Wrinkles vs sagging: How to choose skincare depending on your ‘ageing type’

For years, anti-ageing advice has been handed out like a one-size-fits-all prescription: use retinol, wear SPF, moisturise religiously.

But anyone who has stared a little too long into the bathroom mirror knows that not all signs of ageing are created equal.

Some faces develop a patchwork of fine lines long before their jawline budges, while others notice skin softening and sagging even if their forehead stays smooth.

Dermatologists and skincare experts increasingly describe this split as falling into two categories: “wrinkle-dominant” or “sagging-dominant.”

It’s not just semantics. Understanding your “ageing type” can help guide you towards the ingredients, routines and – when necessary – treatments that will make the most difference.

Are you wrinkle-dominant or sagging-dominant?

The answer, it turns out, can be spotted at home. Skincare specialist at Germaine de Capuccini, Gina Baker, explains that “no two faces will age the same, but we do tend to fall into one of two groups, either more wrinkle-prone or skin-sagging.

“A simple test is to look in the mirror without any trace of make-up or moisturisers. Study your skin’s canvas. Imagine a line across the middle of your face. Are you looking older above the line, with lines on the forehead and eye contour, therefore more ‘wrinkle-dominant’?

“Or do you see more aging below the line, with deeper laughter lines and heavier jowls on the jaw line, ‘sagging-dominant’.”

If you’re still finding it hard to tell, London-based dermatologist Dr Munir Somji offers another method.

“You can perform ‘the pinch test’ at home to determine whether your skin is wrinkle-dominant or sagging-dominant,” he says.

“Pinch the skin on your cheek, you want to see it spring back quickly – if it doesn’t and it takes more time this indicates that there is a loss of elasticity in the skin.

“If your skin is wrinkle-dominant you will have more fine lines and wrinkles, especially when smiling or frowning, for sagging-dominant skin you may have jowls or smile lines and your skin will appear less plump.

Ingredients for wrinkle-dominant skin

Once you’ve figured out which camp you’re in, it comes down to ingredients.

“While genetics is an important factor in aging, our lifestyle is accountable for 80% of our facial skin ageing,” explains Baker.

“So good skincare plays an important role in maintaining the healthy look of the skin.”

For those worried about lines and furrows, she says “an innovative ingredient for wrinkle prone skin is Celespep-4.

“It has been developed from the discovery of a new bacterial species […] and is cultivated through a bio-fermentation process in symbiosis with jellyfish.

“It focuses on neuromuscular communication, addressing all the key steps in the process leading to muscle contraction, making it an effective ingredient to relax expression wrinkles without paralysing the muscle.”

More common ingredients like bakuchiol, “a plant-derived ingredient that provides similar benefits to retinoids,” notes Somji, also helps reduce fine lines.

“Retinoids accelerate skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen production to smooth wrinkles and improve the elasticity of the skin,” he explains.

Spa Ceylon Skin Smooth Bakuchiol – Retinol Alternative Age Refining Day & Night Facial Serum, £41

Germaine De Capuccini Timexpert Wrink·less Pro-Collagen for Eyes and Lips​, £56

Dermatica Retinal 0.05% – 0.2% Serum, £30

Ingredients for sagging-dominant skin

If you’re looking for something to firm up sagging skin, barrier-strengthening actives are the way forward.

“Peptides are amino acid chains that signal the skin to produce more collagen and elastin, helping to restore firmness and elasticity,” explains Somji.

“Hyaluronic acid is another hydrating ingredient that helps plump the skin, giving it a smoother, more youthful firmer appearance.”

Ceramides and red macroalgae are also key for acting on both the surface and deeper layers (the epidermis and dermis).

“They help restore the structure of the extracellular matrix – our facial contouring – and help fill, re-densify and firm the skin,” says Baker.

To tackle both, ingredients like retinoids and vitamin C are considered the gold standard.

“Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that brightens the skin and helps build collagen, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and increase skin firmness.”

Typology A32 – Plumping Serum 3% Polyglutamic Acid + Red Seaweed Extract, £42.50

Naturium Multi Peptide Advanced Serum, £27, Boots

Neal’s Yard Remedies Oat & Ceramide Barrier Repair Cream, £38

Step-by-step guide to the perfect skincare routine

How you apply your products is as important as what’s inside them.

“Both wrinkle-prone and loose skin need to begin with a solid cleansing and renewal routine,” says Baker.

“Look for cleansing products with pre and probiotics that improve the skin’s microbiome. Ensure you cleanse well in the morning to remove dirt and toxins that have accumulated over night, and double cleanse in the evening, firstly with a balm to remove make-up and sunscreen, then with a water-based cleansing milk or foam to remove any remaining impurities.”

Using actives like retinoids or vitamin C followed by ceramide-rich moisturisers (then an SPF in the morning) will help prevent visible signs of ageing long-term.

“For sagging skin you can incorporate tools and techniques that boost firmness and muscle tone,” says Dr Somji.

This can include gua shas, facial rollers and LED masks. Massage tools used in the evening, are ideal to boost blood flow and oxygenate the tissues, which helps reduce facial tension.

Brushworks Face Sculpting Zinc Roller, £20.99 (was £29.99), Look Fantastic

Kitsch Stainless Steel Gua Sha, £11, Oliver Bonas