Aesthetic dermatologists have observed that habitual, daily moisturising over a prolonged period can actually age the skin. This induced ageing occurs because the same fibroblast cells which produce GAGs (the skin's moisturiser) also produce collagen and elastin, which help maintain the skin's elasticity.
“By over-moisturizing, you can cause the skin barrier function to weaken and risk clogging pores,” explains Sobel. Add those together and you get both dry skin and body acne — the allover equivalent of combination skin.
First, the answer is yes, retinol can make wrinkles worse, especially when you first start using it. What is happening is a drying effect, and one can get epidermal sliding from separation from the dermis.
Many of the everyday skincare and personal care products that are used regularly–from bar soap to laundry detergent–contain drying ingredients. When the skin becomes dry or dehydrated, it can accentuate the appearance of lines and wrinkles, making you look older.
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Ultraviolet radiation, which speeds the natural aging process, is the primary cause of early wrinkling. Exposure to UV light breaks down your skin's connective tissue — collagen and elastin fibers, which lie in the deeper layer of skin (dermis).
As skin loses volume, plumpness and elasticity with age, it's less able to spring back from repetitive facial expressions, which leads to lines, wrinkles and deeper creases over time. “Skin ageing is due to a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors,” explains Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Sharon Wong.
Also your product should last you a few months not a few weeks — running through product quickly indicates you might be using too much of it. Some signs you may be over-moisturizing are clogged pores, blackheads, bumpy skin and excess oil.
“When the imbalance of water, lipids, and proteins is altered using moisturisers, the skin's ability to act as a strong barrier to protect our inner organs will be weakened,” he explains.
The formula balls up on your skin
Is there anything more annoying than prepping your skin, only to find the formula balling up and rubbing away as soon as you touch it? If you're finding that this is happening, your moisturiser is probably too heavy for your skin to absorb properly.
Moisturizers can't prevent wrinkles, but they trap water in the skin, temporarily masking tiny lines and creases. Don't smoke. Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. It also damages collagen and elastin — fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps create collagen in the skin. It can be found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, such as rosehips, chili peppers, guava, and kale. Applying a topical gel containing vitamin C can help improve the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of sun damage on the skin.
“Everyone wants a quick fix when it comes to making skin look better, but drinking more water isn't going to help get rid of wrinkles or plump up your skin unless you are extremely dehydrated,” says Elizabeth Damstetter, MD, a dermatologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
"Yes, you can use too much [moisturizer]," skincare producer Garnier says. "Facial moisturizers are designed to be concentrated, and applying more of a moisturizer doesn't cause better skin results—sometimes it can even do the opposite."
We've always assumed that one of the most important tenets of winter skin care is applying copious amounts of moisturizer. But despite layering our favorite formulas across our parched faces day after day, week after week, we still experience irritation, dryness, and the occasional breakout.
Double moisturising can be easily incorporated into your daily skincare routine. Depending on your skin type, you may want to double moisturise as part of your PM routine, or if you suffer from particularly dry skin, doubling up morning and night may be better suited to you.
Aesthetic dermatologists have observed that habitual, daily moisturising over a prolonged period can actually age the skin. This induced ageing occurs because the same fibroblast cells which produce GAGs (the skin's moisturiser) also produce collagen and elastin, which help maintain the skin's elasticity.
“When you use moisturizer every day, you run the risk of making your skin older, not younger,” he said to Refinery29. “If you apply a lot of moisture, skin will become sensitive, dry, dull, and interfere with natural hydration.”
Night is an essential time to renew your mind—and your skin. Adding a lotion before bed creates softer, more hydrated, and better-looking skin the next day. It also helps seal in moisture and repairs the skin barrier that's compromised by dry air and harsh cleansers.
Not sure if you're over-moisturizing? Dr. Garshick says the most immediate signs are clogged pores, blackheads, and excess oil production. She advises moisturizing no more than two times a day, using a product formulated for your skin type.
Dry and shiny skin
“If you use a moisturizer after cleansing, you can 'trick' the skin into believing it has the right amount of oil so it does not overproduce,” says Charles.
How Often Should You Use a Face Moisturizer? Generally accepted advice about the use of moisturizers is to apply it twice daily––every morning and every night. It's the most commonly accepted practice because it ensures that the moisture content of your skin remains constant throughout the entire 24 hour period.
When it comes to skin aging, there's not much we can do to completely stop the process. Signs of aging like wrinkles and spots are the results of the accumulation of defects in cells and intracellular structures. Experts have found that skin aging typically starts around age 25.
The issue can be easily fixed by avoiding foods high in processed sugar or simple carbohydrates, as well as refraining from cigarettes. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants may, conversely, stave off the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Antioxidant-rich foods keep skin looking fresher and less wrinkled.
Can wrinkled skin be reversed? In a short answer, yes. But it probably won't be a complete elimination. Here are some ways you can reverse aging naturally as well as treatments you can try if other methods aren't working.