Age and Beauty

As you grow older, your healthy aging habits directly impact the appearance of your hair, skin and nails. Simple daily practices like avoiding the sun, drinking enough water and moisturizing can help preserve your natural beauty.

If you need ideas for creating a maintenance routine to keep yourself looking your best during your retirement years, explore our top tips and techniques to revive your skin, hair and nails and maintain your healthy glow.

Wrinkles and dark spots are a natural part of aging most will experience after 50. While they are nothing to be embarrassed about, there are anti-aging skin care products that can help you achieve an even skin tone and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. If you want more dramatic results, you can also look into cosmetic procedures like Botox® and Restylane® — or you might even opt to go under the knife for a facelift.

But there are easy changes you can make before undergoing such drastic procedures. According to the National Library of Medicine, an easy way to reduce the effects of aging skin is to cut back on sun exposure and smoking. These two factors have detrimental results on the health and appearance of your skin and can cause spider veins and loss of elasticity.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association suggests sunscreen and moisturizers to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. To be effective, your sunscreen should have at least 30 SPF. Trying to increase your collagen intake, either with lotions or supplements, will further improve the appearance of your skin as collagen is responsible for the skin’s elasticity and smoothness.

And there are other skin care products and treatments that can help deter or fade signs of aging. Dermatologists recommend trying one new product at a time to avoid a harsh reaction. Keep in mind that products typically take several months to make a difference — any anti-aging skin care product that promises overnight results is making a false claim.

Products recommended to you by your doctor or dermatologist will likely have a larger impact on your beauty than store-bought creams and lotions.

It’s natural for your hair to gradually gray and become brittle or thin with age. Keeping your hair a shorter length can help to deter hair loss since you won’t be combing through long tangles. Using the right products and avoiding unnecessary heat can help keep your hair’s strength and shine.

Unfortunately, many hair products contain ingredients that may contribute to hair loss and thinning. Check your shampoo and conditioner bottles — if they contain any of the ingredients listed below, ‌consider a safer alternative.

Graying hair is a big beauty concern of those over 50. While you can opt to color your hair regularly, it’s difficult for many aging Americans to maintain and grays typically leave a stark line in your hair once the follicles grow out.

Many have embraced their grays, choosing a gray blending technique at the salon. This process blends your grays with darker colors, often with a face-framing gray section. Not only does it enhance your natural beauty, but it is also low maintenance. Reducing how often you color your hair is better for its overall health and strength.

Once you’re over 50, it’s not uncommon for your nails to become brittle, soft and thin. Several simple changes and products can improve the overall strength and look of your nails.

If you notice your nails becoming soft, the skin is likely being over-moisturized or exposed to harmful chemicals like cleaning products or nail polish remover. Wearing rubber gloves when cleaning and taking a break from nail polish and remover will allow your nails time to recover.

For brittle and thin nails that constantly break, you can contact your doctor for a prescription-strength nail hardener, such as Nuvail. Nuvail is a thin layer of solution applied to your nails, keeping them strong and healthy. Once the Nuvail is dried, you can apply your favorite nail polish on top for a fresh finish.