Wrinkles & Fine Lines
Softening structure and early signs of age
Collagen and elastin give skin its firmness and bounce, and production starts declining gradually from the mid-twenties. Fine lines appear first where skin is thinnest and moves most — around the eyes, forehead and mouth — and deepen over time into set creases. How quickly...
Sounds like
- Lines visible at rest, not only when you smile or frown
- Crepey, papery texture under the eyes
- Loss of definition along the jaw and cheeks
- Skin takes longer to bounce back when gently pinched
- Makeup settling into creases through the day
- Skin looks less plump and more tired than it used to
What might be causing it
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Natural collagen decline beginning in the mid-twenties
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Cumulative UV exposure breaking down collagen and elastin
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Smoking and heavy alcohol intake
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High sugar intake stiffening collagen fibres
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Repeated facial expressions settling into permanent creases
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Dehydration and a weakened barrier making lines look deeper
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Poor sleep quality and sleeping face-down on the pillow
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Pollution and free radical damage
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Rapid weight fluctuation reducing skin support
A routine that works with it
Morning
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Cleanse
A gentle, non-stripping wash
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Antioxidant
Vitamin C or a peptide serum, neck included
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Moisturise
A nourishing cream with hydrating and firming ingredients
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Protect
Broad-spectrum SPF 30-50 every single morning
Evening
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Double cleanse
Oil first, then a gentle wash
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Renew
A retinoid or bakuchiol — start twice a week and build up slowly
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Buffer
Apply moisturiser first or after if your skin is sensitive
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Nourish
A richer night cream, taken down the neck and onto the hands
What helps day to day
Lifestyle
Protect your sleep, sleep on your back or on a smooth pillowcase, don't smoke, and keep refined sugar moderate. Wear sunglasses outdoors — years of squinting write themselves into the skin around the eyes.
Skincare
Daily sunscreen does more for fine lines than any anti-ageing serum, so start there. Add an antioxidant in the morning and a retinoid or peptide at night, introduced slowly at twice a week to begin with, under a richer cream — and take everything down the neck and onto the hands.
Ingredients
Look for these
- Retinol and retinoids
- Bakuchiol
- Peptides
- Vitamin C
- Hyaluronic acid
- Niacinamide
- Rosehip oil
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen
Go easy on these
- Sun exposure without protection
- Smoking
- Harsh exfoliation
- Starting retinoids at high strength
- Neglecting the neck, chest and hands
- Sleeping face-down on a rough pillowcase
What people tell us
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Love love love this serum!! I have oily combination acne prone skin and this magic elixir keeps it calm and glowy..My mom also uses this religiously in her basic skin care routine both at AM and PM and we could visibly see the difference on her aged skin, fine lines and have reduced significantly also the glow is amazing!! My Holy Grail!!
What we'd reach for
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This information is general and educational, and isn't a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a doctor or dermatologist for a diagnosis.
Questions we get asked
When should I start using anti-ageing products?
Sunscreen from as early as possible does more than anything else. Beyond that, most people start adding antioxidants and a retinoid in their late twenties, though there's no fixed age — it depends on your skin and sun exposure.
Can a cream remove wrinkles?
No cosmetic product removes a set wrinkle. What good formulations do is hydrate, support the barrier, and soften how fine lines look over time. For deeper lines, in-clinic treatments work on a different scale, and it's fair to say so.
I'm new to retinol. How do I start?
Twice a week at a low strength, at night, applied to dry skin, with moisturiser over the top. Build up gradually over several weeks. Some dryness or flaking early on is normal; stinging and redness mean you're going too fast.
Do I really need to include my neck?
Yes. Neck skin is thinner and shows ageing early, and it's the most commonly skipped area. Whatever you use on your face, take it downward.