7 Tips for Preventing Forehead Wrinkles

When it comes to your skin care routine, there’s a chance that one of your goals is to keep your skin looking as youthful as possible — and forehead wrinkles most likely don’t play a part in getting that fresh look. While fine lines and wrinkles are a fact of life for many people, (it’s totally okay to have them!) most folks aren’t looking to emphasize them, especially wrinkles on the forehead. 

If you’ve been layering on eye cream to tackle crow’s feet and scoping out the best ways to treat smile lines, you should also add some products and other healthy skin care habits to help get rid of fine lines on the forehead. Keep reading for our seven best tips for preventing and getting rid of forehead wrinkles.

What Are Wrinkles?

Wrinkles are lines and creases that form on your skin. They typically appear on the face and neck, specifically in areas around the eyes and mouth, but they can also be found anywhere on the body. And as the Cleveland Clinic reports, wrinkles usually become more noticeable when you move your facial muscles.

The Common Causes Of Forehead Wrinkles

Wrinkles can be caused by many factors, from your skin’s natural movements to spending too much time in the sun. Check out these common causes of wrinkles on the forehead so you can better understand how to prevent them.

1. Aging

As you get older, it’s normal and natural to develop wrinkles. Skin cells divide more slowly as the years go on, and your skin gets thinner as your skin's connective tissue — elastin and collagen fibers — becomes looser. According to the Mayo Clinic, your skin’s decreased production of fat and natural oils (in other words, dry skin) can also make your skin appear more wrinkled.

2. Repeated Facial Movements

Normal facial movements and expressions like smiling, squinting, frowning and wrinkling your brow or nose can cause fine lines and wrinkles to become more prominent.

3. Sun Damage

Wrinkles and lines can develop when exposure to UV light from the sun breaks down your skin’s collagen. It’s one of the reasons we stress wearing SPF daily, year round.

4. Smoking

Smoking accelerates the aging process and leads to a reduction in the production of collagen. This, in turn, can lead to an onset of wrinkles and fine lines in the skin.

Can You Get Rid Of Forehead Wrinkles?

Once a wrinkle is formed, you can’t completely get rid of the line without heading to a dermatologist for treatment through injectables or surgery. However, there are many skin care and lifestyle changes you can make to lessen their appearance, and there are also steps you can take to prevent wrinkles from forming in the first place.

7 Ways to Prevent and Get Rid Of Forehead Wrinkles

While you can’t completely make forehead wrinkles vanish, there are plenty of ways you can help minimize their appearance and keep deeper or more wrinkles from appearing. 

1. Keep Your Skin Hydrated

Dry skin is caused by plump skin cells turning into shriveled ones, which can then lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Something as simple as dryness could be the source of your biggest skin care concern — and that’s an easy fix. 

Using a daily moisturizer that fits your skin type, like L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Collagen Expert Day Moisturizer with SPF 30, will keep your skin hydrated and can help to temporarily mask tiny lines and creases. At night, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Collagen Expert Night Moisturizer or L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, Antioxidants. The latter cream uses antioxidants and vitamin E to repair the skin barrier, so your skin will look firmer with fewer wrinkles.

Beyond using moisturizer to stay hydrated, you can also use moisturizing creams that are specifically formulated to help with the appearance of wrinkles. While you don’t necessarily need a forehead wrinkle cream, a wrinkle cream in general isn’t a bad idea. Try adding the L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 45+ Moisturizer or L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 55+ Moisturizer to your routine. With the former including Retino-Peptide and the latter including calcium, both have anti-aging hero ingredients that can be used every day to smooth, firm and hydrate your skin.

2. Start an Anti-Aging Routine Early

It’s never too early to start an all-over anti-aging skin care routine. The Mayo Clinic states that as you get older, your skin naturally becomes less elastic and more fragile, produces fewer natural oils, and loses fat in the deeper layers of the skin. This can all result in more pronounced lines and crevices, and your forehead isn’t excluded, so this may be your sign to start an anti-aging routine. This will help treat any forehead wrinkles that you currently have, and a consistent routine can also prevent more lines from showing up.

3. Use Vitamin C Serum

There are many anti-wrinkle skin care products on the market, so it’s important to scope out ones that are formulated with ingredients that can best address your skin concerns. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help protect skin cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

We recommend using the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 12% Pure Vitamin C + E + Salicylic Acid Serum as part of your forehead wrinkle treatment. The serum contains pure vitamin C, as well as vitamin E and salicylic acid to brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Apply it morning and evening after cleansing and before moisturizer.

4. Don’t Skip SPF

The Cleveland Clinic states that excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (too much sun) can result in premature aging of the skin, which includes unwanted wrinkles. To help prevent sun damage on your skin, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 in addition to taking other sun protection measures. This can include sunscreen or moisturizers with built-in SPF. 

We recommend the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30. This moisturizer contains broad-spectrum SPF 30, Pro-Retinol, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to promote more youthful-looking skin and help fight wrinkles. It brightens skin tone, protects you from sun damage and firms up your skin — all while being ultra-hydrating and refreshing.

5. Use Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is another ingredient to look out for when on the hunt for products to help with the appearance of forehead wrinkles. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), hyaluronic acid has been shown to be effective in decreasing deep wrinkles and enhancing skin’s firmness and elasticity.

To add hyaluronic acid to your routine, try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This serum is formulated with pure hyaluronic acid to replenish hydration and reduce wrinkles for visibly plumped, younger-looking skin.

6. Try Face Yoga

While your facial expressions might cause wrinkles to appear, face yoga is a technique that can help reduce these negative effects. There are many different poses and exercises involved in facial yoga that target specific wrinkles. Facial yoga isn’t just exercises, though — you can also try face massages that can help stimulate your muscles, skin and lymphatic system. Try massaging your face with a gua sha tool — before you start, apply a face oil so the tool can easily glide across targeted areas.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, in order to see results from doing facial exercises, you have to be dedicated to a nearly daily routine that lasts 20 to 30 minutes each.

7. Add Retinol to Your Skin Care Routine

Retinol is one of the star ingredients to help fight wrinkles. If you’re looking to even out your skin tone, reduce wrinkles and achieve younger-looking skin, there’s nothing like retinol to help with that. According to the NCBI, topical retinol can significantly reduce facial wrinkles and increase epidermal thickness (plump up your skin and boost collagen production) after just four weeks of use.

One of our favorite products with the anti-aging staple is the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Pressed Night Moisturizer with Retinol and Niacinamide. It’s gentle enough to use on your face, neck and décolleté, and the combination of wrinkle-fighting retinol and skin-brightening niacinamide helps to give you a more contoured, firmer visage.

Next: The Ultimate Guide to Dealing With Crow’s Feet

Photographer: Chaunte Vaughn, Senior Art Direction: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Senior Visual Designer: Hannah Packer, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Assistant: Victoria Ochoa, Digital Tech: Kyle Thompson, Model: Roxanne Hancock