Which anti aging ingredients work?

Anti aging skin care is in a state of constant development.

With huge profits being ploughed into more and more research, cosmetic companies and dermatologists are continually taking the quest for the ultimate anti aging ingredient up to the next level.

So how do you pick your way through the minefield? What should you be looking for in an anti aging cream to avoid wasting your hard earned cash on ingredients that simply don’t do what they claim?

There are two key questions to ask about any anti aging ingredient or product.

First you need to know whether there is research evidence to show that the ingredient works when topically applied?

Some anti aging skin care manufacturers jump on the latest bandwagon from the anti aging industry and take anti aging ingredients that have been shown to be effective orally and add them to a skin care product.

That’s fine if there is evidence that the anti aging ingredient can be absorbed through the skin and has an anti aging effect when used in an anti aging cream or face serum.

Second you need to know how much of the anti aging ingredient is present in the face cream or serum you want to buy. A common approach in anti aging skin care – particularly at the lower end of the market – is to use the latest ingredient in a product at very low levels.

This means the manufacturer can make claims for the product based on the presence of the anti aging ingredient – even though it is present at such low levels it has virtually no anti-aging effect.

Don’t be surprised to find that the best anti aging creams cost quite a lot of money. As a buyer you may assume that means large profits for the manufacturer.

Whilst this may be that this is true in some companies it’s also true that active ingredients used in the best anti aging skin care don’t come cheap. The best anti aging creams and face serums use high levels of expensive active ingredients. Good manufacturers back up their claims with clinical tests which costs a lot of money.

The best anti aging skin care is often produced by dermatologist led brands and these companies spend a lot of money on research and development before an anti aging cream or face serum is launched on the market.

All these things add to costs. Basic levels of skin care can be bought quite cheaply but if you want anti aging creams and lotions that make a difference then usually you have to spend more.

There are a huge number of anti aging ingredients out there but only some anti aging ingredients have been shown to work in topical creams. Common active ingredients shown to work on wrinkles and sagging skin include: peptides, retina-A (vitamin A) and antioxidants like vitamin C and E at very high levels.