Turning Back the Hands of Time

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS    

Let’s face it: There is no way to stop the hands of time slowly ticking away at our youthful appearances.

Like it or not, the years take a toll on all our faces, and sooner or later those tiny little smile lines turn into deep, hideous wrinkles.

But while there is no way to stop the march of time and the cruel footprints it leaves on our faces, there are, thankfully, many beauty products that can at least slow the progression of our aging process and make the signs of aging less evident.

Here are some of the latest and greatest creams and ointments that can help undo at least part of the sagging and wrinkles that the years have piled on and prevent against premature aging.

Gravity Defying Serum

Sisley, the high-end French beauty and skincare company that uses botanical ingredients to create singular products that work beneath the skin to slow the aging process, has added a new breakthrough serum to its exclusive Sisleÿa line, Sisleÿa L’Integral Anti-Âge Sérum Concetré Fermeté.

This powerful serum, available in Mexico as of September, was especially developed to combat aging caused by stress and other external factors.

It provides an unprecedented firming effect by targeting two physiological modes of action: awakening elastin production at its origin and re-enforcing the fibroblast structure for improved skin tension.

Enriched with marjoram, tiger nut, white willow leaf, wild rose, Persian acacia, bistort and lindera extract, Sisleÿa L’Integral Anti-Âge Sérum stimulates the body’s natural production of the LOXL-1 enzyme, which signals skin to produce elastin, the substance that makes skin resilient and keeps it firm and toned.

Suited for all skin types, this serum also restores tension to the skin by infusing it deep down with a rich botanical cocktail that acts on all the structural levels of the dermis.

In the fibroblast, the cytoskeleton (the cell’s internal framework, which gives it its shape, ensures its mobility and guarantees proper activity) is strengthened and optimum collagen production is revived.

After just two months of use, skin’s plumpness and bounce are dramatically restored and dermis and epidermis anchoring is strengthened to give an overall younger, firmer contours.

Additionally, Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Sérum Concetré Fermeté provides an instant tensor effect to shape and tighten the skin with to oat seed extract, a multi-tensor active ingredient.

And while you are at, try Sisley’s new Hair Rituel Volumizing Spray(also coming out in September) that adds texture and density to your tresses, making it look fuller and more youthful (yes, aging also affects hair).

Enriched with boswellia gum (to add texture and provide support from the roots), volumizing resin and rice bran proteins (to add body) and pro-vitamin B5 (for shine), this deliciously scented product offers a long-lasting lifting effect that is resistant to humidity and doesn’t weigh hair down.

The Eyes Have It

There is no skin on your face that is as fragile and delicate as that around your eyes.

Just one-tenth the thickness of the rest of your facial skin, this area is made even more sensitive by the fact that it has no pores or oil ducts to provide natural protection against dryness and the elements.

Consequently, the contours around the eyes are where the first visible signs of aging tend to occur.

Perricone MD’s Gentle Firming Eye Cream is a multi-tasking treatment that addresses the visible appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles and puffy eyes with a heavy dose of vitamin C and other nutrients.

Also, because it is hypoallergenic, it can be used on even the most sensitive of skin types.

Spot Remover

One sure signing of aging is those nasty little dark spots that seem to magically appear on our face, hands, shoulders and arms

These discolorations can mar otherwise porcelain-like complexions and are the bane of more than half the world’s female population.

And no matter how much you try to cover them up with foundation makeup and BB creams, pile on skin lightening ointments and avoid the sun, the spots just seem to keep coming back.

Hyperpigmentation – the medical term for referring to these spots – is the second most common reason for dermatological visits in Mexico, right after acne.

In fact, according to the Mexican Academy of Dermatology (AMD), about 54 percent of people in Mexico suffer from hyperpigmentation, and while men are not usually as concerned about these flaws on their complexions as women, the condition is as common in males as females.

Skin discolorations usually appear in people over age 35 or 40, the root cause is generally over-exposure to the sun during childhood years.

But now the Spanish skincare brand MartiDerm has released DSPO Crema SPF 50+, which helps to both reduce the appearance of and protect against skin spots.

Enriched with kojic acid, ellagic acid and arbutin to inhibit the skin’s production of melanin (which causes the spots to appear) and ascorbic acid and licorice to slow the production of reactive oxygen that feeds melanin production, MartiDerm’s DSP also has salycilic acid and alpha hydroxies to speed cell renewal, plus a broad-spectrum UVA and UVB sunblock to prevent the appearance of new sunspots.

DSP, which is part of MartiDerm’s Pigment Zero line, is paraben-free, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free for sensitive skin types.

Ageless Body

Fighting aging is not just about the face.

Over time, our muscles grow flabby and the skin on all our body begins to sag.

And this makes us look older.

Aveeno’s Positively Ageless Skin Strengthening Body Cream moisturizes and tightens skin, especially along the arms, legs and chest.

It also restores and strengthens dry, fragile skin, and has been clinically proven to last up to for 24 hours.

Natural southernwood extract helps fortify the skin’s moisture barrier for stronger, more resilient skin.

The result is a firmer, younger-looking torso that is hydrated and protected from the elements.