Knowing what contributes to the look of plump and youthful skin gives you an idea about how to get plump skin. First of all, plump skin means smooth skin that is free of visible wrinkling or sagging. And this has a lot to do with collagen and the water content of the skin. The lack of water and collagen causes hollowness, tired-looking skin, and more prominent wrinkles.
As you can infer, you need to increase hydration as well as collagen production. Obviously, the latter is a lot more difficult to do than the former.
Even though you need a long-term plan and a strategy to get plump skin all day every day, there are some things you can easily do to plump up your skin instantly.
Antioxidants, exfoliants, and retinoids will be incredibly helpful in achieving smooth and plump skin. These skincare ingredients are geared towards collagen production.
Unfortunately, they’ll need some time to give you that plump, hydrated, and glowing skin. It can take longer for them to work but they last the longest. They require commitment and they should be in your skincare routine.
However, you can definitely plump up your skin without the need for injectables. Below are the best ways to plump your skin.
How To Plump Skin
1. Get your beauty sleep.
It’s common knowledge that our body is in repair mode when we’re asleep. It’s also common knowledge, and an unfortunate experience, that we usually wake up with dark-under eyes and tired-looking skin when we don’t get enough sleep.
For that reason, pay more attention to the quality of your sleep and make sure you let your skin get the rest it needs. A good night’s sleep will help you wake up to fresh, lively, and plump skin.
2. Eat your collagen.
You can boost your collagen production through your diet. For example, eat more nuts and seeds, which are rich in fatty acids, to prevent dryness and loss of skin elasticity.
You can also try fish oil, which is rich in omega fatty acids. They’re great for boosting your skin’s immunity against UV damage. Moreover, leafy greens will boost your skin’s health as well as your bodily health and prevent collagen degradation.
3. Don’t forget antioxidants.
Antioxidants have their own way of keeping your skin plump. They protect your skin and prevent collagen loss. In fact, they stimulate collagen production. Antioxidants like vitamins C, E, and A neutralize free radicals (1).
That’s how they stop collagen loss in its tracks and help you hold on to your healthy body, and plump skin. Try increasing your antioxidant intake from your diet in the form of a bowl of salad or a glass of green juice. Also, consider using topical antioxidants like serums and creams.
4. Exercise.
Before you zone out, remember that there’s a thing called “post-workout glow”. The instant benefit of moving your body is visibly pink cheeks. But aside from that, the moving action increases circulation.
And it helps deliver essential nutrients to where they’re needed, including your skin (2). Moreover, circulation helps get rid of free radicals, which eventually helps your skin stay youthful, smooth, and plump.
5. Give your face a massage.
And speaking of circulation, there’s no denying that massaging your face is another way to wake up your skin. Whether you use your fingers or a face tool, massaging stimulates your facial muscles. Think of it as an exercise for your face. It’s probably the quickest way to naturally plump your skin.
6. Try icing.
We mentioned that plump skin means less visible wrinkles and tighter-looking skin. And another way to naturally plump your skin is by icing it. Icing has a tightening effect on the skin. In fact, you’ve probably already seen celebrities try this before events.
Icing is especially helpful if you usually wake up with tired-looking skin. It depuffs your face and gives you a firmer, tighter, plumper appearance.
7. Apply a hyaluronic acid serum.
Humectants increase water in the skin. Ingredients in this category include panthenol, sorbitol, and glycerin. They’re the best ones to plump up your skin. But hyaluronic acid reigns supreme in that department.
It binds water to the skin and hydrates instantly, which reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles as well. It has a swelling effect on the skin, so to speak. And that’s how it instantly irons out fine lines.
8. Slap on a wrinkle patch.
Wrinkle patches are a great way to plump up the skin instantly. There are hydrogel masks, micro-needling masks, and even sheet masks that deliver skin-plumping ingredients into the skin to smooth the surface from the inside. But the most impressive of the bunch is silicone patches.
They draw water to the skin and trap it there. You can use silicone patches to iron out the wrinkles on any part of the face. Whether it’s forehead wrinkles, nasolabial folds, or under-eye patches, silicone patches plump the skin and fill in those wrinkles in specific areas of the face.
9. Try a honey mask.
Just like hyaluronic acid, honey is also a humectant. Using a honey mask, you can plump up your face and get rid of dehydrated and tired-looking skin. It leaves the skin supple and bouncy with a softer skin texture.
Honey is also incredibly soothing for the skin and has wound-healing properties. It helps with barrier repair, which results in better moisture retention and plumper skin.
10. Enjoy polyglutamic acid.
Polyglutamic acid is a chain of amino acids derived from fermented soybean. It’s the hot new hydrator in town and some people claim that it’s even more hydrating than hyaluronic acid.
Polyglutamic acid retains water and naturally plumps up the skin. It forms a thin layer on the skin and traps moisture. As a result, skincare products with polyglutamic acid make the skin look softer and plumper.
11. Use retinol.
Though some ingredients and products instantly plump your skin, you need more than those if you want naturally plump skin. So you’ll need a more holistic approach and branch out in terms of ingredients.
If you’re new to the ingredient, start with gentle retinols for sensitive skin. Make it part of your everyday routine. It speeds up skin turnover and rejuvenates your skin.
All skincare ingredients work differently. Exfoliants, for example, pick up that dead layer on the skin and also plump it up. Antioxidants repair your skin and help it get back to its plumper self. So give them a try.
12. Try facials.
You can speed up the process with some professional help. Visit an established, local spa. Get yourself a package program for facials.
Regular monthly facials like HydraFacial or a classic facial will give you results you can’t even begin to achieve at home. So if things get too frustrating, you can always try facials.
13. Try a wrinkle filler.
Wrinkle fillers are concentrated skin care products that ‘act’ like facial fillers. You apply them directly onto those wrinkles. So if you have a specific area you need to plump, these will work just as well as wrinkle patches.
The reason they work is that they’re filled with all those humectants we’ve been talking about. But in addition, they tend to contain silicones.
And as you might know, silicones have a blurring effect on the skin. So if there’s some special occasion coming up and you need to even out your skin texture, wrinkle fillers are the absolute best!
14. Layer skin-plumping ingredients.
Call it wisdom of large numbers or Korean beauty magic, layering your products usually does have a plumping effect on the skin. And layering skin-plumping ingredients one after the other will increase your chances to get plump skin.
For example, you can try peptides like Argireline. It’s the one you might be more familiar with because of the term ‘Botox-like’. Because Argireline works like Botox to relax facial lines and soften their appearance. And that’s how it gives you bouncy and plump skin.
So go ahead and apply a hydrating toner, then your hyaluronic acid serum, then an Argireline serum. Wait one minute between layering to let the products absorb. You’ll see that there is a reason K-beauty is pushing multi-step routines.
So these are the easiest ways to plump the skin. Remember the power of a steady skincare routine, sun protection, and a healthy lifestyle. After all, keeping your existing collagen is easier than producing new ones.
Read Next: The Best Skin Plumping Products
References:
- Oresajo, C., Pillai, S., Manco, M., Yatskayer, M., & McDaniel, D. (2012). Antioxidants and the skin: understanding formulation and efficacy. Dermatologic therapy, 25(3), 252–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2012.01505.x
- Jaret, P. (2005, May 6). Exercise for Healthy Skin. WebMD. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exercise
