There is a lot of hype around skin care products. With hundreds of new additions to the marketplace each year, it's a lot to get excited about. Everyone wants that perfect, airbrushed, unattainable (just being honest) skin. I am the first one to say that perfect magazine images have made me squander money and question my self-esteem far more often than I would like to admit. How do you find the right product, without falling prey to the glossy hype machine?
There are a few key things you need to look for in an antioxidant skin care product to make it worth your while.
1. Stable packaging is the most important thing. Many ingredients, like Vitamin C, a valuable antioxidant and protectant against UVA/UVB photo damage (Journal for Investigative Dermatology, Feb 2002.), need stable packaging to make sure your ingredients work. Vitamin C can become unstable and therefore ineffective when sunlight or air are able to get into the packaging. If you take the top off of a jar or dip your finger in to remove product, you are likely to be wasting your antioxidant product, not to mention your time and money.
2. Added fragrances may irritate your skin, negating their effectiveness. For instance, if you are trying to lessen redness by using calming ingredients and your product smells of delightful cotton/fruit/flowers, it possible that the scent may cause a reaction in your skin. It's just not needed.
3. Use the right stuff. Look for proven antioxidants without extras you don't need, like parabens. Parabens have been linked to cancer tissue, formed by their accumulation in hormonally sensitive tissues. (Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, January 2002)
How do you find skin care products that won't waste your time? Do your research. Look for products that contain proven antioxidant ingredients, like Vitamin C, E, A and CoQ210. Here's the Cliff Notes version of what they do:
Vitamin A (the entire molecule) is the Retinol molecule, which has been shown to help create better, healthier skin cells. (Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2005)
Vitamin E helps to prevent sun damage and other oxidative stress to the skin. (Journal of Molecular Medicine, 1995) This doesn't mean you shouldn't use a sunscreen, though. Honestly, using a good sunscreen will go just as far as the most expensive cream on the market.
CoQ10 has been shown to be somewhat effective against wrinkling (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2006) , and while nothing is a magic cure, this ingredient is a step in the right direction.
I know. Get to the point. What do I recommend that seems to meet all of my above criteria? Right now, I am loving jeune d' age organics ( Young of Age) Anti-Aging Skin Serum. Jeune d' age organics includes all of the above ingredients, plus a few extras like acai and hyaluronan (a natural moisturizer). It is also free of added fragrances and synthetic chemicals. The best part? It comes in stable, single use packets that are incredibly generous. Each day, you use one packet at night (thanks for that tip, Dr. Oz!). Be sure to use the extra on your neck, decollete and the backs of your hands. This serum remains stable, since it doesn't come in contact with sunlight or air. This product is also vegan-friendly and comes in a nifty box that can be planted to produce wild flowers.
I have been using it for about 3 weeks and am seeing some real results. I have had fewer problems with my skin feeling dehydrated and my skin has seemed slightly more firm and looked very radiant. It keeps getting better - this product only costs $39.95 for a one month supply of the Anti-Aging Serum, plus the attractive container to store your packets. After the first month, you can purchase the refill kit for $29.95. Jeune d' age organics can be purchased online at www.ToBetterSkin.com.
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