2012 Beauty Breakthroughs

Photo by: David Cook

Avon Anew Clinical Pro Line Eraser Treatment

If you've picked up Allure before, you probably know at least a little about collagen-namely that as skin gets older and more sun-damaged, collagen breaks down and wrinkles form. Most anti-agers today aim to make more collagen, but according to the latest research, it's not so simple. There are several steps that must take place for healthy new collagen to form and then replace ... more 

Photo by: David Cook

Avon Anew Clinical Pro Line Eraser Treatment

If you've picked up Allure before, you probably know at least a little about collagen-namely that as skin gets older and more sun-damaged, collagen breaks down and wrinkles form. Most anti-agers today aim to make more collagen, but according to the latest research, it's not so simple. There are several steps that must take place for healthy new collagen to form and then replace spots where it's missing in the skin's matrix. Now Avon researchers-in collaboration with the skin-care company NeoStrata-have identified a fast-working molecule that gets the job done.

HOW IT WORKS: Even if you are familiar with collagen, we'd be impressed if you've heard of PLOD-2. It's an enzyme in skin cells that is less and less plentiful as we get older and causes collagen strands to degrade and become loosely woven. Avon scientists discovered an active ingredient that boosts PLOD-2 levels, not only encouraging the production of more collagen but also braiding these new strands into nice, tight formations that can reinforce damaged spots in the skin. "This ingredient functions in a completely different way than the wrinkle fighters we have already: retinol, glycolic acid, niacinamide, resveratrol, and AHAs," says Anthony Gonzalez, senior manager at Avon research and development. "It stimulates the production of collagen and increases PLOD-2 to help in the final assembly of the fibers less