We always want to look our best, regardless of our age. But, the older you are the more difficult it gets to keep your skin looking young and fresh. Signs of aging like wrinkles and skin pigmentation are enough to make anyone feel insecure.
According to the Mayo Clinic, your skin loses elasticity and doesn’t produce natural oils to keep it properly hydrated. This happens because the amount of fatty tissue under your skin diminishes over time, leaving your skin more fragile. Mature skin is also more prone to sun damage and bruising.
However, there is some good news for people who want to minimize the effects of time and keep their skin looking radiant. Many companies are diligently working on combining the best ingredients to discover the perfect formula that allows you to maintain a youthful look.
What Can Over-The-Counter Wrinkle Creams Do for Your Skin?
Department stores across the globe offer a wide range of wrinkle cream that promises you the fountain of youth. But, don’t be quick to fall for a fancy product that promises fast and great results. Over-the-counter wrinkle creams are not considered to be drugs, therefore they don’t have to undergo clinical testing to determine their efficiency. So, don’t expect your wrinkle cream to erase all your skin flaws. Most of the products sold in department stores won’t turn back the clock and can offer you only slight benefits.
How Wrinkle Creams Work
The power of wrinkle creams comes from their active ingredients. The number of active ingredients in a product directly impacts its price, so you can expect to pay a pretty penny for wrinkle creams loaded with numerous active ingredients. The popular active ingredients in wrinkle creams are Coenzyme Q10, Retinol, Hydroxy acids, Copper peptides, Kinetin and Tea extracts. Most wrinkle creams have a very similar formula that contains at least a few of these six popular active ingredients. Let’s go through all of these ingredients in detail to teach you about how they can help prevent wrinkles.
- Coenzyme Q10 is a substance that our bodies produce. It boosts the production of energy in cells and acts as a natural antioxidant. However, the production of this substance lessens with age. Most skin creams designed for mature skin contain this coenzyme because it helps reduce wrinkles around the eyes and sun damage.
- Retinol is also known as Vitamin A1. It’s used in wrinkle and acne creams because of its antioxidant properties. Retinol is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an active ingredient in preventing wrinkles. The only downside in using products that contain retinol is that they shouldn’t be used during pregnancy.
- Hydroxy acids boost new skin cell growth and help remove dead skin cells from your face. There are three types of hydroxy acids; alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and polyhydroxy acids. They are synthesized to mimic acids rich in sugar which are usually found in fruit. Even though they help rejuvenate your skin, they can also leave it more vulnerable to sun damage. So, you should always use products that contain these acids in combination with sun-screen.
- Copper peptides are compounds that are naturally present in your body. Some researches prove this active ingredient can tighten your skin and improve its elasticity. It can also reduce fine lines and smooth out rough skin. But its main benefit is in helping heal wounded skin and protect it from UV radiation.
- Kinetin is a powerful antioxidant that keeps your skin hydrated and improves collagen production. It can also reduce pigmentation and help improve your skin tone.
- Tea extracts are natural active ingredients that act as antioxidants and help reduce skin inflammation. They can also help improve the elasticity of your skin, protect you from UV rays, and reduce redness and acne. One of the most popular tea extracts used in the cosmetic industry is green tea extract.
What’s the Best Product for Your Skin?
There are no wrinkle creams that provide instant benefits. The only way you can determine if a wrinkle cream is right for you is by using it for at least a month. To avoid spending a ton of money on products, we recommend that you purchase some samples to determine what works best for your skin. You can even reach out to cosmetic companies and see if they offer free samples of their products. If you manage to find a product that benefits your skin, you’ll get the best results if you don’t switch it.
REFERENCES:
- “Aging: What to Expect,” Mayo Clinic,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/aging/art-20046070 - “Wrinkle cream: Your guide to younger looking skin,” Mayo Clinic,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wrinkles/in-depth/wrinkle-creams/art-20047463 - “9 Benefitsof Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10,)” Healthline, Arlene Semeco, 12 October, 2017,
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coenzyme-q10 - “Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the light of the New Gene Data,” PMC, Loren Pickart and Anna Margolina, 7 July, 2018,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073405/