Botox alternatives have become big news in anti aging skin care.
A so called botox cream has broad appeal – selling both to needle-phobes like myself who want what botox offers but without the needle AND to botox junkies eager to prolong the effects of their latest fix.
Whichever category you fall into you can be sure that the trend for botox creams is set to get bigger as skin care technology gets better and the downsides of botox injections become clearer.
So – what to go for? After much trawling here’s my view of the five best botox alternatives on the market at the moment:
1. Dr Brandt Crease Release – great name and by all accounts a pretty fantastic product! Seen on the Today show, beloved of many top name celebs and earning rave reviews in forum posts and beauty sites this anti aging serum has caused quite a stir.
The key line relaxing ingredient is GABA or Gamma Amino Butyric Acid. Without going into the science bit too much – GABA inhibits nerve impulses enabling the body (and the mind when taken orally) to relax. The manufacturers make impressive claims for it’s wrinkle relaxing ability and its place as a leading botox alternative product.
Very positive customer reviews in forums all over the internet back up these claims. Quite expensive but should last 2-3 months.
2. Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Growth Factor Extreme Neuropeptide Serum – quite a mouthful but don’t let that put you off! This is a new leading edge product – it certainly gets rave reviews on dermatologist approved skin care sites.
Winner if a 2010 Good Housekeeping Anti Aging Award in the skin firming category – the product relies on a specially blended “youth serum” with high levels of growth serum and a hexapeptide complex. Its the peptides that provide the botox like response – relaxing the expression lines that lead to deeper wrinkles apparently. Expect firmer more supple skin with a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and high levels of moisture. Thinner, less elastic skin is a key symptom of skin aging so any product that delivers improvements in this area deserves to be a winner. Botox injections alone certainly wouldn’t!
3. PCA Skin (pHaze 25) ExLinea Peptide Smoothing Serum - Another long name covering up a pretty good product. Basically an argireline cream – I first heard about this from readers of this site recommending it. Key ingredient is the peptide argireline which smoothes existing lines and helps prevent others arriving. Also has good levels of hyaluronic acid which is a key ingredient for moisturization plus antioxidants to fight skin aging. Users and experts like PCA Skin products and this is no exception.
4. Strivectin SD – Who hasn’t heard of this one? Originally sold as an anti stretch mark cream, users – rather than the makers – discovered just how good the cream was at reducing facial wrinkles and uneven skin tone.
Now Klein Becker, the makers of Strivectin have reinvented the cream as “the botox alternative”. It’s included in this list because it is something of an anti aging classic and it consistently receives high ratings and positive reviews in the forums. Definitely a good anti aging cream by all accounts but whether it really can be called an alternative to botox is doubtful.
5. Dermaquest Skin therapy Peptide Mobilizer – High levels of a range of peptides that work together to relax wrinkles and stimulate collagen production. Highly rated by users and – as a little goes a long way – it should be worth the money.
These are all excellent well-proven products backed up by good user reviews. In terms of making a final choice for a botox substitute – I would go for Dr Brandt Crease Release or the excellent Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Growth Factor Serum.