Does Hydroderm's Age Defying Wrinkle Serum Work?

It would be a perfect world if someone could bottle the beautiful skin secret of Diane Lane, Kristie Brinkley, and Kim Cattrall. The good news is that with the right genes and effective skin care products, we can delay those fine lines and wrinkles for a few more years. The key word here is delay. The term “anti-aging” is misleading. No product was ever approved by the Federal Drug Administration for the purpose of preventing the aging process.

Ageless Beauties (from left): Diane Lane, Kristie Brinkley, and Kim Cattrall

However, several companies have skirted around the regulations by re-labeling their products. For example, you may have noticed the Hydroderm ads while surfing the internet or while browsing through your favorite beauty magazine. Hydroderm’s marketing team has coined the phrase “better than Botox?” Here, they are not stating that their anti-aging cream is better than Botox (or else it would be a marketing violation), but instead, they suggest that their product is better than Botox through the use of a question. Doing so does not require that that they justify the statement. Does Hydroderm really work? Is it really better than Botox? Read more on this Hydroderm review.


Being a chemist, I judge every product by its content. So does Hydroderm's Age Defying Wrinkle Serum work? First off, let’s revisit the ingredients of Hydroderm’s Age Defying Wrinkle Serum. Hydroderm’s website promises that it “helps skin look younger by diminishing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and other visible signs of premature aging.” This product is “uniquely formulated to restore vibrancy, tone and texture to your skin.”


If you click on the tab “science behind Hydroderm” on their website, the manufacturer provides a sketch of the relationship between the body’s collagen production and environmental factors. The next section is devoted to the effectiveness of Hydroderm at “rejuvenating” your skin with a sigmoidal graph of “wrinkle reduction.” Aside from the fact that it is a graph, there is nothing scientific about it. The results of the “data” are not provided nor are the methods of data collection. A strong study should include a control group, a large sample group, and measurable features. All of these are absent in their presented description of the “science behind Hydroderm.” Not to mention, no clinical study was described.

Like most facial creams, the majority of the ingredients listed are preservatives, see below. However, Hydroderm’s Age Defying Wrinkle Serum contains four ingredients that may work to contribute to the reduction of the appearance of age: whole marine collagen, Vyo-serum, citric acid, and ascorbic acid; though the later two can be purchased at a local drug store for a fraction of the cost. A search of the online community provides little clarification on the first two ingredients. Hydroderm’s website claims: “Whole Marine Collagen to tone skin and help smooth the look of surface wrinkles, and Vyo-Serum to instantly tighten and improve overall skin tone and texture.” However, no further explanation or data is given to support their claims.

Ingredients listed for Hydroderm’s Age Defying Wrinkle Serum include: Whole Marine Collagen, Vyo-Serum, distilled water, Cephene, Methyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Butyl Paraben, Isobuty lparaben, Synasol, Purified Water, Sodium Methyl Paraben, Imidezolidinyl Urea, Trisodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid and Ascorbic Acid.

• Methyl paraben is a water-soluble anti-bacterial, anti-fungal agent used as a preservative in many foods, beverages, drugs, and cosmetics. When applied to normal, healthy skin it has been found to be virtually both non-sensitizing and non-irritating. Although there have been reports of allergic reactions to ingested parabens, strong evidence as to the potential of parabens to cause allergies is lacking.
  
  
• Ethyl paraben is an anti-fungal agent used as a preservative in various foods, beverages, drugs, and cosmetics.
  
  
• Propyl paraben is a synthetic preservative manufactured for use in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics (e.g., lotions, creams, shampoos, and other bath products).
  
  
• Butyl paraben is used as an anti-fungal preservative in cosmetics, drug formulations, and some foods.
  
  
• Isobutyl paraben is a member of a group of chemicals known as parabens that function as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents, and is used as a preservative in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Due to their long term safety record and their low toxicity profile, parabens are currently considered to be safe for use in many products; although preliminary results in a few recent studies are beginning to challenge this opinion. Research focusing on the acute, sub-chronic, and chronic effects of parabens in animals shows them to be virtually non-toxic.
  
  
• Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid and is soluble in water. Its primary use is as a food preservative to inhibit the growth of molds, yeasts, and fungi. It is also used as a preservative in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Potassium sorbate is considered to be safe for use because of its non-toxic profile and long history of safe use. Potassium sorbate is practically both non-sensitizing and non-irritating. Allergic reactions are rare and it is well tolerated.
  
  
• Citric acid is a natural preservative and is used in foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It serves as an intermediate in the Krebs cycle, occurring in the metabolism of almost all living things. Citric acid also acts as an antioxidant and functions as an environmentally friendly cleaning agent.
  
• Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is a water soluble sugar acid with antioxidant properties. It is an essential nutrient contained in most fruits and vegetables and is important in maintaining bone, blood vessel, and skin health. Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, the body cannot store it (except in insignificant amounts), thus, it must be replenished daily.
  
  Refer to futurederm.com for more details on the listed ingredients.

Hydroderm.com is owned by Alena Internet Corporation. A quick search on the Better Business Bureau's (BBB) website would show that the company is rated a below average grade of "C" on a scale of AAA-F. The BBB filed 521 customer complaints (as of May 2008), with the majority attributing to “Making a full refund, as the consumer requested.”

Several customers argued that they were not aware that they were enrolled in an auto-shipping membership when they accepted a trial offer. Though Hydroderm isn’t the first company to conceal their automatic shipment agreement in very fine text, they are guilty of it. By purchasing the product, the customer agrees to an automatic shipment of new product every 50 days. This may sound convenient to some, but it is really only convenient if you are satisfied with the results and wish to continue receiving more product. In addition, customers are unable to obtain refunds of the initial order and many customers complained about dissatisfaction with customer service.

Are the high number of complaints and below average rating from the BBB a reflection of Hydroderm’s products? Their C rating is just one mark above the "caution in doing business with" recommendeation (C rating). Though the BBB does not strongly recommend against doing business with Alena Internet Corporation, transaction with them should be taken with caution.


Does Hydroderm's Age Defying Wrinkle Serum Work: Summary

What's the summary of this Hydroderm review?

• No clinical trial was presented
• The company has a below average C rating from the Better Business Bureau (pay close attention to the company's purchase and refund policies)
• More affordable products with proven results exist
• Hydroderm provided little scientific data to support their claim of reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Scientifically, Hydroderm appears to have little support for their claim. Better than Botox? Probably not.

Recommendation:

Though you can’t take a pill version of the fountain of youth, modern technology has made it possible to reduce the appearance of aging. The following products have been shown to be effective at reducing the signs of aging. These results are documented in clinical trials and consumer reviews (check out links below to read reviews).

1. The Gift of Youth

Clinical trials documenting the ability of the StriVectin Gift of Youth Set to visibly reduce the depth, length, discoloration and roughness of existing stretch marks makes it a popular product in the anti-aging business (go to the website to learn why this product is referred to as "dumb luck." ). 60 day money back. Learn more by clicking here.


2. Kinerase Cream

Scientific studies show that the Kinerase Cream works as well (reduce wrinkles, signs of photoaging, and roughness of the skin) as Renova and Retin-A WITHOUT the side effects.Click here to learn more.


3. Z. Bigatti Re-Storation Skin Treatment

The Z Bigatti Re-storation Skin Treatment Cream contains an innovative combination of hydroxy acids, antioxidant, and other organic products to fade the appearance of fine lines and protects your skin from damaging elements. Click here to learn more. Best prices: $155 for 2oz/30ml size or $490 for 8oz/240ml size at other competitors.

For more information on these products, visit The SkinStore, Natural Skin Care Products. From my research, skinstore.com appears to have these products at the most afforable prices and they are an excellent company to do business with.

If you have any tips or suggestions when it comes to skin care please post them in our forum! If you liked this article and found it useful and informative please share it.

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