Remember when your mom said, “If you keep making that face, it’ll get stuck that way”? Well, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Those frowny faces we made as kids—and still do today—along with years of winking, squinting, and inquisitively raising an eyebrow—are all here to stay, in the form of two pesky vertical lines between the eyebrows, often referred to as frown lines or the “11’s.”

Frown lines can show up as early as your 20s and further deepen with age, especially if you’re the expressive type. They’re mostly caused by repeated muscle movements (frowning, squinting and scowling), which gradually break down collagen and elastin (the building blocks of the skin). Other factors like UV rays and pollution can also contribute to the deterioration of collagen and elastin and lead to more visible lines and wrinkles. “If you took a piece of paper and folded it in the same place over and over again, eventually you break down the fibers that make up the paper and you get a permanent crease,” explains Dr. David Orentreich, a New York City-based board certified dermatologist and Clinique guiding dermatologist. It’s the same with the frown lines.

Give me a “C”! 
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect skin from free radical damage that causes signs of aging. It also helps lines become less noticeable, and your skin overall look more plump and smooth. It’s most powerful when used fresh, which is why Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% is packaged in an airtight, light-proof vial to ensure it’s at maximum potency up until the moment you use it.

Power up hydration.
When your skin is dehydrated, wrinkles are exaggerated so they appear deeper than they really are. On the flip side, when your skin is properly hydrated, it looks plump, so wrinkles look less obvious. Opt for a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, which attracts and binds moisture to the skin and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. A smart choice: Smart moisturizers.

The best skin care recipe to help visibly reduce the 11’s.
In a 12 week clinical study, participants mixed Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%, with Smart Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Custom-Repair Moisturizer (in the morning) and Smart Night Custom-Repair Moisturizer (at night), and there was a visible reduction in frown lines. Now, that’s something to smile about.

And don’t forget to...

Apply sunscreen: “Sunscreen is very important because you want to limit damage to the cells that make collagen and elastin,” notes Dr. Orentreich. Bright sunshine or overcast skies, be sure to take cover; the sun’s damaging UVA and UVB rays are always shining.

Wear sunglasses: Any time you’re outside, slip on the shades. Sunglasses are the best way to keep you from squinting—a leading cause of the 11's.

Stress less: Stress wreaks havoc on your body—and skin. Chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, which causes inflammation and, in turn, damages collagen. And let’s face it, when you’re stressed, you scowl.

Stop smoking: Cigarette smoking inhibits the body’s natural repair process, making it more difficult to produce collagen and elastin. Also, all that puffing causes repeated brow furrowing.

Video & Photos: Mosspark | Words: Julie Redfern