Wrinkles…everyone gets them, but few people really understand why they happen. Are they just a natural part of ageing, or are there ways to slow them down? From fine lines around the eyes to deeper creases over time, wrinkles are more than just skin deep. They’re a sign of collagen loss, reduced hydration, and years of accumulated environmental damage.
But here’s the good news: while you can’t stop time, you can slow down the process. Understanding what causes wrinkles (and what actually works to keep skin firm and smooth) can help you take control of how your skin ages.
How Wrinkles Actually Form
At the most basic level, wrinkles are the result of your skin losing its ability to bounce back. This starts with the slow breakdown of collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm and elastic. These are found in the dermis, the deeper layer of your skin, and they act like scaffolding, holding everything in place. As you age, your body produces less of both. By your 30s, collagen levels drop by about 1% each year, and that adds up fast.
Alongside this, your skin's ability to hold onto water also declines. Hyaluronic acid, the molecule that keeps skin plump and hydrated, diminishes with age. The result? Skin becomes drier, thinner, and more prone to creasing. Add in slower cell turnover (which means dead skin cells hang around on the surface longer) and you’ve got a perfect recipe for fine lines, rough texture, and dullness.
But it’s not just time that’s working against you. Your daily environment and lifestyle choices also shape how, and how quickly, your skin ages.
What Speeds Up Wrinkle Formation
Sunlight (Even the Kind You Get Indoors)
If there’s one external factor that’s most responsible for premature wrinkles, it’s UV radiation. Sunlight breaks down collagen and elastin fibres through a process called photoageing. This kind of damage happens gradually, even on cloudy days or through windows. And it goes deep: UV-A rays penetrate all the way to the dermis, where your skin’s structural proteins live.
Facial Movements
Every time you laugh, frown, or raise your eyebrows, your skin creases. In your 20s and 30s, those lines disappear as quickly as they form. But over time, the skin loses its ability to spring back, and those tiny folds turn into permanent features.
Sleep and Stress
There’s a reason it’s called beauty sleep. Nighttime is when your skin does most of its repair work. Skimping on sleep means higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that breaks down collagen and contributes to inflammation. Add in chronic stress and it becomes a double hit: slower repair and faster breakdown.
Smoking and Sugar
Smoking restricts blood flow to the skin and floods the body with free radicals, both of which accelerate collagen loss. High-sugar diets cause glycation, where sugar molecules bind to collagen and elastin, making them stiff and brittle. The result? Skin that’s more vulnerable to wrinkling and sagging.
The Two Types of Wrinkles
Not all wrinkles are equal. Understanding the difference can help you figure out which products or treatments are actually worth your time.
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Dynamic wrinkles appear when your face moves: think laugh lines, forehead creases, or crow’s feet.
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Static wrinkles are the ones that stick around even when your face is at rest. These are usually caused by structural changes in the skin and loss of elasticity.
The goal of any anti-ageing approach is to delay dynamic wrinkles from becoming static, and to smooth out the ones that already exist.
What Actually Works for Preventing and Reducing Wrinkles?
There’s no one magic bullet, but a combination of protection, nutrition, and smart skincare can make a serious difference.
1. Collagen Support from Within
If collagen loss is at the heart of wrinkling, then replenishing it makes sense. But collagen molecules in their natural form are too large to be absorbed, but hydrolysed collagen peptides can help. These broken-down proteins are easier for your body to absorb and use where needed, including the skin.
The best collagen supplementation has been shown to improve skin elasticity, hydration, and density, especially when paired with vitamin C, which is essential for collagen synthesis. Over time, this can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming.
2. Retinoids and Peptides for Skin Renewal
Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) are some of the most studied and effective anti-ageing ingredients. They increase cell turnover, stimulate collagen, and help fade fine lines. Peptides, on the other hand, are short chains of amino acids that signal your skin to produce more collagen and elastin. Together, they help maintain skin structure and firmness.
3. Hydration, Inside and Out
Hydrated skin is plump skin. Drink water, yes, but also look for topical products containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides. These ingredients help skin retain moisture and protect its barrier, reducing the appearance of lines caused by dryness.
4. Antioxidants to Fight Free Radicals
Free radicals from pollution, sunlight, and stress attack your skin daily. Antioxidants, like vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols, neutralise them before they cause damage. Eating antioxidant-rich foods (like berries, green tea, and dark leafy greens) and using antioxidant serums can help slow down the ageing process at a cellular level.
At the end of the day, wrinkles aren’t the enemy, but the visible story of the life you’ve lived. But if you want to write that story with smoother skin and a bit more resilience, you don’t need extreme procedures. You need knowledge, consistency, and support from within.
Supporting skin from the inside out, especially with collagen peptides and skin-friendly nutrients, can help protect what keeps your skin strong. Products like Vital Beauty, which contains hydrolysed collagen peptides and vitamin C, are designed to replenish the building blocks your skin loses with time.
