Makeup Guru

Chances are that you have bought a skin cream this year, and in doing so have contributed to making it a billion-pound industry in the UK alone.

But are the creams worth all the anti-ageing miracle-hype that goes with the sleek packaging and fancy prices? We asked some of the country's leading dermatologists, with their years of scientific training and knowledge, what they put on their skin to keep it looking fresh and young.

He may be consultant dermatologist at the Cranley Clinic in London, and professor of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, but Dr Nick Lowe has some surprisingly unsophisticated tips.

First, he says, you need to focus on cleaning your skin without sapping away its natural moisture.

'I prefer to use hydrating cleansing lotions rather than soap,' he says. 'They're kinder to the skin. I have quite dry skin, especially during winter.

'I have used the line called Simple. It's very affordable and it's great for dry or sensitive skin. I shower with moisturising gel Dermol 500 (£11.18).

'Aqueous cream (£3.91) and E45 (from £3) are always staples in my bathroom cabinet.'

So what is aqueous cream? It is a nongreasy moisturiser that provides a layer of oil on the skin surface to prevent moisture evaporating from the skin. A mix of emulsifying ointment containing paraffin oils, water and preservative, it can be used in place of soap.

And while keeping your skin fresh and clean is important, over-washing should be avoided, says Dr Nick Levell, consultant dermatologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. 'Many people wash far too much,' he says. 'If you have dry skin then you shouldn't wash more than twice a week unless you're visibly dirty or smelly.

'If you have normal or oily skin you can get away with washing more often, especially if you cleanse with an aqueous cream moisturiser.

'Aqueous creams are great and completely overlooked by most consumers because they assume that you can't buy effective products cheaply. Well you can. You can buy huge tubs for under £4. The unbranded versions are just as good as the ones in the fancy packaging.'

After cleansing, our dermatologists are unanimous in recommending and using moisturisers. These reinforce the skin's naturally protective oily layer and lock in moisture. Without it, the skin rapidly becomes dry, wrinkly and flaky.

Dry skin occurs when the outer layer of skin cells - the stratum corneum - become dehydrated and as a result cracked, scaly, and sometimes itchy.

Once again, cheap brands are just as good as more expensive ones. 'I don't spend much on moisturiser,' says Dr Levell.

'A basic moisturiser such as an aqueous cream is as good as anything. If you want to spend a little more, then brands such as Oilatum cream, Epaderm emollient, Hydromol Ointment and Cetraben cream (all under £5) are simple vegetable-based moisturisers used or recommended by most dermatologists.'

Even Dr Lowe, who sells his own line of skincare products through Boots, is happy to endorse cheaper brands. 'Before I had my own line I used Nivea (£3.72) as a moisturiser,' he says.

'I have also used the Vaseline and Olay brands. L'Oreal is quite reliable as well, and they are all under £10. Obviously I prefer my own formulations. My Super Charged SPF15 cream is £16.59 and has built-in sun protection up to the latest European Union standards.'

Dr Sam Bunting, a dermatologist at the Whittington Hospital in North London and the Botonics clinic in Harley Street, swears by a few stand-by moisturisers and 'quick fix' creams to perk up her skin. She uses a variety of products throughout the day.

'I'm addicted to the Chanel Precision products such as Sublimage,' (£180) she says. 'I use it as a day cream. It is light, which is important because it does not cause break-outs. Dermatologists just hate acne. It's a perfect base for make-up, too.

'I'm also a great lover of Clarins Flash Balm (£24.47) and Guerlain's Midnight Secret (£54.81). Midnight Secret is a moisturiser that makes you look as if you've had eight hours sleep when you've had only four. I use it when I am sleep deprived or when I need to look pinker and fresher than normal.' 

If your skin is looking particularly dull and lifeless then a face scrub can be a useful quick fix. There are hundreds of brands to choose from but it will pay you to remember that a higher price is no guarantee of a better product.

Look out for those that contain high levels of fruit acids, proteolytic enzymes and glycolic acid. These chemically strip away the lifeless top layers of skin to reveal the fresher pinker ones beneath. But the results will fade away after a few days, particularly if you don't protect and moisturise the newer softer skin as it emerges.

If you suffer from problem skin then choose gentle products that are fragrance-free. It goes without saying that a healthy lifestyle focused on lots of fruit, vegetables and nuts can only improve your looks. As you would expect, exercise is great for improving skin tone, whereas smoking is just about the worst thing possible.

Dermatologists are also united in endorsing sunblocks but this advice is questioned by other doctors who say that Vitamin D (produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight) is vital for overall health and well being.

They point out that low levels of the vitamin are linked to breast, bowel and prostate cancer. The vitamin also helps ward off heart disease and possibly Alzheimer's. But Dr Bav Shergill, consultant dermatologist at Brighton General Hospital, says: 'You shouldn't worry about missing out on Vitamin D by avoiding the sun.

Any dermatologist will tell you the most important thing you can do for your skin is to wear a sunblock. It must be at least factor 15 and must also be efficient at screening out UVA rays. I don't use anything fancy. Neutrogena, Sunsense, Nivea and Boots' own brand are all good, perform well, and are under £20.'

Protecting your skin from the ravages of time is one thing but might it be possible to turn back the clock? If you listened to the cosmetics industry you'd be forgiven for thinking all you needed to do was buy the latest anti-ageing serum. But which one?

The cosmetics companies use 'confusion marketing' to shift their products. Their heady cocktail of pseudo-science and impenetrable jargon is deliberately designed to confuse. This ensures that most consumers will simply grab a cream whose marketing strategy chimes with their own emotional make-up.

And it's very effective. Last year the cosmetics industry shifted £1billion worth of anti-wrinkle creams and other skincare products.

Even the experts are not immune. 'I have spent £150 on a pot of Creme de la Mer and noticed absolutely no effect whatsoever,' says Dr Bunting. 'Everybody used to swear by it but not many people do now. Maybe it didn't work for them either.'

If Dr Bunting can be wrong-footed what hope is there for the rest of us? Well, help is at hand. There is a cream that works and it's a dermatologist's top secret. And best of all, it's available on prescription for only £7.10.

'I have spent £150 on a pot of Creme de la Mer and noticed absolutely no effect whatsoever,' says Dr Sam Bunting, dermatologist

A single tube should last for months. Tretinoin was originally developed as a treatment for acne but it wasn't long before doctors started noticing an unusual side effect: patients began to look younger.

It turned out that Tretinoin, also known as all-trans retrinoic acid, a form of Vitamin A, boosted collagen production in the skin. This plumped it up and also reduced fine lines, sun damage and discolouration.

Doctors quickly started using it on themselves. In theory, you can get it from your GP but they are unlikely to prescribe it as it is not licensed for cosmetic use. Of course, you might get it through private prescription.

Dr Sue Mayou, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic in London and spokeswoman for the British Skin Foundation, says: 'I use it twice a week. It's very drying so you have to moisturise well.

'The rest of the time, I use a not especially expensive moisturiser that contains retinol. RoC Retin-Ox (£25.95) is as good as any. Retinol - a form of Vitamin A - may also have an anti-ageing effect. Unfortunately it is only about one tenth as effective as Tretinoin so, at best, it may have only a marginal impact.'

The same may - or may not - hold true for other anti-wrinkle ingredients touted by the cosmetics industry.

'It's possible that they do work,' says Dr Mayou. 'But if the companies prove it categorically, then their products would have to be licensed as medicines. This means it would be available only on prescription which, in marketing terms, would be madness.'

So are there any cosmetics available over the counter that might make you look younger?

Dr Bunting thinks not. 'Many of the products on sale in the High Street are designed not to work,' she says. 'They are formulated to cause as little trouble as possible. They are designed to sit on the surface of the skin - not penetrate it - so they don't work. It's as simple as that.'

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