...for Valentine’s day and beyond

Bright, lifted eyes and the perfect pucker (or pout) don’t only depend on good skincare products and cosmetics. Below are 12 lifestyle tips to help “age-proof” your eyes and lips. How many of them are you already doing?

1) Help prevent fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and other signs of UV damage by wearing sunglasses when you are outside.

2) Use broad-spectrum sunscreen at least 30 SPF and reapply frequently.

3) Use sun protection not only in summer, but during all seasons because UVA and UVB rays are very damaging during all seasons. Fast fact: Here’s an easy way to remember the difference between UVA and UVB rays. Think of the B in UVB as the B in BURN—those rays cause sunburn. Think of the A in UVA as the A in AGING—those UVA rays go deeper and damage skin from within, causing skin to age prematurely.

4) Don't forget to protect the lips, too, which lack melanin, the pigment that helps protect skin from the sun. So lips are especially vulnerable to getting sunburned and dehydrated. A balm or lipstick with an SPF of 15 is recommended to protect against sun, dry air, and pollutants from the air. Click here to see how the skin on your face is different from the skin on your lips, and why you need to treat your lips differently, too.

5) Stay hydrated. Have your water bottle nearby and drink water throughout the day to keep your body, skin, and lips hydrated from the outside-in. The usual recommendation is about 8 cups of water per day.

6) Eat a healthy diet so you get vitamins and antioxidants from the inside out as well as from the outside in.

7) Don't sleep on your stomach--a face smashed into a pillow can cause sleep wrinkles around your eyes and on your face. Regular pressure can deepen wrinkles and make them permanent.

8) Don't smoke or vape. Smoking can cause wrinkles around the mouth to develop and deepen. Plus, some smokers squint through the smoke, which can deepen fines lines and wrinkles around the eyes.

9) Overall, try not to squint, especially when looking at a computer screen or your cell phone. Be aware that a bright screen or small print can make you want to squint, so adjust the screen brightness or print size.

10) Don't lick your lips, even if they feel dry. Water evaporating off lips can make them drier, breaking down the protective barrier. Plus, the enzymes in saliva can break down the protective barrier even more. Use a lip cream or balm with lipids to help seal in the moisture.

11) Be careful with makeup—try not to fill in wrinkles with concealer or primer, because makeup and foundation can get stuck in the fine lines, making them even larger than they really are.

12) Use Eye & Lip Cream every morning and night. This iridescent, magical-looking "unicorn cream" minimizes fine lines and wrinkles while improving elasticity and texture around the eyes and lips. Key ingredients include Matrikine, Argireline, Matrixyl, ceramides, vitamin E, bacaba pulp oil, and kukui nut oil. It's best for dry, dehydrated skin with lines and wrinkles. And here’s a pro tip: If you’d like a thinner consistency, blend a pea-size amount of Eye & Lip Cream with a dab of Eye Wrinkle Corrector until the mixture becomes clear, and pat into skin around the eyes and lips.

Click here for more information on age-proofing the eye areas.