ICYMI, Kim Kardashian recently announced on her Twitter that she avoids smiling too often in order to prevent wrinkles.
While we weren't too surprised, we were still left with no words. Why? Because there are a bunch of things you can do to prevent wrinkles, none of which require you to stop smiling (or even splurge on Botox). Check out our dos and don'ts for avoiding those pesky wrinkles—you're welcome, Kim.
DO protect (even in the winter): Sunscreen, baseball caps, sunglasses... Try to keep your exposed body parts covered or protected. Those harsh UV rays kill your skin cells and give you wrinkles. Not to mention, frequent and prolonged exposure can lead to skin cancer, too.
DO moisturize: Creams with Revona, Vitamin A Acid, Vitamins A, C, and/or E, Idebonone, and Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA) work miracles on your skin by moisturizing, rehydrating and improving your skin's elasticity. We love the Fresh Lotus Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex ($42).
DO massage: Morning and night! With oils or your moisturizer and using circular motions, use your index and middle fingers to massage your face until the oils have absorbed into your face. Argan, coconut, jojoba and olive oil are all good products that are packed with vitamins and antioxidants to help protect your skin. Josie Maran 100 percent Pure Argan Oil ($48) works wonders on both dry and oily skin alike.
DO NOT smoke: A chemical in cigarettes releases an enzyme that breaks down collagen in your skin, which in turn hurts your skin's elasticity.
DO get sleep: Lack of sleep produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Sleeping will help produce HGH (human growth hormone) which helps keep your skin firm and elastic.
DO sleep on your back: As zany as this sounds, sleeping on your face can cause those unslightly sleep lines, which can lead to wrinkles.
DO use a satin pillow case: If you love sleeping on your face or side, here's a chance to splurge! Satin is a soft fabric, so when you sleep, your face sort of glides against it, as opposed to bunching up underneath your face creating sleep lines.
DO eat more fish: Protein and omega-3 fatty acids help nourish your skin and keep you looking (and not to mention feeling) radiant and healthy. Of course, this is in addition to a healthy diet.
DO eat more fruits and veggies: Antioxidants help fight damaging free radicals within your body that can cause harm to your skin cells, which means you'll be sporting younger looking skin. Some popular foods include pomegranates, acai, blueberries, green tea, beans and kale.
DO NOT eat a ton of salty/junk foods: These will dehydrate you, which will cause you and your skin to feel tired, lethargic and sickly.
DO NOT over-wash your face and DO NOT use products with high alcohol content: These will dry out your face and strip the natural oils from it. It is those natural oils that keep your face feeling good. With a dry face, you're more prone to wrinkles and scars.
DO NOT use makeup toilette removers: All that tugging and pressing against your face with the makeup remover napkin sounds like a recipe for wrinkles. Instead, use a foaming makeup remover or an oil-based one that you can apply with a cotton ball. We are loving Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil ($27).
DO use face masks: Pamper yourself! Have a Girl's Night In and create or buy facial masks to rejuvenate your skin. If you want something quick and on the go, mix a bit of lemon juice and honey and lightly dab it on your face before applying your moisturizer. You will have glowing skin and the formula will also improve the appearance of fine lines. Plus, your skin will be left smelling so sweet!
DO NOT squint: Think about it... When you're squinting, you are over-working the muscles around your face, which can cause premature wrinkles.
DO drinks LOTS of water: The bottom line is that moisture helps combat wrinkles! A properly hydrated body leads to skin that looks healthy and radiant.
DO smile: Sorry Kim, but research shows that smiling actually does help prevent wrinkles in the long run! Smiling trains the muscles around your lips so that they do not prematurely sag, which could cause some serious wrinkles. Additionally, a genuine smile is beautiful enough to brighten up even the dullest of faces.
So what do you collegiettes think about these wrinkle fighting techniques? Are you going to try them out or are you going to live a life of minimal facial expressions? What other techniques and products do you use to combat wrinkles?