As you age, your skin changes, becoming thinner, drier, less elastic, and more prone to wrinkles and discoloration. While no pot of cream can promise eternal youth and beauty, the best anti-aging creams can slow the effects of aging. So, which products are worth investing in? Keep reading to find out what exactly you should look for in an anti-aging product, and what your skin care routine should contain, according to the dermatologist Dr. Jihan Ghali.
What are the effects of aging on the skin?
As you age, your skin tends to produce less of the natural oils that help it stay fresh, supple, and healthy. As a result, the skin on your face can become dry and look dull. Elastin and collagen levels begin to decline, so the skin doesn’t quite bounce back after a smile or frown, and fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear. The skin may begin to show dark spots, especially after sun exposure, and dark circles under the eyes may become more pronounced.
Skin products focus on hydrating your skin and smoothing fine lines. They offer intense nutrition to help repair skin that has lost its elasticity, including ingredients that help reduce dark spots and discoloration.
How important is your skin type?
Your skin type has an impact on how your skin ages and therefore determines which treatments are most effective. Oily skin tends to benefit from exfoliating ingredients such as glycolic or salicylic acid, which promote the skin’s natural renewal process. According to Dr. Jihan Ghali, oily skin is very tricky for anti-wrinkle products because it is characterized by excessive sebum production. So, when buying anti-wrinkle cream, you should make sure it is formulated for oily skin or you can choose a water-based product with a light texture.
Dry and sensitive skin, on the other hand, can benefit from moisturizers containing antioxidants that limit sun damage and pollution and stimulate healing.
Are anti-aging creams really effective?
The effectiveness of a product depends on its ingredients, how often and for how long you use it, and whether the product you buy is suitable for your skin type and age. An anti-aging cream cannot reverse deep wrinkles, but there is evidence that it can be effective in treating fine lines, even if it cannot eliminate them completely.
Keep reading to find out how to reduce wrinkles on your face and what ingredients you should look for.
What are the ingredients to choose?
Dr. Jihan Ghali recommends choosing common ingredients in anti-wrinkle creams, such as:
- Retinol: You can find retinol in night serums, retinol creams, eye creams, and some acne treatments.
- Hyaluronic acid: It gives you plump, hydrated skin. Anti-aging products that contain hyaluronic acid are cleansers, serums, and moisturizers.
- Ferulic acid: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
- Glycolic acid: You can find glycolic acid in skin care products such as chemical peels, glycolic acid peels, facial serums, and facial scrubs. It regularly prepares your skin to better absorb other products and stimulates the growth of new skin.
- Peptides: Stimulate collagen production and improve skin texture.
- Vitamin C: Stimulates collagen, fights age spots, and protects against UV damage.
- Vitamin E: Slows skin aging, and soothes inflammation and dryness.
- Coenzyme Q10: This ingredient may help reduce fine wrinkles around the eyes.
- Niacinamide: It helps reduce water loss in the skin and can improve skin elasticity.
According to Dr. Jihan Ghali, there are a few techniques when applying anti-wrinkle cream to the face and neck: the important thing is to massage in circular motions on the face, moving down to the contours of the neck.
Some creams are designed to be used in the morning and evening. Thicker night creams or night masks are designed to penetrate the skin overnight and are more suitable for use as part of the evening routine.
To help you in your quest for a more youthful appearance, we’ve rounded up the best anti-aging creams to introduce into your routine.
Eau Thermale Avène A-Oxitive Day Smoothing Water Cream
Benefits: This cream protects against environmental aggressions and oxidative stress, thanks to vitamins C and E, which form a real antioxidant shield complex. This can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and give your complexion a brighter, younger look.
Eau Thermale Avène A-Oxitive Eyes Smoothing Eye Contour Cream
Benefits: The following eye cream contains retinaldehyde, which evens out skin tone and smoothes out irregularities. Day after day, the under-eye wrinkles and fine lines are smoothed, the eye contour is brightened and toned and its natural luminosity is restored.
Eau Thermale Avène A-OXitive Night Peeling Cream
Benefits: This best anti-aging night cream will leave your face feeling fresh and moisturized upon waking. Plus, you’ll notice improvements in your skin’s health almost instantly.
What other daily practices help fight aging?
1- Stop smoking: Smoking damages your skin’s collagen and elastin, which are responsible for your skin’s youthfulness. The loss of elasticity gives your skin a saggy appearance and wrinkles may appear prematurely.
2- Protect your skin from the sun: The sun’s ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin and damage the elastic fibers that keep the skin firm, allowing wrinkles to develop. The sun is also responsible for age spots on the hands, face, and other sun-exposed areas.
Choose a day cream like the one below that includes SPF and protects your skin from the sun.
Eau Thermale Avène Very High Protection Fluid SPF 50+
3- Eat carefully: It is important to eat foods that nourish the skin over the years. Avoid anything that can dehydrate, like alcohol. Foods high in sugar and white carbohydrates can actually make you age faster. Instead, opt for a diet higher in protein, including foods like fish, lean meats, beans, and legumes, which help build strong collagen. We also recommend foods rich in vitamin C to keep your skin looking young.
4-Get enough sleep: Good sleep is vital for your physical and mental health. It also plays a role in the health of your skin.
The best wrinkle cream: Frequently asked questions
When will I see the effects of the anti-aging cream?
You will likely need to use the wrinkle cream once or twice a day for several weeks before you notice any change. Once you stop using the product, your skin will return to its original state. For your anti-aging cream to work to its full potential, you must apply it regularly and throughout your life.
What is the best age to start using an anti-aging cream?
If you start incorporating anti-aging products into your daily routine at an earlier age, such as in your early 20s, there will be less damage to your skin than if you start using these products in your late 30s. Everyone should use a moisturizer and sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every day to protect their skin.
Can wrinkled skin be reversed?
To be honest, wrinkles can be reduced, but they may never completely disappear naturally. It all depends on your skin and how much effort you are willing to put into caring for it.
The best way to reverse wrinkles is to not have them in the first place. The importance of prevention cannot be stressed enough.
Last Updated on February 16, 2024
