Top 5 Cosmetic Products for Frown lines

Frown lines or glabellar rhytides are vertical lines on the forehead that can develop as a result of thinning skin, sun damage, and repeated movements of the muscles on your face. They can make even a young face look older and duller, affecting the psyche and self-esteem of the person.

Frown lines or the 11s are not permanent and can be treated with several topical agents and injections. But if left untreated, they can become permanent, with age, eventually requiring surgery for their removal. However, you cannot determine what you may look like post-surgery, which is why it is not strongly recommended.

But don’t lose hope, just an addition of one extra product to your already existing skincare routine can visibly reduce these frown lines and give your face a youthful glow and boost your confidence significantly. But which product to choose?

There are so many products out there, each claiming to be the best. This is why we have done extensive scientific research into the products available in the market so that you don’t have to. Based on our research on the ingredients in these products, we have shortlisted the five best products that are guaranteed to show positive results.

Read our in-depth article on what frown line wrinkles are, their causes, prevention and surgical treatment here. Image Appropriated from Carruthers, J., & Carruthers, A. (2003). (12)

1. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream is an affordable addition to your skincare routine, with RoC promising results within 8 weeks. The anti-aging night cream was tested in a year-long clinical trial by authorized independent third-party testing (I.E.C.) with a dermatologist’s supervision and it showed a reduction in 50 percent of wrinkles within a year and a 42 percent reduction in dark spots within six months. This product is a potent blend of ascorbic acid, glycolic acid, shea butter, and retinol and is clinical proven to take ten years off of your face.

Ascorbic acid, one of the main ingredients of this product is knowing for its ability to reduce reactive oxygen species generated in the skin by UV light and reversing the effects of photocarcinogenic and photoaging changes in the skin (1). Ascorbic acid is also involved in collagen synthesis and participates in the antioxidant protection of the skin barrier from UV-damage (2).

Another vital ingredient in this product is shea butter which is widely used in dermatology for its anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair abilities (3). Shea butter has similar effects to ascorbic acid, and the combination of both strongly protects the skin barrier from any damage.

The RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream is powered by retinol, another important ingredient shown to improve the aged appearance of the skin significantly(4). The combination of Retinol and ascorbic acid has been proven to not only reduce the symptoms of aging but also affect skin surface lipids thereby increasing skin regeneration ability (5).

2. Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer Cream

The Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer Cream is fragrance-free and an affordable option to include in your skincare routine to improve the appearance of your face. This product was developed as the result of a 17-year long Procter & Gamble (P&G) technical study in which approximately 70,000 genomes were analyzed to determine the gents responsible for naturally youthful looks.

After the results of the study were disclosed, OLAY re-engineered the Amino-Peptide Complex II and combined it with well-known dermatological ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, carob extract, and Vitamin E to develop Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer Cream.

According to Rosemary Osborne, Ph.D., of Procter & Gamble, carob seed( Ceratonia silique) extract stimulates the skin to migrate towards damaged skin, resulting in faster skin repair(6). Carob seed is not just a healthier, diet-friendly chocolate alternative but in fact, a great ingredient for skin repair.

Another ingredient in this product is Vitamin E which has many benefits, mainly due to its antitumorigenic, photoprotective, and skin barrier stabilizing properties(7). Vitamin E can significantly reduce wrinkles, giving the face a youthful glow.

Some websites claim that Vitamin E is not good for our skin and should not be used in skincare products. However, in a review study by Kosari and colleagues, published in the Dermatitis Journal, they concluded that Vitamin E, contrary to several claims made online, should remain an ingredient in skincare, especially due to its antioxidant properties (8).

All of the ingredients in this product blend well together to produce a creamy and smooth product that is extremely potent and can reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin within two weeks of use.

3. Olay Pro-X Deep Wrinkle

The Olay Pro-X Deep Wrinkle cream is a non-comedogenic product that is suitable for all skin types and has been dermatologically tested to reduce even the deepest wrinkles. Before being released into the market, it was professionally tested by the Schraeder Institute for safety and efficiency.

This Olay Pro-X product targets deep wrinkles and aims to hydrate them and rejuvenate the skin using its unique blend of pro-retinol (Retinyl Propionate), niacinamide, and amino peptides. Pro-retinol is Olay’s Vitamin A derivative, a potent ingredient for skin repair and regeneration (5).

In a randomized controlled comparative study by Fu, Kaczvinsky, and colleagues performed on 196 women with wrinkles, they found that a blend of niacinamide, peptides, and 0.3% retinyl propionate (the ingredient blend of Olay Pro-X Deep Wrinkle Cream) improved wrinkle appearance within 8 weeks when compared to conventional treatment using just tretinoin (9). Furthermore, this blend was more tolerated by all skin types, unlike tretinoin.

This anti-wrinkle cream is a great choice for those looking for a quick solution to their deep wrinkles.

4. Revision Skincare Intellishade SPF 45

The Revision Skincare Intellishade SPF 45 is a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen that hydrates your skin and reduces wrinkles to give your skin the youthful glow it needs. Although it is a bit pricier than other options on our list, it is important to note that this product is a mix of three products in one; anti-aging moisturizer, sunscreen, and tint.

This cruelty-free product contains Vitamin C to brighten and tighten the skin, Zinc oxide and titanium oxide for their UVA and UVB protection, and coenzyme Q10 to enhance the skin.

Coenzyme Q10 or Ubiquinone is shown to be quite beneficial for the skin since it augments cellular energy metabolism and antioxidant effects (10). The topical application of ubiquinone reduces free radical production in the skin and strongly benefits the stressed and aged skin.

Vitamin C adds to the positive effects of Ubiquinone application and further enhances the aged skin by stimulating collagen synthesis, which tightens and firms the skin, visibly reducing wrinkles (1).

5. Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Moisturizer

The Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Moisturizer is a lightweight hydrating moisturizing for all skin types that hydrates the skin and combats wrinkle using its 21 peptides and neuropeptides blend. The product guarantees a reduction in wrinkles with a radiant and youthful glow.

The Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Moisturizer is made up of hyaluronic acid blend, jojoba seed oil, and Phytofluer cactus, apart from the 21 peptides and each ingredient plays a vital role in tightening, firming, and enhancing the skin.

Hyaluronic Acid is a natural component of the skin’s extracellular matrix and its topical application is associated with skin tightness, rejuvenation, and hydration along with collagen synthesis stimulation (11). Hyaluronic acid reduces wrinkles and increases the aesthetic factor of the skin, giving the skin a bright and young-looking appearance.

Jojoba seed oil is known to repair the skin barrier and reduce skin wrinkles significantly (3). It also has antioxidant properties that can help reverse the effects of photoaging on the skin (3).

This product is extremely efficient in reducing wrinkles and hydrating the skin, and best of all, it is suitable for every skin type.

Citations:

1. Pinnell, S R et al. “Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies.” Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] vol. 27,2 (2001): 137-42. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.2001.00264.x
2. Pullar, Juliet M et al. “The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health.” Nutrients vol. 9,8 866. 12 Aug. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9080866
3. Lin, Tzu-Kai et al. “Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 19,1 70. 27 Dec. 2017, doi:10.3390/ijms19010070
4. Shao, Y et al. “Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo.” International journal of cosmetic science vol. 39,1 (2017): 56-65. doi:10.1111/ics.12348
5. Wójcik, Aneta et al. “Influence of the complex of retinol-vitamin C on skin surface lipids.” Journal of cosmetic dermatology vol. 14,2 (2015): 92-9. doi:10.1111/jocd.12140
6. Https://www.happi.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2017-05-01/the-science-behind-beautiful-skin/#:~:text=When%20formulated%20into%20skin%20care,%2C%20PhD%2C%20Procter%20%26%20Gamble.
7. Thiele, Jens J, and Swarna Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage. “Vitamin E in human skin: organ-specific physiology and considerations for its use in dermatology.” Molecular aspects of medicine vol. 28,5-6 (2007): 646-67. doi:10.1016/j.mam.2007.06.001
8. Kosari, Payman et al. “Vitamin E and allergic contact dermatitis.” Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug vol. 21,3 (2010): 148-53.
9. Fu, J J J et al. “A randomized, controlled comparative study of the wrinkle reduction benefits of a cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate product regimen vs. a prescription 0.02% tretinoin product regimen.” The British journal of dermatology vol. 162,3 (2010): 647-54. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09436.x
10. Knott, Anja et al. “Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10-containing formulas improves skin’s Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects.” BioFactors (Oxford, England) vol. 41,6 (2015): 383-90. doi:10.1002/biof.1239
11. Bukhari, Syed Nasir Abbas et al. “Hyaluronic acid, a promising skin rejuvenating biomedicine: A review of recent updates and pre-clinical and clinical investigations on cosmetic and nutricosmetic effects.” International journal of biological macromolecules vol. 120,Pt B (2018): 1682-1695. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.188(1) Pinnell, S R et al. “Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies.” Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] vol. 27,2 (2001): 137-42. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.2001.00264.x
12. Carruthers J, Carruthers A. A prospective, randomized, parallel group study analyzing the effect of BTX-A (Botox) and nonanimal sourced hyaluronic acid (NASHA, Restylane) in combination compared with NASHA (Restylane) alone in severe glabellar rhytides in adult female subjects: treatment of severe glabellar rhytides with a hyaluronic acid derivative compared with the derivative and BTX-A. Dermatol Surg. 2003 Aug;29(8):802-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1524-4725.2003.29212.x. PMID: 12859378.