The Wrinkle Warrior

Posted: Friday 20 August 2010 09:50am

“Does it work?” has to be the most asked question in beauty – whether it’s a mascara or a new face cream.

Yet with so many beauty companies and dermatologists scouring the globe for the next big thing, it seems scarcely incredible that retinol -  an ingredient originally used as an acne treatment in the 1980s -  should still be the only one conclusively proven to restore vibrancy and smoothness to the skin.

But that’s the truth of the matter says Dr Geoffrey Heber, founder of the best-selling Ultraceuticals range .”Not only is retinol an excellent ingredient for photo-ageing as it lessens the appearance of fine lines, dryness and sun damage, it is very effective in restoring the health of individual skin cells in all skin types”.

And he’s just one enthusiast among many. According to Mintel Global New Products data base, nearly 300 retinol-containing cosmetics have been released in the past three to four years. It is easy to see why. Twenty years of studies  have proved beyond doubt that retinol and its stronger, prescription-strength relative, retin-A, are one of the few skincare ingredients that truly live up to their promises.

Dr John Voorhees, the chairman of the dermatology department of the medical school of the University of Michigan, started the ball rolling in 1988 when he conducted the first double blind study of retin-A’s effect on sun-damaged skin. In all 30 patients studied, skin texture improved, cell turnover speeded up and pores were minimised. Since then the medical evidence has been overwhleming and Dr Vorhees also discovered that retin-A and retinol even have the potential to halt photo-ageing in its tracks before it starts.

Which is probably why the Revitalift range is the number one skincare brand for L’Oreal Paris, the world’s number one company for anti-ageing moisturisers. Two years ago,  L’Oreal introduced a powerful new anti-wrinkle complex to Revitalift Day ($30.95) – Pro-Retinol A Forte – encapsulated in a new delivery system that allows the active ingredient to get the “heart” of wrinkles more effectively. There’s also Revitalift Double Lift Eye, Revitalift Double Lift and Revitalift Face, Contours, Neck ( all $35.95; 1300 659 259) to tighten, firm and rejuvenate the eyes, face and neck. In fact, Double Lift does more to rejuvenate sun-damaged necks than specially formulated creams costing many times its price.

The French skincare brand RoC was among the first companies to really alert women to the benefits of retinol in over-the-counter skincare. Top buys include: RoC MULTI CORREXION Anti-Age Moisturiser ($69) and RETIN-OX Wrinkle Correxion Day Cream ($54; 1800 774 590). Other top performers that reduce the appearance of wrinkles and firm the skin following regular use are: Danne Montague-King Revise-A ($98; dannemking.com), Prevage Anti-Aging Night Cream ($210; 1800 045 500; which combines Vitamin A with idebenone, the most powerful antioxidant on the market), Garnier UltraLift Pro-Retinol Day Cream and Anti-Wrinkle Firming Day Cream (both $19.95; 1300 659 259) and Ultraceuticals Ultra A Facial Cream ($95) and Smoothing Complex ($85; ultraceuticals.com)

But if you really want to see the effects of retinol in the comfort of your own home, look no further than Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Intensive Revitalizing Mask ($85 for four sachets) and Pure Retinol Instant Treatment Eye Mask ($95; from department stores). Following 10 years of research, Shiseido have created the first-ever product to deliver a stabilised serum of pure retinol onto the skin. Even after one 15 minute application, wrinkles are smoothed away. The mask – known as the Occlusive Dressing Treatment – may make you look like an understudy in Phantom of the Opera but the patent-pending heat emulsification technology speeds the absorption of the retinol into your skin for immediate results. Let the family go out for the night and then welcome them home with a  silky-looking, plumped-up face. Really.

FURTHER READING:
- 10 Ways to Wage War on Wrinkles
- The 10-minute Makeup Facelift

by Elisabeth King

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