Are Anti-Wrinkle Creams Worth What You Pay for Them?

Ladies, do you spend your hard earned money on expensive wrinkle creams that promise to make you look years younger? If so you may want to check out the results of a twelve week study on various wrinkle creams performed by Consumer Reports.

Studies were performed during this twelve week period on a group of 17-23 women all between the ages of 30-70. The women chosen for the testing were all of light complexions, one trait that is more prone to developing wrinkles and fine lines.

A "placebo" moisturizer was given to all of the women in the study to use on one side of their face, and a top rated wrinkle reducing product on the other side. None of the women knew which was the control product and which was the placebo. The women were instructed to use both products twice daily.

Each woman's skin was thoroughly examined before and after the twelve week testing period. A device called a corneometer was one of the tools used during the skin roughness test. A corneometer is a device used to measure the skin's moisture content. High-tech optical equipment was used for some of the before and after skin examinations. The equipment used is capable of detecting even slight changes in skin roughness or wrinkle depth in microns of an inch.

Once all of the testing was completed, Consumer Reports issued the results of their findings. One thing they did find was that there was no connection between cost and effectiveness of the wrinkle creams that were tested. Did you know that Americans spend over a billion dollars a year on anti-aging products?

After twelve weeks of testing some top rated products, Consumer Reports found that even the best performing products only reduced wrinkle depth by a mere 10%. In everyday terms this means a change that is almost invisible to the naked eye. No correlation was found with price and effectiveness. Products ranged in price from $20-$300.

Even though the results were disappointing, some brands did do better than others. One product that cost $335, La Prairie Cellular, was found to be one of the least effective.

One good thing to know is that one of the top rated products tested comes at a reasonable price. The top selling anti-wrinkle product in America is also a Consumer Reports top ranked product, Olay Regenerist. At least if you still feel a need to spend your money on anti-aging products, the better choice won't cost you a fortune.

Source:

http://www.consumerreports.org