In wellness, there are few things as frustrating as the search for quality skincare for aging skin. In the quest for smoother, younger-looking skin, the beauty industry bombards us with a myriad of products that claim to erase signs of aging. It’s easy — and frankly, smart, to question which of these products genuinely deliver on their promises.

At Ritual, we stand by a science-backed approach to aging by installing beneficial habits now that support your skin health in the future. One great approach to proactive aging is in supporting beauty from the inside-out. Isn’t it always what’s on the inside that counts?

We’ll explain here the intricacies of skin elasticity, what causes facial wrinkles and fine lines and a few tips on how to support your skin for the future. Read on to understand why taking care of your skin now is key to a smoother tomorrow.

What Causes Wrinkles and Fine Lines?

To understand what causes the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, we need to first learn what factors contribute to their onset. Of course, there’s aging itself, which plays a big role because it leads to a gradual decline in skin elasticity. It also causes the production of less fat and essential proteins such as collagen in the deeper layers. (1)

Repetitive facial movements, also called facial muscle contractions, can etch lines into the skin overtime. Because skin loses its flexibility as we age it cannot spring back as quickly, resulting in grooves or lines that become part of our faces - like crow’s feet, laugh lines and the eleven line between eyebrows. As you read this now, are you frowning your forehead? Let that tension go.

There is also the role of sun exposure, especially unsafe sun exposure. This can lead to damaging UV rays and sun damage, which trigger the premature formation of wrinkles. UV light, as found in tanning beds, breaks down elastin fibers and collagens in the skin, resulting in less flexible skin.

Smoking, to no one’s surprise, is also a top offender, causing skin damage because it affects both blood flow and collagen production, speeding up the development of fine lines and wrinkles. Smoking also can create increased facial lines around the mouth called smoker’s lines. (2)

Finally, inadequate nutrition and lack of physical activity can also contribute to wrinkles by promoting poor skin texture and skin tone. (2) A diet that’s high in fat and processed foods, paired with low physical movement, limits the amount of oxygen that is delivered to skin. Oxygen is important to help boost collagen production and promote new skin cells.

Wrinkles can develop anywhere on the skin, but more commonly they appear on the face, hands, neck, arms and legs. The age of wrinkle development does vary person-to-person, however many of us experience the onset of wrinkles and fine lines in our mid to late 20’s into early 30’s. (3) As we age, skin cells divide slower and the middle layer of skin begins to thin. This middle layer, called the dermis, has elastin and collagen fibers that offer support and elasticity. And as it thins, grooves and lines show on the skin surface.

5 Habits for Fine Line and Wrinkle Reduction

Reducing lines and wrinkles involves an approach that combines both lifestyle changes and skincare practices with a purpose. Let’s take a look at five proactive ways to nurture your skin health.

1. Protect yourself from the sun: Keeping your skin safe from harmful UV rays is crucial, and it can begin with mindful practices such as the use of a broad spectrum waterproof sunscreen and seeking shady spaces when the sun is at its peak. (8) And, for the love of health, stay out of tanning beds! If you want that beachy, tanned look, try using a self-tanner to reduce your exposure to damaging UV rays. (3)

2. Hydration, hydration, hydration! This is a crucial ally for the skin, because a well-moisturized skin is more resilient to developing fine lines and wrinkles. Hydrated skin not only will appear plumper and more youthful, but will also encourage elasticity, making it less prone to pesky fine lines. Be sure to also hydrate with plenty of water throughout the day. A lack of water in the body overtime can create tissue dehydration both in the body and on the skin. Think of your skin as a reflection of what is happening inside your body. (2) Consistent and regular water intake has great benefits to your skin’s physiology- aka: it can help create beautiful, glowy, and plump skin. (4)

3. Focus on beauty from within: We mentioned earlier how beauty stems from the inside-out. Nutrition is an important pillar to support healthy aging. Incorporating more antioxidant-rich foods can help combat oxidative stress. (7) Antioxidants can be found in fruits and vegetables that also provide key essential nutrients including vitamin A and E, nourishing the body on the inside.

4. Embrace your skincare ritual: Everyone’s favorite part of their day. Adopting a consistent skin care routine that fits for your skin type can work wonders on the appearance of your skin today, and how it naturally ages overtime. This routine could include gentle cleansers, targeted moisturizers, sunscreen, and products that contain ingredients such as retinoids and hyaluronic acid, both of which are known for their wrinkle reducing properties.

5. Add Ritual’s HyaCeraTM to your skincare routine: Beauty from the inside out can sometimes be literal - such as with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occuring substance that our bodies produce (decreasing with age) and is found throughout the body. (5) It holds benefits for the skin including hydration. Hyaluronic acid retains water really well, which is why it is often found in skincare products such as moisturizers, lotions, ointments and serums. Hyaluronic acid can be applied directly onto the skin or taken as an ingestible supplement - like HyaCera™ which is clinically-proven to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and improve skin smoothness in 90 days.*†

†Based on a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on 63 women and men ages 26 to 64 years old

HyaCera^TM’s Clinical Study Results

As we said, there’s plenty of skincare products that will sell you on unsubstantiated claims. For us — and, we suspect — for you too, nothing speaks louder than science-backed results. As a science-based organization, we always want to demonstrate the efficacy behind our products, so we sent our HyaCera™ through the ringer, with the full clinical trial treatment.

Our 12-week clinical trial for our HyaCera™ skin hydration supplement was double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled, allowing us to make claims that we proudly stand behind.

Now, let’s take a look at the results.

Clinically Proven Wrinkle Reduction: In a clinical study, HyaCera™ led to a 3.6x reduction in crow’s feet wrinkles within 90 days, compared to placebo.*†

Clinically Proven Improvement in Skin Smoothness: In a clinical study, HyaCera™ led to a 2.9x increase in facial skin smoothness within 90 days, compared to placebo.*†

Improvement in Skin Elasticity, Glow & Radiance: In 90 days, HyaCera™ outperformed placebo with more subjects reporting improvement in skin elasticity, glow, and radiance.*†

†Based on a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on 63 women and men ages 26 to 64 years old

Navigating the world of skincare can be a bit overwhelming. As skeptics, we're all about keeping it simple and providing the resources for a science-baked, aging experience. With HyaCera™ , we created an easy addition to your daily ritual that helps support skin smoothness and wrinkle reduction— all from the inside out. So, why not start caring for your skin now?*

References:

1. Wrinkles. (2023, December 12). Mayo Clinic.

2. Massick, S. (2020, June 26). The Ohio state university Wexner medical center.

3. Wrinkles. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.

4. Rodrigues, L., Palma, L., Tavares Marques, L., & Bujan Varela, J. (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 8, 413.

5. Hyaluronic acid. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 19, 2024.

6. 11 ways to… skin aging. (n.d.). Aad.org. Retrieved January 19, 2024.

7. Cao, C., Xiao, Z., Wu, Y., & Ge, C. (2020). Diet and skin aging—from the perspective of food nutrition. Nutrients, 12(3), 870.

8. How to…premature skin aging. (n.d.). Aad.org. Retrieved January 19, 2024.