Many women engage in a variety of exercises to target their facial muscles in the hopes of firming and toning their skin. Examples include: squinting the eyes; puckering their lips; frowning; and raising the eyebrows. Some women attend special classes for facial exercise. Others order instructional DVDs, books or facial contraptions. Fans of facial exercise say that the benefits are just like working out any other muscle. You work on your abs and your biceps by contracting the muscles, so why not do the same with your face? Enthusiasts believe that facial exercises make skin firm and taut while smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. Experts, however, seem less enthused.

Do facial exercises really deliver results? Are they an effective way to tone and firm the skin and reduce your wrinkles? Stay tuned to delve into this topic with Resurgence Skin.

Sipping through a straw is innocent enough, right? As with smoking, habitually drinking beverages (especially thick ones) through a straw can cause permanent lines in the upper lip through the repetitive movement of upper lip muscles. In addition, aging speeds up the process by diminishing collagen and elastin in these areas.

To get ahead of this process, skip the straws and begin using skincare treatments with vitamin C to kick-start a natural production of collagen and elastin: Murad Resurgence City Skin Detox Treatment is great for all skin types.

And remember don’t get too caught up in your appearance. Heavy, camouflaging makeup, foundation or self-tanner isn’t the answer to skincare woes. Let the skin’s natural beauty shine by following a simple mantra for maintenance: Less is more. Wearing heavy makeup only highlights fine lines, wrinkles and other imperfections and makes you look years older. Instead, use tinted moisturizer or foundation powder for a naturally radiant complexion.

The chest and neck area is one of the first areas to show the cumulative effects of aging, so don’t limit skincare to just the face. Make caring for your neck and chest a daily habit: Apply anti-aging treatments, moisturizer and most importantly, sunscreen. Although this new habit won’t erase evidence of past neglect, it will protect this delicate area from further environmental damage, such as the sun.

For the smoothest skin possible, exfoliate the neck and chest area two to three times a week with a glycolic acid treatment and follow with an antioxidant rich hydrator specially formulated for the neck and chest region.

Deflate Puffy, Tired Eyes

To awaken looking rested, treat your eyes before you hit the pillow with a generous dose of a caffeine-packed eye cream. Because the cream isn’t topped by eye makeup, it can easily seep into skin to tighten and reduce bloating, giving you a resurgence in youthful glow.

Next, elevate your head with a couple of pillows before falling asleep to prevent fluids from building up under eyes. If you puffiness is caused by allergies, consult your doctor about occasionally taking an antihistamine such as Claritin, which could help to drain excess fluid. If you still have bags in the A.M., do a facial massage around eyes to stimulate blood flow and take down any swelling.

You’re not dreaming- it is possible to get dewier skin and brighter eyes while you sleep.

Mend Stressed out skin

Sleep time is essential for cellular repaid because there are more hours for products to skin in and fewer environmental stressors to prevent absorption.

If you have normal skin, after cleansing, apply a dime-sized amount of Vaseline to slightly damp skin. Rub it in until it becomes less greasy (within 30 seconds). The petroleum will create a seal so moisture penetrates and plumps skin rather than evaporates.

If you have oily skin, opt for a serum that’s noncomedogenic to keep form clogging pores. To get the ultimate anti-aging benefit, try one that has skin-strengthening peptides, too. You’ll see a resurgence in glowing, healthy skin in no time.

Extrinsic aging results from environmental factors. In fact, sun exposure causes the majority of premature aging, a.k.a. photoaging. Ultraviolet rays break down collagen and elastin, making skin loose and weak. Even spending a short amount of time outdoors with unprotected skin can result in freckles, age spots, spider veins and fine lines and wrinkles. Skin also becomes discolored, rough and dry. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (ADA), even people in their 20’s can show these signs of photoaging.

Other external factors include facial exercises, gravity, how you sleep and smoking. Lighting up, for instance, is such a powerful contributor that, like the sun, it can cause wrinkles in smokers as young as 20, according to the ADA.

So, if you’re hoping for a resurgence in the youthful glow of your skin, put down the cigarette, throw on a sun hat and stop worrying!

Blame a dull-looking complexion on poor circulation, which reduces how much oxygen and nutrients reach your skin; wrinkles and sagging skin on diminished cell turnover and decreased collagen and elastin synthesis; and a drop in melanin production for shining a spotlight on various imperfections like under-eye circles and blemishes.

How to treat it: Determined by genetics, intrinsic aging leaves us with little control in halting it. Thankfully, though, you’ll find an array of products that target its symptoms. For instance, an age inhibitor complex addresses the main components of aging- the breakdown in collagen and elastin- by preserving elasticity and preventing collagen loss. Also try Murad Intensive Wrinkle Reducer to firm and hydrate the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

There’s more to aging than creams and serums. Understanding how your skin ages can help you become better prepared for the years to come: You’ll learn how to tailor your skincare routine to successfully target each type of aging.

Inevitable intrinsic aging

What it means: It’s the kind of aging that normally comes to mind when you think about getting older — wrinkles, loss of moisture and dull, sagging skin with more pronounced imperfections.

“What happened to my perfectly plump cheeks?” you might ask yourself. Well, you can thank two main contributors for your newfound thinness: the loss of subcutaneous fat underneath the dermis and epidermis — which previously provided skin with fullness — and menopause. Less estrogen (and the reduction in oil and sweat glands) also means more dryness.

Stay tuned for more on how you can treat intrinsic aging and see a resurgence in the appearance of your skin.

Protecting the skin against sun damage and environmental aging is part of many beauty routines these days, but what about the eyes? Using a specific eye cream with SPF is important. That’s because the skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate than the rest of the face.

For a lightweight formula with UV protection and vitamin C, keep Murad Essential-C Eye Cream, SPF 15 on hand all year long. Each morning, simply pat a pea-sized amount gently around the entire eye area (avoiding the lid) and up over the brow bone. This ensures the skin stays hydrated and protected.

If you have dry skin and need more moisture, try a thicker SPF moisturizing cream containing ceramides to hydrate, Argireline to plump and smooth fine lines, and encapsulated SPF 15, these ingredients deliver an eye cream perfect for event he most delicate, sensitive eyes to give you a resurgence in tone and elasticity.

Product picks

For daytime, boost skin texture and tone with an anti-aging serum with pure L-Ascorbic Acid and alpha hydroxy acids These ingredients will improve the clarity and texture of the skin, as well as encourage healthy collagen production. At night, indulge skin with Murad City Skin Night Treatment, with peptides and vitamin C to revitalize the skin.

And don’t forget the body! Keep the entire body smooth and firm with Murad Resurgence Body Firming Cream, formulated with oat-beta glucan, vitamin C and shea butter to hydrate and increase firmness. With Murad anti-aging and acne products, you’ll see a resurgence in healthy, youthful-looking skin in no time.

Although there is no stopping the natural slowdown of collagen and elastin production in the skin, it is possible to delay it. Steer clear of the sun, moisturize daily, and begin the prevention process early.