Why I wanted to look younger
For Trans-women, gender-fluid individuals, two-spirit people or anyone else who started their feminine journey later in life, there may often be a feeling of having to make up for lost time. I certainly felt that way. That isn't to say that life is a beauty contest, or that I wanted to compete with anyone else... just that I wanted to be able to wear anything that I thought was cute- regardless of the age group it was usually associated with. I didn't want to feel confined or limited to "dressing my age" so I wanted a body and face that could look both good and natural in anything I wanted to wear. Beyond that, as my career-successful aunt had always told me, always looking your personal best isn't just about making good impressions, it's important for your confidence, your sense of pride, and your self worth too. This energy will show through in everything you do and will not just help you to succeed, but attract the right kind of people into your life as well. In that respect, it isn't really about looking younger; it's about looking the best that we can for our age.
Why I know these 5 ways to look younger actually work
What I would like to share in this blog are the 5 things that I do to look 10+ years younger. I say 10+ years because at this point I'm 46, but everyone who meets me always assumes I'm around 30. Although it's rare to have someone think I'm in my 20s, most people are shocked when I tell them I'm approaching my late forties. To me, this means these strategies work. I'll be perfectly honest in that I've never done each of these in isolation, so I can only give guesses which ones are the most effective. As such, I thought it simply best to share them all and leave it to you to decide which ones you would like to pursue. Some cost money, but are really simple to use, others are free, but take discipline to stick with. Anyway, here they are!
1) Peter Thomas Roth Skin Tightener
I wanted to start with this one because this is the easiest. Peter Thomas Roth Skin Tightener is good for anyone who wants to quickly and easily tighten up the skin on your face before a date, special event or going out for the evening. Simply wash your face, put it on, wait for 8 minutes, and then either go about your business. It isn't a permanent fix, but you can use it every day, and the effect can last up to 8 hours. Depending on which one you get, it comes in formulas for use as a primer before your make-up application, a formula specifically for use under your eyes, or just to use on your face. And it does work. The only downside is that it does actually leave the skin on your face feeling a bit "tight" for a while after the application. I personally use the general face tightener, but I only ever use it before applying make-up, so I think I'll switch to the make-up primer next time. COST: 4000yen-12,000yen ADVANTAGE: Quick and super easy to use, easy to get (available on Amazon) DISADVANTAGE: Only lasts a few hours and leaves face feeling "tight" for a while afterwards.
2) Hyaluronic Night Serums
Night Serums worked very well for me as an anti-aging strategy, and the difference was pretty dramatic over time. At present, I am using Naked & Thriving's Renew Night Serum, and I'm really happy with the results. I chose that one because after having done several web-searches for "top night serums" "best night serums" and "most effective night serums" I found that Naked & Thriving's night serums was always highly ranked. Beyond that, I also liked the fact that they were a bit more affordable than other brands (Lancome's for example was also very highly rated, but is much more expensive). Naked & Thriving also focuses on natural ingredients and environmental sustainability in their business practices and packaging. Thus far I've been super happy with it and continually restock on this when it gets low. COST: 4000-10,000 yen (for the RENEW Night Serum) ADVANTAGES: - Easy to apply. Just apply a few drops to your face and spread before bedtime a few times a week. - Long term effect as long as you continue using them. Not temporary like the face tightener. DISADVANTAGES: - Takes about two weeks of regular proper use to see results. - When you stop using the serum, your skin will most likely go back to the way it was. (However, I've gone as much as a month and didn't notice any immediate backslide). ** Works best if used in conjunction with red light treatment and is followed up with a moisturizer.
3) Red Light Therapy
Interestingly enough, the reason that I got interested in Night Serums was because I got a Red Light Therapy Wand out of curiousity and I got a package deal where it came with a night serum. While that night serum did work, I had no idea where it came from or what was in it, and that was a bit scary for me, so I decided to do some research and made the switch to Naked & Thriving's Renew Serum.
Like a lot of people who follow beauty influencers on Instagram, I first became interested in Red light therapy as an anti-aging tool because I saw so many ads for it. Doing a bit of research on it, virtually every article I read said that it was safe, and that Red Light Therapy isn't just used for anti-aging. It's a fairly common medical practice in dermatology offices to improve skin condition and deal with things like acne. It's also commonly used for hair loss and healing tissue, and come to think of it, I had actually had it on my knee after an injury a few years ago in my rehab clinic. The principle behind it is that red light penetrates into the deepest layers of the into the skin, and stimulates repair at a celluar level. It sounds like psuedo-science, but there is evidence that it actually works.
Like anything, the at-home treatments may not be as effective as those in the doctors office. As the at-home units aren't as powerful, they require much more use to be effective. (30 min a day for a month) As for my wand, I started using it the same time as my first night serum, so I can't vouch for the efficacy of the wand by itself. I did notice a visible change, but it's hard to say whether or not that was simply due to the night serum. I still use the wand to target certain areas (the bags under my eyes, my nasolabial folds, etc) but when it's time to replace it, I think a red light mask would be a better way to go. As expensive as they are, they are much more effective than the wands, and represent a good middle-ground between an at-home treatment and having to go to the doctor's office.
COST:
- 50,000-80,000yen for At-home mask, $100- $150 for a handheld wand
- 8000yen per clinical session ($25-$250 in the US)
ADVANTAGES:
- Generally regarded as both safe and effective
DISADVANTAGES: - The masks are expensive. The wands are more reasonable, but they aren't as effective - It does work, but there is limited scientific evidence as to how much it works - For masks, you should get blackout googles to protect the eyes - The effects on people with darker skin tones has not been clinically studied; could create susceptibility to discoloration.
4) Face Yoga
While all of the other treatments deal with one issue that causes the face to age - (the loss of collagen and elasticity of the skin), Face Yoga addresses another; the weakening and sagging of the facial muscles under the skin. The fact of the matter is, all muscles - including those in the face- lose strength and shape as we get old- unless we train them to stay strong. While we have known about this in the body for a long time now, the idea of training the muscles in your face to keep their shape in the same way is relatively new. In addition to strengthening and shaping the muscles of the face, facial muscle exercises and/or massages can also boost blood circulation and improve lymphatic drainage.
While the science on it is still fairly new, studies have shown that it does have a moderate impact on facial appearance; in particular with regard to fullness in the mid-face and lower face, and for some even a positive effect on mental health.
COST: Free to cheap
- Many targeted exercises can be looked up online, and apps like Luvly can be purchased on a subscription model
ADVANTAGES:
- No chemicals or tools needed
- Effective and studies have shown a side effect of better mental health, along with better lympatic draining and blood circulation.
DISADVANTAGES:
- Like any exercise program, requires discipline to continue and takes time to see results. (20 weeks).
- The wrong exercises may tone the muscles of the face, but also contribute to wrinkles in the skin.
5) Healthy Living
I put this one down at the bottom because for most people, this one is the hardest. However, if you want to look younger, there is no substitute for simply living a healthy lifestyle. Eating foods like blueberries that are high in anti-oxidants, getting a good night's sleep, staying away from sugars, and staying well-hydrated all can make a huge difference on the quality of your skin, and as such, your perceived age. Your build, your hair, your nails and your face, after all, are largely reflective of the how healthy your chosen lifestyle is.
For myself, intermittent fasting (only eating between 13:00-18:00) was a game-changer in getting my weight to where I wanted it (and consequently, having a leaner and younger looking face as well). It took about a week or so to get used to, and in conjunction with my regular exercise routine and cutting all sugary drinks, I lost weight steadily and consistently. After about 6 months I got down to a trim, but healthy-looking size...and 1.5 years later, I still haven't gained any of it back. Another advantage of this process is that when I only eat within this time frame, I get tired at night way sooner, making me go to bed earlier and sleep more deeply. (The golden hours for sleep are between 10:00pm and 2:00am, and the more sleep you get within this period, the more fat you burn, the better your memory is, and the more rested you are).
Summing up...
So as aforementioned, these are all the different things I do. While the effect of each one may be smaller or larger, doing them all together is synergistic. Each one offers some small contribution that helps me to look the way I want to look, and consequently, also feel the way I want to feel about myself. Like anything, positive cycles feed themselves and negative cycles feed themselves. At heart, we all know what kind of person we want to be. Putting effort into looking your best and taking charge of your of physical self is certainly one of the first steps to getting there. REFERENCES: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/red-light-therapy
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-facial-yoga https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/solawave-wand-review-ncna1303540 https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/oct/05/they-are-expensive-but-there-is-value-in-red-and-blue-led-light-masks
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