Do any anti wrinkle creams actually work?

[msrisotto]

Sigh. I must not have been looking in the mirror much recently as I have only just noticed that I am developing wrinkles when I smile. Should I fight it? If so what with?

My mum was alway obsessed with wrinkle creams and drummed it into my head that 'if you don't use them you will get loads of wrinkles', looking at my mums face now ( she's 55 ) they obviously haven't made any difference . I don't use then, I very occasionally moistierise if my skins dry, other than that I just was my face with water, I still get asked for ID and I'm almost 34.

No Botox and Filler work wonders. For skin maintenance and prevention you need a pure vitamin C and a good retinol. Don't think either is available on the high street in the right concentrations but can be bought through a private hospital/clinic

No, anti wrinkle creams don't work. In order to make a claim that a cream helps prevent wrinkles, they have to contain a particular ingredient and that is a sunscreen. So just buy a sunscreen instead!

Oh well, that saves me money I guess. Not sure botox is for me.

I've been using elemis marine cream for. The past year and its definuetly done something ! Maybe plumped me up a bit :D

No they don't make a difference to wrinkles IMO. A good serum or moisturiser (not necessarily an expensive one just one that suits your skin) will usually help your skin look a bit better or brighter but won't help the wrinkles. Thats about 99% down to genes. Some people are lucky with wrinkles, some not so much.

Creams and serums will plump up the skin to disguise wrinkles but they won't get rid of them. I think the best thing you can do for your skin is to use sunscreen, eat healthily and not smoke or sunbathe.

Retin A is a prescription drug although some people on these boards buy it over the internet. It's been known to cause severe reactions - there was a thread about it the other day.

I had Retinol prescribed as a teenager for acne, it made my face crack and bleed!

I have had some success with Estee Lauder advanced night repair. Doesn't get rid of wrinkles per se but gives my skin a lovely smooth even texture - like after a facial but every morning! I strip back the oil/gunk of the day with clinique toner 2 then put the serum on before bed. They recommend it under moisturiser but that's too claggy for my skin and blocks pores.

What most people don't seem to realise is that anti wrinkle creams won't work once you've got wrinkles. You need to start using them before not after.

Yes - Boots Protect & Perfect - it's been clinically trialled, and the results have proved that it does work.

from their website

Yes, it's their website, but the fact that they have actually conducted clinical trials speaks volumes - clinical trials are really, really strict tests of products but also very expensive, and so if they have done them at all that's a major thing, and the fact that they have had positive results is brilliant.

Prevention better than cure. So the most important thing is protection. Daily spf - minimum 20 but more is better. Make sure you use spf around the eyes to. Don't buy expensive eye creams without spf as its a waste of money. I like Clinique city block layered over a serum or heavier moisturiser if skin is particularly dry. I use it round my eyes too. A lot of big label expensive creams are a waste of money. I always check Paula begouns beautypaedia before I splash out on anything. Her reviews are based on peer reviewed science and non biased except for her own stuff.
Also I wear sunglasses all the time when driving, even in winter ( with thick arms) to prevent squinting. I wear hat and sunglasses without exception on holiday as well as spf 50.
Rentinol in shop bought creams is much milder than Rentin-a (tretinoin). The jury is out I think whether retinol is much cop. I haven't gone down the retin-a route yet but am thinking of looking into it in the next few years once my baby making days are over.

Retinol.
I like la roche posay redermic R. I have been using both the eye and face versions for about 6 months. I definately see a difference.

Neal's Yard Frankincense will improve the "look" and "texture" of your skin, as will Protect and Perfect serum. I have tried Chanel/Dior/Clarins/Clinique/Elemis and right down to £2 Superdrug and those, along with Astral which I have always used on my neck and a rich facial oil (NOT Rosehip which may be an advertisers wet dream but beyond the age of 30 will do diddly) do make a difference, but won't, of course, get rid of any wrinkles.

It's horses for courses but Elemis Pro-Marine did absolutely nothing for me, apart from make my skin "roll" as it is very lotiony and silicone heavy. (smells nice though) Every time it was on offer I became a sheeple and stocked up on it, and every time I thought wtf do I do this?

Having read Caroline H and participated in the Amazing Faces quiche I have come to the conclusion that it's what you do to your face in terms of cleansing and peel-style treatments that make the biggest difference.

Many MNers have good things to say about Hylamide but I haven't tried that yet.

A cheap acid toner will resurface as well.

Don't really know about moisturisers, but I've had to stick to a dairy, sugar and most carb-free diet for 11 years for health reasons (yay ) and the upside is I honestly think I don't look like I've aged much.

I'm 40 now and everyone I tell is really surprised (and I don't think they're all just being kind). I only have very fine lines next to my eyes which are completely hidden by my foundation powder, and no other lines.

However, I still probably wouldn't stick to this diet if I didn't have to.

I have heard that sugar is ageing

Looks like you might be right

I think that while you can do a lot of things to slow premature ageing, genetics has the most influence.