Saving Face
Blame it on the sun, blame it on smoking, blame it on too much smiling. A host of imperfections plagues us as we age—crow’s-feet, sagging skin, deep wrinkles and more. This new crop of products targets the trouble spots.
March 2010
Under-eye circles
This condition is the result of thinning skin in the area, which makes
blood vessels more visible. Because caffeine helps constrict blood
vessels, products that contain the ingredient can reduce the appearance
of darkness. La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Eye Serum ($250;
shoplaprairie.com) is
a new caffeinated option.
March 2010
Crow’s-Feet
These three products can help de-crease the eye area. Apot.Care
Irido-Radiant Eye Contour Care ($125; spacenk.com) relies on
skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, and Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum ($150;
rodialskincare.com) takes advantage of the Botox-like effects of a
peptide that mimics snake venom. Most notable, though, is RoC Brilliance
Eye Beautifier, shown below ($50; at drugstores), which uses
bioelectricity, a technique that parent company Johnson & Johnson claims
will become the biggest thing since retinol. The package comes with two
products—one containing “ion-mineral conductors” like zinc and copper,
the other a cream
that activates the minerals—that together
promise to
jump-start the skin’s cell
renewal process.
March 2010
Deep wrinkles and slackened skin
The major culprit? A breakdown of collagen, which leads to a loss of
elasticity. Peptides, a known collagen stimulant, are key to both La Mer
The Regenerating Serum ($250; lamer.com) and Chantecaille Nano Gold
Firming Treatment ($290; chantecaille.com). Meanwhile, hyaluronic acid,
which can temporarily make skin look as if its collagen reserves have
been replenished, is used in Shiseido
Bio-Performance Super Corrective
Serum ($80; sephora.com) and Olay Professional five-day Pro-X Intensive
Firming Treatment,
at right ($62; drugstore.com).
March 2010
Dark spots
The technical term for these blemishes, which occur when sun damage
produces too much pigment, is solar lentigines. Certain plants not only
help protect against the free radicals that cause the spots but also
reduce their appearance by brightening the skin. Among them are Dianella
ensifolia, originally from Southeast Asia, found in Clinique Even Better
Clinical Dark Spot Corrector, at right ($49.50; clinique.com), and sea
lily, from
the coast of Brittany, which powers Clarins
On-The-Spot
Brightening Corrector
($35; clarins.com).
March 2010
Dull complexion
Excess pigment can cause age spots, but a dearth of color is also a
problem—it makes for lackluster skin. Vitamin C, known to enliven the
complexion, is used in L’Oréal Paris Ideal Skin Genesis Complexion
Equalizer ($20; lorealparis.com), Clé de Peau Beauté Intensive
Brightening Mask ($120;
neimanmarcus.com) and Guinot Time Logic Age
Serum ($160; guinotusa.com). Salicylic acid gives Lancôme Génifique
Youth Activating Cream Serum ($84; lancome-usa.com) its brightening
powers, and plant extract Centella asiatica along with Pitera, a
sake-based ingredient, help SK-II Cellumination Essence Hydrating Serum,
shown here ($150;
sk-ii.com), lighten things up.
March 2010
- Keywords
- products
