How to Remove Wrinkles in Photoshop & Look Younger

Ever wondered how to achieve that youthful look in your photos? While a good skincare routine works wonders in real life, Photoshop offers some amazing tools to help you remove wrinkles and achieve a more youthful appearance in your portraits. This guide will teach you exactly how to remove wrinkles in Photoshop, step-by-step.

Before we dive in, here are the key things to remember when removing wrinkles in Photoshop:

• Maintain a natural look: Don’t go overboard! Aim to reduce the appearance of wrinkles while keeping some texture for a realistic look.
• Work non-destructively: This means creating copies of your image layers so you can always go back and make adjustments if needed.
• Start big, then go small: Address the larger wrinkles first, then move on to finer details.

Now, let’s get started on removing wrinkles in Photoshop!

Result Preview

Tutorial Resources

• Portrait – Pixabay

Step 1 – Analyse the Source Image

Open an image (File > Open or use shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + O) to which you want to apply corrections and retouch. Before you start editing, take a good look at the photo. See how the light falls on the face and identify the wrinkles you want to target.

Out of the box, Photoshop has a whole arsenal of tools to help you: Clone Stamp Tool (S), Spot Healing Brush Tool (J), Healing Brush Tool, Patch Tool, Content-Aware Move Tool, a lot of filters and adjustment layers. Note that this work created by preserving the non-destructive workflow. To protect the original image, in case something goes wrong, duplicate the layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer or use shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + J).

Here’s a tip: When analysing the image, consider what kind of retouching effect you’re going for. Is it a subtle reduction of wrinkles, or a more dramatic transformation?

Step 2: Clone Stamp Tool – Your Wrinkle Eraser

The Clone Stamp tool (S) is a powerful tool for removing wrinkles in Photoshop. Here’s how to use it:

1. Duplicate the layer: Create a copy of your background layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer or use shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + J). This protects your original image.
2. Clone Stamp Tool Settings: Select the Clone Stamp tool (S) and adjust the settings:
   • Size: 10-15px (adjust based on wrinkle size)
   • Brush Preset: Hard Round
   • Opacity: 100%
   • “Aligned” option checked
   • “Sample All Layers” option checked
3. Taking a Sample: Hold the Option/Alt key and click on a smooth area of skin near the wrinkle you want to remove. This sets the sampling point.
4. Clone and Paint: Carefully paint over the wrinkle with the Clone Stamp tool. Short strokes work best.

Remember: The goal is to remove the wrinkle while preserving the natural texture of the skin. Avoid repetitive strokes that might create noticeable patterns.

Step 3: Spot Healing Brush Tool – Perfect for Smaller Wrinkles

Once you’ve tackled the larger wrinkles, use the Spot Healing Brush tool (J) to address finer details. Here’s how:

1. Create a New Layer: Add a new layer (Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt + Shift + N).
2. Spot Healing Brush Tool Settings: Select the Spot Healing Brush tool (J) and adjust the settings:
   • Size: 3-10px (adjust based on wrinkle size)
   • Mode: Normal
   • Type: Proximity Match or Content-Aware
   • “Sample All Layers” option checked
3. Brush Away Wrinkles: Click and drag the Spot Healing Brush tool over the wrinkles you want to remove. The tool will automatically find a suitable area to replace the wrinkle with.

Tip: If the “Proximity Match” mode doesn’t give you the desired results, switch to “Content-Aware” for a more advanced sampling algorithm.

Remember: Don’t try to remove every single wrinkle. Some fine lines add character and maintain a natural look.

Step 4 – Restore Lighting After Removing Wrinkles

Removing wrinkles can sometimes leave behind shadows or uneven lighting. Here’s how to fix that:

1. Dodge and Burn Technique: Create a new layer with the Blending Mode set to “Overlay” (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + N).
2. Dodge Tool: Select the Dodge Tool (O) and adjust the settings:
   • Range: Shadows/Midtones
   • Exposure: 5-20%
3. Lighten Up: Use the Dodge tool to lighten the areas where wrinkles were, creating a smoother transition between the retouched area and the surrounding skin.
4. Burn Tool: Use the Burn Tool (O) with similar settings (Exposure: 5-20%, Range: Highlights/Midtones) to darken any remaining bright spots left by the wrinkles.

Be Cautious: Don’t overdo it with the Dodge and Burn tools. Use a light touch and zoom in (Z) to see the details clearly.

Step 5: Restore Skin Color (Optional)

After all the editing, the skin tone might appear slightly off due to the adjustments made to remove wrinkles. Here’s how to restore a natural skin tone:

1. Sample Skin Color: Use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to pick a neutral skin tone from an area untouched by retouching.
2. Solid Color Adjustment Layer: Create a new “Solid Color” adjustment layer (Layer > New Fill layer > Solid Color). Set the layer’s color to the sampled skin tone.
3. Blending Mode: Change the Blending Mode of the “Solid Color” layer to “Color.” This will affect the hue and saturation of the image without affecting the luminosity.
4. Hide the Effect (Layer Mask): Invert the layer mask of the “Solid Color” layer (highlight the mask thumbnail and press Cmd/Ctrl + I). This hides the color adjustment by default.
5. Brush Back Color Selectively: Select the Brush Tool (B) with a Soft Round preset, Size: 100-200px, and Opacity: 30%. Set the brush color to white.
6. Restore Color Selectively: Brush over the areas where skin tone appears uneven or faded due to retouching. This will subtly bring back the natural skin color.

Control the Effect: You can adjust the intensity of the color restoration by lowering the opacity of the brush or the “Solid Color” layer itself.

Additional Tips for Removing Wrinkles in Photoshop

• Frequency Separation: This advanced technique allows you to edit skin texture independently from skin color. It’s a great way to remove wrinkles while preserving skin detail.
• Liquify Tool: Use the Liquify Tool (Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + Ctrl + X) for subtle adjustments to facial features, like plumping lips or smoothing out smile lines. However, be careful not to overdo it, as it can create an unnatural look.
• Less is More: When removing wrinkles, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Aim for a subtle and natural-looking result.

Remember: Practice makes perfect! The more you experiment with these techniques, the better you’ll become at removing wrinkles in Photoshop. Don’t be afraid to try different approaches and find what works best for your photos.

I hope this comprehensive guide has equipped you with the knowledge and skills to achieve a more youthful look in your portrait photography using Photoshop. Now go forth and create stunning images!