Are Anti-Aging Ingredients Really Able To Perform?There are many purported anti-aging ingredients on the market today, too many to count actually, but there are none better than the ones that help retain or enhance moisture, keep surface skin clear, improve elasticity, provide tone and firmness and fight the aging effects of free radical damage. But the real question to ask is how they perform and is it based on how they are implemented into mineral makeup and skincare.
There are some that will work better than others and this is a trial and error scenario. Purported benefits are also only as good as the ingredients used and in what ratios they are offered. Plus a combination of ingredients is also best instead of just a single primary ingredient as the end all to keeping skin looking young.
In many independent studies, including some peer reviewed by the scientific community, certain ingredients have shown to perform with direct improvement to the appearance of skin and texture.
What Are The Best To Look For
The Anti-Aging Ingredients Noted for best performance and my personal favorites:
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids(AHA's)
These are commonly found in the form of glycolic acid from sugar cane, lactic acid from dairy products, tartaric acid from grapes, malic acid from fruit, citric acid from citrus fruits and antioxidant ellagic acid from raspberries, cranberries pomegranates, etc. AHA's are commonly used for their exfoliating properties. They also provide a skin tightening effect that diminishes fine lines.
Butters of Shea, Mango or Cocoa
Loaded with essential fatty acids and contains antioxidants of vitamin A and E for fighting free radicals our skin is exposed to. Great for soothing dry, irritated skin and is rich in emollients. These butters also help improve tone and elasticity. They are soothing to rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne and certain rashes. And of course what well moisturized skin doesn't look younger.
Co-Enzyme Q-10 or CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
This is an antioxidant and it has been purported to repair skin damaged by years of exposure to sun and pollutants. It is also known to improve collagen. The levels of CoQ10 in our bodies lessen with age causing our skin to be more easily damaged by free radicals and more prone to less elasticity. CoQ10 found in skincare may repair some of this damage as it has the ability to easily penetrate skin cells. Concentration is crucial when looking for this ingredient on the list.
DMAE (dimethylethanolamine)
This has become a popular choice for natural anti aging products. Dr. Perricone swears by this and is included in his very expensive line of skincare serums. Johnson and Johnson performed a study in 2005 showing it has anti-inflammatory effects and increased tone and firmness to sagging skin.
It is a naturally occuring substance in our bodies and is also present in fish. It has been used to treat aging conditions but is now being used in skin care.
Green Tea
Studies have shown that green tea is a wonderful antioxidant inside and out and has some ability to provide sun protection. It is being used in more products all the time, including those that are deemed anti-aging. It shows promise as a natural way to slow the effects of aging and is quickly becoming one of the most popular of the anti-aging ingredients. Ingesting green tea is also a great way to fight free radicals in our bodies.
Hyaluronic Acid
This natural ingredient is a well known humectant and is used in skincare as a very important part for helping our skin attract moisture and retain it within our skin. Some studies show it may help to stimulate the growth of healthy skin cells. Hydrated skin is smoother, softer and plumper looking of course.
Niacinimide
This ingredient is not subject to oxidation making it perfect for fighting free radical damage. It helps to improve the appearance of hyper-pigmentation, combats sun damage and is perfect for those with oily skin by reducing the production of sebaceous lipids. Niacinimide helps with increased skin barrier function to diminish skin irritant reactions which causes aging effects on the skin.
Oils and Essential Oils
Certain oils with a high percentage of essential fatty acids have been found to work very well on mature, dry or damaged skin. Avocado, Olive, Borage, Rosehip Seed, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Evening Primrose and Almond oil have all been found to be effective anti-aging ingredients.
Essential oils are popular anti-aging ingredients added to skin care products. Quite a few different essential oils have been used for years for their rejuvenating and restorative properties on aging skin.
Vitamin A (Retinol, Tretinoin and Retinyl Palmitate)
When this is added to a product in the right concentration it has been found to be very effective at reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin tone and exfoliating the skin.
The best results however, come from higher concentrations of Tretinoin form of Vitamin A available only by prescription. It is this prescription form however which causes the dryness and flakiness of the skin, so be aware that this may give less than favorable results when trying to cover the sloughing skin with makeup. All forms of Vitamin A may be irritating especially to sensitive individuals. Retinyl Palmitate, however has been shown to provide better results without the irritation which occurs in the stronger forms, like Tretinoin, and does not need prescription.
Just Marketing Puffery
When looking for anti-aging ingredients, it is important to note their location on the ingredient list. Also a combination of anti-aging ingredients will give better results and will be dispersed throughout the label in different levels of concentration.
But when it comes to the hype of any product claiming anti-aging, then the thing to watch for is when you see the supposed beneficial ingredient at the bottom of the list and mainly when it follows the preservatives or fragrance since these are at the lowest ratios. Anything past these are simply fluff and will do nothing to help the skin. But again, just because they use a drop, they can make the claim to fame.
So it is up to us to research our ingredients in our skincare to make sure we are getting a decent amount for doing the job they are promoted for.
Stretching The Truth
When it comes to makeup including mineral makeup, those that make the claim to fame of any anti-aging ingredient being part of the formulation are really reaching for the sky. This actually goes beyond stretching the truth. Though the ingredient is noted for being an excellent one with anti-aging properties, it will not have the same effect as those infused into skincare.
Some liquid makeup will also declare anti-aging benefits, and though this is liquid and has the propensity to be absorbed, it is found in most cases, as to the purported ingredients, are far below all the synthetics, colorants, film formers, binders and preservatives, essentially making the benefits worthless.
The exception is, certain oils which are added to mineral makeup, for instance, like our jojoba oil added to our minerals, will meld with skin and provide alone, along with the constituents it contains, the benefits it offers to create healthier skin, but it is not a delivery system for other ingredients. Using an age defying skincare regimen such as our ONATI Skin Care providing the delivery system of skin cell support, combined with our mineral makeup is what will yield the best results. And mineral makeup making the claim of anti-aging should never be considered a replacement for a superior skincare regimen or a diet rich in anti-aging fruits and vegetables and the consumption of fish rich in Omega Oils. This will go much farther to having lasting anti-aging results for the body has a whole, staving off free radicals and fighting cancer.
Bottom Line
No matter how we try and fight the aging process, we also must realize that genetics, sun exposure, smoking, diet, pollutants and many other factors play a key role in how we age. We can certainly improve our appearance, but we cannot stop ourselves from aging. Facelifts, Restylane and Botox are really about the only thing to permanently restore the look of youth, while skincare and mineral makeup are cosmetic and only work for the duration we continue to use them.
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