Wrinkle Creams: Bogus or Fountain of Youth?

The FDA is cracking down on a growing number of cosmetic companies claiming their products reduce the structure of a wrinkle or actually boost collagen stimulation.

 

Sound familiar? Whether it’s a drugstore brand for $10 or a department store brand selling for over $100, the claims are simply not proven!

 

The Director of FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, Linda Katz, writes “The number and type of claims that we are seeing has been increasing over the past five to 10 years, with the growth in the market of anti-aging products.”

 

Would you shell over your hard earned money just because the marketing says it works? Many people do! The fact is we need to hold cosmetics accountable, and so far we haven’t been.

 

No matter how expensive the price tag or how fancy the ingredients may seem, any skin care product that doesn’t need a doctor’s prescription is not required to undergo scientific research to prove its effectiveness.

 

The only proven way to reduce wrinkles and aging skin is to wear sunblock year round—cloudy days and cold days and in your car too! That means we need to start doing this with our children too. The baby boomer generation didn’t have this benefit as most of their parents never used sunblock, but millennials have a better chance with our knowledge today.

 

Also, not smoking, staying well hydrated, and using moisturizer daily keeps skin looking fresher and younger. That doesn’t have to mean shelling out hundred of dollars!

 

Some brands I love? Aveeno and Neutrogena: they work just as well as the expensive and luxury brands!