10 Proactive Steps to Keeping Skin Looking Fresh and Healthy in Your 20s

The best time to prevent wrinkles is in your twenties, when your skin looks fresh, healthy and subtle. Here are ten proactive tips to help your skin remain healthy looking throughout the years.

1. Eat a diet rich in nutrients with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. These nutrients will work from the inside out in keeping your body in healthy condition, with less signs of aging.

2. Free radicals are what causes premature aging. Free radicals can be caused by a number of factors, including a bad diet and exposure to pollutants such as smoke and pollution. In order to counteract this, take a supplement of antioxidants or eat foods rich in antioxidants on a daily basis, such as blueberries and spinach.

3. Drinking water helps keep the skin hydrated and plumper. Dry skin can wrinkly and be unsightly. In addition to the recommended dosage of 8 glasses a day, drink an extra glass to keep away the wrinkles.

4. Wear sunscreen any time you are outdoors. This doesn't apply to the more obvious scenario of swimming or when in direct sunlight, but it also applies to cloudy days and winter days. On cloudier days, a lotion with the SPF of 15 will suffice.

5. Smoking cigarettes is not only harmful to your health, but also to your skin's appearance. Skin exposed to cigarette smoke is more likely to appear aged, wrinkly and of an unhealthy texture. Do yourself a favor and reduce your use or quit altogether.

6. Expensive anti-aging creams do nothing more than what simple lotions and creams can do for you, with a few simple ingredients. Retinol-A, Vitamin E and tea tree oil are all good ingredients to have in your lotion as they are beneficial to the skin.

7. The supplement omega 3 is good for keeping skin elastic and reduces the signs of aging. Skin is also less likely to burn with an adequate amount of omega 3's. This can be taken in a fish oil supplement or a vegan capsule from a plant.

8. Getting enough sleep on a daily basis will leave your face looking and feeling fresh. Without adequate sleep, your skin takes a toll and causes premature wrinkles to appear.

9. Use a weekly gentle exfoliator on your facial skin. This will renew fresh skin underneath and allow your face to look and feel smoother.

10. Drinking alcoholic drinks can dehydrate the skin. Opt for a glass of wine with dinner instead of a mixed drink. The wine has antioxidants that help skin remain fresh.