Beauty Secrets Blog

Every woman ages. Most would prefer not to, especially when creases show up around the lips and eyes in our thirties. How many hours have been wasted scrutinizing that face in the mirror! Is there a jar or bottle which contains magic wrinkle-killing substances?

The cosmetic market is awash with so many creams that promise to aid you in your battle against wrinkles, that it can be a monstrous decision choosing one out of the multitude. Ranging in price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, one is uncertain as to where to start looking, and what to look for. Big brand companies seem to be the pioneers in this race to market their products for anti aging. Despite their expensive price tags, many gullible middle-aged women are willing to buy and try.

A look at any beauty forum on the internet, or reviews in shopping websites, reveal thousands of reviews from users who have tried some wrinkle cream or the other. A few users claim that a certain product worked for them, and this sees a new flurry of buyers for that product. Until many other users post disappointing reviews of the same product. So, what works, and what doesn’t? Why do some women swear by wrinkle creams while others don’t?

The more I examined the reasons why we get wrinkles, the more I discovered that those lines are caused by many things which I have to admit I was not paying attention to. I spend a lot of time in the sun without wearing some kind of sunblock, and UV rays can be harmful. I don’t exercise like I should, I have friends who smoke, I have what is probably a drink or two too many from time to time, and I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t eat fast-food as much as I do. Unfortunately for me, all of those things (plus the fact that I am getting older, as much as I’d not like to admit it) can cause skin to wrinkle.

If a cream works for a certain woman, she is probably doing other right things with her lifestyle that are contributing to her results. The creams themselves are seldom tested in stringent laboratory conditions, hence their efficacy cannot be validated. We can only believe the claims made in the marketing material of their manufacturers. At best, a wrinkle cream can only slough away the outer layer of the skin, giving it a fresh, bright appearance. A cream can moisturize, temporary plump up the skin that camouflages the lines. These are achieved by the active ingredients in such creams.

What are the common active ingredients in a wrinkle cream? Antioxidants, such as a fruit base or vitamins A, E, C, kinetin, green tea extracts, alpha hydroxy acids, copper and coenzyme Q10 are some of the ingredients that make up most of these creams. How effective each of these are is not known, because no reliable statistics are available to understand which element works on which skin type.

Everyone seems to think that antioxidants are magical things which destroy “free radicals” that harm skin. Some people use fruit peels to remove wrinkles, but I learned that all they’re doing is abrasing the skin. There’s a thing called alpha hydroxy acids which fruits loaded with sugar produce and they exfoliate the skin’s outer layer. So, again - you’re scraping the skin off in the hopes that new skin will come in.

It all comes down to health. Just like money woes, there is no quick fix scheme or overnight solution, and there is definitely no one solution which works for all women. Using sun block, eating healthy, avoiding smoke and excessive alcohol, living with as little stress as possible, and drinking plenty of water will do more for your appearance than a cream, and exercising is a great way to get your skin in shape. After all, a body that sweats and has good circulation generates a very pleasant glow that makes a few lines here and there quite unnoticeable.