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.
What it does: The antioxidant components "work to reduce inflammation, build collagen and reduce cell damage by impeding the harmful effects of sun exposure. EGCG, when found in cosmetics, is a more potent, stable way to get the antioxidant benefit on skin," says Begoun.
What it does: "Like any antioxidant, resveratrol has incredible protective benefits for skin. When applied topically, resveratrol protects against sun damage, improves collagen synthesis and reduces cell damage. It is a stable, potent antioxidant worth finding in a skin care product," says Begoun.
What it does: This antioxidant "significantly reduces free-radical damage [and] combining it with other antioxidants greatly enhances its efficacy. It also has wound-healing properties. For fighting wrinkles, it is one of the top superstars," says Begoun.
What it does: Found in the spice tumeric, it "has potent anti-inflammatory properties, both internally and externally," says Begoun. It also works "to suppress excess melanin production in the presence of sunlight" and will help "chronic inflammation, irritation and sun damage that causes skin to look older and become less able to repair itself," she says.
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.
