Published By: K.D Cameron

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When it comes to showing your age, you can run but you can’t hide. No matter how trendy you may dress, how vibrant and energized you may be, your skin will betray you. Those fine lines and wrinkles, that loss of supple tension tells people a lot about how old—and healthy—you are. And if you smoke, drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in the sun, chances are your skin is showing even more advanced age than your years. Here are 4 proven strategies to youthful, glowing skin that can produce visible results in 2 weeks or less.

Replace coffee and black tea with green tea. Green tea, taken internally and used directly on the skin, has been shown to help nourish, calm, soothe and defend the skin. Coffee and black tea can contribute to dehydration. Making this simple switch can help defend against accelerated signs of aging.

Use a gentle exfoliator daily. Exfoliating—removing dead surface cells from the skin—is essential to getting that youthful glow. But don’t go for those expensive chemical peels promoted by salons—they’ll strip away more than necessary and ultimately set you back. Choose a natural scrub or a mask like this one, which uses the gentle action of natural alpha-hydroxy acids to clear away the old and reveal the new.

Drink plenty of water. Summer or winter, in the heat or the cold, your skin needs moisture. The best way to ensure that your skin is properly hydrated is to drink plenty of water every day. Soaps and cleansers can dry the skin, so be sure to choose gentle products and, for those times your skin needs extra hydrating support, consider a hydrating mask like this.

Add ceramides to your beauty regimen. Ceramides are bioactive lipids (fats) found in the outer layer of your skin. They form a protective layer that locks in moisture and defends against the environment. As we age, we lose ceramides from our skin, resulting in loss of elasticity, dehydration of skin tissue, and the formation of visible signs of aging. But now, we can supplement with natural ceramides from wheat. Swanson Health Products’ Phytoceramides feature gluten-free wheat-derived ceramides shown in clinical studies to reduce visible results in as little as two weeks.