Best for: "AHAs are best for normal-to-dry or sun-damaged skin because they help bind moisture and improve healthy collagen production and smooth an uneven skin texture. BHA is best for normal-to-oily or breakout-prone skin while also being excellent for reducing redness from rosacea," says Begoun.
What it does: "Simply put, it helps skin cells create better, healthier skin cells while increasing the amount of skin-support substances [and] has been shown to increase the skin's collagen production and glycosaminoglycans content, resulting in firmer skin with an improved texture and enhanced barrier function," says Begoun.
What it does: "It has been shown to increase collagen production (including dermal collagen, which is significant for wrinkle reduction), reduce the appearance of skin discolorations, strengthen skin's barrier response, enhance skin's repair process, reduce inflammation and help skin better withstand exposure to sunlight, whether protected by sunscreen or not," says Begoun.
What it does: "[It] works in several different ways including helping to protect cell membranes from oxidative damage and preventing collagen from being destroyed. It also works in powerful synergy with vitamin C. Vitamin E on an ingredient label may be listed as tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl linoleate, tocotrienols, alpha tocopherol and tocopheryl succinate," says Begoun.
What it does: This component of vitamin B3 "has been shown to increase ceramide and free fatty acid levels in skin, prevent skin from losing water content and stimulate microcirculation in the dermis. It also has a growing reputation for being able to lighten skin discolorations and reduce acne," says Begoun.
You can't sit for 20 minutes in front of the tube without some celebrity flash dancing across the screen advertising the new "breakthrough" in anti-aging skin care. The lights are flashy, her skin looks flawless and there is always some gimmick that sets this one apart from the hundreds of other skin care products out there. The next thing you know, you're buying said celebrity-endorsed product only to have it sit under your sink along with the other eye creams you got suckered into buying.
Why does this happen? Well, each year tons of new anti-aging products are launched because companies know you're on a desperate search for that fountain of youth. These products promise to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, abolish sun damage and lift any and every sagging bit on your face. But can you trust them? Paula Begoun, skincare expert and best-selling author of "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," says to be wary. "You can't read into all the hype you see in print and TV advertisements for beauty products," she says. Because if all the claims out there were true, it wouldn't matter which product you bought, be it the serum from the drugstore or the eye cream that cost a mint — they would produce the same anti-aging results.
So, who can you trust? Begoun says the ingredients are dependable. She says not to focus on the brand name or the glitzy commercials, but to look for products that contain the ingredients actually proven to produce noticeable improvements in all signs of aging. Here, she reveals her list of the top anti-aging skin care ingredients along with the beauty products that contain them.
