No Surgery Necessary: 10 Ways To Reduce Wrinkles Today

Youth is no longer reserved solely for the young. With an influx of treatments and procedures promising to make us look like our teen selves, it’s no surprise that we feel younger than the actual age listed on our driver’s license. In an era where you can have babies well into your 40s, why can’t you keep your 20-something skin… forever?

Here are 10 ways to reduce wrinkles today without going under the knife (or the needle):

1. Retinoid – Using a retinoid will greatly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that have already formed and aid in keeping new ones from showing. Basically, retinoids increase cell turnover so that the healthy, “baby” skin is front and center and the dead, old skin is sloughed off. Integrate a retinol product into your PM beauty routine, starting every other day and building up to every evening. TRY: ZO Medical By Zen Obagi Brightenex 1.0% Retinol ($115); Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM ($65)

2. Silk Pillowcases – Considering that we spend a substantial amount of our lives sleeping, it’s understandable that doing the deed can actually cause wrinkles. Think about it: Crinkled cotton pillowcases press against your face for 6-8 hours a night. Not to mention flattening one side of your face onto a surface for any extended period of time is bound to cause a few permanent marks. Silk pillowcases allow your face to slide around instead of pressing down. You can also consider the JuveRest The Sleep Wrinkle Pillow ($179), designed specifically to prevent sleep wrinkles (those little lines under your eyes and vertically on your cheeks). Psst… silk pillowcases are also better for your hair!

3. Wash Your Makeup Off – Sure, this seems like common knowledge, but it’s worth repeating… if for no other reason then dried up foundation and mascara can actually seep into your fine lines and make them even more prominent. Washing your makeup off doesn’t only protect your complexion from breakouts, it also lessens your chances of crow’s feet. Want a one-step makeup remover and cleanser? TRY: Yes To Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes ($9); Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Cleansing Cloths: Oil-Free Pore Refining ($15)

4. SPF – Sun causes premature aging, we know this, but then why do so many women still face the day sans sunscreen? Invest in a SPF of at least 30 and make sure that Zinc is one of the main ingredients as it protects from UVA and UVB rays better than all other ingredients. Remember to apply on chest, neck, and tops of hands as these places really show signs of age as well. For a list of our favorite sunscreens, click here.

5. No More Straws – This may sound strange, but straws can actually cause mouth wrinkles (pucker your lips and look at your reflection… those little lines around your mouth are wrinkles in-the-making). Opt for drinking your iced lattes directly from the cup. And Starbuck’s coffee lids create the same pucker-mouth effect so chuck the lid and let your lips take a breather.

6 . Hyaluronic Acid Is Your Face’s Friend – Hyaluronic acid holds 10 times its weight in water, which means a moisturizer heavy on the HA kick will hydrate and plump, making fine lines practically disappear. TRY: Arcona Magic White Ice ($60); Sanitas Skincare Hyaluronic Concentrate ($68); Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ($19)

7. Smoking Stinks – Again, the fact that smoking causes wrinkles isn’t a secret, but here’s a reminder: Smoking ages everything. Just think, if you quit now, you may actually save yourself from future indentations, especially around your mouth and laugh lines. At the very least, opt for Nicorette ($10) or the patch… you can still have your nicotine fix just do it without the smoke inhalation and pollution.

8. Keep Hydrated – Inner and outer hydration is paramount when we’re trying to erase the very existence of fine lines. In this study, a British woman drank 3 liters (or 101 oz) of water a day for a month and documented it. At the end of the month, she looked 10 years younger (have a peek at the before and after photos if you’re apprehensive). So, yes, a good moisturizer is key, but so is your doctor recommended 8 glasses of water a day.

9. Meditate – Stress ages you, and although we can’t completely remove stress and their triggers from our lives, we can certainly attempt to regulate it. There are hundreds of guided meditations to choose from online, and many will quiet the mind, but medication can also quiet the face or wrinkles. This article goes into great detail about how meditation is the ultimate anti-ager. Meditate every morning with our exclusive 10 Minute Yoga and Meditation Workout.

10. Sleep – It ain’t called beauty sleep for nothing! Many celebrities attribute a full 8 hours of restful slumber as their ultimate anti-aging secret weapon. Cindy Crawford is constantly gushing about how a full night’s sleep has kept her youthful. Just last month, she told the website Violet Grey, “Do all the stuff we know: Don’t smoke, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, find what makes you happy.” And Dr. Oz has sleep as one of his main factors for the anti-aging plan: “The wrong sleeping habits won’t just lead to fatigue-related grumpiness, they can also lead to premature aches and wrinkles.” If you have trouble falling into a silent slumber, there’s always hot baths, L’Occitane Aromachologie Relaxing Essential Oil Blend ($16), and herbal sleep aids to help coax you into a REM state.

Of course, a healthy diet will aid in your quest for youth. Revisit our post on 10 anti-aging foods to eat today here.

What’s your nonsurgical anti-aging secret? Let us know in the comments below.