WHAT’S IN YOUR ANTI-AGEING CREAM? THE TRUTH ABOUT PEPTIDES
Picking the right anti-ageing cream can be a minefield. Packed with unfamiliar ingredients that all promise compelling results, it’s hard to know what will suit your skin.Peptides have been touted as a miracle ingredient when it comes to anti-ageing, but with insufficient evidence or any published medical studies showing they really work, is a peptide-packed cream the best option?
Jane Atherton, creator of luxury British skincare brand, Phytomone, gives her advice on how to choose what’s right for you:
What are Peptides and do they really work? Peptides are small proteins that stimulate the production of collagen; they have been on the anti-ageing skincare scene for many years with increasing popularity.
They are found in a variety of products, ranging from affordable to the very expensive.
Myth No1 Petides reduce wrinkles?
Although they can be really effective when hydrating the skin, the jury is still out as to whether they actually reduce wrinkles. Because they are break-down products of proteins, they have to be stabilized or they might continue to break down further in a topical cream, becoming useless. Also, depending on the formulation of the cream and the skin’s surface, the molecules may be too large to penetrate deeply enough to have an effect.
Myth No2 Peptides are like liquid botox?
Neurotransmitter peptides which claim to block the release of chemicals that cause muscle contraction in a mechanism similar to Botox have a very long journey to make through the skin down to facial muscles and there is no evidence that skin-care products containing these peptides are actually effective.
Botox is a compound that clearly inhibits neurotransmitters, but you have to be very precise where you put it; isn't it a little frightening to think that you could get the same effect by smearing a cream all over your face? It really makes you wonder," .
Myth No 3 Peptide stimulates the production of collagen?
Peptide packed creams that claim to stimulate collagen synthesis in the skin are only as good as your body’s ability to produce actual collagen. Collagen production in the body drops dramatically one reaching menopause.
What’s the alternative?
When treating menopausal skin Jane Atherton recommends using natural plant hormone based products .As the influence of oestrogen declines both during and post menopause, skin loses collagen, elasticity and hyaluronic acid, while natural oils from the sebaceous glands slow down, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, sagging, loss of skin tone and pigmentation problems. To offset this, Jane created Phytomone Pause Hydra Crème, nutritionally-tailored with a powerful blend of phytoestrogens, vitamins, essential oils and advanced skincare technologies to help correct the effects of hormone imbalance, giving the skin the ability to regain its pre-menopausal condition.
She says: “Plant hormones in Pause Hydra Crème are in a special liposomal delivery system enabling the active ingredients to penetrate the deeper dermal layers of the skin where they have the ability to increase density and collagen proliferation by replacing what nature has taken away.Making this product the most effective treatment for hormonally changing skin, where clinical trials have shown a significant reduction in wrinkle depth, leaving it looking firm, smooth and radiant.”
Phytomone Pause Hydra Crème is available from www.phytomone.com, Fortnum & Mason, John Bell & Croyden and other prestigious retailers from RRP £128 (50ml).
About Phytomone
British luxury skincare brand Phytomone is a collection of highly effective, bio hormone rich products, specifically tailored to correct the effects of ageing in women aged 35+.
Phytomone was developed by Clinical Nutritionist and Skin Therapist, Jane Atherton, Founder and CEO, in conjunction with a team of Nobel Prize winning scientists to ensure optimal skincare performance.
Created to help fight the signs of ageing skin, due to lack of oestrogen, Phytomone’s advanced skincare products contain phytoestrogens (plant hormones) and essential oils to help women to restore their youthful looking complexion,helping them look and feel their very best.
