The Claims

As we get older, our skin undergoes changes that make it feel, act, and look different from younger skin. Its outer cells don't slough off as easily, it doesn't retain as much moisture as it once did, and its support fibers, collagen and elastin, break down. Plus the sun takes its toll. The result is most obvious in our faces, where fine lines appear around the mouth and eyes and the skin sags a bit with the pull of gravity.

The FDA doesn't regulate cosmetic claims, which are allowed without scientific substantiation. Cosmetics can promise to "firm" or "repair" skin or to make you "look younger," and these benefits needn't be proven. But only a few substances have a demonstrated ability to reduce or prevent wrinkles, and even those effects are modest. Fortunately, most skin-care products contain harmless ingredients. Their biggest offense may be their price.

Source: LHJ.com - Ladies’ Home Journal online