No matter how old you are, it’s never too early (or too late) to start thinking about how to prevent and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
If you’d like to avoid needles, surgeries, and other invasive techniques, there are many natural ways to diminish unwanted signs of aging.
Keep reading for all the best pro tips on how to prevent wrinkles and keep your skin looking young, fresh, and glowing — au natural! We’ve also put together this video on How to Fight Wrinkles, if you’d prefer a visual summary:
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Using the right skincare products, getting plenty of sleep, eating foods rich in antioxidants will all help to reduce the look of wrinkles.
Good to Know: Sun damage is the major cause of wrinkles. If you want to prevent them, you should always wear sunscreen when you go outside.
Recommended Products: Nectar of the C Vitamin C Serum, Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream, Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer, ‘A’ Game Retinol Serum, and sunscreen.
How and Why Do Face Wrinkles Happen?
As skin ages, it naturally starts to lose elasticity, thickness, and moisture.
The top layer of skin is called the epidermis, and it protects us from the elements. It’s the only part we can see, and that’s where wrinkles reveal themselves.
But wrinkles actually form deeper down.
The next layer, the dermis, is made up of elastin (fibers) and collagen (protein) that keep the epidermis tight, plump, and youthful looking.
The biggest culprit when it comes to damaging the dermis is sun exposure. UV rays penetrate the epidermis and break down the collagen and elastin. We also naturally produce less collagen and elastin as we get older.
Other factors related to the appearance of face wrinkles include genetics, habitual movements (like squinting or smiling), smoking (a major no-no), and other unhealthy lifestyle factors.
The good news is, many of these factors can be reduced or avoided, and you can create a skin care routine that helps reduce or eliminate the appearance of face wrinkles naturally. Keep reading to find out how.
How to Get Rid of the Appearance of Wrinkles
If you want to get rid of the look of wrinkles and be an ageless beauty, here are six key tricks:
1. Eat foods rich in antioxidants.
Fruits and vegetables (and other foods that originate from the earth) are full of antioxidants, which naturally rejuvenate your skin and keep your body at its best. The more colorful your natural foods, the better!
Some of the most antioxidant rich foods — often called superfoods — include:
- Berries (particularly blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, and raspberries)
- Cherries
- Pecans
- Artichokes
- Leafy greens like kale, collards, and bok choy
- Cacao (basically the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa)
For extra points, scope out your local farmer’s market and grab superfoods that are in season. Fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies tend to have higher amounts of antioxidants than those that have to travel long distances or spend time in storage (although freezing them immediately after harvest keeps those antioxidants intact.)
2. Supplement.
While it’s always better to get your nutrients through eating healthy food (or drinking yummy, healthy smoothies and juices) — you can get an extra boost through high-quality, natural supplements.
In other words, take your vitamins! Some of the key supplements for healthy, youthful looking skin include:
Vitamin C can brighten, tighten, and rejuvenate your skin — both internally and externally.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that can help to nourish your skin and keep it plump and supple for as long as possible.
Vitamin E and Selenium both two work similarly to improve your skin’s natural defenses and help to protect against environmental stressors.
Zinc helps to nourish your immune system and boosts your skin’s healing power.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (derived mainly from nuts, seeds, avocados and fish) that will help your skin stay moisturized and supple over time.
B vitamins (including biotin) is commonly found in skin care supplements, and it’s known to help strengthen hair, skin, and nails.
Collagen: By now you know that collagen is an important part of you skin’s structure, and there are an array of collagen-boosting supplements and products. The jury is still out as far as how helpful collagen supplementation is, but it’s worth exploring some of the natural, high-quality options that could potentially help you keep face wrinkles at bay.
3. Wear sunscreen. Always.
Ask any dermatologist or esthetician, and they’ll tell you that sun protection is key for minimizing damage and keeping face wrinkles, crow’s feet, and other issues at bay.
We recommend using mineral sunscreens, as they are free from harmful toxins and chemicals. Apply sunscreen every morning, even when you can’t see the sun.
UV rays get through cloud cover, so you’re always at risk of sun damage — if it’s daytime, you are still exposed to UV radiation.
4. Create a sleep routine and stick to it.
A lack of sleep can prematurely age your skin. Unfortunately, sleeping isn’t easy for everyone; a lot of us struggle with falling or staying asleep.
The best solution is a consistent sleep routine. Engage in your evening rituals (teeth brushing, face washing, etc.) and go to bed at (approximately) the same time every night, and stick to it.
5. Incorporate the right ingredients into your skincare routine.
We’re big believers in botanically-sourced ingredients when it comes to skin care. Having a consistent skin care routine that combines science-backed ingredients with nature’s best will help you keep your skin looking youthful without having to resort to extreme measures.
Here are some of the top ingredients with anti-aging benefits:
6. Minimize stress.
Stress is bad for all aspects of your body — from your stomach to your brain to your skin. Cortisol (known as the stress hormone) has a whole host of negative mental and physical health effects associated with it. Anything you can do to minimize that day-to-day stress is going to benefit you in a big way!
Stress relief is different for everyone. Some of the Fleur & Bee team’s favorite ways to reduce stress include:
- Meditate. There are dozens of apps and thousands of free guided meditations on YouTube. Find one you like and try it whenever you have a few extra minutes.
- Adopt a furry friend. Nothing reduces stress like petting an uber-adorable cat, dog, bunny — or your animal of choice. Pets are serious stress relievers. If you can’t adopt, consider volunteering at a shelter.
- Make art. This could mean ANYTHING, from knitting to painting to embroidery to creating collages to woodworking. Try different things and see what gets your creative juices flowing.
- Spend time with friends. Find your tribe and spend time with them; play games, go on adventures, and LAUGH. Laughter really is the best medicine.
- Exercise. Exercise is a major natural stress reliever that boosts endorphins — those feel-good chemicals we need. And it doesn’t have to be a drag. Join a sports league or find something you love to do, like hiking, dancing, swimming, etc.
- Journal. Writing down your feelings — positive, negative, or otherwise, can often help release them, no matter how skilled a writer are or aren’t.
7. Home Remedies
There are many ways you can boost your youthful glow at home using items you already have in your fridge or medicine cabinet.
Give yourself a spa day once a week and indulge in a little TLC for your face and body. Some of our favorite home remedies include:
- Cold cucumber slices. They’re a great way to nourish the under eye area (and are also great for puffy eyes). Lie down and leave them in place for at least 15 minutes. This is a great time to meditate or do breathing exercises.
- DIY face masks. One of our favorite easy recipes includes two ingredients you might already have: oatmeal and avocado. Cook a half a cup of plain oatmeal, let it cool, then mix it with half of a mashed avocado. Apply it to your face, leave it on for 15 minutes, and rinse! Instant glow.
- Aloe. Have an aloe plant? If so, you can cut off a leaf, squeeze out the gel, apply it to your (clean) face, and massage with your fingers for a few minutes. Aloe has natural anti-aging properties and feels great on the skin. Once you’re done with the massage, leave it on for 15 minutes, then rinse.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Reduce the Appearance of Wrinkles
What causes face wrinkles?
The main factors that cause wrinkles include smoking, too much sun exposure, a poor diet, lack of water, age, and genetics. Although some of these are out of your control, there are some things you can do to help prevent wrinkles. This includes staying out of the sun and keeping your skin well-moisturized and properly protected with the right skin care products.
How to visibly get rid of wrinkles?
Commit to a twice daily skin care routine using clean skincare products free of harsh chemicals and fragrances. In addition to a cleanser, your regimen should always include a retinol moisturizer and an anti-aging eye cream like our Eyes Eyes Baby. Don’t skimp or skip out!
Up your anti-aging game with a retinol serum and/or a vitamin C serum. Serums are concentrated skincare products that deliver a higher percentage of active ingredients and are the most effective at targeting issues like lines and wrinkles. Both vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin C are great anti-aging ingredients that are highly active, but using them at the same time can cause irritation. You can use both in your skincare routine, just be sure to alternate applications. For example, you can use your vitamin C product in the morning and your retinol product in the evening, just never layered on top of the other.
Also, take a look at your lifestyle--are you getting enough vitamins in your food or via supplements? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you exercising? Are you stressing out? All of these things play into the health and appearance of our skin.
How to prevent wrinkles from forming?
First, you must stay out of the sun. There is little that damages skin as seriously or as quickly as the sun. Second, reduce your stress levels. Stress shows up on the body as fine lines and wrinkles. Finally, be sure to use a moisturizer and an eye cream twice a day to keep your skin hydrated.
Fleur & Bee: Your Go-To Vegan Skincare Brand.
At Fleur & Bee, we focus on offering clean and highly effective vegan skincare that works for everyone. Our cruelty-free line of products has everything you need for healthier, happier skin.
Positive environmental impact is also high on our list of priorities. Our products are crafted with sustainably sourced ingredients that are manufactured using 100% renewable wind energy, and all our packaging is made using FSC-certified, 100% recycled post-consumer waste paperboard.
