10 Anti-Aging Products You Shouldn't Be Using
Learn How the Wrong Products Can Keep You From Looking Younger!
Lots of us use anti-aging products to look younger—by reducing and preventing wrinkles as well as by smoothing the texture of our skin and evening out our skin tone. It is mind-boggling when you consider that there are literally thousands of products available! Although almost all of these products make exaggerated, insane claims, some really do have brilliant formulas, and we love telling you about those. What's surprising, though, is that many of these so-called anti-aging products contain ingredients that actually make signs of aging worse!
For example, all of the anti-aging products listed below have enticing claims and stunning packaging. However, they also are either poorly formulated, absurdly overpriced, hurt your skin via irritation, or lack the ingredients research has proven help fight the signs of aging. Many have all of these shortcomings, which means they're not money well spent! You may be shocked by our "worst" list, but keep in mind that damaging your skin or your budget is never the goal.
1. Philosophy the Microdelivery Multi-Use Peel Pads ($55 for 100 pads). These pads contain an effective amount of the AHA lactic acid to exfoliate skin, which is great. Effective exfoliation can make your skin look smoother, reduce wrinkles, and reveal radiance practically overnight. What's not so great are the numerous fragrant oils in this formula—eucalyptus, tangerine, lavender, and lemon oils. They are all potent irritants, and there is considerable research proving that they damage skin and impair its healing process.
2. La Prairie Cellular Serum Platinum Rare ($650 for 1 ounce). Obviously, the price of this serum is outrageous, but in addition its formula consists primarily of some of the least expensive skin-care ingredients available: water, slip agents, and alcohol. Even more disturbing is the fact that alcohol causes cell death, free-radical damage, dryness, and collagen breakdown. Those negatives aren't something you should be paying even $1 for, let alone $650!
3. Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Fluid ($295 for 1.7 ounces). Far from essential, this overpriced serum is not regenerating in the least. It combines skin-damaging alcohol with some of the most basic cosmetic ingredients around. The few anti-aging ingredients that are present are in short supply, and the alcohol causes an assortment of problems, as described for the La Prairie product above.
4. La Mer The Eye Balm Intense ($145 for 0.5 ounce). The price of this eye cream and its potential to cause pro-aging irritation are the only "intense" things we found true about it! Because it's packaged in a jar, all of the various La Mer "ferments," plant extracts, and the like will begin to break down the moment you open it. Where this eye cream really spells trouble for your skin is from eucalyptus oil. Irritating ingredients like this cause collagen to break down, increase puffiness, and make dark circles look worse! One other point: You don't need an "eye" cream. (Read the facts about eye creams here.)
5. Lancome Renergie Microlift Eye R.A.R.E Intense Repositioning Eye Lifter ($70 for 0.5 ounce). "Speechless" is a good way to describe how we felt after comparing this eye cream's claims with its ingredient list. (Even the best formulations in the world can't live up to the claims Lancome asserts here.) Aside from the claims, this is an exceptionally poor formula that cannot lift or reposition sagging eye-area skin, not at all. It contains skin-damaging alcohol, which hurt's skin's ability to look and act younger, and there is barely a dusting of any ingredient research has shown can really improve aging skin. This antiquated formula is like using a typewriter instead of a computer. To add insult to injury, you don't need an eye cream. (Read the facts about eye creams here.)
6. Origins Brighter By Nature SPF 35 Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer ($42.50 for 1.7 ounces). Origins includes lots of natural ingredients in their products, but many of them cause irritation, which is a problem for skin. Irritation causes collagen breakdown, increases redness, promotes inflammation, and harms cellular repair. Although this product does offer reliable sun protection, it also has an overwhelming number of fragrant plant extracts and oils. In summary, almost all of the natural ingredients on the label are well-known skin irritants, which means applying this to your skin isn't a bright idea!
7. L'Oreal Paris Advanced Revitalift Complete Day Cream SPF 15 ($15.99 for 1.7 ounces). This product's name is compelling, but the formula is anything but compelling, and it doesn't begin to approach "advanced" skin care. The active sunscreen ingredients don't supply sufficient UVA protection, which leaves your skin vulnerable to UVA rays, the portion of the sun's rays that cause the most wrinkles and sagging. Any SPF-rated product you're considering must contain one or more of the following active ingredients to provide reliable anti-aging protection: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, Mexoryl SX (ecamsule), or Tinosorb. The formula is a standard blend of water and wax, with a teeny amount of anti-aging ingredients. Even if this were well-formulated, the jar packaging means that the beneficial ingredients will start degrading once you open the container. This also contains several fragrant ingredients that can trigger irritation, which certainly won't help your skin look younger.
8. Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Correction Wrinkle Cream, All Skin Types ($55 for 1.7 ounces). Nothing about this formula is state-of-the-art if your goal is to fight wrinkles. All you're getting is an ordinary moisturizer that contains more fragrance than beneficial skin-care ingredients. Poor formulation aside, the jar packaging won't keep the small amount of good plant extracts it does contain stable after opening. Another problem is that this product contains the preservative methylisothiazolinone, which is known to be sensitizing. Last, without sunscreen, this product really shouldn't be labeled a "day cream" because it leaves your skin vulnerable to sun damage.
9. Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer Plus Cooling Hydration ($22.99 for 1.7 ounces). Olay's anti-aging moisturizers are often among the best, but not this time. Although there are plenty of good ingredients in this moisturizer, the "cooling" portion comes from irritating peppermint and a form of menthol. These ingredients do indeed cool your skin and make it tingle, but that tingling is your skin telling you it's being irritated, not hydrated! Needless irritation like this isn't the way to achieve younger-looking skin; in fact, this kind of irritation can cause collagen to break down, reduce normal cellular repair, and increase sensitivity!
10. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Lotion ($160 for 1.7 ounces). Most disappointing about this moisturizer is that its formula isn't nearly as impressive as those of several other less expensive "anti-wrinkle" products that Lauder sells. Not only are the contents not stellar (and given the price they should be), but this also contains potentially skin-damaging dill extract and gold, which doesn't translate into younger, lifted skin. In regard to lifting skin, it just isn't possible, from any skin-care product, regardless of price. The numerous factors that cause skin to sag (including sun damage, bone loss, fat pad shifting, and gravity) cannot be corrected by any product, anywhere. Even if a lifting cream were the answer, where would the excess, loose skin go once it was lifted?
If you're using any of the anti-aging products above, please reconsider. You'll be saving your skin from irritation that keeps it from looking as young and healthy as it can and you'll be saving money, too. Always remember that expensive doesn't necessarily mean you're getting a better product! Our science-based reviews on Beautypedia will help you find brilliant anti-aging products that work without breaking the bank. How beautiful is that?
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Paula's Product Pick
Paula's Pick M.A.C. Studio Careblend/Pressed Powder ($23.00). "Marvelous all around" is a great way to describe this ultra-smooth, talc-based pressed powder that's best for normal to dry skin. M.A.C.'s claims about this powder are 100% accurate: It blends superbly and leaves a sheer, natural matte finish that doesn't look the least bit powdery.
Pros:
• Ultra-smooth, almost creamy texture is brilliant for normal to dry skin.
• Finely milled pigments leave a natural matte, skin-like finish; you won't look "powdered."
• Blends superbly over foundation or on its own.
• Neutral shade range includes options for fair to tan skin tones.
Cons:
• None, except for the DeepDark shade, which goes on too orange.
For the latest new product reviews, reference Beautypedia.com -- now FREE for everyone, all the time. Beautypedia features over 45,000 detailed product reviews and is the expanded, online version of my best-selling book Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me.www.cosmeticscop.com
