Top Ten Top-End Creams (long post)
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free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:42 am

After all the fuss in the UK over the Boots product, this appeared in a UK paper. I thought it might be of interest to those looking for top end creams to research. It is not in any order or based on anything scientific, just a derm's view and a tester for 6 weeks. I use the SKII as a night cream. Might be tempted to try Guerlain. At the bottom, listed some of the "me too" drugstore bargains.

Top 10 Top-End Creams

M LAB Anti-Ageing Cream (71 ml, £225 at Harrods, 02077301234)
Most Active Ingredients
USP: Created by a top US skincare lab with a spare no expense brief, this cream has 68% active ingredients to brighten the complexion.

Derm’s view: It certainly has a heck of a lot of ingredients, including several peptides which are the hottest active skincare ingredients and which are meant to enhance collagen production, relax wrinkles and slow down the ageing processes in the skin.

Tester says: It was rich and smooth to use but not worth paying so much.

Dr Perricone’s Neuropeptide Facial Conformer with DMAE (60 ml, £445 from nvpmd.co.uk, 0800 783 2583)
USP: Neuropeptides are tiny strings of aminoacids which act as “messengers” to “switch on” cellular activity in the skin to lift, firm and smooth it. Perricone is one of the best known dermatologists in the US and this patented cosmeceutical (half cosmetic, half pharma) is the star of the skincare range.

Derm’s view: DMAE has a proven tautening effect on the skin though it is temporary; it is hard to comment on the specific patented complexes such as the skin-boosting neuropeptides.

Tester says: I am loathe to admit it but it has made a real difference. My skin looks brighter, tighter and clearer.

SK-II Ultimate Revival Cream (50 ml, £180, 08000721771, Selfridges and Harrods)
USP: A rich treatment cream with secret ingredients that include F-nectin, to improve the skin’s structure, and concentrated Pitera to enhance skin and boost moisture levels.

Derm’s view: The “magic” ingredients are highly researched by the cream’s makers but don’t offer the sort of data I would like to see for proof that they work.

Tester says: The luxurious cream feels very decadent – for my skin it was too rich and worked best as an occasional night time treat. I moved on to its sister product, the Facial hydrating UV Cream, which made my skin plump, velvety and blemish free.

La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe (100 ml £380, 0870 160 7270)USP: Luxurious high tech cream to lift, firm and re-texturise the skin with a heap of ingredients such as La Prairie’s Cellular Complex and Caviar Complex, each the result of years of research and development.
Derm’s view: The alphahydroxy acids which this contains will help to resurface the skin and the antioxidant ingredients will help to protect the skin but I can’t comment on whether the patented complexes really work.

Tester says: This smells horrid, which seems an odd selling point and sets into “crumbs” on my jawline. Maybe my skin is past redemption but I haven’t noticed any difference.

Sisley Daily Line Reducer (30 ml, £185, 020 7591 6380)
USP: Aims to restore skin’s density and tone, plump out dehydrated skin and reduce expression lines, with a high tech formulation of botanical ingredients (such as antioxidants Alkekengi Calyx and Padina Pavonica, a brown algae)

Derm’s view: Any decent moisturiser should plump out dehydration lines. I would love to see proof of the Padina Pavonica claims.

Tester says: My skin looks more even, better moisturised and wrinkles look more “relaxed”.

Elizabeth Arden’s Prevage (50ml, £145, 02075742458)
Best Anti-oxidant Protection.
USP: Protects the skin from the ravages of the environment and helps to repair existing damage with a super strength antioxidant ingredient, Idebenone. This can neutralise the free radicals triggered by pollution, sun, stress and smoke, which all contribute to skin ageing.

Derm’s view: Antioxidants are skincare “must-haves” and Idebenone has proven more effective than other popular antioxidants.

Tester says: This makes my skin feel good in a way that is hard to define. People are telling me that I look “well” and I can even see it.

Dermaquest Peptide Mobiliser (29.6ml, £208, for stockists seewww.dermapure.eu)

USP: Designed by an award winning chemist, this delivers high levels of five of the top anti-ageing peptides to relax wrinkles, boost collagen production and rduce puffiness.

Derm’s view: peptides have been shown to work in labs. You are likely to see the most effect when used in sufficient concentrations.

Tester says: At first my face was a bit tingly, a bit tight. Over the past 6 weeks my wrinkles did not disappear but my skin feels incredibly smooth and is definitely brighter.

Natura Bisse Inhibit Tensolift (71 ml, £400 at Harrods)

USP: Designed as an alternative to a surgical facelift, this futuristic product aims to relax wrinkles, fill out lines and lift sagging skin. This product sold out instantly on launch and now has a waiting list.

Derm’s view: Another product with a patented complex of peptides (octamioxyl) which aims to relax facial muscles and backed by a top Spanish cosmetic surgeon, which all adds to the brand’s ultra luxe appeal.

Tester says: My forehead looks a bit smoother but I can’t see any other difference. At that price I think there ought to be.

Dermagenetics Anti-ageing Cream (30ml, £260 for swab, test and custom made cream, re-orders £125, 01737700020;www.dermagenetics.com)
USP: After DNA analysis of a saliva sample by a US biotech company, a night cream is created with appropriate amounts of relevant active ingredients to compensate for the deficiencies in your skin’s DNA. In trials, 70% of women who tried it showed a reduction in wrinkling.

Derm’s view: Genetic analysis can only show how well your skin can stand up to oxidative stress, such as UV light. So yes, the antioxidant it contains are very good for the skin but it won’t change your life.

Tester says: The lower half of my face is less saggy and has a better overall tone.

Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale (£200 at Harrods)
Best Bespoke Product
USP: The Imperial Orchid Molecular Extract – which prevents the membranes of skin cells from breaking down and keeps skin cells functioning properly and looking younger.

Derm’s view: The results of their trials are impressive (50% saw a reduction in wrinkles). But in the absence of hard scientific data, believing in secret compounds needs an element of faith.

Tester says: It is very light, well absorbed and made my skin feel clear, free of spots and brighter.

Best Bargain creams:• No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum (£16.75 at Boots)
• Olay Definity Intense Anti-Ageing Day Cream with SPF 15 (£22.99)
• Nivea Visage DNAGE Cell Renewal Day Cream (£14.99)

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:05 pm

thanks for sharing that info...its ridiculous how much they sell those creams for Shock

, its like a person's weekly income. i cant afford any of those creams unless i budget really well and save up or a month! to buy one of those. its always so interesting to read what the dermatologists has to say about those creams, most of which say that its not a miracle product! and even at that price, most testers say that its waaaay overpriced and that the results werent what they imagined.
...but if i had the money, i would prob give those top end creams a try...but i dont Sad

btw, which papers was it in?

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:00 pm

yeahyeah,

I think some of the prices based on active ingredients or so called secret ingredients. Basically hope in a jar I guess. Funny how they are usually sold out though. The article was originally in the Independent on Sunday.

Derms kind of have the same stuff to say i.e evidence but cosmetic companies don't want to get into testing products too scientifically.

I use the SK-II cream at night but one jar easily lasts 6 months or more.

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:39 pm

I used La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe, and even though it did make my skin look nice, I believe it mostly did it because of all the silicones, etc. which cause the skin to plump up, not due to some "secret" complex ingredients. I stopped using it, and had gotten better results with AHA/BHA, CPs and Emu Oil.

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:51 pm

Thank you for sharing this info. I do believe they are great products, however, most of them are overpriced.

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:07 pm

You can mix up your own cheaper versions of some of these from actives on skinactives.com

I got some centella asiatica from there which is a key ingredient in ISClinical's firming cream and some other brands and my mom says it works as fine. Seakelp bioferment is also good to keep handy. I am trying to make a caffeine based body lotion but so far its not working out too well! They also stock actives from other brands you can do a search on plus our DIY forum experts to help.

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:15 pm

I think it's kind of fun to seek out the very best inexpensive products! I once read an interview with Sophia Loren's sister that she and Sophia both swore by a common brand retinol cream found in drugstores but that she wouldn't want to give the name of it to promote it. I thought that was really interesting. Is it really that drugstore cream keeping Sophia looking so great for her age (or is it really a plastic surgeon)? Smile

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:42 pm

I can't believe the prices that they are charging for some of these creams. I might consider buying them if they really work but it seems from most reports, they don't.

free skin care · Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:28 pm

Thanks for the great reading... I liked the 2 opinions (Derm. & Tester) from 2 points of view. I have used Prevage, and though I was not impressed at first, it turned out to be very good. My skin went through a definite adjustment, so I almost abandoned it, but after about 2 or 3 weeks there was a real improvement. I agree 100% with the Tester.

free skin care · Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:12 pm

I think you can get even better results without spending so much money. They have got a good marketing strategy but some of these so called " miracle and secret" ingredients do not really have a research behind them.

free skin care · Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:51 am

Expensive, but it's good to know.
Thank you for sharing.

free skin care · Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:48 pm

Becasue of the high price points I haven't tried any of these mentioned cream. Just wondering if Prevage could be DIYed by adding Idebenone to a generic cream?

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