With age, the skin's fibroblasts - cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin - slow their output. UV exposure, inflammation, and oxidative stress activate certain enzymes that degrade existing collagen and elastin fibers. This structural loss reduces skin’s firmness, leading to laxity, folds, and expression lines becoming etched into the skin. Effective wrinkle prevention hinges on both stimulating fibroblasts and inhibiting enzymes with antioxidants and polyphenols, preserving the skin’s architectural integrity.

Daily exposure to UV rays, pollution, blue light, and stress produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) - unstable molecules that damage DNA, lipids, and proteins in skin cells. ROS trigger inflammatory cytokines and destroy collagen-supporting enzymes, accelerating visible ageing. Topical antioxidants neutralize these free radicals, protecting skin from photoaging and dullness.

Dry skin may not directly cause wrinkles, but dehydration amplifies them—both visibly and structurally. As water content decreases in the stratum corneum, skin loses its natural elasticity and plumpness, making fine lines more pronounced and reducing resilience to environmental stress. The epidermis also becomes less flexible, increasing mechanical folding and wrinkling over time. Hydrators combined with occlusives like facial oils, help reduce TEWL and visibly soften wrinkles by restoring skin volume and stretch.

As we age, keratinocyte turnover slows from a 28-day cycle in youth to 45–60+ days, leading to a buildup of dead cells on the surface. This not only makes skin appear dull but exacerbates fine lines and texture irregularities, as dead skin impedes light reflection and product absorption. Gentle, consistent exfoliation helps remove this buildup, stimulates cell renewal, and refines the appearance of early wrinkles, especially around the eyes and mouth.

Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining skin thickness, hydration, and collagen content. With age - especially during menopause—estrogen levels drop, leading to rapid collagen loss (up to 30% in the first 5 years), reduced hyaluronic acid production, and decreased skin density. This hormonal decline makes skin more prone to wrinkling, sagging, and dryness. Phytoestrogens and barrier-repair ingredients can help mimic some estrogenic effects, supporting wrinkle prevention in estrogen-deficient skin.

Repeated facial expressions like squinting, smiling, and frowning cause dynamic wrinkles—lines that eventually become static over time. These mechanical folds are exaggerated by loss of skin elasticity, dehydration, and collagen depletion. Ingredients like rosehip and bakuchiol help reduce the appearance of these lines by promoting collagen remodelling and epidermal thickening.