Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CREAM TEASE Moisturisers have no impact on wrinkles & skin health, study says
PRICY anti-ageing moisturisers make no difference in eradicating fine lines or improving skin health, a study claims.
Some 75% of women and 25% of men fork out more than £2billion a year on skincare products – £500million on lotions alone.
But products tested by a University of Sheffield team made no difference and moisturising daily was even found to have a dehydrating effect.
In the trial, 25 people blind-applied one of three popular moisturisers from three price ranges twice a day, for three weeks, to one side of their face.
The under-£5 product was Nivea moisturising cream, in the £5 to £25 bracket was Clinique’s £24 Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion and the £43 Embryolisse Laitcrème Concentré was the over-£30 product. Researchers found no effect on skin health or appearance but the cheaper ones boosted hydration. They also found no evidence of anti-ageing properties in any – or long-term use making a difference.
The revelations feature in BBC1 documentary The Truth
About Looking Good, presented by self-confessed cosmetics addict Cherry Healey. During the show, dermatologists also reveal the one ingredient proven to reduce wrinkles is a class of drugs called retinoids.
Consultant dermatologist Anjali Mahato, who appears in the show, says: “Retinoids are the only ingredient shown to meaningfully reduce fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation by boosting collagen production and improving skin cell turnover. Many products simply add hydration, which temporarily smooths out the appearance of wrinkles.”
She recommends using over-thecounter face creams with “at least 0.1% retinol”, then increasing the percentage as your skin gets used to the product.
Professor Chris Griffiths, from Salford Royal Hospital, added: “Sun exposure is the key cause of fine lines and 75% of damage, alongside pollution and smoking. Ageing is only a small percentage.”
Embryolisse said: “The tests were conducted by a small number of people over three weeks and our products have performed well in many independent tests.”
Clinque said it supports its claims “with clinical and consumer testing”. And Nivea said: “We are pleased the study found a positive moisture effect.” The Truth About Looking Good is on BBC 1 at 8pm on Wednesday.