In this article you’ll learn:

1. Why wrinkles form as we age 
2. How to tweak your menu and boost your skin  
3. How to give your face a glass of water 
4. Why putting a hockey puck in your mouth is not crazy

As we get older, collagen production slows down and our skin loses elasticity, gets thinner, and drier too, a process accelerated by sun exposure, pollution, and lifestyle habits (read: clubbing). As a result, we're more prone to wrinkles, smile lines, fine lines, crow’s feet, and neck lines. 

These wrinkles show character and experience. But still, we prefer to delay their arrival, and hide them once they show up. It’s vanity born of streaming too many late-career Nick Nolte films — or watching our female friends age gracefully without wrinkles. Fortunately, there are active steps you can take to fight the furrow. 

1. Relax your face: Repeated facial movements like squinting, frowning, or pursing of the lips can accelerate the formation of wrinkles. So get some corrective glasses or sunglasses, or quit smiling so much and assume the dour expression of your accountant during tax season — or your favorite emo star. 

2. Eat right: What’s on your plate can tell the story of your face. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties can improve the skin’s elasticity, so next time you’re moving through the grocery aisle, drop the Cheez-Its and check these out:  

• green tea
• olive oil
• salmon
• avocados
• pomegranates
• flax seeds
• vegetables, especially carrots, pumpkin, leafy greens, bell peppers, and broccoli

3. Moisturize: We mentioned that as we get older, our skin loses elasticity. That’s because the body slows down its production of hyaluronic acid, which reduces collagen production. That’s why, for your face, a moisturizer looks like a Dasani dispenser in a desert — especially if it contains synthetic hyaluronic acid, which acts as a super-hydrator, holding 1,000 times its weight in water and helping the skin retain moisture where it's most needed.

Hyaluronic acid is a major ingredient in our Vital Morning Face Cream, and it’ll prevent wrinkles from forming or getting deeper, while improving the appearance and texture of your skin. For more on hyaluronic acid check this blog post. 

4. Use protection: The number one thing you can do for your skin is to use an SPF. It’s the smart and easy way to protect yourself from the sun’s UV rays, which bear more than 90% of responsibility for skin aging. Try our SPF30+ with moisturizer, or, for extra protection, wear a wide brim hat, light-colored clothes that’ll reflect the sun, and sunglasses with UV protection. Or just never leave the house. 

5. Facial stretching: Put a slim rubber hockey puck in your mouth and start chewing on it 90 times a day and you’ll see benefits — just don’t do it during a Zoom call, because, you know, it looks weird. 

Truth is, our face is packed with muscles, and they respond to tension exercises by getting larger. By counteracting the age-related loss of fat and collagen, your face will look fuller, especially around the cheeks, chin, and jawline. Unfortunately this will not help the fine lines and crow’s feet around your eyes, as those muscles are involuntary. 

6. Retinoids: One of the most studied and celebrated anti-aging ingredients, retinoids can increase collagen production and encourage skin regeneration, which plumps your face. They also promote the creation of new blood vessels, which may help improve the skin’s overall appearance and texture. Our Nourishing Night Cream is packed with retinol, btw. 

Any concerns about wrinkles in your future? Or do you already have some forming? Reach out, we’re here to recommend a good hockey puck or some skincare for your face when you’re ready.