The best anti-aging skin care products have the purpose of giving you a younger, more vibrant-looking skin. They are part of a multi-billion dollar industry due to the aging of the baby boomer population. Products can range from over-the-counter remedies to prescription-based, depending upon your personal needs. Over-the-counter products are not FDA-approved. It is important to realize that the most expensive product is not necessarily the best.
Sunscreens
Sunscreen is "by far the most beneficial anti-aging topical on the market" states skincarephysicians.com. Sunscreens can prevent further skin damage from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. For best results, it is recommended your sunscreen have at least a 30 sun protection factor (SPF). There are a variety of ways for you to get sunscreen protection. You can apply straight sunscreen to your bare skin, either by itself or underneath your make-up. Even if you are not intending on being in the sun for any length of time, skincarephysicians.com and the Mayo Clinic recommend applying sunscreen to any exposed skin. Sunscreens (also known as sun filters) can be an ingredient in a multitude of anti-aging skin care products. These include moisturizers, lotions, day and/or night creams, gels, serums and make-up.
Wrinkle Creams
One of the first anti-aging products on the market was the anti-aging cream, otherwise known as wrinkle cream. The most important thing about the effectiveness of any anti-aging cream is its active ingredient, states both skincarephysicians.com and the Mayo Clinic. There are only a handful of ingredients that are scientifically-proven to work. These include coenzyme Q10, alpha-hydroxy acids, copper peptide and tea extracts. Green tea, with its high antioxidant level, has been found to improve skin health and is a common ingredient of wrinkle creams, states the Mayo Clinic.
The first proven active ingredient used in wrinkle creams is a vitamin-A compound known as retinol. The Mayo Clinic states that vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radicals found in our skin cells. If the free radicals are not neutralized, they will cause our skin cells to breakdown. The breakdown results in fine wrinkles, rough skin and age spots forming. Retinol can be absorbed into our skin. Retinol can be purchased as a cream (as in retinol cream), added to a variety of skin care products or purchased via a doctor's prescription.
Moisturizers
As we age, our skin loses its moisture. We need to replace this lost moisture in order to keep our skin younger looking, improve our skin tone and minimize the signs of aging. Moisturizers can accomplish these goals by trapping water in our skin's pores, says skincarephysicians.com. Moisturizers are an essential element of any anti-aging skin care regime. Applying a moisturizer prior to bedtime can help your skin repair itself. The increased hydration can help to minimize the appearance of fine lines. The Mayo Clinic states that moisturizers are good for temporarily "masking tiny lines and creases." Moisturizers can contain added ingredients that help with anti-aging. For instance, agenotes.com mentions that the addition of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) to a moisturizer may stimulate the production of collagen. Collagen can help to improve your skin's elasticity and lessen the effects of sagging skin.
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