How To Stop Makeup From Creasing In Smile Lines

Has your makeup ever creased in your smile lines and made you look older than you are? If so, you're not alone. Many of us experience this as we age, but there are some easy steps you can take to prevent it. This article covers the causes of smile lines and a few tips for how to stop makeup from creasing in your smile lines.

What Are Smile Lines?

Smile lines, also known as laugh lines, are the lines that appear around the mouth when you smile. Over time, as we lose collagen and elastin during the natural aging process, these lines become more prominent. When you combine repeated facial movements throughout the years and your skin's decreased ability to bounce back results in visible lines around the mouth.

Smiling and laughing are absolutely necessary, so we have to find other ways to decrease smile lines that don't involve having a perpetual straight face. Luckily there are many skincare techniques that target smile lines at the source, giving you a smoother canvas for crease-free makeup.

woman with smile line creases touching her face

How To Prevent And Reduce Smile Lines

Anti-Aging Skincare Products

Incorporate skincare products that contain anti-aging ingredients into your routine. Vitamin C and retinol are both powerful ingredients that help boost collagen levels, though combining them might irritate the skin. Try using Vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night for firmer, bouncier skin. Hyaluronic acid binds water to collagen for intense hydration to keep skin plump and smooth.

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Microneedle Patches For Smile Lines

Microneedle patches incorporate microneedling technology, in which hundreds of tiny needles gently prick the skin to deliver ingredients to the core. This allows your skin to absorb the ingredients better as the microneedles dissolve into the skin. You can place them directly on smile lines to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin texture, so your makeup is less likely to crease there.

Read More: Microneedling For Laugh Lines

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Lifestyle Factors

Some lifestyle factors like sun exposure, genetics, smoking, and dehydration cause smile lines to develop more quickly or stand out more. Therefore it's essential to drink plenty of water, avoid smoking, and be sure to wear SPF every day. Photoaging caused by sun exposure is one of the quickest ways to look older than you are, so wear sunscreen even when it isn't sunny out. Healthy daily habits keep you healthy from the inside out and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Cosmetic Procedures

If you want a quicker solution, you can opt for cosmetic procedures like dermal fillers, injectables, and laser resurfacing. However, these procedures can be costly, time-consuming, and painful. Alternatives such as microneedle patches provide similar results in a more affordable, non-invasive manner.

How To Avoid Smile Line Creases In Makeup

Although you can reduce the appearance of smile lines, sometimes they still end up creasing your makeup. Here are a few makeup techniques that can help prevent this from happening:

  1. Have A Clean Base: Use a gentle cleanser to remove dirt, debris, and oil. A smooth base is crucial for even makeup application. You can also use an exfoliating cleanser like the Dēpology Gentle Exfoliating Glycolic Acid Facial Cleanser to remove dead skin cells and debris more thoroughly.
  2. Hydrate: Immediately after cleansing and patting your skin dry, complete your morning skincare routine from lightest to heaviest products. Apply serums and moisturizers with hydrating ingredients for a smooth, plump finish.
  3. Prime: Makeup primers can help make your face even smoother by filling in lines and blurring pores and imperfections. This reduces the appearance of wrinkles even more.
  4. Don't Over-Apply: After concealer, apply foundation evenly across your face. Avoid concealers and foundations with thick, heavy formulas. Instead, opt for a lighter coverage product that won't dry out or cake. Blend it out smoothly with a damp makeup sponge. Apply less product directly on wrinkles to help avoid creases.
  5. Set: Make sure to set your makeup so it stays in place all day without creasing into your smile lines. Use a loose setting powder that isn't heavy on the skin. Use a non-drying alcohol-free setting spray as a finishing touch.
Infographics on Smile lines by Depology woman in here 40s

The Final Verdict

The best way to avoid having your makeup crease in your smile lines is to prevent and reduce smile lines in the first place. However, it is difficult to completely get rid of smile lines since smiling is one of the best parts of life. If you follow these simple skincare and makeup tips, you'll be able to enjoy your makeup without worrying about it creasing in your smile lines. With a little bit of care, you can keep your makeup looking fresh and beautiful all day long!