8 Ways to Hide Wrinkles

Look fresh and more youthful.

Medically Reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD on September 19, 2013
Written by Kara Mayer Robinson
3 min read

Minimize your wrinkles and fine lines with these eight tips:

With age, skin becomes drier, making wrinkles stand out more. Bring that moisture back to fight the fine lines.

Look for a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, which pulls in water and plumps the skin, says Joshua Zeichner, MD. He is director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

Retinoids spur your skin to make more collagen, which combats wrinkles. You can buy products made with retinol over the counter, or get prescription-strength retinoids through your doctor. Both "have been well-studied for wrinkles, and work," Zeichner says.

Use them as directed, and be patient. Most products take anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months to work.

Wear sunscreen, too. Retinoids can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Wearing sunscreen every day can also help you prevent future wrinkles.

Take it easy. Try only one or two anti-aging products at a time.

Using too many tends to irritate the skin, which can make signs of aging more visible. It's best to start with one product and add another product after a month or so.

Look for ingredients like vitamin C or descriptions including "peptide technology" or "growth factor technology."

After you moisturize, smooth on a primer before you put on your foundation.

"Applying primer as a makeup base is the key to softening wrinkles," says Jaclyn Peresetsky, a makeup artist and co-owner of Skin Perfect Clinic in Ohio.

Choose one with a silicone base, which fills in uneven skin texture and fine lines.

Heavy matte formulas make your skin look older. A hydrating, sheer foundation is best.

Need more coverage to hide dark spots or blemishes? Lightly tap a concealer on dark spots before applying foundation.

Heavy coverage on fine lines and wrinkles draws attention to them.

A light dusting of loose, mineral powder sets your makeup without settling into fine lines and pores.

"Look for one that contains mica micro-particles, which reflect light to give the skin extraordinary radiance," Peresetsky says.

Also, swap your powder blush for a cream blush to get a natural, radiant look that won't draw attention to any fine lines on your cheeks.

Highlighting eyes is one of the tricks of the trade that makeup artists use to draw focus away from wrinkles.

Choose matte eye shadow rather than shimmer. "The metallic used in shimmery eye shadows enhances fine lines and draws attention to crepey skin," Peresetsky says.

Neutral colors work best. Use lighter shades on your lids and soft neutrals in the creases of your eyelids.

Keep the color on your lips, and don't let it bleed into fine lines. Lip pencil, a non-drying lip stain, and sheer gloss should do the trick, Peresetsky says.

Line your lips with a creamy, color-stay lip liner that matches your lip color.

Next, apply a lip stain very lightly using your fingertip. Don't use too much.

Finally, put a little bit of sheer gloss on the center of your lips. This will help your color stay put and keep the spotlight where it belongs: on your beauty.