How to Look 10 Years Younger in 10 Minutes

With the wealth of sophisticated, exotic or high-tech anti-ageing treatments available on the market now, it is often easy to forget that sometimes, the smallest, simplest changes to your skin, hair, make-up or wardrobe can make a vast difference to your appearance and give you a youthful boost.

Here is a selection of anti-ageing tips which will help you look younger in less than 10 minutes:

Top Tips

Revamp your eyewear – if you wear glasses, consider changing styles as nothing is more ageing and dated than oversized, clunky eyewear. Look through magazines for inspiration and don’t be afraid to try styles or materials which are worn by ‘younger’ people, such as chic wire rims or even cute plastic frames for a more light-hearted, fun look. Ten minutes spent at an opticians selecting new eyewear can be ten minutes very well spent.

Embrace a brisk daily walk – not only is daily exercise good for your health generally but just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day will improve blood circulation and help to maintain a youthful flush in your cheeks.

Change your parting – if you always part your hair on a certain side or a certain way, consider changing this. Just this simple change can make a huge difference to the way your face looks. In particular, choosing a style which partially covers your forehead enables you to divert attention to your cheekbones and eyes, as opposed to any creases and lines on your forehead.

Go glossy – shiny hair always looks conjures up impressions of youth so increasing your hair’s natural brilliance is a great way to turn back the clock. Due to its smooth surface, straight hair tends to reflect light more effectively than wavy or curly hair, making it look shinier and therefore younger and healthier. A de-frizzing spray spritzed onto your hairbrush and then combed through from scalp to ends helps to encourage an even sheen.

Get the glow – while sun-protection is one of the most important and effective anti-ageing tools, a sun-kissed complexion does looks younger and fresher. However, this is easy enough to duplicate without dangerous sun-exposure. Bronzers are a good way to achieve a ‘natural glow’ and bronzing powders can be more easy to use than liquids, especially if time is tights. Colour should be swept onto nose, chin and forehead, using a short brush with dense bristles which help to give a more precise application.

More glow – another way to help your skin glow is to exfoliate regularly. However, choose gentle exfoliating formulas which will not irritate your skin and follow with an appropriate moisturiser for your skin. A good exfoliating regime will help you stay looking younger and more radiant for a long time.

Define your brows – like hair on the head, brows get thinner with age so filling them in and even extending them helps greatly in framing the face and lifting the eyes. If you are short on time, brow powder can be more effective in getting the job done quickly and subtly than a brow pencil. Whichever tool you use, remember to use light, feathery strokes, in the sparse areas.

Youthful lips - darker, intense colours can draw attention to fine lines around the mouth so in many cases, it is better to opt for lighter lip colours as you age. Tinted gloss or sheer lipsticks can be a great way to add colour and definition to the lips, without looking too harsh. Berry-toned cheer lipstick is often a great choice as it delivers face-brightening colour without the need for precise application.

Turn up the volume – hair that is bouncy and voluminous looks healthy and full of life. A quick and easy way to achieve this is to place a few Velcro rollers in key positions, such as around your face and at the top of your head (your crown), and then misting with hairspray. Leave them in while you make-up your face and then release them for fuller, more youthful-looking hair.

Lastly, don’t forget the eyes – many people believe that older women should steer away from eye make-up. This is not true – however, care must be given to the colours used and the way it is applied. Almost everyone looks better with their eyes highlighted and defined.The key is to skip the heavy shading and lining often used in youth – instead, just cover the eye lid with the lightest shade, followed by a slightly darker shade along the crease. Contrary to popular belief, shimmer can be very anti-ageing (providing that it is subtle and not over-the-top glitter!) so choose eye shadows with a slight sheen which will help you look more youthful and modern, compared to matt formulas.