washing as well, while your skin is still slightly damp. A richer cream may suit dry skin, while a lighter gel can be more comfortable if heavier products leave you greasy. You don’t need to coat every part of your face in the thickest thing you can find, either.
There’s no need to spend a fortune – paying more doesn’t automatically make a moisturiser more effective.
Saving sunscreen for holidays
It’s easy to remember sunscreen when you’re packing for a beach holiday, then forget about it for the rest of the year. But your face also gets exposed when you’re walking to work or popping out for lunch.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) explains that ultraviolet exposure can contribute to premature wrinkles and age spots. UVA rays can also pass through window glass, and a cloudy sky doesn’t eliminate UV exposure, either.
Its advice is to use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on uncovered skin when going outside. Broad-spectrum, by the way, means protection against both UVA and UVB. Remember your ears, neck, and exposed scalp, too, and reapply about every two hours outdoors, or after swimming or sweating, following the label.
It seems obvious, but shade, a hat, and protective clothing also help. If you’re enthusiastically shopping for wrinkle creams while skipping sun protection, this is the part of the routine I’d sort out first.
Being rough with thinning hair
When hair starts looking thinner, trying harder to style it can become part of the problem. More heat, more pulling, and more determined brushing aren’t particularly kind to hair that’s already fragile.
The AAD’s advice for thinning hair is to use a gentle shampoo, condition after washing, and keep blow-drying to the lowest heat setting. Conditioner helps reduce breakage, while rough handling and excessive heat can damage hair. Repeatedly wearing tightly pulled hairstyles can also cause a form of hair loss called traction alopecia.
Gentler styling won’t treat every cause of thinning hair, but it can help you avoid unnecessary breakage. If you’re concerned about new or increasing hair loss, a dermatologist can help identify the cause.
For the styling itself, ask your barber what works with your current hair. A cut that needs less daily wrestling may be a better bet than faithfully recreating something that suited you ten years ago.
Oh and if you’re thinning on top and wondering if it’s time you took then plunge… do it. I put it off for far too long myself, but you won’t regret it. You’ll take 10 years off your appearance in an instant.
Overdoing the skincare
Once you’ve decided to look after your skin, it’s tempting to buy several promising products and start using them all at once. Especially when you’d quite like to see a difference before Christmas.
Unfortunately, more products don’t necessarily mean better results. The AAD warns that using several anti-ageing products in quick succession can irritate skin and make signs of ageing more noticeable. Scrubbing aggressively can irritate it, too.
Start with a gentle cleanser, moisturiser where needed, and use sun protection. If you want to add a treatment, introduce one at a time and follow its instructions, rather than borrowing an elaborate routine from someone whose skin may be nothing like yours.
Growing a beard
A beard can change how old people think you are, even if the skin beneath it is in excellent condition. If you’re trying to look younger, growing more facial hair isn’t automatically going to help.
In a study published in Behavioral Ecology, participants in New Zealand and Samoa judged men with beards to be older than the same men pictured clean-shaven. That doesn’t mean you’ll prefer yourself clean-shaven, but it’s worth considering if you grew a beard hoping for the opposite effect.
You don’t have to reach straight for the razor, either. Try trimming back gradually and see whether you prefer the result. Keep the skin underneath clean and moisturised, too – a beard still needs love and attention.
And of course, if you prefer yourself with a full beard, rock on. You look great either way.
