Sunday, November 2, 2008

Is your night cream a waste of money?

By Dr. Isis Beauty

Night creams in many circumstances have been a marketing success rather than a breakthrough in skin care. Some products, however, are quite helpful. The market is flooded with products that in essence do nothing, "You have a lot of high-priced night creams that really don't have the bang for the buck," according to Dr. Patricia K. Farris, a New Orleans dermatologist.

Night Cream Manufacturers Distort Results

Manufacturers oftentimes make extravagant claims that its product will revitalize your skin and turn back the clock, but these claims are just clever packaging. "Companies say that your skin rejuvenates itself at night, or it does these special processes that it doesn't do in the day, and there's no proof of that at all," says Dr. Leslie Baumann, professor of dermatology at the University of Miami.

Dermatologists Concur: Some Ingredients Have Proven Anti-Aging Effect

Proven anti-aging compounds do exist: Retinol, Peptides (proteins), and Vitamin C have been shown to improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. And the use of Retinol in a night cream, "makes perfect sense because retinol can be rendered inactive by sunlight," says Dr. Baumann. Peptides and Vitamin C boost the skin's product of collagen, which smoothes wrinkles and improves skin firmness.

For the best results a quality night cream must contain the right ingredients in sufficient concentration. And the cream must penetrate the skin and be given enough time to work, "It's sort of like if you need a blood transfusion and I'm just going to lay the blood across the top of your skin and say, good luck, let's hope it gets where it needs to go," so says Dr. Sandra Read, a Washington dermatologist. "It just won't do any good" unless it penetrates and has time to work.

In Sum

A night cream need not cost arm and a leg but quality creams should contain Peptides, Vitamin C, and Retinol. Many reputable brands can be found online using search engines but I do recommend a quality source, http://www.nighttimemoisturizers.com . This website is devoted solely to night creams and, of course, night creams. They have a wealth of knowledge and research on the matter. Do your research, do not fall prey to advertisers that promise much and fail to deliver the right ingredients in the right proportion. A quality night cream can help you fight the effects of aging, soothe the skin, and boost collagen production. - 16004

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