Aging gracefully these days often includes a subtle jab of Botox or deftly placed fillers. Yet, as HEALTH learns, there are some game changing cosmeceutical ingredients out there which may actually slow down the clock and keep you looking younger.

Cosmeceuticals Defined
Skincare has now evolved from routine hydration to effective treatment due to the cosmeceutical active ingredients included in these formulations. A cosmeceutical skincare product basically refers to a product which is marketed as a cosmetic, but contains biologically active ingredients that have an effect on the user. A few examples include anti-wrinkle creams, baldness treatments, moisturizers, and sunscreens.

The Boom
The cosmeceuticals trend is growing partly because the baby boomer sector wants to look younger and most importantly, is willing to spend money to help slow down the process of visible aging. Also, consumer awareness has risen especially thanks to the increased usage and awareness of Botox, along with the overload of information on social media.

Key Ingredients
From the anti-aging skin care ranges, leading active ingredients include vitamins, polysaccharides, botanicals, proteins, enzymes, and vitamins such as retinol and retinal palmitate. Aside from vitamins A, C, and E, there is the coenzyme category Q10 for effective anti-aging as well as the entire range of AHAs and BHAs, known for their efficacy in stimulating collagen growth, resulting in fresher and younger looking skin.

Some of the Latest Ingredients used Include:

• Alpha Lipoic acid; an antioxidant that is 400 times stronger than vitamins C or E and stops free radical damage on the skin.
• Kinerase; a plant hormone shown to retard aging in plants; long-term effects are improvement in hydration of the skin, texture, reduction of fine wrinkles, and improvement in blotchiness.
• Carnosine helps make the skin cells rejuvenate, divide faster, and stops the breakdown of collagen under the skin.
• Coenzyme Q10 is a component of cell membranes acting to shuttle electrons in normal metabolism, trap free radicals, and helps regenerate other antioxidants present in the cell, especially vitamin E.
• TNS Recovery Complex is a harvested human culture skin by-product that is incorporated into topical preparations. It is essential for wound healing and has been shown to reduce the number and depth of wrinkles, fine lines, and improve skin texture/elasticity when used over time.