Crow's feet and fine lines: what causes them and what helps
What causes crow's feet and wrinkles around the eyes, how to prevent them, and which anti-aging ingredients actually work, from retinol to peptides.
By the Green Point editorial teamUpdated 5 min readKey takeaways
- Crow's feet form from repeated smiling and squinting combined with collagen loss from age, sun and smoking.
- Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30+, sunglasses and not smoking are the most effective ways to prevent wrinkles.
- Retinoids have the strongest evidence for softening fine lines; vitamin C, peptides, AHAs and moisturizers play supporting roles.
- Give any product at least six weeks, and often three months, before judging results.
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Crow's feet and fine lines around the eyes are caused by years of smiling and squinting, plus the gradual loss of collagen from aging, sun exposure and smoking. Daily sunscreen and sunglasses prevent new lines best, while a retinoid used at night has the strongest evidence for softening existing ones. A good moisturizer makes lines look smoother right away.
What causes crow's feet and wrinkles around the eyes?
Skin aging has two parts. Intrinsic aging is the natural, largely genetic slowdown of collagen and elastin production. Extrinsic aging comes from your environment and habits, and it is the part you can influence. The main drivers of lines around the eyes are:
- Facial expressions: smiling, laughing and squinting fold the skin in the same places thousands of times. Over years, those folds can become permanent lines.
- Sun exposure: UV rays break down collagen and elastin, and the American Academy of Dermatology says the sun plays a major role in premature skin aging.
- Thin skin: the skin around the eyes is thinner than elsewhere on the face, so lines show there first.
- Smoking: it speeds up skin aging, causing wrinkles and a dull complexion.
- Dryness: dehydrated skin makes fine lines look deeper than they are.
How to prevent wrinkles
Prevention is far easier than correction. These habits come straight from dermatologists' advice on reducing premature skin aging:
- Wear sunscreen every day: broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, on all exposed skin, including the area around your eyes. Our sunscreen guide covers how much to use.
- Wear sunglasses outdoors: they block UV and stop you from squinting, which helps prevent lines at the corners of your eyes.
- Skip tanning: tanning beds and sunbathing speed up aging. Use a self-tanner if you want color.
- Don't smoke: if you do, stopping is one of the best things you can do for your skin.
- Moisturize daily: moisturizer traps water in the skin and can plump fine lines.
- Cleanse gently: scrubbing and harsh products irritate skin, and irritation can make it look older.
- Eat well and drink less alcohol: a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is linked to healthier-looking skin, while alcohol dehydrates it.
Anti-aging ingredients that work
Plenty of products promise to erase wrinkles. A few ingredients have reasonable evidence behind them:
| Ingredient | What it does | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Retinoids (retinol, retinal) | Speed up cell turnover and support collagen; the best-studied over-the-counter option | Night, start 2 to 3 times a week |
| Vitamin C | Antioxidant that helps protect against sun damage and supports collagen | Morning, under sunscreen |
| Peptides | May signal skin to make more collagen; gentle, modest evidence | Morning or night |
| AHAs (glycolic, lactic acid) | Exfoliate the surface for smoother texture and glow | Night, 1 to 3 times a week |
| Hyaluronic acid, glycerin | Hydrate and plump, so lines look softer for a while | Morning and night, on damp skin |
Retinol is the usual starting point. Use a pea-sized amount for the whole face at night, a few nights a week, and build up slowly. Around the eyes, use a product made for that area or apply your regular retinoid only to the outer edge, as this skin irritates easily. Our retinol for beginners guide walks through it step by step.
If your skin doesn't tolerate retinoids, peptides are a gentler alternative, though results are usually subtler. Retinoids and AHAs make skin more sensitive to the sun, so daily sunscreen is part of the deal.
In Green Point, retinol carries a Regulated flag because EU rules limit its concentration in cosmetics. That reflects safe-use limits, not whether it works.
Fine lines in your 20s: is it too early to start?
It's common to notice faint lines around the eyes in your twenties, especially when you smile. That doesn't mean you need a full anti-aging routine. The habits that matter most at this age are daily sunscreen, sunglasses, a moisturizer and not smoking.
If you want an active ingredient, a gentle retinol a few nights a week or a vitamin C serum in the morning is plenty. Starting too many products at once is a common cause of irritation, which won't make you look younger.
How long until you see results?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most anti-aging products take at least six weeks to work, and sometimes three months. Moisturizers show an immediate but temporary effect. Retinoids work gradually, so judge them after a few months of consistent use, and keep using sunscreen to protect what you gain.
In-clinic options, briefly
Deeper expression lines don't fully respond to creams. A board-certified dermatologist can discuss options such as muscle-relaxing injections, fillers, chemical peels and laser resurfacing. Each has costs, risks and recovery time, so it is worth getting a professional opinion before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Do eye creams prevent crow's feet?
No eye cream can stop expression lines from forming, but a good one can help. A moisturizing eye cream softens the look of fine lines, and one with a retinoid, peptides or vitamin C can improve skin quality over time. Your regular moisturizer works too if it's gentle and fragrance-free. Sunscreen and sunglasses do more for prevention than any cream.
Does sleeping on your side cause wrinkles?
Pressing your face into a pillow night after night creases the skin, and some dermatologists believe these "sleep lines" can become more lasting with age. Unlike crow's feet, they come from pressure rather than muscle movement. Research is limited, so sun protection and not smoking remain the priorities. If you notice creases on the side you sleep on, sleeping on your back may help.
Can wrinkles be reversed naturally?
Habits can make a visible difference: daily sunscreen lets sun-damaged skin recover a little, quitting smoking improves skin tone, and moisturizer plumps fine lines. But deep, established wrinkles don't disappear with lifestyle changes alone. Retinoids are the best-studied over-the-counter option for softening lines, and in-clinic treatments go further.
Is retinol or vitamin C better for fine lines?
For softening existing fine lines, retinoids have stronger evidence. Vitamin C works mainly as a daytime antioxidant that helps protect against sun damage and evens tone. They complement each other: many people use vitamin C in the morning under sunscreen and retinol at night. Start one at a time so you know how your skin reacts.
Sources
- 11 ways to reduce premature skin agingAmerican Academy of Dermatology
- Wrinkle remediesAmerican Academy of Dermatology
This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have a skin, allergy or health concern, talk to a doctor, dermatologist or dietitian. Green Point scores and Skin Scan results are informational and are not a diagnosis.
