Is it possible to instantly reduce fine lines and wrinkles? If you believe the claims that some companies make, you might think so. The ads are pretty convincing, but the truth of the matter is this. It's a purely cosmetic effect.

It's something like a magic trick. By including compounds that refract the light, wrinkles appear less deep and fine lines seem to disappear, but it's only an illusion. There is one ingredient that provides the illusion and actually provides long-lasting improvement in firmness and moisture content, but most of the products on the market don't contain it. The ingredient is called bioactive keratin.

Keratin is the protein that makes up more than 90% of the skin. Bioactive keratin is a form of the protein that you skin's cells can pick up and use. It attracts and holds in moisture. Clinical studies have shown that creams containing it increase the skin's moisture content by over 20%. That's five times more effective than anything else on the market.

If you're like most people, you want fine lines and wrinkles to actually go away, not just appear to. But, you can have the best of both worlds. The consistency of bioactive keratin is something like that of liquid skin. It fills in a line, making it appear less deep, while at the same time working to improve your skin's health and appearance.

In addition to protein, your skin needs antioxidants. Whenever you are exposed to sunlight, smoke or air pollution, the antioxidant level of the skin begins to fall. That is because the level of free radical molecules begins to rise.

Research has shown that older skin cells contain fewer antioxidants and more free radicals. If this imbalance is not corrected, free radicals wreak havoc on the skin's health and appearance. In order to correct the balance, you need a cream that contains the antioxidant coenzyme Q10. A recent study showed that coenzyme Q10 reduces fine lines and wrinkles by nearly 30% after six weeks of use.

You see, some antioxidants, like vitamin E, prevent free radical damage. Others, like coenzyme Q10, actually repair damage that has already been done. The best anti-wrinkle creams on the market contain bioactive keratin, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10. Many products contain one of those, with vitamin E being the most common, but they are of little or no benefit, particularly when it comes to reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

In addition to looking for good ingredients, consumers need to learn to protect themselves from the bad ones. There are some products on the market that will actually do more harm than good. Phrases like "all natural" and "hypoallergenic" are not legally defined. The only honest information on a product is the label of ingredients.

Avoid skincare products that contain petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, parabens, oxybenzone, benzophenone, avobenzone, hydroquinone and added fragrances. These are not all of the problematic ingredients, but companies that do not use those ingredients typically provide safe products.

With the information that is available today, we should be able to delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for many years and even reverse damage that has already been done. We just need to use the right moisturizers.