You know how some of us love our resting face but we don’t think our smile or laugh is that pretty. It’s majorly due to the lines that form our face we give an expression. In this blog, we’re going to give you all the details that you need to know about smile and laugh lines- What they are, what causes them, how to prevent them, how to treat them, etc. But the biggest tip we could give you is to focus on accepting them. Happy girls are the prettiest- cliche but a scientifically-backed statement!

What are Smile & Laugh lines?

Smile or laugh lines are the ones that you see around your mouth usually during the expressions like smiling or laughing. They start from the sides of your nose and go around the shape of your mouth. Sometimes they may even extend to your chin. There are two types of lines - nasolabial crease and nasolabial fold. The nasolabial crease is the one that extends from the side of your nose to your mouth. The nasolabial fold is formed by the skin that hangs on top of your nasolabial crease when you smile or laugh.

What causes Smile & Laugh lines?

1. Sun Exposure

When your skin is exposed to the sun, it damages Collagen. If you continue exposing your skin directly to the sun, it will lead to fine lines and wrinkles regardless of age. Hence, sunscreen is a must to avoid ageing. Your smart pick could be Ozone Signature Natural Sun Protector that not just protects but also hydrates and calms your skin.

2. Ageing and Genetics

As you age, your skin starts to lose its elasticity which accentuates the smile and laugh lines. The same happens when you inherit those genes. We inherit facial traits and skin foldings too. There are high chances that due to environmental stressors, you may lose the ability to repair the skin damage and lead to enhanced lines and wrinkles. 

3. Poor diet and Smoking

Tobacco speeds up the ageing process by destroying Collagen. This leads to premature wrinkles and lines. Another reason for you to quit!

When it comes to diet, you must ensure to consume a colorful diet filled with fruits, nuts, green vegetables, and lots of Vitamin C. Your diet has a direct effect on the sagging of your skin. If you’re in your mid-twenties, supplements can help you delay ageing. You can try Dr Sheth's Brightamins to brighten and nourish your hair, nails, and skin.

Read more on how food affects your skin here.

4. Lack of sleep

When you don’t rest well, it boosts stress hormones that fasten the ageing process giving you stubborn lines. It is also important to keep your sleeping position in check. If you’re someone who sleeps on their side, you’re closing one side of your face to the pillow which clogs your pore and folds your skin giving your lines. But if you’re a hard side sleeper, here’s one hack. Make sure that only half of your face is on the pillow, leaving space for your skin to breathe. To know more about how sleep affects your skin, click here.

When do they start to appear?

They don’t come at a particular age. Some may have it in their teen years since it has a lot to do with genetics as well. As you go in your twenties, smile and laugh lines will appear due to your genetics, lifestyle, diet, skincare, etc. So smile and laugh lines don’t come at a particular age, they just need to be accepted and prevented.

How to prevent them?

Develop a thorough skincare routine and take care of your diet. If you get these two points right then it is pretty easy to combat any skin issue. 

For a skincare routine, start with washing your face twice daily. Use a face wash that is gentle to your skin barrier and at the same time, does the job of eliminating harmful elements. A face wash that suits acne-prone sensitive skin too, is First Water Solutions Clear 7 Face Wash that is rich in Antioxidants and has antiseptic properties as well.

Tone your skin to make sure that the products can be absorbed by your skin. We swear by Dear, Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner since it hydrates and soothes your skin.

Your next step should be using a lightweight moisturiser that can replenish your skin barrier and hydrate your skin. Our pick would be Aminu Doting Nutrient Day Cream because it is rich in Antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Hyaluronic acid. Pretty much a multi-tasker!

Don’t forget to follow your AM routine with sunscreen as your last step. Sunscreen is a deal breaker to prevent your skin.

For your PM routine, you can include a serum that can address the fine lines and the texture of your skin. Our best pick is Martiderm Night Renew 5 Ampoules that renews and repairs your skin to give you that even-toned smooth skin. You can also include a retinol-based serum in your PM routine. Retinol helps you anti-ageing properties that boost collagen production too. An effective choice for you would be Neemli Naturals Retinol & Peptide Serum that powerfully combines retinol with niacinamide to give your youthful and clear skin.

One life-saving hack is that you can dab a bit of your eye cream around your mouth. It is because eye creams are usually a bit heavy on hydration. The eye cream that we’d recommend would be Dr Sheth's Date & Quinoa Under Eye Cream that helps you fight fine lines and diminish dark circles.

What are the treatment options?

There are many options to rely on. Some of them are botox, fillers, etc. But we are here for the natural way to help you with your smile and laugh lines. 

1. Quick fix

A temporary fix to ban those smile and laugh lines makeup. Makeup has the power to hide and highlight the right points once you know how to use it. If you dab a little bit of concealer on your laugh lines before applying the foundation, it could help you blur out those lines. Our perfect pick for you would be Ilana Organics Soft Blur Cream Concealer + Foundation because it’s wholesome. It does the job of giving you that flawless skin and you don’t need a foundation after applying this.

2. Permanent fix

If you need a permanent solution to these lines, you might need to fix your diet. It’s a long route but it will work out to improve everything in your body.

If it is due to your lifestyle or sleeping position, one of the ways to treat them is by performing lymphatic drainage with the help of Gua Sha. This could help you depuff and reduce the nasolabial fold that further enhances your lines. Our pick is Sublime Life Rose Quartz Gua Sha that helps you calm your skin and sculpt your face.

Read here on how to use a Gua Sha.

Another cult favorite to prevent ageing and sculpt your face is House Of Beauty Overnight Anti-Wrinkle Patches that are made with treatable fabric and have built-in air vents. They help you unclog pores and maintain the pH level of your skin.

Also, if the lines are due to ageing or genetics, you cannot do much there. Just accept and love your lines because they were meant to be a part of your beautiful face. It’s just natural like a beauty mark that makes you unique!

Summary

Summing up, smile and laugh lines are found around your mouth due to various reasons including genetics. The perfect preventable action is to use anti-ageing, clean products that fit your skin type and also to focus on your diet. There is very little that you can do if you have smile and laugh lines due to genetics. Smile and laugh lines are normal and they do you no harm. The best way to look at the lines is by accepting them as a part of you!

-Divya Salvi