12 secrets to smooth, supple skin

To get your skin back to its silken, plump, and more youthful glow, you'll have to work from the inside out.

Work on the "inside"

• Drinking enough water increases circulation, which supports healthier, clearer, suppler skin.
• Sip green tea to take advantage of its antioxidants called catechins. Antioxidants can help protect the body from inflammation and oxidative damage that can damage the skin.
• For silkier skin, consume fruits and vegetables in shades of orange, red, blue, and green, which burst with protective antioxidants, like vitamins A, C, and E.
• For supple skin, eat foods containing biotin, a B vitamin involved in your body's production of fat. One delicious source of biotin is the hearty, leafy green Swiss chard.
• Speaking of fat, you can supply your skin with plumping, smoothing moisture by eating foods rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. You can find these healthier fats in fish, olive oil, flaxseed, and soybeans.
• Think about how great your skin looks after you've just finished a good workout: Your cheeks blush, your skin glows with good health and energy. That's because exercise increases your circulation and makes you sweat, both great for your skin - inside and out!

Work on the "out"

• As the years go by, our skin's collagen production and elastin slows down. Collagen provides strength and support to the skin, and elastin gives skin its elasticity - that plump, springy "bounce-back" your skin had when you were younger. To boost the bounce, use products designed to firm, tone, and tighten your skin. Look for ingredients like niacinamide (vitamin B3) - to strengthen your skin's surface layer to make it more resilient to damage - and peptides to ramp up your skin's collagen production.
• In addition to less collagen and elastin as we age, our dead skin cells shed more slowly, too. When these cells accumulate on the surface, skin appears rough, dull, and dry. Add exfoliation to your skin care routine a couple of times each week to slough away dulling, dry skin cells to reveal smoother, more glowing skin.
• As soon as you finish cleansing your skin, pat dry and promptly apply moisturizer to lock in the water that's left on your skin's surface. Skin that is kept moisturized is suppler and smoother to the touch.
• Give yourself a gentle facial massage to stimulate circulation in your skin. First, rub your hands together to warm them up. Lightly press your palms to your forehead and pull your hands down your face, across your cheeks and down to your chin. Move your hands back to your cheeks and press in circles like you're washing your face.
• And always protect your skin from further damage by wearing sunscreen or an SPF-enhanced moisturizer whenever you spend time outdoors. Choose a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of at least 30.

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