Massage Your Face

Beauty is in your hands. Georgia Louise, the seasoned facialist behind famous faces like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Anna Wintour, swears by this technique to lift and sculpt her clients’ visages. By gently massaging your own face (or doing facial exercises), you stimulate the muscle tissue which improves your skin’s volume and combats atrophy.

While it may sound weird, facial massages feel amazing and you’ll get even more enjoyment out of it knowing that it’s refining your pores and plumping your skin. Massaging regularly keeps everything engaged and tightened, like a natural face-lift.

Avoid Sun Exposure

We all know the sun can cause hyperpigmentation, and even severe damage like burns, excess sun damage cause collagen loss as well. As Brendan Camp explains, “The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays cause damage to structural proteins in the skin, like collagen and elastin. These proteins normally provide firmness and rigidity to the skin. Less collagen and elastin are associated with features of aging skin, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and less buoyant skin.” Of course, if you can’t avoid the sun, then you’ll want to make sure to slather on the SPF. “Sunscreen is extremely important to protect the skin from harmful UV radiation. Sunscreen aids in preventing sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer. During the summer months, it is important to reapply sunscreen often, every 2 hours or so,” says Shari Sperling.

Eat Collagen-Boosting Foods

Certain foods are known for stimulating collagen production. Pack your diet with a healthy balance of nutritious superfoods like dark leafy greens, amino acid-rich eggs, avocado, and even garlic. Look for foods abundant in vitamins C and E and antioxidants. There are even collagen-boosting powders you can add to your food or drink of choice.

Exfoliate Your Skin

Exfoliating your skin doesn’t only leave it smooth and soft, but it can also help stimulate collagen production, which then turns into firmer, more plump skin. “Removing dead skin cells from the surface helps reveal brighter, more radiant skin and is also thought to encourage the production of collagen, which can contribute to more youthful looking skin,” Camp says.

Try a Skin-Plumping Mask

Once you’ve tackled all you can from the inside, treat your tired skin from the outside. You can whip up a natural skin-plumping mask at home by mixing together one egg with two tablespoons of rosewater and two tablespoons of glycerin. Adding glycerin to the mask serves as a natural humectant (a natural way to hydrate skin) to help with visible skin plumping. Leave it on for fifteen minutes, and then rinse with water.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

One of the best things you can do for your skin is to prioritize a good night’s sleep. As Sperling explains, “Sleep is a restorative process and is necessary for optimal health. Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system and impact hormone regulation.” Camp adds that not getting enough sleep can not only impact our overall health, but the health of our skin.

Use Proven Ingredeints

Incorporating good-for-your-skin ingredients—hydrating hyaluronic acid, anti-aging retinol, and plumping collagen—into your routine will bring you one step closer to a healthier complexion. Additionally, you should be exfoliating at least once a week to shed off any buildup (dirt, sebum, dead skin cells, etc.). Not only will this improve dullness, but it will also allow product ingredients to better absorb into the skin.

Exercise Regularly

We don’t need to tell you that exercise is good for you (okay, we just did). Getting your heart rate up will increase blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the organs—skin included—resulting in a healthy post-workout flush.

Also, exercise is a great outlet to let go of stress and even set the stage for a good night’s sleep. Since both stress and lack of sleep can have adverse effects on the skin, addressing these aggravators can bring you plumper skin.