Do I need an Anti-Wrinkle Cream? How to Pick an Anti-Wrinkle Cream

There are many factors that might determine your skincare routine.

Maybe you are the type that looks for the trendiest new ingredients or skincare products. Or you may even opt for a new anti-wrinkle cream because your favorite actress uses it, it smells like marshmallows, or you can’t resist the glossy packaging. Our advice, though, is to always choose skincare products that will target your skin concerns. What is a product going to do for you? Start by looking in the mirror: there is no sense in using a brightening cream that smells amazing if hyperpigmentation isn’t a concern. And when it comes to picking out an anti-wrinkle cream, take note of whether you’re just starting to develop fine lines or you have deeper creases that have been around for a while. Once you know what you want to target, zero in on your wrinkle cream options and how to apply them for optimal results with our helpful guide below.

What causes wrinkles?

To prevent wrinkles we have to first understand their various causes, some of which are inevitable and others within our control.

• Facial movements. When we’re younger, repeated facial movements tend not to leave lines because skin is elastic and springs back. But overtime, our skin doesn’t return to place as easily, and these repeated expressions form grooves beneath the skin and lines on the surface.
• Age. With age, our natural oil production decreases, leading to dryer skin that appears more wrinkled and actually is more susceptible to wrinkling. Fat in the deeper layers of skin also decreases, and this loss of volume can cause skin to sag and loosen, resulting in deep creasing.
• Sun exposure. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun, lights, and even screens speeds up nearly all of skin’s natural aging processes, as it breaks down collagen and elastin in the connective tissue, and increases risk of harmful skin cancers.
• Smoking. Smoking is dangerous for your overall health, skin included. It takes its negative effects on your skin inside and out, with toxins that break down collagen and accelerate the overall aging process.

Anti-Aging Cream for Early Signs of Aging

What you see:
Fine Lines and early signs of aging, such as enlarged pores, dull skin, and lack of suppleness skin texture.

Your Lancôme Anti-Aging Cream: Advanced Génifique Night Cream

Why it Works:
Our Advanced Génifique Night Cream has an impressive cast of ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and Bifidus Prebiotic. The anti-aging night cream helps create a plumper-looking complexion (ideal if you are starting to develop lines) as well as draw and keep moisture in skin (hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold water in skin) while you sleep to wake up with skin looking radiant and well-rested. If you are the type that is turned off by the idea of a cream, don’t fret—this isn’t your grandmother’s moisturizer. The transforming texture melts into skin without an oily or greasy feel. Once the cream reaches skin temperature it softens and melts into the skin as you apply it, instantly soothing and hydrating the skin and locking in hydration lasting for up to 72 hours*. After one night of using the cream, expect to see hydrated, more moisturized and nourished skin; after four weeks, your skin should appear healthier and feel stronger.** Over time, this anti-aging cream also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

How to Apply It:
Our classic, wrinkle-reducing face massage: the pinch and roll. Apply the product to your entire face and down your neck, and then use your index finger and thumb to gently pinch and roll your skin upwards. Work your way first along your jaw, across the middle of your cheeks, and finally at the tops of your cheekbones (three times on each side of your face). Finish by pinching and rolling vertically on your forehead (working against your forehead lines), starting in the middle, above the center of your brow, then above the tail of your brow on each side. Repeat each set three times. Tip: Use our Advanced Génifique Anti-Aging Youth Activating Serum before using the night cream.

Anti-Wrinkle Cream for Smoothing Lines and Wrinkles

What You See:
Deeper Lines and wrinkles are starting to show and the skin does not feel as firm as it used to.

Your Lancôme Wrinkle Reducer: Absolue Soft Cream

Why it works:
Rose extract is a skincare favorite for its ability to soothe, neutralize free radicals, and enhance the renewal potential of the skin. Absolue Soft Cream contains Grand Rose Extracts, a proprietary blend of rose extracts sourced exclusively from the South of France and is a symbol of vitality. The other active ingredient, Pro-Xylane, is a powerful anti-aging molecule. The cream smooths the look of fine lines while visibly firming the skin and works to target wrinkles, dullness, dryness, fine lines, uneven skin texture, uneven skin tone. Over time, signs of aging are visibly reduced, and skin looks radiant and revitalized. It is as luxurious as a wrinkle cream can get. The beautiful golden packaging (which is also refillable) looks luxurious on any counter. But it’s the dense baby pink cream that melts into skin to make it feel totally nourished, radiant, and glowing that’ll leave you addicted. The soft cream is creamy yet lightweight and suitable for all skin types -- and the accompanying rich cream variation has a thick texture ideal for normal to drier skin types.

How to Apply It:
Create a ritual out of applying Absolue Soft Cream. The luxurious cream melts into skin for an immersive experience – take your time and don’t rush the experience. Gently press the cream onto face, neck, and décolleté and start to blend into the skin – use your fingers to create deep half-circle movements—first along your jawline, then the center of your cheeks, your upper cheekbones, and your forehead for a relaxing ritual. As the cream is blended, its texture transforms into a thin, serum-like lotion that nourishes the skin. Once absorbed the texture slightly thickens and sets on the skin and leaving it feeling silky-smooth, hydrated, and plumped with moisture. Use it after Absolue The Serum for visibly smoother skin.

Anti-Wrinkle Cream for Deep Wrinkles and Sagging Skin

Your Skin Concern:
Deeper wrinkles and folds, sagging skin, and loss of radiance.

Your Lancôme Wrinkle Reducer: Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Lifting & Firming Night Cream

Why it Works:

When deeper wrinkles and loss of firmness start to show up, it’s time to pull out Rénergie anti-aging cream. Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Anti-Aging Cream is part of our lifting skin care collection for sagging and wrinkles. This moisturizing cream has lifting, firming, and anti-wrinkle benefits to replenish skin overnight. In just 14 nights, wrinkles on the forehead, neck, and crow’s feet are visibly reduced. The best part about it: every skin type can reap the lifting effect, firming, luminosity-boosting benefits. How so? There are three textures which all give anti-wrinkle benefits —a silky anti-aging day cream with SPF 15 which helps with sagging, wrinkles, & fine lines, a light, fresh anti-aging SPF 30 day cream which helps with wrinkles, loss of firmness and elasticity, sagging, uneven skin tone, dark spots, dryness — and the buttery rich cream with anti-wrinkle benefits to replenish skin overnight.

How to Apply It:
Appropriately, the Rénergie anti-aging facial massage involves a lot of sweeping, lifting movements. Apply the wrinkle cream to your face and neck, then use your hands to rub first from your chin to behind your ear (six on each side of your face), then make the sweeping motions up your face—from your chin to your earlobe, your upper lip to the top of your ear, and from your cheekbones to your temple. Do six times on each side of your face, alternating between your hands for each “sweep.” Now make the same movement vertically along your forehead—three lines on each side of your face, repeating three times. Pair with our Rénergie Ultra H.C.F Triple Anti-Aging Serum before moisturizing skin.

Anti-Aging Skincare Tips

How to Moisturize Skin in the Winter

A Guide to Moisturizing Dry Skin

How Stress Can Lead to Wrinkles

The Eye Contour and Anti-Aging Eye Creams

* In a clinical study on 24 women, after 72 hours
**Based on multi-ethnic self-assessment results in an 8-week consumer study of 79 women
Instantly locks in hydration lasting 72 hours*

Shop skincare to target fine lines and wrinkles.