Beauty at every age: Top tips at 30
TEST OF TIME
Michelle Villett asked asked five women to reveal their diet, skin-care and exercise habits—and then got the world’s top anti-aging docs to weigh in.
CHARLENE SWALEHE, 30 When it comes to aging, “I know I should be a lot more preventative,” says Swalehe, a Vancouver-based retail sales manager. “My smoking needs to stop, and I have some weight to lose.” Still, she has a few things working in her favour: “good genes,” a relatively stress-free lifestyle and a solid circle of friends. “I think I have a really positive outlook.”
HER DIET Swalehe starts her day with oatmeal or cereal, fruit and coffee with cream. For lunch, she has a turkey sandwich with cheese and soup, vegetables or chips. For dinner, she has chicken, rice and broccoli—or sometimes pizza. “I wind down with a glass of wine. Sometimes after dinner, I’ll eat a piece of dark chocolate, or if I’m up late, a small bag of popcorn.” She also takes a daily multivitamin.
HER SKIN-CARE REGIMEN Olay Dual Action Cleanser + Pore Scrub and Olay Total Effects Daily Moisturizer. “I rarely wear sunscreen.” While she’s concerned about hyperpigmentation, “I still get a lot of compliments on my skin.”
HER LIFESTYLE “I go to bed really late and I’m a bad sleeper—usually I get six to seven hours. When I get stressed, I get a little moody and may isolate myself or eat something bad. [When I’m out,] I’ll have the occasional cigarette; I’m a social smoker.”
HER EXERCISE ROUTINE “I used to work out at least twice a week, but right now I’m completely off the bandwagon.”
WHAT THE DOCTORS SAY Even though Swalehe’s smoking is sporadic, all three doctors advise that she quit immediately. “Cigarettes damage your skin and lungs and negatively affect your mood,” says Dr. Murad. She also needs to include more vegetables and lean proteins (such as chicken, fish and turkey) in her diet and fewer processed snacks and high-fat dairy products. Although red wine contains the cell-protective antioxidant resveratrol, Dr. Perricone advises against her nightly post-work wine habit. “Alcohol on an empty stomach spikes blood sugar and puts a lock on body fat.” For extra skin and cell hydration, she should take a daily omega-3 supplement, along with vitamin D for bone health and cancer protection. Inflammation on a cellular level—triggered by a wide range of factors, including stress, uv exposure, cigarette smoke and a high-glycemic diet—is the single biggest precipitator of aging and age-related diseases, says Dr. Perricone. Besides making dietary changes, establishing a set bedtime and a regular fitness regimen will help Swalehe shed weight and regulate her levels of these inflammatory chemicals. Instead of being isolated during stressful situations—which triggers emotional eating—Dr. Weil and Dr. Murad encourage her to reach out to friends. To address hyperpigmentation, she should use a topical vitamin C product and, of course, sunscreen year-round for prevention.
DOCTOR’S ORDERS
Jamieson Vitamin D Soft Chews ($10, at drugstores) in “Natural Chocolate”; Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Combingation Antioxidant ($150, skinceuticals.com); Dermalogica Super Sensitive Faceblock SPF 30 ($59, dermalogica.ca)