However, just because a cream contains Nobel Prize-winning ingredients doesn’t mean it can make your skin look and act the way it did when you were 16. Why? Because, skin is a complex organ that comprises three layers – the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.
The outermost layer, the epidermis, consists of keratinocytes, which begin at the deepest layer of the skin before slowly making their way up to the skin’s surface. It takes approximately 28 days for healthy cells to make the journey, but it can take up to 50 days in older or damaged skin. This delay is one of the reasons behind the signs of aging. Another is the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis layer.
So, most creams either focus on addressing these two issues, or work on delivering anti-oxidants, which target free radicals – the culprits behind tissue breakdown. While significant time and effort are spent searching virgin forests for the perfect elixir of youth – Chanel’s Sublimage cream uses rare vanilla pods found in Madagascar – skin scientists also put a lot of effort into researching delivery systems to ensure that ingredients are small enough to penetrate the epidermis and reach deep enough to make a difference. For instance, Zelens uses a liposystem complex that traps the ingredients in spherical vessels. According to the brand, this gives a controlled rate of release as well as enhances the benefits at the cellular level.
Naturally, some people contend that these creams are merely the products of marketing hype. Stephen and Gina Antczak, authors of Cosmetics Unmasked, say that cosmetic giants use misleading advertising, Crème de la Mer included. They call the claims it makes “unscientific garbage”.
But tell that to Crème de la Mer devotees and the many other women who make the industry a billion-dollar one, and they might just put their face up for proof of efficacy. 