According to the oracle that is The Sunday Times, L’Oreal claim that they have developed the first over the counter anti-wrinkle cream validated by formal scientific research. Yes, that’s scientific research, not a trial where 18 women were given a free pot of a new product with a RRP of £20+ and 12 of them said that it made their skin feel plumper (as one may very well expect the application of any kind of cream to do. Olive oil will do this!) If you want to read more about pseudoscientific studies then look no further than Guardian columnist Ben Goldacre.
However, L’Oreal, at least judging by the Sunday Times’ review appear to have hit on something, and have conducted tests of 400 women from different ethnic backgrounds to scientifically prove the ability of the chemical.
The L’Oreal scientists used computer software to screen thousands of naturally occurring chemicals until they found one that stimulates a specific type of skin cell, known as fibroplasts, which produce collagen in the body.
The magical substance is called rhamnose and is based on a sugar compound derived from a species of tropical flowering plant called uncaria.
It’s almost extraordinary the extent to which we will go to to prevent wrinkles – international cosmetics companies employing hundreds if not thousands of biochemists just to find a product which *might* reduce wrinkles, let alone the damage which such companies stand to cause environmentally in sourcing and transporting this tropical plant. Surely the best way to avoid wrinkles is to drink lots of water, eat healthily, wear suncream and avoid smoking, and accept the reality that wrinkles are going to happen.
amandapondo 