Best Skincare for Wrinkles and Sagging Skin: What Really Works

Aging is a natural process, but the visible signs—wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin—are often unwelcome reminders of time’s passage. While genetics play a role, environmental factors and lifestyle choices significantly influence how your skin ages.

Fortunately, advances in skincare combined with healthy habits can help you maintain firmer, more youthful skin. In this blog, we'll explore what causes wrinkles and sagging, key ingredients proven to target these concerns, an effective skincare routine featuring products like Vital A Serum and Defend Antioxidant Serum, and lifestyle habits to support skin health.

What Causes Wrinkles and Sagging Skin?

Wrinkles and sagging skin develop primarily due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, the structural proteins that keep skin firm and elastic. As we age, these proteins naturally decline, but several other factors contribute to premature skin aging:

• Sun Exposure: Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun penetrate the skin and damage collagen fibers, accelerating the formation of lines and laxity.

• Oxidative Stress: Free radicals from pollution, smoke, and environmental toxins cause cellular damage that weakens the skin’s structure.

• Loss of Facial Fat: As we age, the fat pads beneath the skin diminish and shift, leading to volume loss and sagging, particularly around the cheeks, jawline, and under the eyes.

• Lifestyle Factors: A poor diet, excessive alcohol intake, smoking, inadequate sleep, and chronic stress all negatively impact the skin’s ability to repair and renew itself.

• Natural Aging: Reduced production of hyaluronic acid and a slower cellular turnover rate contribute to thinner, drier, and more fragile skin over time.

• Facial Movements: Repetitive expressions like frowning or squinting create dynamic lines that deepen as collagen depletes.

Understanding the causes of wrinkles and sagging helps you address them with a targeted skincare approach and daily habits that support long-term skin health.

Key Skincare Ingredients to Target Wrinkles and Sagging

Addressing aging skin requires ingredients that rebuild collagen, improve elasticity, hydrate deeply, and protect against further damage. The Dubois Beauty collection includes powerful actives to support firmer, more resilient skin:

Bakuchiol (Vitamin A) – Vital A Serum

Retinol is one of the most researched ingredients in skincare for minimizing fine lines and boosting collagen. Our Vital A Serum features 1% Bakuchiol suspended in a gentle, clean botanical base. It encourages cellular renewal, improves tone and texture, and promotes firmer skin—making it a staple in any anti-aging regimen.

Vitamin C + Antioxidants – Defend Antioxidant Serum

Free radical damage leads to wrinkles and sagging skin over time. The Defend Antioxidant Serum offers advanced protection with stabilized ascorbic acid (vitamin C), phloretin, and Kakadu plum (the highest known natural source of vitamin C). This blend shields skin from environmental stress, enhances brightness, and supports collagen integrity.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) – AHA Cleansing Milk

Gentle exfoliation is key to maintaining skin smoothness and improving absorption of treatment products. Our AHA Cleansing Milk contains lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid known for increasing hydration while removing dead skin cells. It’s a creamy, non-stripping formula perfect for daily use to refine texture and promote radiance.

Niacinamide + Botanical Extracts – Clarity Toner

This alcohol-free toner contains niacinamide, willow herb, and calming botanical extracts to reduce inflammation, balance skin tone, and refine pores. It’s ideal for preparing the skin for active serums while soothing any sensitivity.

Peptides + Plant Stem Cells – Restorative Night Cream

The skin regenerates during sleep, and the Restorative Night Cream supports this process with advanced plant stem cells and peptides. These ingredients help encourage skin renewal, firmness, and elasticity while deeply hydrating and restoring the skin barrier.

Blue Light and Pollution Defense – Protecting Day Cream

The Protecting Day Cream provides daily moisture while defending the skin from environmental stressors like urban air pollution and blue light from screens. Although it does not contain SPF, its antioxidant-rich formula acts like a shield against modern-day skin aggressors.

Recommended Skincare Routine

Consistency is everything when it comes to improving skin firmness and reducing wrinkles. The following daily regimen highlights the best order and use of the Dubois Beauty products to target visible signs of aging:

Morning Routine

1. Cleanse: Use the AHA Cleansing Milk to remove impurities and gently exfoliate the skin with lactic acid. It prepares the skin to absorb actives more effectively.

2. Tone: Apply Clarity Toner with a cotton pad or fingertips. It calms inflammation, refines pores, and delivers a dose of niacinamide for skin balance.

3. Antioxidant Protection: Massage in 1-2 pumps of Defend Antioxidant Serum to brighten the complexion and defend against environmental damage.

4. Hydrate & Defend: Finish with the Protecting Day Cream, which hydrates while helping to filter harmful blue light and pollution particles from your environment.

Note: For full sun protection, always follow with a broad-spectrum, mineral-based sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.

Evening Routine

1. Cleanse: Begin with the AHA Cleansing Milk to dissolve impurities and makeup, gently exfoliating without stripping the skin.

2. Calm & Prep: Mist the face with the Calm Mineral Mist, which provides essential minerals, calms sensitivity, and preps the skin for deeper treatment penetration.

3. Retinol Repair: Apply a small amount of Vital A Serum to dry skin. Start with 2–3 times per week if you're new to retinol and build up to nightly use as your skin adjusts.

4. Restore & Hydrate: Finish with the Restorative Night Cream to seal in moisture, repair the skin barrier, and stimulate collagen production with peptides and plant stem cells.

Lifestyle Tips to Support Skin Firmness

Even the most effective skincare products can only go so far without the right support from your daily habits. These lifestyle strategies enhance the effectiveness of your regimen and promote long-term skin health:

1. Eat a Skin-Friendly Diet

Focus on antioxidant-rich foods such as leafy greens, berries, citrus, tomatoes, and fatty fish. Nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support collagen production. Limit processed foods and reduce sugar, which contributes to glycation, a process that weakens collagen fibers.

2. Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins, maintain cell function, and keep skin looking plump and radiant. Aim for at least 8 glasses per day, and incorporate hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelon, and leafy greens.

3. Prioritize Sleep

Skin goes into repair mode at night. Lack of sleep can accelerate aging, dull your complexion, and increase inflammation. Try to get 7–9 hours of restful sleep each night. A consistent bedtime routine and reduced screen exposure before bed can improve your sleep quality.

4. Limit Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol dehydrates the skin and disrupts nutrient absorption, leading to dullness and premature wrinkles. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation and always follow with plenty of water.

5. Protect Against Sun Exposure

The sun is the leading external cause of premature aging. Wear protective clothing, seek shade during peak hours, and apply a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen daily—even on cloudy days.

6. Avoid Smoking

Smoking damages the skin's elasticity and decreases blood flow, leading to dullness and fine lines—especially around the lips. Quitting smoking can dramatically improve your skin’s appearance and prevent further breakdown of collagen and elastin.

7. Manage Stress

Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which accelerates aging and can trigger inflammatory skin conditions. Incorporate stress-reducing practices like meditation, yoga, nature walks, or deep breathing into your daily routine.

Final Thoughts

Addressing wrinkles and sagging skin is not about chasing perfection—it’s about restoring your skin’s health, strength, and radiance with intention. The Dubois Beauty regimen combines high-performance ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, peptides, and lactic acid in elegant formulations that work with your skin, not against it.

When you pair these targeted products with smart lifestyle habits—like eating clean, sleeping well, protecting against environmental damage, and managing stress—you give your skin the best chance to thrive at every stage of life.

You don’t need a complicated 12-step routine. You need the right products, the right habits, and a consistent commitment to your well-being—from the inside out.