From the mid-twenties, the first signs of skin aging begin to appear. As we age, the process of cell renewal slows down, which weakens the fibroblasts and therefore the structure of the skin. Indeed, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin, which allow the skin to remain firm, smooth, and elastic, gradually see their levels decrease. This results from a combination of internal and external aging factors. Wrinkles, fine lines, and skin sagging are the most obvious manifestations of skin aging and tend to become more pronounced with age.
Which cream(s) should be used against skin sagging, wrinkles, and fine lines?
Summary
Published on March 30, 2021, updated on August 2, 2024, by Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences — 5 min of reading
Themes:
How do wrinkles and fine lines appear?
Facial wrinkles and fine lines form with age, due to natural skin laxity and the harmful effects of various aging factors such as sun exposure, lack of hydration, pollution, oxidative stress, hormonal aging, etc... Over time, the ability to synthesize collagen and elastin, fundamental structural elements responsible for the firmness, resilience, and elasticity of the skin, gradually decreases (by an average of 1% per year). In addition, existing elastin and collagen fibers degrade. The connective tissue thus becomes increasingly disorganized. The skin then becomes less resilient and stretched, it loses volume and wrinkles appear.
The decrease in hyaluronic acid production is also a determining factor that contributes to the formation of wrinkles. This is one of the ingredients that gives the skin its smooth, plump, radiant, and youthful appearance. When the production of this substance decreases, the structure of the skin thus loses its shape and firmness, and becomes more prone to the formation of wrinkles.
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How to diminish the appearance of existing wrinkles and fine lines?
Wrinkles are due to several factors: loss of skin tone, UV rays, pollution, etc... Under their influence, cells renew less effectively and the skin loses density. Hollows and folds gradually transform into deep wrinkles. These signs of aging then require the daily application of a skincare product to protect the skin, smooth out wrinkles, act on the uniformity of the complexion, and stimulate cell regeneration: the firming cream, composed of 0.2% retinol and tsubaki oil, meets these expectations. This retinol-based firming treatment thus helps to improve the quality of the epidermis, limit the appearance of imperfections, boost the skin's radiance, reduce brown spots, and gain in firmness and flexibility, notably thanks to the action of retinol (or vitamin A).
Belonging to the family of retinoids, this active ingredient is a treatment against skin aging. Wrinkles, fine lines, dryness, loss of elasticity, pigmentation spots, pimples... retinol has many virtues: it densifies the dermis, stimulates the natural production of collagen and other dermal molecules including hyaluronic acid and elastin, strengthens the skin's immune system, regulates melanocytes responsible for pigmentation spots, activates the process of cell renewal, and protects against free radicals.
In addition to retinol, the firming cream also contains tsubaki oil. Derived from camellia seeds and used in Japanese beauty rituals, this vegetable oil has softening, soothing, and nourishing properties. It lays a protective film on the skin's surface to soften and nourish it.
Retinol Cream: Contraindications.
While retinol undoubtedly possesses significant beauty benefits, it must be used with caution, as the active ingredient can cause adverse effects:
It can cause skin dryness, tightness, or redness;
It increases the skin's sensitivity to UVA and UVB rays;
It possesses exfoliating properties that can irritate, even dehydrate the skin.
For all these reasons, we advise against the use of retinol cream for sensitive and reactive skin types, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding women.However, to mitigate these adverse effects, we recommend a gradual introduction of the cream, meaning one to two applications in the first week and then gradually increasing the frequency of product application. This gives the skin time to acclimate and react less severely. Furthermore, combining retinol with tsubaki oil, which has soothing properties, can make the treatment somewhat more tolerable.
