subject: Putting Your Best Face Forward [print this page] We've all heard of that mythical spring, a drink from which gives you glowing skin, glossy hair, youthfull strength and flexibility - The Fountain of Youth. If such a fountain existed, it would likely have long ago been drained and bottled.
Although the Fountain is nowhere to be found, we still seem determined to hold on to or recapture our youthful looks. Witness the wealth of products selling briskly on the market, vitamins, anti-aging creams, tonics and a host of other items. We hope that the right combination will give us back the youthful skin and glowing complexions of our youth.
It doesn't help to look at a picture taken of us in our youth. We see the soft, smooth skin and the cracks, lines, and wrinkles we see in the mirror today are not to be seen in the picture. So we look to the shelves of our grocery store, drug store, or health foods store where we find the anti-aging creams designed to do battle against our laugh lines and crow's feet.
Now most consumers are probably a bit suspicious, perhaps very suspicious of the claims made for the products on the shelves. Some of the "magic" ingredients are well known, others are not. In any event a good question to ask is how is the product going to react on my skin? There does not seem to be a simple solution to what is really the best product for the individual.
It's important to know about the ingredients in various anti-aging creams before purchasing. So, why are some wrinkle creams better than the others? The active ingredient in many wrinkle creams is retinol, which is a form of vitamin A. Retinol is effective in making wrinkles less noticeable, because the skin absorbs the vitamin A and uses it to make new surface cells. It also increases the amount of collagen in the skin, which improves elasticity.
Reduction of wrinkles is one step towards achieving more youthful skin. Another popular active ingredient is alpha hydroxy acid - AHA. AHA is a peeling agent. It is present in a very low concentration to avoid damage to the skin, AHA removes the dead skin cells at the surface, exposing new cells beneath. The result is the adding of a glow that we associate with youthful skin.
So, why are some wrinkle creams better than the others? The answer is most likely found in the concentration of the active ingredients. A cream might claim to contain retinol, but it could be present in such a small amount that it would be ineffective. On the other hand, a cream with a higher percentage of retinol might well be very capable of refreshing and plumping the skin for that dewy, youthful look.
Asking the question leads to gaining the facts you are after. Asking "Which wrinkle cream is best?" leads you to doing some investigating. The result may not be as good as the Fountain of Youth would provide but may still be the best choice available.
