Although according to "The New York Times" consumers spend about $40 million a year on firming creams, there is yet to be conclusive evidence that they work. In the United States, advertisements claim that anti-wrinkle or firming serums give the "appearance of" or "look of" firmer skin, but those terms are continually under fire from consumer advocates. Companies don't get away with that in Great Britain, where use of those terms is banned unless proved conclusively.
Yet money flows in for these products in our youth-oriented culture. And some people swear they work.
They just might--but likely the skin looks better after using a firming cream for reasons that have nothing to do with the "firming" substances themselves.
What to Look for
Although the jury is still out on whether or not these products are effective, information from some prestigious sources claims otherwise. For instance in late 2003, "Forbes" magazine looked at the top 10 products that use nanotechnology, and No. 4 was L'Oreal Plentitude Revitalift antiwrinkle cream. L'Oreal apparently introduced its first nanotech product in 1998. If you can believe L'Oreal, who conducted its own survey, as many as 80 percent of women said the product worked.
To give yourself the most chance of buying a product that makes a positive difference in your skin, choose something with an emollient, or moisturizer, that will help your skin look and feel better whether it firms the face or not. Also, be sure to choose a firming cream with a high SPF, to avoid getting more wrinkles or acquiring skin pigmentation inconsistencies.
Common Pitfalls
Do not use a substance containing alcohol, as it will dry your skin. It may make your face feel tighter, but that's from over-drying, not firming.
When using any kind of lotion or cream, whether firming or not, apply gently to your face without tugging or pulling (a good rule for makeup application as well). Particularly with an eye cream, you should apply a firming agent last (after moisturizer and foundation), because substances applied after the firming agent could break down the active substances and render it ineffective.
Blowing the budget on very expensive skin-firming products may not be a good idea. Studies consistently show that with facial and body moisturizing creams and lotions, price isn't a guarantee of quality. That $5 tube may work just as well or better than the $60 cream.
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