Anti-Aging: The Truth

What really works to firm and tighten skin?

Almost all the products that claim to firm and tighten saggy or crepey skin contain ingredients such as film-forming agents. These agents form a film on the skin that make the skin feel tighter. This "tightening" sensation is often enough to convince women that these products are working.  Although this sensation might make it feel as if these products are working they aren't really making any real change for the better.

Collagen

The key to younger looking skin is to use products that help build more collagen.  Although collagen won't help crepey skin bounce back, it does help support skin making sagging less apparent. You can help skin boost it's collagen production by using skin care products that contain potent antioxidants and skin repairing ingredients.

Sunscreen

A sunscreen rated SPF 15 or greater is a must! Sun damage destroys elastin and collagen, making daily sun protection critical.  However, applying sunscreen to our faces and necks is something we rarely remember to do.  Applying a moisturiser that contains an SPF factor to your neck as well as your face is a necessity if you want to combat the signs of ageing due to daily exposure to the sun.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Using a daily exfoliant containing glycolic acid (AHA) can really help. It will not only promote smoother looking skin it will also help build more collagen, thus helping to firm the skin.

Retinol

Research has shown that using skin care products containing Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps to build elastic as well as collagen and can improve the shape of the elastin your skin still has.  Applying a skin cream containing retinol every night can really help the appearance of your skin.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that help to prevent and repair damage to your body's tissue by slowing down or preventing the effect of free radicals, which start oxidation, a process caused by  oxygen damage that can lead to cell dysfunction, rather like a peeled apple turning brown.  Antioxidants block the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants also help to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun by protecting your skin from the inside by guarding your cells from damage. Vitamins A, C and E also encourage cell and tissue growth, helping the body to repair itself. Incorporating the right antioxidants into your skin care routine can have a positive effect on your skin as they will help fight fine lines and wrinkles.

Skin-repairing ingredients

Research has shown us that certain natural ingredients help to repair, heal, and reverse skin damage. An example of such ingredients are: Plant stem cells, Vitamin C, Lavender, Sandalwood, Licorice Root, Seabuckthorn berry oil.

Cell-communicating ingredients

Cell-communicating ingredients have the ability to tell a skin cell to look, act, and behave better, more like a normal healthy skin cell would, or to stop other substances from telling the cell to behave badly or abnormally. As far as skin care is concerned, it’s an area of research that's in its infancy. For now, the skin-care ingredients to look for in terms of their cell-communicating abilities include retinol, retinaldehyde, retinoic acid, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, eicosapentaenoic acid, niacinamide, lecithin, linolenic acid, linolenic acid, phospholipids, carnitine, carnosine, adenosine triphosphate, adenosine cyclic phosphate, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tripeptide-3 (and most other peptides), and pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract.

Soothing agents

Even if you don’t suffer from chronically sensitive skin, most people can still experience various degrees of irritation from environmental factors. Choosing ingredients known for their skin soothing properties ecan improve inflammation, hydrate dry skin and help ease irritation. Examples of skin soothing ingredients are Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Honey and Oatmeal.


Research has shown that certain groups of ingredients can help skin anywhere on the body behave and look younger by producing better skin cells, reduce environmental damage, build collagen, improve elasticity and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. These ingredients in any product can truly make a difference in the appearance of aging, sun-damaged skin. They include:

Anti-aging products could be named or described on the label in a number of ways - anti-wrinkle, lifting, firming, repairing, restoring, rejuvenating, advanced and more besides but, regardless of how they are described, what really makes any of those products worth their weight in gold has everything to do with what is on the inside and how the ingredients work in synergy with your skin.