There is little evidence to prove that many anti-ageing products have any visible effects but women continue to buy them, writes Sylvia Thompson
As women in Ireland and Britain queued from early morning to get their hands on Boots anti-ageing cream last week, the message went out to the rest of the population that the cosmetic approach to skincare was thriving.
Visit any pharmacy or beauty salon and you'll see a skincare range featuring creams for lines and wrinkles, firmness, tone and texture, discoloration, hydration, crow's feet, dark circles and under-eye puffiness. The more "exclusive" the brand, the more expensive it will be. And most beauty product manufacturers encourage users to stick with products from the same brand for the best results.
Should we question such demanding and sometimes expensive beauty regimes? And are cosmetics really the best way to look after our skin?
In their book, Ultra Age - everywoman's guide to facing the future(MacMillan), Mary Spillane and Victoria McKee write, "there is no single recipe for timeless beauty".
They quote actresses who use inexpensive cleansers and Italian women who smooth their skin with extra virgin olive oil after a bath. They suggest inexpensive creams can be just as good as expensive ones and mixing products from different ranges is fine.
"We're all too hung up on labels and think something is good because there's an exciting new brand name but the contents are often as good in something less expensive . . . I think the beauty world plays on women's insecurities," writes one advocate of baby oil as a face cleanser.
Founder of the Body Shop, Anita Roddick, famously says "there is nothing on God's planet that will take away 30 years of arguing with your husband and 40 years of environmental abuse. Anything that says it can magically take away your wrinkles is a scandalous lie."
Roddick concedes that skin moisturisers work but that "all other lotions are pap". Curious comments indeed from the businesswoman who made her millions from "natural" cosmetics.
Authors of Cosmetics Unmasked (Thorsons), Dr Stephen Antczak and Gina Antczak, write, "cosmetics cannot permanently remove fine lines and wrinkles. The best they can do is cover them up or moisten and colour the skin to make it look younger."
"Petroleum jelly is probably the best moisturiser in the world but most people don't like to use it," says Dr Patrick Ormond, consultant dermatologist at St James Hospital, Dublin. "All moisturisers do more or less the same job - it's all down to what's cosmetically acceptable and what feels nicer on your skin."
Ormond says the three-step approach to looking after your skin is firstly stay out of the sun, particularly 11am-3pm from April to September and when on holidays in sunny places. Secondly, wear tightly woven clothes and a wide-brimmed hat when you are in the sun and thirdly, apply factor 30 sun cream (with a UVA four or five star rating) every two-three hours.
As about 80 per cent of the damage done to your skin has already been done before the age of 20, it's crucial that this advice is followed for children.
While genetic factors play a part in skin colour and sensitivity, environmental factors are the main causes of damage. Smoking, a diet low in fruit, vegetables, proteins, minerals and vitamins and a low intake of water all contribute to poor quality skin.
"The skin is an organ just like any other in the body which requires a healthy balanced diet, sleep and exercise to be at its best," says Ormond. "The keys to good healthy skin are genes, lifestyle, diet and preventing sun damage. Cosmetics are merely about making your skin look more pleasing."
Speaking about whether over-the-counter anti-ageing products work, Ormond says: "Retina, which is prescribed by dermatologists, is really the only cream which has been shown scientifically to have an anti-ageing effect. There are lower concentrations of retina in some over-the-counter products but there is very little strong scientific evidence to say that they work."
Both Stephen and Gina Antczak say "too much reliance is placed on the wild claims made by cosmetic manufacturers and a vast amount of money is wasted on expensive gimmicks containing liposomes, vitamins and collagen. Many of these products are no better than basic moisturising creams or lotions that contain just oils and water.
"It is important to look after your skin by keeping it clean and if you have dry skin that becomes cracked and sore, use a suitable moisturiser. Find one that suits your skin and avoid anything that causes even minor irritation," they say.