9 Ways To Iron Out Wrinkles for Smoother, Younger-Looking Skin
If only smoothing out a wrinkle was as easy ironing your clothes. While wrinkles eventually happen to everyone, there are a few ways to reduce their appearance, and slow the aging process – ways that are both natural and effective.
Overview
There are several reasons why some of us end up perhaps with more uneven looking skin than we’d like: genetics, environment, diet, overall health – it can be a few factors, but the good news is that whatever the cause, there are equally some ways to restore and retain your beauty back to where you want it to be.
Here are nine natural and effective ways to get rid of wrinkles – let’s go!
1) Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking brings a whole host of benefits to the individual, physically (both internally and externally), as well as mentally. We’re all familiar with the more well-known complications associated with smoking: lung cancer, yellowing teeth, etc. Well, it also leads to wrinkles: nicotine narrows the blood vessels in the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, which blocks and impairs the amount of blood that can reach it.[1]
With this, the epidermis doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients (e.g. Vitamin A) that it needs to maintain a healthy appearance. When you stop smoking, you’ll be able to flood the skin with nourishment – and it won’t take long to notice the difference either.
2) Squint Less
It might be surprising to hear since it’s such an innocuous action and could almost be seen as some kind of old wive’s tale, but yes, squinting can lead to wrinkles. Much like how scrunching your dress-shirt or blouse can lead to wrinkles, squinting creates a temporary groove in the skin, mostly around the eye area.
Due to your skin’s elasticity, this groove will largely smooth out after, but over time your skin’s ability to restore itself will diminish.[2] Not only that, but grooves will gradually become a wrinkle. These grooves tend to occur in the same area, meaning wrinkles will also become deeper in those areas: the sides of the eyes, leading to those “crows-feet” we’re all terrified of. Try to actively not squint as much, perhaps wearing a hat or sunglasses outside, so that you can leave your skin unwrinkled and un-crinkled.
Smiling can also lead to wrinkles, but a much lesser effect, so don’t worry about remaining your happy self, the world still needs all the positivity it can get!
3) Refine Your Diet, And Introduce Multivitamins
There are two sides here: avoid the foods that cause wrinkles, eat more of the foods that reduce them. Products high in sugar, saturated fats and also alcohol are all wrinkle-causers, with poor-quality foodstuffs leading to chronic inflammation of the skin, reducing the body’s ability to circulate blood properly, negatively affecting your skin’s collagen production, and also dehydrating and drying out the epidermis.[2]
Foods that can actively battle the aging process are high in omega-3 and can rebuild the skin’s collagen and elastin. These include oily fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, blueberries, and avocados. If you’re lacking the right vitamins in some areas, such as A and D, then Multivitamins are a solid way.
4) Put A Daily Skincare Routine Together
The foundation of smoother-looking skin is well, not the foundation, but a good skincare regimen. If you’re not used to the process, it might seem a bore at first but it makes a huge difference in the long-run. Using cleansers, exfoliants, serums, and moisturizers keep the skin clear and radiant, while keeping it hydrated and protecting its health even in cold, dry, or hot conditions.
Everyone has a different skin type that might be more or less sensitive and responsive to the vast array of products available, so if you’re worried or unsure about the products suitable for your skin, seek advice from a qualified dermatologist first.
5) Find the Best Cosmetics for You
Cosmetics are great for covering up any pesky wrinkles that might be bothering you, together with restoring confidence in yourself and your appearance. However, not all cosmetics are created equal.
Some are better quality than others, allowing the skin to breathe more, not clog up your pores as much, as well as provide natural oils that are beneficial to skin health as opposed to synthetic ingredients that can lead to irritation. Look for cosmetics with fewer ingredients rather than more, and those derived more naturally that could be useful for your skincare routine.
6) Apply sunscreen
That pesky sun can do a lot of damage to our skin, even from ninety million miles away. The sun’s UV rays cause a loss of elasticity to our skin that will eventually lead to leathery and damaged skin as we get older. Research has shown, however, that using sunscreen from as little as 15 SPF, not only reduces the risks of skin cancer by 50 percent, but it also prevents the appearance of aging.[2]
7) DIY Facial Masks
There are a ton of natural remedies you can apply to your face to halt the effects of premature aging that bring with it sagging skin and wrinkles. There are many you can find online, but three we find most effective are:
Cucumber and aloe vera:
- Aloe vera is great at restoring your skin’s vitality, while cucumber cools and also brings down inflammation of the skin.
- Blend a cucumber (skin-on) until it’s a watery paste texture.
- Remove the solid bits by straining through a sieve.
- Add two tablespoons of aloe vera and mix.
- Apply for 15 minutes before rinsing off with cold water.
Buttermilk and oatmeal:
- Buttermilk creates a glowing skin naturally, while oatmeal clears the skin of dead cells and excess impurities.
- Take two teaspoons of natural yogurt and mix with one teaspoon of oatmeal and two teaspoons of buttermilk, to form a paste-like consistency.
- Apply for fifteen minutes before washing off.
Honey and cacao:
- These two ingredients work together to increase the circulation of blood around the skin area while also reducing redness and repairing any prior skin-damage.
- Take two tablespoons of cacao, a tablespoon of natural yogurt, a teaspoon of honey, and a quarter of a banana.
- Mix all together, mashing the banana initially with a fork to create a paste texture.
- Apply to the skin for 15 minutes before washing off.
8) Face Yoga
The skin is the body’s largest organ, so why shouldn’t it be exercised like the others? These exercises can tone and smooth out the skin, improving blood flow, and stimulating skin cell regeneration to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Often referred to as the “natural facelift”, look to add a Face Yoga session to your mornings to plump up and lift your facial features.[3]
9) Use A Quality Wrinkle-Reduction Product
These wrinkle reduction products are essentially moisturizers but with added active ingredients that attack and defend the body from the presence of free radicals, unstable atoms that cause damage to cells, and in the case of skin, can lead to wrinkles. There are a few products out there, but one of the most well-known is Retinol, that also boosts the production of collagen and elastin to maintain smoother and plumper-looking skin.[4]
The Bottom Line
There are ways to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. While it is by no means not necessary to take on every point on this list, the more of them that you do, the better. Diet alone, for example, won’t eliminate wrinkles from your life, but combining it with an improved skincare routine and the introduction of a daily application of sunscreen will vastly increase the likelihood of restoring that youthful look we are all in pursuit of.
References
1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/smoking/faq-200581532] https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/reduce-premature-aging-skin
3] https://faceyogamethod.com/
4] https://www.webmd.com/beauty/qa/what-is-retinol-and-why-is-it-in-skin-care-products