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History is full of questionable wrinkle solutions
The quest for perfect, wrinkle-free skin has been going on for a long time. Ancient Mesopotamians used local olive oil to soften skin and beat the signs of aging. Cleopatra followed the rage of 50 B.C., bathing in milk and washing her face with red wine, hoping it would help maintain her youthful glow. The lanolin found in sheep's wool kicked off the lanolin craze centuries ago -- and not just for shepherds.
The bad news is, there's no miracle antidote to time's ravages and, in spite of cosmetic manufacturer's claims to the contrary, no moisturizer in the world will return your skin to baby-soft condition. But moisturizers can help retain whatever moisture you have and can even minimize the appearance of fine lines.
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Lotions and Potions
- For the most part, moisturizers don't really infuse moisture into skin cells. Instead, they form a filmy barrier that keeps drying air off the skin and holds in natural moisture. All contain water, but most of it evaporates before it can ever penetrate.
- Oils and proteins are the major active ingredients. Animal and vegetable oils, as well as vitamin E (listed as tocopherol on labels), absorb into the skin to protect cells below the surface. Mineral oils and proteins, like collagen and amino acids, stay on top and guard the skin's outer layer.
- A few other ingredients contained in certain moisturizers are worth noting. Liposomes, for example, hold oil and water under the skin and release it over time for a longer-lasting effect. Humectants, usually found in products labeled as oil-free, may actually draw water into the skin if the humidity's high enough.
The Acid Advantage
- Acid on your skin? Sounds scary. But alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) are gentle acids that exfoliate the skin, which means they lift off dead cells. This makes skin feel softer and smoother, helps moisturizers penetrate, can minimize the appearance of fine lines, and help clean out pores.
- The acids come from fruits, sugarcane, and milk -- pretty mild stuff. They've been used in cosmetics for ages, but in quantities too low for exfoliation. To get the maximum benefit, you need a concentration of 7% or higher. The most widely used AHAs are glycolic, citric, lactic, malic, and tartaric acid. BHAs include salicylic, benzoic, and buteric acids. Some manufacturers misidentify other ingredients as AHAs, but don't be duped -- acetic, benozoic, formic, oxalic, monochloroactic, and trichloroactic acids are not AHAs. Nor are retinyl palmitate, sodium hyaluronate, or fruit or sugarcane extracts.
- Acid-containing products may feel tingly upon application and a little sting is okay. But if a product really irritates, let your skin calm down and try switching to one that contains a different acid. Keep all AHA and BHA moisturizers away from your eyes. If you use one during the day, wear a sunscreen, too -- shedding dead outer cells makes your skin more vulnerable to UV rays.
What Doesn't Work
- The imaginations of cosmetic manufacturers can be fantastic. Their advertisements can make some pretty bizarre ingredients sound like the closest thing to a fountain of youth. It's up to the buyer to beware. Brain, spleen, and placenta extract have all been hawked as the way to perfect, wrinkle-free skin. They aren't.
- Unless you have oily skin, watch out for skin-drying ingredients like acetone, alcohol, and benzoyl peroxide. Substances like camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol may irritate dry or sensitive skin.
Get the Most Out of a Moisturizer
- Since a moisturizer holds water in, it's best to apply it when your face is slightly damp -- a light spritz with tap water does the job just as well as fancy waters bottled in aerosol cans.
- When applying moisturizer, rubbing doesn't help and may irritate the skin. It's better to smooth it on and let it absorb on its own.
- You might want to look for a facial moisturizer that also contains sunscreen to offer extra protection from wrinkle-causing rays.
Debunking the Oil-Free Myth
- While "oil-free" on a label generally means there aren't any oils in the product, it doesn't mean there aren't other ingredients that act just like oils and are equally prone to causing nasty breakouts. Some "oil-free" products contain silicone oils that, although lighter than other oils, can still cause problems.
- If you have oily skin, look for an "oil-controlling" moisturizer. These contain ingredients like talc and clay that soak up oil in addition to moisturizers that prevent over drying.
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Emollients
Emollients work by forming a protective layer over the skin, keeping moisture in. They are all oily or oil-like chemicals. Olive oil and other plant oils are very effective emollients. Mineral or silicon oils are also great emollients. Chemicals like petroleum jelly and lanolin are water-repellant and keep moisture in the skin. This softens and relieves dryness of the skin.
Silicone-based oils
Silicon-based products are synthetic emollients. Like other emollients, they help soothe and protect the skin by coating the skin and retaining water.
Exfoliants
Exfoliants are acids that help gently dissolve the first outer layers of dead skin and stimulate the production of new layers. They also have good water-binding properties and make great humectants. Exfoliants are generally carboxylic (organic) acids. Some of the more popular acids also have hydroxy groups added, such as alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids.
Preservatives
Preservatives are added in various products. They prevent the growth of microorganisms and inhibit the degradation of chemicals. Preservatives are often (but not always) the culprit when you have an allergic reaction to a product.
Humectants
Humectants are novel chemicals that are added in soaps, hair care products, and lotions, to help soften the skin and relieve dryness. Unlike emollients, which moisturize by trapping water in your skin, humectants actually attract water to your skin. However, they can be washed off very easily, and therefore do not have the lasting power of emollients. Your best bet is to get a product with both an emollient and a humectant.
Quaternary ammonium compounds
They are incorporated into cosmetic products for a variety of purposes and in various concentrations. Quaternary ammonium compounds have properties of surfactants, disinfectants, preservatives, and emulsifiers.
| Emollients | Ingredient | Description |
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| Fatty acids | ? | Include stearic acid, lanolin acid, plasmatic acid, and oleic acid. They help soften and soothe skin. | | Fatty alcohols | ? | Include cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and lauryl alcohol. They help soften and soothe skin. | | Lanolin | ? | Derived from sheep wool, it helps soften and soothe skin, and prevents skin dehydration. It can cause skin irritations. | | Mineral oil | ? | Derived from crude petroleum and helps prevents skin dehydration. It also helps soften and soothe skin and is nontoxic. | | Plant oils | ? | Come from plants such as olives, corn, and sunflower. They help soften and soothe skin, and prevent skin dehydration. | | Silicone-Based Oils | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Cyclomethicone | ? | Lighter than natural emollients, they help protect and maintain moisture in skin. | | Dimethicones | ? | Help protect and maintain moisture in skin. They are lighter than natural emollients. | | Exfoliants | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Butyric acid | ? | A beta-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant. It could be a mild irritant. | | Benzoic acid | ? | This beta-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant. | | Citric acid | ? | This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that lightens freckles and similar pigment blotches, and aids in treating acne. Excess use will dry skin. | | Glycolic acid | ? | One of the better known and understood alpha-hydroxy acids that acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and treat acne. | | Lactic acid | ? | A mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and treat acne. | | Malic acid | ? | This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and treat acne. It may cause allergic reactions. | | Salicylic acid | ? | The best known and understood beta-hydroxy acid. It acts as a mild skin exfoliant and is also used to treat acne. | | Tartaric acid | ? | An alpha-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches. It also helps clear acne. | | Preservatives | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Sorbic acid | ? | Used to inhibit the growth of fungi, such as mold and yeast. | | Chlorhexidine | ? | A basic antiseptic, it could cause irritations in some individuals. | | Polyquaternium-32 | ? | Also a quaternary ammonium compound that has antimicrobial activity. | | Benzoic acid | ? | Effective against microbes. | | Methylparaben | ? | Widely used with good antimicrobial properties. | | Propylparaben | ? | Effective against microbes. | | Humectants | Ingredient | Description |
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| Organic acids | ? | Excellent water-binding agents at concentrations of less than 2%. They are also acid balancers, along with citric acid. At concentrations of 5% to 8%, they are effective skin exfoliants. | | Urea | ? | An excellent water-binding agent at concentrations of less than 2%. It is also an acid balancer (like citric acid). At concentrations of 5% to 8%, it is an effective skin exfoliant. | | Glycerin | ? | One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin. | | Sorbitol | ? | One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin. | | Butylene glycol | ? | Attracts and retains water in the skin. However, it is not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. | | Polyethylene glycol (PEG) | ? | Moisturizes skin, but is not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. It also can cause skin irritations. | | Mucopolysaccarides | ? | Also referred to as glycosaminoglycans, these compounds are a combination of protein and polysaccharide. They are excellent humectants. | | Sodium PCA | ? | Derived from proteins, it's a natural component of the skin. | | Quaternary Ammonium Compounds | Ingredient | Description |
|---|
| Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Dicetydimonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Behentrimonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Behenalkonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Benzalkonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Quaternium-18 | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Stearalkonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. | | Cetrimonium chloride | ? | Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative. |
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Appropriate Uses
Hydroxy acid
Mildly exfoliates skin and soothes dry skin.
Moisturizer
Helps hold water in your skin by forming a protective barrier to keep it from drying out. Also soothes dry skin.
Common Misconceptions
Moisturizer
Cannot claim to prevent wrinkles. It can only hide them temporarily.
Keep Skin Well Hydrated
- Excess hot water and soap, low humidity, and high wind increase skin dryness. Even sunburn can increase water loss from the skin's surface. You need to protect your skin from water loss.
- Wash your hands and then wash your face with warm water.
- Blot face dry carefully. Do not rub your face roughly with a towel.
- Dab moisturizing product on cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead and spread over face lightly with upward strokes.
- If moisturizer does not contain sunscreen, apply sunscreen product after moisturizer dries.
- Never apply too much product as it may clog pores and cause oily skin.
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Use Products that are Right for Your Skin
- The following ingredients may make your skin break out:
- Vegetable oils, including almond, avocado, basil, carrot, coconut, corn, jojoba, macadamia, olive, palm, rice bran, safflower, soybean, sunflower seed, and wheat germ.
- Animal oils, including fish oils.
- Petroleum products, including mineral oil, light mineral oil, petrolatum, and white petrolatum.
- Do not use a moisturizer if you are allergic to vegetable oil, mineral oil, lanolin, vitamin E, urea, alpha-hydroxy acids, allantoin, zinc oxide, aluminum hydrozide, bismuth subnitrate, or any other ingredient in the product.
- Do not use hydroxy acids if you are allergic to citric, glycolic, lactic, malic, salicylic, or tartaric acid, or any other ingredient in the product.
- Moisturizers containing alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids may cause irritation, reddening, drying, or flaking of your skin.
Be Safe When Moisturizing
Do not apply moisturizers to infected or lacerated skin.
Never use hydroxy acids on your eyelids or lips.
Do not ingest.
Do not administer to a child or infant.
Consult a doctor before using if you have:
- A skin infection or irritation
- Diabetes, and intend to use a product that contains acids or claims to exfoliate
- Poor blood circulation
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Websites, Organizations & Manufacturers
Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. Food & Drug Administration.Federal Register 2/15/83.
- 2. Winter, R.A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Random House, Ince. New York 1994.
- 3. Michalun, N and MV Michalun.Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary. Milday Pub. Co. Albany, NY 1994.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Kurtzweil, P.Alpha Hydroxy Acids for Skin Care. FDA Consumer. US FDA, March-April 1998.
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