For the Japanese geisha, the most attractive part of their body is the back of their neck. The more they want to attract men, the more they lower the collar of their kimono.
The neck has always been one of the sexiest parts of the body, but it’s surprising to think that most of us don’t pay attention to this area when it comes to prevention of skin aging. Aside from the neck, other neglected areas include our hands and feet, the chest, and the surrounding area of our eyes and lips.
It’s about time we pay attention to these areas. After all, it’s not enough that our face is free from wrinkles and fine lines, the rest of the body should be rewarded with the same care as well. Some of the most common ways to counter skin aging is to avoid sun exposure, wear protective sun screen, eat healthy food, and use antiaging products. Aside from these common tips, here are some secrets you should bear in mind to counter skin aging in those neglected areas.
Eye area (under eye wrinkles & bags):
- Avoid squinting. If you look at yourself in the mirror, squinting will cause those eye wrinkles to appear. When you are young, these wrinkles will disappear after you relax your eyes. But over time, the wrinkles will stay there even after relaxation. So when you’re out during the day, wear dark sunglasses that will help you prevent squinting. Also, take note of your facial expression when you’re concerned or angry. Now, that’s one more reason to stay happy!
- Be careful with the makeup. Most women love to primp up. We especially love the sultry look that dark eyeliners can give. Mind the make up though, try to notice how you put eyeliner on. Do you stretch the skin around your eyes just to get that perfect look? If you do, stop! Stretching the skin around your eyes can cause dark circles and under eye wrinkles & bags. Also, purchase an eye make up remover which will help you easily clean your eyes without having to rub them too much.
- Sleep on your back. Sleeping on your side or stomach can cause irritation not only to the eye area, but to the whole face. It would be best to keep pressure off the eye area while sleeping. Especially because night time is when the skin restores itself. If you have cucumbers, don’t hesitate to place some over the eyes.
Neck area:
- Neck exercises. Here’s something that can keep the skin at the neck area looking taut. Gently move your head facing the left side, then move it facing the right. Bring your head to the center and tilt it slowly towards the back. Repeat this several times during the day, and your skin will be kept looking younger.
- Exfoliate and moisturize. While this might sound common for the face, how often do we do this for the neck? Whenever you apply moisturizer to the face, make it a point to apply some to your neck as well.
- Avoid the high pillows. Unfortunately for those who love high pillows, these can accelerate wrinkles on the neck. Think about it, that’s eight hours of wrinkle inducing activity. Settle instead for a low pillow when sleeping.
Lips area:
- Stop smoking! Aside from the harmful effects of nicotine to our body and the obvious way it accelerates skin aging, the action of puffing on cigarettes will deepen that unsightly lip wrinkle around your mouth. If you’ve heard it once, you’ll hear it again. Stop smoking.
For the rest of the body:
- Eat right. Yes, we know you hear this over and over again. But here are the foods you should be wolfing down, to get that wrinkl-free skin: berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries!), beans, dark leafy vegetables (sautéing in olive oil is a great idea too), fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) and nuts (almonds, pecan, walnuts). Now that you know what kind of food to eat, there’s no excuse for not keeping your skin healthy and wrinkle-free.
The bottom line is, take good care of those neglected areas, and protect them from unwanted signs of skin aging as you would your face. We all want our skin to look young and vibrant, so make sure to pay attention to all areas of your skin this time around..
