Article Overview
Over time, expression lines settle deeper into skin and remain visible even when your face is completely at rest. These are known as ‘static wrinkles’ – and marionette lines fall into this category.
Although marionette lines around the mouth are a completely normal part of aging, their prominence is largely influenced by lifestyle factors and skincare habits. While certain types of fine lines and wrinkles may seem inevitable, skincare intervention – and prevention – can help soften their appearance.
Below, we’ll be exploring how marionette lines form and sharing six skincare and lifestyle tips to unlock smoother, plumper skin.
What are marionette lines?
Marionette lines are the wrinkles that appear around the mouth, spanning from the corners of the mouth and extending down to the chin. The name given to these types of wrinkles comes from the embellished chin lines on a marionette puppet.
Marionette lines around the mouth are common as you enter your 40s and beyond. However, they are largely informed by lifestyle habits – so they might start to appear as early as your 30s and 20s.
What causes marionette lines?
Marionette lines are primarily the result of age-related collagen and elastin loss. As we age, our bodies produce fewer structural proteins, and our skin loses its natural elasticity and firmness – leading to sagging skin and fine lines and wrinkles. This structural protein decline – coupled with gravity, genetic predispositions, and decades of repeated facial expressions – causes dynamic wrinkles to turn static over time.
Other lifestyle habits can also play a role in how marionette lines form – and how deep-set they become. UV damage, smoking, stress, rapid weight loss, and dehydration can all emphasise the appearance of marionette lines around the mouth.
How to get rid of marionette lines around the mouth: 6 supportive and preventative tips
Without surgical intervention, there is no way to remove marionette lines entirely; however, it is possible to smooth the appearance of skin and reduce the depth of these wrinkles around the mouth. Prevention also plays a critical role, as skincare can help support your collagen and elastin reserves and protect your skin from environmental aggressors that accelerate visible signs of ageing.
Below, we have curated six skincare and lifestyle tips to help diminish the appearance of marionette lines and future-proof your skin.
1. Start using retinol
For many anti-ageing skincare routines, retinol tends to be a non-negotiable – and it’s one of the most powerful ingredients to target existing marionette lines or help prevent deeper ones from forming with age.
Retinol stimulates collagen synthesis to help firm sagging skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also encourages skin cell turnover, which helps smooth and resurface the skin.
It’s important to start gradually when introducing retinol to your skincare routine for the first time. Start with a low-concentration cream like our Retinol 0.3 Anti-Ageing Night Cream, which is formulated to minimise the chance of sensitisation often associated with retinol usage. Apply one to two times per week at night only, then build up frequency as tolerated.
2. Add peptides to your routine
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as messengers in the body, boosting the production of collagen and elastin in the dermis – your skin’s middle layer that gives it structural strength and elasticity. Peptides are especially beneficial for getting rid of marionette lines because they promote firmer, bouncier, more resilient skin.
Like retinol, peptides are considered a powerhouse in anti-ageing skincare. However, unlike retinol, the body actually produces copious amounts of peptides on its own, so they’re unlikely to cause sensitisation in the skin – a notable benefit for dry or sensitive skin types.
Formulated to visibly reduce hard-to-treat wrinkles like marionette lines, the P-TIOX Peptide Serum is infused with a breakthrough advanced peptide complex, PHA, niacinamide, and laminaria extract to encourage collagen production and smooth the skin surface.
3. Use vitamin C for antioxidant protection
Photodamage is one of the driving forces of premature ageing – and a major contributing factor to marionette lines. Prolonged UV exposure can trigger oxidative stress (when free radicals outnumber antioxidants), which exacerbates visible signs of ageing like skin sagging and wrinkles. However, vitamin C neutralises free radicals and combats oxidative stress.
You can protect your skin against environmental damage with the C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum. This potent antioxidant serum is enriched with vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid to promote firmer skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Prioritise skin hydration
When skin is dehydrated, it can emphasise textural concerns: fine lines appear more pronounced, and skin loses some of its natural plumpness and elasticity. Conversely, hydration helps smooth and soften the appearance of wrinkles – including marionette lines around the mouth.
To boost your skin’s hydration, we recommend incorporating a mix of humectants and emollients to draw moisture to the skin and bind it to the stratum corneum.
Plump and volumise facial contours with the Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan, a hyaluronic acid-infused serum that delivers up to 24 hours of hydration. Lock in moisture with A.G.E Interrupter Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Cream, an advanced anti-ageing formula that counteracts glycation to improve skin laxity and the appearance of wrinkles.
5. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily
Anti-wrinkle skincare is equal parts targeting and prevention. And the key to preventing marionette lines? Sunscreen. UV damage is responsible for 80% of visible signs of premature ageing1, but a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high sun protection factor will help safeguard your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays and minimise the depth of future wrinkles.
At the end of your morning skincare routine, you can apply the Ultra Facial Defense Sunscreen SPF50 to help prevent photodamage to skin.
1https://www.cancer.org.au/end-the-trend/what-you-need-to-know-about-uv
6. Practice healthy lifestyle habits
To help prevent marionette lines around the mouth, you can reinforce the work of your skincare ingredients and sun-protective habits with a few lifestyle adjustments.
• Cut out smoking or vaping: These habits can dehydrate skin and break down collagen.
• Eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet: Vitamin-rich foods, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants all support smoother, more resilient skin.
• Maintain a stable weight: Rapid weight loss or repeated weight fluctuations can cause skin to stretch and lose its elasticity.
• Drink plenty of water: Water intake is essential for skin hydration, so be sure to consume at least two litres of water per day to improve skin plumpness and elasticity.
Marionette lines are just one type of wrinkle that can appear around the mouth. Next, learn about how nasolabial folds form – and which skincare products can help.
Shop Featured Products
Retinol 0.3 Anti-Ageing Night Cream
A concentrated facial cream featuring 0.3% pure retinol to improve the appearance of visible signs of ageing and minimise breakouts
C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum
A vitamin C serum for fine lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan
A Hyaluronic Acid Volumising and Plumping Serum.
A.G.E Interrupter Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Cream
An advanced anti-wrinkle cream formulated to target glycation, visibly improve firmness and reduce fine lines
