Youth is not just the act of being young, it’s the art of being young. It’s something that anyone can pull off at any age. It only takes positive, healthful living and a few tricks of the trade. Of course, keeping a young face begins with the basic essentials we’ve all heard, but are so important; eat well, rest well, and drink lots of fluids.

How do you feel?

While the basic essentials to youthful looks are number one on the list, confidence ranks with high priority. What good is the look of doubt and self-pity to the quest for beauty? Beauty, which emanates from within, really shines through when your confidence shows. Emotions show on our face, so live every day confidently and let your face show it proudly.

Happiness is key. It’s an emotion that is also contagious. You could help someone else keep a young look and feel while feeling great yourself. Find something every single day to laugh and smile about. Exercising those smile muscles will help keep your face young and vibrant, and if you get a smile line or two, then you’re all the more beautiful.

How do you look?

- makeup

How much makeup are you using each day? Many of us wear more than our fair need of war paint when our natural beauty would suffice. If you find yourself spending more than a few quick minutes each day applying makeup, try one less layer or one less item and determine if you are any less beautiful without it. Chances are, you are better with less. If you are using makeup to cover a blemish or two, work on the root of the issue so makeup won’t be necessary long term. Remember to use makeup for enhancements, not to create a whole new look.

With that said, makeup can be fun! Groovy colors, glitter, long lashes and more can make you feel whimsical and playful (not to mention youthful). While the play face may not be best suited for the 9 to 5, there are times when this type of look can work well.

- nose hair

Now, can we talk nose hair? Arguably, excessive nose hair on anyone, man or woman, is a big deterrent to the youthful look we’re striving for. Do you have too much? If you can see it with a simple glance in the mirror, the answer is likely yes. If you scrunch up your nose and face really tight (like you’re smelling something horrible) and see hairs that come past the outline of each nare, again, the answer is likely yes. Nose hairs are great for filtering unwanted particles from the air before they can reach our passageways and lungs, but some of us are blessed with an extra helping of hair. A simple fix is the regular use of nose clippers (trimmers) found at most any box store inexpensively.

Guys, nose clippers are great for taking care of that extra ear hair, too. And ladies, use nose clippers to whittle away at that fine mustache hair and any other stray hairs as well.

- puffy eyes

Morning baggage? Bags under the eyes are the plight of many. While there is no foolproof “cure” for puffiness, there are some simple tricks that don’t involve a trip to the grocery store for cucumbers. Try these in order:

First, douse your face with warm water to open your pores. Then splash your eyes with cool/cold water. Pat dry. Scrunch your face tightly upwards (again as if you are smelling something terribly foul) then do an exaggerated pulling down of your face. Repeat this three times. Apply lotion or your favorite cream gently, being sure to lightly massage under your eyes.

If you still need more treatment on those bags, grab a little more lotion. Lay down across your bed with your head hanging slightly off the side and downward. This is enough to rush more blood to your face without excessive dizziness when you get up. Apply more lotion under your eyes and pat the puffed skin area with your index and middle fingers as if you are playing piano keys (one finger at a time, one-two-one-two…). After a few minutes, slowly roll over and get up to check your progress.

Technique is everything

The way you handle your face can greatly affect just how fast your face ages. Facial skin is different and often delicate. It must be handled differently than the rest of our skin.

- dab, pat, blot

Got crow’s feet? You’re not alone. Excellent moisturizing can help combat the look of the old bird eyes. You can also help prevent them from getting worse or from getting them altogether. Remember that the area of skin to the outside of our eyes is often very thin and sensitive. If you ever need to dry the corners of your eyes, keep three words in mind: dab, pat, blot. Never, ever rub, wipe or pull in any manner.

- stroke up & out

How we apply moisturizer is just as important as the moisturizer itself. Don’t abuse your face by slathering on lotions and vigorously rubbing your hands in circles across your skin. Ouch! Take an extra few seconds and stroke up and out with your fingertips instead. Gravity is not always a girl’s best friend, so we have to do some things to combat the effects of it. View the image below to see the direction you should aim for when applying creams to your face (and neck): up and out, gentle around the eyes.

- no touching!

There should be “Stay off the Face” signs available similar to “Stay off the Lawn” signs. After all, the lawn only needs reseeding once a year to stay young and fresh. We have to take more care of our faces. So keep your hands and fingers off your face! It’s all too easy to touch something (like a steering wheel or money) then reach up to scratch your cheek. It takes a bit of work to remember not to do this. But every bit of dirt you apply to your face goes towards it’s early aging, or at least a not-so-clean look. If you don’t have freshly washed hands and are used to holding your face in your hands, use your knuckles instead. Ball your hand into a slight fist and rest the bone of your chin on your knuckles. This will help keep dirty fingertips off sensitive facial skin.