They’re little reminders of your fondest memories, each telling a part of your story. Every wrinkle, expression line, and crease is proof of a moment, big or small, that helped define you.
The concept of well-aging opens the doors to a new perspective where the passage of time isn’t a battle to be fought. Instead, it’s a path leading toward the celebration of you, just the way you are. Because at any age, healthy skin is beautiful skin.
Today, we’re talking about wrinkles — understanding, preventing, and minimizing the look of them (if you’d like). But above all, learning how to embrace them.
What are wrinkles?
Wrinkles are lines and folds that form on the skin due to various internal and external factors. And although they show up on the surface, the process begins behind the scenes.
When the cells responsible for maintaining skin’s firmness and elasticity (collagen and elastin) begin to lose their strength over time, it affects the skin’s protective function and limits essential protein production.
As a result, the skin loses its bounce and density, leading to a thinner, more fragile look. The natural effects of gravity and fat redistribution that come along with aging also play their parts.
What causes wrinkles?
Age might be the first thing that comes to mind. However, in reality, only about 20% of the visible signs of aging are caused by genetics or the passage of time. The remaining 80% are driven by lifestyle and external factors — particularly UV radiation.
Science shows that up to 80% of the appearance of skin aging is caused by the sun, also known as photoaging. UV rays can cause discoloration, sagging, and on a more serious note, skin cancer. So, on top of a consistent cleansing and moisturizing routine, daily sun protection is essential for healthy skin.
Science shows that up to 80% of the appearance of skin aging is caused by the sun, also known as photoaging.
But the sun’s not the only culprit. Smoking, pollution, and diet also have roles to play. These lifestyle factors, or the exposome, influence your skin and overall health. But therein lies the good news — you have the power to make a change.
What types of wrinkles are there?
Wrinkles aren’t all one and the same. They’re as unique as your skin — and the reasons behind them are too. Let’s get to know the different types:
Dynamic or expression
Crow’s feet, frown lines — sound familiar? Their nicknames could use some work, as these wrinkles are reminders of the best parts of life: laughing, emoting, and expressing yourself. They begin to form early on and are related to repeated facial movements. Their appearance tends to soften when your face is at rest.
Static
Meanwhile, static wrinkles are visible even when your face is at rest. They’re the natural creases in your skin that become more noticeable over time, such as nasolabial folds (the lines separating your cheek from your nose). Dynamic wrinkles can also turn into static wrinkles as the years go by.
Gravitational
Gravitational wrinkles often appear around middle age. They pop up once the skin has lost some of its internal building blocks known as collagen and elastin, making sagging more apparent. Marionette lines, those that run from the corner of the mouth to the chin, are often considered gravitational.
Can you prevent wrinkles?
Some wrinkles are inevitable. And that’s more than okay! Healthy skin is always beautiful skin — so prioritize hydration, a balanced diet, and daily sun protection to keep it at its best.
But if you want to minimize the look of wrinkles, that’s okay too. Key skincare ingredients such as retinal can help support collagen levels and reduce the look of wrinkles while carnosine can help keep things firm. And there are plenty of well-aging formulas designed to give skin a youthful boost.
Ready to get to know more?
How to care for your wrinkles
As Judit Mascó, our featured model and global Isdinceutics Ambassador, once shared, “Wrinkles don’t bother me. If you take care of your skin and keep it healthy, wrinkles are like badges of honor for all the years and experiences you’ve lived.”notionotionnotio
Here are a few tips to get you started on your own well-aging skincare journey:
Revitalize your eyes
The skin around the eye is the thinnest part of the face. So, it’s also often one of the first places you’ll notice wrinkles.
If you’d like to smooth things over a bit, reach for an eye cream featuring melatonin and caffeine. Melatonin acts as a potent indirect antioxidant, helping combat oxidative stress caused by daily skin aggressors like UV rays and pollution. Meanwhile, caffeine helps to detoxify the delicate skin around the eyes and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You’ll find both inside Vital Eyes.
Add in the star ingredient
Retinal is a top dermatologist-favorite ingredient worldwide. This powerful vitamin A derivative helps boost skin renewal to redefine texture and reduce the look of wrinkles. The best way to introduce it into your routine? In a nighttime serum.
To help maintain your skin’s collagen levels and give it a smooth and youthful look, try Retinal Advanced. Its dual-phase formula features melatonin, an antioxidant that helps repair skin from the damage of daily skin stressors, and niacinamide, which soothes and hydrates the skin.
Retinal Advanced showed results of -43% wrinkles after 4 weeks¹
Protect your skin every day
Indoors, outdoors, on sunny and even cloudy days — sun exposure is the main cause of visible skin aging. What can you do about it? Choose a sunscreen that not only protects you against the damaging effects of solar radiation but also provides added well-aging benefits.
Enter DNA Repairsomes®️. Derived from plankton, this protein has been proven to help repair sun damage in the skin. Eryfotona Actinica is an all-mineral sunscreen formulated with DNA Repairsomes®️ designed to both protect your skin and help repair existing damage. Plus, its classic, invisible finish melts right into skin.
Do what brings you joy
Each smile contributes to your own personal glow. And when you try your best to look on the bright side, view stress as something temporary, and get enough rest, you also help minimize the visible signs of aging.
Although expression wrinkles, like the little lines around your eyes or mouth when you smile, are one of those signs, they’re also fond memories etched into your skin. We invite you to do something small that makes you happy every day. Because when it comes to this type of wrinkle, the more you have, the better.
References:
Ganceviciene R, Liakou AI, Theodoridis A, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Skin anti-aging strategies. Dermatoendocrinol . 2012;4(3):308-319. doi:10.4161/derm.22804
Zhang S, Duan E. Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside. Cell Transplant. 2018;27(5):729-738.
Aldag C, Nogueira Teixeira D, Leventhal PS. Skin rejuvenation using cosmetic products containing growth factors, cytokines, and matrikines: a review of the literature. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol . 2016;9:411-419. Published 2016 Nov 9.
Editorial Team
Our namesake embodies the spirit of embracing life and all its wonder. As wellness journalists, we explore topics that invigorate the senses and keep curiosity alive. We believe that glowing skin is the result of a healthy body and mind. Weaving beauty with science, we aim to inspire you to live young at every age.
