Good Skin Care Reviews

20s

What’s happening?
Dermatologists say that skin starts to thin after age 18. Exposure to the sun and smoking can speed up aging, with lines appearing first around the eyes as crow’s-feet.

Treatment
It’s all about good sunscreen at this age. To shield skin from UVA rays, which cause wrinkles, N.Y.C. dermatologist Amy Wechsler suggests UVA-blocking Mexoryl (found in La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX SPF 15, $29; at CVS) or a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains at least 8 percent zinc or titanium (Neutrogena’s has 9 percent). For added protection, pick a moisturizer with antioxidants. “Replenix is 90 percent green tea,” says Wechsler.

Replenix cream with soy, $43; topixskincare.com. Neutrogena Sensitive Skin sunblock SPF 30, $9; at drugstores.

30s

What’s happening?
Because of sun damage and repeated facial expressions such as smiling, squinting and frowning, you may see lines (on the forehead, between brows, around the mouth) even when your face is relaxed.

Treatment
Apply a retinol product all over the face to treat fine lines and to smooth skin, says Washington, D.C., dermatologist Cheryl Burgess. Unless skin is very dry, choose a lightweight formula (like Roc’s) to avoid clogged pores. Burgess likes Avène’s nongreasy retinol cream because it’s available in three concentrations. Building up gradually to a higher strength reduces irritation and flaking. Also, wear sunglasses to prevent crow’s-feet from getting worse.

Roc Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle serum, $20; drugstores. Eau Thermale Avène Rétrinal 0.05 cream, $36; 800-459-8663

40s+

What’s happening?
The collagen and fat in your skin decline as you get older, and gravity takes its toll, causing existing lines to deepen and skin to sag. Skin is also drier, which can make wrinkles look worse.

Treatment
You can’t fix deep wrinkles topically, but you can make skin look better overall by exfoliating, says Burgess. She recommends beta-hydroxy acids (found in Olay Definity scrub) to remove dead cells and boost collagen. For an instant fix, try products with muscle-relaxing Argireline (like Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle). While it’s on your face it relaxes the muscles that cause wrinkles, so lines are less visible, says Burgess.

Olay Definity Pore Redefining scrub, $9; at Wal-Mart. Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle, $120; sephora.com.

QUICK COVER-UPS

Cover FX Skin Prep FX Treatment and Priming serum, $45; at Nordstrom.

Antioxidant serums with silicone smooth fine lines

Becca Line and Pore Corrector, $30; at sephora.com.

Thicker primers can temporarily plump up wrinkles

Lancôme Absolue Replenishing Cream makeup SPF 20, $55; lancomeusa.com.

Creamy foundations won’t settle into creases

EXTRA HELP

* FILL AROUND THE EYES FIRST
Collagen and hyaluronic acid-based fillers can be expensive ($500 a syringe and up), so choose the area where they will make the biggest difference. N.Y.C. cosmetic surgeon Haideh Hirmand recommends focusing first on the crow’s-feet: “You’ll look less tired and instantly younger.”

* BEGIN BOTOX AT THE RIGHT TIME
Age isn’t necessarily the determining factor; if you can see lines on your skin when your face is expressionless, you’re a candidate for Botox ($400 and up). Using it before then can be a waste of money, but starting in your 40s may be too late (lines could be so deep that Botox can only soften, not erase, them).

* TIGHTEN SKIN WITH LASERS
By heating up the skin, light treatments generate new collagen, which helps repair sun damage and firms the face. Wechsler suggests Fraxel lasers, which require about four sessions ($1,000 and up per treatment). Using a micro laser, Fraxel targets smaller portions of skin at a time, for less downtime.

Liz Flahive.  (2007, May). How to Smooth Fine Lines & Wrinkles. INSTYLE, 14(5), 316.  Retrieved July 4, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1270953661).