Whether you call them laugh lines or crow's feet, chances are you'll begin to see some lines and wrinkles on your face as you age. While a great deal of how you age is determined by genetics, choosing the right skin care products now can help you make the best of what you inherited from your parents. To fight wrinkles, you'll need to minimize the effects of photoaging while you rebuild and protect the skin's elasticity.
Sun Protection
Dermatologists, such as those in the American Academy of Dermatology, recommend that you protect your skin by day with a sunscreen; you can choose a stand-alone product or an anti-wrinkle make-up or moisturizer that incorporates sunscreen. Sunscreen for daytime use should provide protection from both UVA and UBV rays. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF of 30 or above to prevent deep wrinkles, leathery texture and sun or age spots. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 not only provides UVA and UVB sun protection, but also includes light diffusers to minimize the appearance of wrinkles or fine lines. This moisturizer won "Best Moisturizer" in the 2009 Cosmo Best Beauty Products awards.
Retinoids
When retinoids are applied topically, they help rebuild collagen in the skin, according to University of Michigan researchers. Collagen is important because it supports the skin. Collagen is abundant in our skin when we are young, but declines as we age, leading to sagging skin that wrinkles. Retinoids are a form of vitamin A. Check skin cream ingredients for retinoid, retinol, retinyl or retinoic acid.
Retinoids can be irritating to the delicate skin around the eyes; if you develop irritation, try a product made specifically for the delicate eye area. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, do not use products containing retinoids without your doctor's knowledge and approval. Skin creams with retinoids may also contain antioxidants such as vitamins E and C. In 2009, the Olay Professional Pro-X product line was named "Best Affordable Anti-Wrinkle Line" in the Cosmo Best Beauty Products awards, while the Olay Professional Pro-X Age Repair Lotion SPF 30 was named "Best SPF Day Lotion" in the 2009 Prevention Magazine Defy Your Age Beauty Awards. The Olay Professional Pro-X Age Repair line contains retinol to help reduce wrinkles.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are an enemy of aging because they seek out free radicals which damage skin. Free radicals are molecules with missing electrons; as they steal the electrons they need from the skin, the skin becomes damaged. The damage is subtle---it happens on a cellular level---but it adds up over time. Alpha-lipoic acid, selenium, vitamin C and CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) are antioxidants often found in wrinkle creams. Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant moisturizer with White Tea contains not only the antioxidant white tea but vitamin C as well; this moisturizer is an Allure Magazine "Best of Beauty" award winner in the "Natural Wonders" category.
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids
If beauty is only skin deep, so too are wrinkles. By resurfacing the skin, many fine wrinkles can be eliminated and deeper wrinkles can be made less obvious. While professional dermatologist treatments produce the most substantial improvement, you can encourage your skin to resurface itself by using alpha-hydroxy acid containing skin creams. Applied topically, alpha-hydroxy acids encourage the skin to lose the dead cells on its surface, and may help stimulate the formation of new collagen. Check skin cream labels for ingredients like lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, or glycolic acid. Always use sunscreen when using alpha-hydroxy acid products, and discontinue use of irritation occurs.
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