I would never dream of lying about my age. Well, almost never. I exercise. I try and maintain a healthy, balanced diet. I get as much sleep as a full-time, over-burdened working mother of two young children can possibly hope for. I religiously take off my makeup at the end of the day and as a promise to my once younger self, I do use moisturizer, especially before bed. But no matter how careful I am with my daily routine, I feel like my age is starting to show – and that it’s my skin… that’s giving my secret away.

No doubt that I’ve noticed a few fine lines, especially around the corners of my eyes and mouth. Definitely marks of distinction – or so I thought. But it seems that I’ve been battling with wrinkles since my early 30’s, but now it’s time to fight back – and maybe even win. This is what I know for sure: You can’t stop mother-nature and you can’t stop time, but with some surefire lifestyles changes and using products to help moisturize your oh-so-tired skin, you can reduce the signs of aging. I started by doing my homework and this is what I learned...

Wrinkles are inevitable, plain and simple. They are part of the natural aging process. Wrinkles are creases or folds in the skin and they appear as we get older. Too much sun, smoking, some medications and other factors can also cause wrinkles, but at the top of the list is dehydration. As we age, our skin becomes increasingly thinner, drier and loses its elasticity, or what we’d like to think of as that “once youthful glow.” When our skin can no longer protect itself as it used to, we need to step in.

 No, no Botox. No surgery. No painful or costly interventions of any kind – simply moisturize, hydrate your skin, but not with any off-the-shelf product. I’ve since learned that those days of slapping on moisturizer and going to bed, are long gone. I’ve also learned about the positive effects of Vitamin C and its tremendous positive effects on the skin. It’s a well-known antioxidant that works to support the skin’s natural collagen production, while at the same time, protecting your skin from harsh environmental conditions, especially damaging sun or cold, dry winter days.

 Creams and serums that contain natural Vitamin C with a rich blend of other ingredients will help your skin retain much of its moisture – and replenishing moisture leads to more youthful skin. This is how I’ve learned to minimize my fine lines and wrinkles and now that I’ve learned my lessons well, I can also help prevent new wrinkles from appearing.