Wrinkle Cream Review

Do wrinkle creams really work?

Nearly every facial moisturizer, night cream, serum and body cream these days touts anti-aging benefits. And every year, dozens of new anti-wrinkle creams are plopped on store shelves, all covered in claims promising to turn back the hands of time. But do any of them work? First, it helps to separate facial moisturizers from wrinkle creams.

Although many facial moisturizers, which can be applied whenever, make anti-aging claims, most wrinkle creams are designed to be applied at night. That's because these products don't typically contain sunscreen and some of their most powerful ingredients, namely retinol, easily degrade in daylight and can make skin extra sensitive to the sun. While many think that anti-aging skin treatments contain more specialized ingredients, the truth is that the best daily facial moisturizers also contain a lot of the same ingredients. (See our facial moisturizers report for more information on these.) This report on wrinkle creams instead focuses on night creams -- formulas that have more aggressive, anti-aging compounds to diminish the appearance of fine lines and increase skin cell turnover.

Because many consumers are seduced by empty claims, experts suggest looking at a wrinkle cream's ingredients list first. Formulas usually contain some combination of antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids and/or retinol.

Preventative wrinkle creams are generally chocked with antioxidants to counteract the presence of free radicals, environmental compounds that damage healthy cells over time -- an occurrence which ultimately leads to the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. While there are hundreds of antioxidants, more noteworthy ingredients include vitamin E (listed as tocopherol), green tea (often listed as camellia), vitamin C (often listed as ascorbic acid or ascorbyl palmitate), and grapeseed and soy extracts. Experts believe, however, that a cocktail of several antioxidants is likely to have a better effect than wrinkle creams containing only one or two.

Products that contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) help to give skin a more youthful and luminous glow. They also allow other ingredients to penetrate the skin in order to be more effective. AHAs help slough off dead or damaged cells to improve the appearance of skin, and may cause mild but temporary discomfort such as redness and skin flaking. Experts suggest looking for products that contain at least 5 percent AHA.

Hydroquinone is the gold standard ingredient for skin lightening. It is effective for reducing age spots and other skin discolorations. Like other anti-aging components, it can cause sun sensitivity, so the use of sunscreen is highly recommended to reduce irritation as well as further skin damage.

Lastly, retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. This nutrient, which naturally increases the body's production of skin-plumping collagen to soften and reduce the appearance of deeper wrinkles, is a more aggressive option. It works at a faster rate than AHAs, making it a great option for those with more extensive skin issues. Retinol treatments are available in both over-the-counter and prescription-strength preparations. While both options improve skin, prescription products have been shown to be more effective. However, like alpha hydroxy acid, many users say they can cause temporary side effects such as redness and irritation and they can also significantly increase sun sensitivity. Due to this, dermatologists suggest wearing adequate sun protection (at least SPF 15) during usage. It's important to note that some wrinkle creams can intermingle all or some of the ingredients mentioned above.

Experts say that wrinkle creams cannot, regardless of manufacturer claims, reduce sagging skin. Although some creams may have a temporary tightening effect, the only way to lift or remove sagging, droopy skin is with a face lift or cosmetic surgery.

To find the best wrinkle creams, we turned to skin care and cosmetics expert Paula Begoun, creator of Beautypedia.com. Begoun relies heavily on scientific research and the evaluation of active ingredients as well as her own efficacy testing to rate thousands of beauty products, including wrinkle creams. ConsumerReports.org editors also perform thorough testing of several wrinkle creams and serums, measuring the depth and visibility of treated wrinkles over the course of 12 weeks. A clinical study that compares three over-the-counter formulas to prescription-strength tretinoin (a vitamin A-based retinoid) is documented in New Scientist magazine. Beauty magazines, including Good Housekeeping, InStyle and Allure, test wrinkle creams for their annual beauty awards but don't mention judging criteria or non-winning products. We also found user reviews at MakeupAlley.com, TotalBeauty.com and Amazon.com to be useful in analyzing consumer satisfaction.

In all reviews, experts say price plays no part in the overall effectiveness of wrinkle creams. In fact, many of the best wrinkle creams can be found at the drugstore -- and we encountered more reviews for these affordable brands than we did for expensive department-store wrinkle creams. Still, many consumers are lured by the fancy packaging and compelling advertising of more costly store wrinkle creams. Although many of these products feel more luxurious on the skin, experts say it's the ingredients that are important -- and that most work no better than budget formulas with the same active ingredients. What's more, many high-end wrinkle creams are made by the same companies that make budget-priced formulas. Lancome, Biotherm and Maybelline are all owned by L'Oreal, for instance, and Estee Lauder owns Clinique, Prescriptives and Origins. Although higher-end wrinkle creams have their fair share of loyal customers, we didn't find many reviews for them. The bottom line: There's no need to break the bank. Experts say pricier wrinkle creams aren't always better.

Furthermore, experts agree that no wrinkle cream can perform miracles or even results that mimic professional treatments such as Botox and collagen injections. The most effective treatment for wrinkles is prevention. Studies show that age spots and most wrinkles are caused by sun damage. Therefore, the most effective way to avoid wrinkles in the first place is a daily sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. See our report on sunscreen for top recommendations and further information.