Specialized Skin Care: Anti-Aging Creams, Deep Moisturizing Treatments

Perhaps what makes skin care products an ever-growing, multi billion-dollar industry is the increasing popularity of specialized skin care treatments. Many skin care companies market treatments such as eye creams, anti-aging creams and deep moisturizing agents with the sole aim of selling more products.

While specialized skin care treatments containing active ingredients- such as retinol, alpha hydroxy and amino acids- may sound appealing to consumers, most do not yield the results they claim to produce. Instead, these products perform the same function as cheaper, daily skin care products such as cleansers and moisturizers, but with fancier names and higher prices.

Most notably, there is no current research validating the unique benefits of using eye creams. Contrary to popular belief, product formulations for eye creams are not specially designed for the skin around eyes and these products often fail to provide additional specialized skin care benefits that a simple moisturizer will not.

Here are some of the most popular specialized skin care treatments:

Eye creams: Although most people do not need additional products around their eyes besides daily moisturizer, many companies bank on products targeting the most vulnerable area of the face because there are no oil glands present, causing some of the most visible effects of aging to occur around the eyes. For these reasons, eye creams are a popular choice among anti-aging specialized skin care products.

There are three types:

• Day creams- These claim to reduce puffiness and dark circles to make eyes appear younger and skin firmer.

• Night creams- Often the highest-priced of all eye creams, these typically include ingredients such as alpha hydroxy and amino acids to repair skin.

• Non-specific creams- These claim to provide increased levels of moisture around the eyes.

Common ingredients found in specialized skin care firming agents include retinol, caffeine and alcohol. Products aimed at reducing darkness often include vitamin K, or kojic acid. Some ingredients may be useful in reducing some skin care problems around the eyes, but may come with their fair share of negative results as well. Caffeine, for example, is proven effective in reducing puffiness and dark circles, but also dehydrates the eye area.

Since there are no proven benefits of using eye creams as opposed to daily moisturizers, it is cheaper (and better for the health of your skin) to stick with using only one moisturizer for your face, preferably a light, oil-free moisturizer. Those with combination-type skin may be the only ones to benefit from eye creams, as the eye and cheek area may be the only areas of the face requiring moisturizing.

Anti-aging creams: Anti-aging products, in general, account for the majority of specialized skin care treatments women purchase, fulfilling the cultural obsession to constantly search for ways to appear younger. Although there is currently no product or service scientifically proven to slow, stop or reverse the effects of aging, anti-aging creams claim to enhance cellular regeneration for the reduction of wrinkles, fine lines and distressed skin. Satisfied with their limited results, many women will pay high prices to purchase these specialized skin care products. The most effective anti-aging creams are individually specific, based on one's skin care needs, and can be best prescribed by a dermatologist.

Deep moisturizing treatments: Like many eye creams, deep moisturizing treatments often fail to produce results a simple daily-use moisturizer will not. Therefore women should beware of restorative or regenerative creams, or any product which cannot be applied by dabbing the face. These creams are often too thick and may clog pores. Facial masks are one form of deep moisturizing treatment, however, proven to improve the health and appearance of skin.

There are three different types of specialized skin care facial masks:

• Mud masks- which help control the production of oil for oily or combination-type skin types.

• Perfecting masks- which replenish dull skin.

• Hydrating masks- which moisturize dry skin.