Some people - especially men - think American women are obsessed with how they look.
However, studies have shown that when you feel attractive, you feel more confident and are more likely to be successful.
As a result, working women use an average of 20 or more personal care products (excluding make up and cosmetics) every day.
While that may seem excessive, stop and think about it.
For your hair, you probably use shampoo and conditioner, styling gel or mouse plus hair spray (5 products).
Oral hygiene includes mouth wash, toothpaste, floss and maybe a whitener (4 products).
For your body, you most likely use a shower gel, dry skin lotion, deodorant, hand cream and foot cream (5 products).
And for your face, you probably have a regimen which might include cleanser, toner, exfoliant scrub, night cream, day cream, eye cream and lip protection (7 products).
That's a total of 21 - and doesn't include self tanner, sun block, perfume, manicure, pedicure or hair coloring.
It's easy to see that we truly are invested in looking great - and that includes anti-aging skin care.
As the 78 million American baby boomers begin to turn 65 in 2011 at the rate of 10,000 a day, the availability of anti-aging products will continue to proliferate.
More and more scientific resources will be devoted to helping you look younger to meet the growing demand.
However, looking younger is about more than a "face lift in a jar" or expensive, dangerous, invasive procedures and injections.
There are simple, inexpensive things you can do to subtract years from your looks and keep old age at bay.
They include: 1.
Limit your time in the sun - and ALWAYS wear broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunblock of at least 30 SPF.
Too much sun is responsible for as much as 75% of the wrinkles on your face and the age spots on your hands.
2.
Avoid tanning beds.
According to the Internal Agency for Research on Cancer, the use of tanning beds greatly increases your chances for developing skin cancer.
3.
If you haven't stopped smoking already, do it now! In addition to putting you at risk for lung cancer and heart attack, smoking is very damaging to your skin causing broken blood vessels, enlarged pores, age spots, lines around the mouth, crows' feet and a dull complexion with loss of elasticity.
4.
Drink plenty of water - as much as 8 full glasses a day.
Water hydrates your body and your skin and flushes away toxic substances.
Think green - stop buying bottled water.
It is expensive and wasteful - and the nation's landfills are being drowned in plastic bottles.
If you don't like the way your tap water tastes or smells, invest in an inexpensive water filtration system or a filtration pitcher.
5.
Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol which raise your blood pressure and cause your capillaries to dilate.
They also cause dehydration and destroy vital minerals needed for daily skin function.
6.
Don't sleep in your make-up.
While it sometimes seems like it is just too much trouble to remove your makeup before going to bed, that is a very bad habit to get into.
7.
Exfoliate your skin 3 to 4 times a week to encourage the formation of new cells and help these cells rise to the skin's surface.
Your complexion will be clearer, more radiant and fine lines and wrinkles will be diminished.
You don't need a fancy, expensive product - use a handful of everyday baking soda applied to wet skin and gently scrub your skin in a circular motion.
This will remove the outer layer of dead cells that have accumulated on the surface of your skin and help your expensive anti-aging skin care products work more effectively.
8.
Get regular exercise! You don't have to join an expensive gym or buy costly equipment, although that wouldn't hurt.
You can "Sweat to the Oldies" with Richard Simmons in the privacy of your living room - or simply start walking around your neighborhood.
But it can' be a leisurely stroll.
You must raise your heart rate to do any good.
And it must be a regular habit - 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week at a minimum.
Exercise also relieves stress, a major factor in premature aging.
9.
Try to eat right - avoid junk food and empty calories.
A simple rule of thumb: keep white foods to a minimum.
These include white bread, rice, potatoes and pasta - all high in carbohydrates as well as calories.
And you'll want to supplement your diet with essential vitamins and minerals: anti-oxidants (vitamins A, C and E), vitamin B-6 to aid healing, fish oil and Co-Q-10 for heart health, flaxseed oil to hydrate skin and help balance hormones and lecithin to increase skin elasticity and thickness and improve hair and nails.
10.
Get plenty of sleep, because your skin repairs itself over night when your body's energy is not required to support every day activities.
But try not to sleep with your face touching the pillow.
If you wake up in the morning with creases on your face from the pillowcase, be aware that over time those creases can become permanent dents.
Therefore, try to sleep on your back.
11.
See your doctor for regular check-ups.
If you don't have a family doctor, get one now! The worst time to try to find a doctor is when you are very sick.
You'll need to get a thorough physical so your doctor can establish your baselines for blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, etc.
Be sure to ask for a complete blood work-up to check for hormone levels and imbalances and your thyroid level.
Also ask the doctor to check your bone density to determine if you need a calcium supplement.
If you develop a serious condition later, your doctor will be there with your vital statistics, ready to advise you and guide you to the proper specialists.
12.
Make an effort to stand and sit up straight and maintain proper posture.
When you think old, do you envision someone bent over and shuffling along? Don't let that person be you.
These twelve simple, inexpensive habits will go a long way towards helping you look and feel younger.
You'll develop a spring in your step - you'll learn to manage your stress - and you will experience renewed energy and a zest for life.
However, studies have shown that when you feel attractive, you feel more confident and are more likely to be successful.
As a result, working women use an average of 20 or more personal care products (excluding make up and cosmetics) every day.
While that may seem excessive, stop and think about it.
For your hair, you probably use shampoo and conditioner, styling gel or mouse plus hair spray (5 products).
Oral hygiene includes mouth wash, toothpaste, floss and maybe a whitener (4 products).
For your body, you most likely use a shower gel, dry skin lotion, deodorant, hand cream and foot cream (5 products).
And for your face, you probably have a regimen which might include cleanser, toner, exfoliant scrub, night cream, day cream, eye cream and lip protection (7 products).
That's a total of 21 - and doesn't include self tanner, sun block, perfume, manicure, pedicure or hair coloring.
It's easy to see that we truly are invested in looking great - and that includes anti-aging skin care.
As the 78 million American baby boomers begin to turn 65 in 2011 at the rate of 10,000 a day, the availability of anti-aging products will continue to proliferate.
More and more scientific resources will be devoted to helping you look younger to meet the growing demand.
However, looking younger is about more than a "face lift in a jar" or expensive, dangerous, invasive procedures and injections.
There are simple, inexpensive things you can do to subtract years from your looks and keep old age at bay.
They include: 1.
Limit your time in the sun - and ALWAYS wear broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunblock of at least 30 SPF.
Too much sun is responsible for as much as 75% of the wrinkles on your face and the age spots on your hands.
2.
Avoid tanning beds.
According to the Internal Agency for Research on Cancer, the use of tanning beds greatly increases your chances for developing skin cancer.
3.
If you haven't stopped smoking already, do it now! In addition to putting you at risk for lung cancer and heart attack, smoking is very damaging to your skin causing broken blood vessels, enlarged pores, age spots, lines around the mouth, crows' feet and a dull complexion with loss of elasticity.
4.
Drink plenty of water - as much as 8 full glasses a day.
Water hydrates your body and your skin and flushes away toxic substances.
Think green - stop buying bottled water.
It is expensive and wasteful - and the nation's landfills are being drowned in plastic bottles.
If you don't like the way your tap water tastes or smells, invest in an inexpensive water filtration system or a filtration pitcher.
5.
Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol which raise your blood pressure and cause your capillaries to dilate.
They also cause dehydration and destroy vital minerals needed for daily skin function.
6.
Don't sleep in your make-up.
While it sometimes seems like it is just too much trouble to remove your makeup before going to bed, that is a very bad habit to get into.
7.
Exfoliate your skin 3 to 4 times a week to encourage the formation of new cells and help these cells rise to the skin's surface.
Your complexion will be clearer, more radiant and fine lines and wrinkles will be diminished.
You don't need a fancy, expensive product - use a handful of everyday baking soda applied to wet skin and gently scrub your skin in a circular motion.
This will remove the outer layer of dead cells that have accumulated on the surface of your skin and help your expensive anti-aging skin care products work more effectively.
8.
Get regular exercise! You don't have to join an expensive gym or buy costly equipment, although that wouldn't hurt.
You can "Sweat to the Oldies" with Richard Simmons in the privacy of your living room - or simply start walking around your neighborhood.
But it can' be a leisurely stroll.
You must raise your heart rate to do any good.
And it must be a regular habit - 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week at a minimum.
Exercise also relieves stress, a major factor in premature aging.
9.
Try to eat right - avoid junk food and empty calories.
A simple rule of thumb: keep white foods to a minimum.
These include white bread, rice, potatoes and pasta - all high in carbohydrates as well as calories.
And you'll want to supplement your diet with essential vitamins and minerals: anti-oxidants (vitamins A, C and E), vitamin B-6 to aid healing, fish oil and Co-Q-10 for heart health, flaxseed oil to hydrate skin and help balance hormones and lecithin to increase skin elasticity and thickness and improve hair and nails.
10.
Get plenty of sleep, because your skin repairs itself over night when your body's energy is not required to support every day activities.
But try not to sleep with your face touching the pillow.
If you wake up in the morning with creases on your face from the pillowcase, be aware that over time those creases can become permanent dents.
Therefore, try to sleep on your back.
11.
See your doctor for regular check-ups.
If you don't have a family doctor, get one now! The worst time to try to find a doctor is when you are very sick.
You'll need to get a thorough physical so your doctor can establish your baselines for blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, etc.
Be sure to ask for a complete blood work-up to check for hormone levels and imbalances and your thyroid level.
Also ask the doctor to check your bone density to determine if you need a calcium supplement.
If you develop a serious condition later, your doctor will be there with your vital statistics, ready to advise you and guide you to the proper specialists.
12.
Make an effort to stand and sit up straight and maintain proper posture.
When you think old, do you envision someone bent over and shuffling along? Don't let that person be you.
These twelve simple, inexpensive habits will go a long way towards helping you look and feel younger.
You'll develop a spring in your step - you'll learn to manage your stress - and you will experience renewed energy and a zest for life.
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