To find the best anti wrinkle products, you need a little information. Anti wrinkle skin care creams and lotions are a huge market. Because of this, there are literally thousands of different ones for sale. Most are ineffective, but what’s worse, some actually cause damage, either to your health, your appearance or both. Here’s a brief look at what to avoid and what to seek out.

Avoid Petroleum Derived Moisturizers

The best anti wrinkle products do not contain petroleum based moisturizers. Petroleum jelly was originally discovered on some of the country’s first oil rigs. The workmen used it to relieve burns, although we now know that you should not use petroleum jelly on burns, at all.

Originally, it was promoted as a cure all. Eventually, cosmetic companies found a way to make it white for use in creams and liquefy it for use in things like baby oil. The names they came up with include mineral oil, petrolatum and paraffin. You do not want anti wrinkle skin care solutions that contain these ingredients. They interfere with the production of new skin cells and they clog the pores. Initially, they feel greasy. With continued use, they cause excessive dryness. They are simply not compatible with human skin.

When you see anti wrinkle skin care cream that is recommended for only dry skin-types, they contain one of those ingredients. The best anti wrinkle products can be used on any skin-type, because they only contain natural plant oils that balance sebum production. They moisturize, without causing greasiness or clogging the pores. For more details on specific and safe wrinkle skin care products, see author box at the end of this article.

Avoid Artificial Preservatives and Fragrances

These are the most common causes of allergic and adverse reactions, including rashes, redness and itching. There are so many different chemical compounds that are used as preservatives; I could not possibly list them all here. It takes some time to find preservative-free fragrance-free products, but your skin’s health and appearance are worth the effort.

Look For "Nourishing" Ingredients

You might not think of anti wrinkle skin care as something that should be nourishing. You think of food as nourishing to your body. You know your organs need nourishment. Why wouldn’t your skin. It is, after all, the body’s largest organ.

The best anti wrinkle products contain all of the things necessary to support the skin’s overall health. To repair wrinkles, sagging and the other signs of aging, we need to produce more new cells and fibers. The process normally slows down over time. We want to speed it up again . Recently, researchers were able to extract an active protein peptide form sheep’s wool. This has been a great discovery for anti wrinkle skin care. Clinical studies have shown that using creams that contain the protein increases the production of new skin cells and fibers. Inflammation is reduced. Firmness increases. Wrinkles and fine lines begin to fade.

Only the best anti wrinkle products contain the protein, because demand has been so great, and also because it is used in dietary supplements. For safety and effectiveness, that’s what you need to look for. -Margaret Bell