LONDON, March 28 /PRNewswire/ --

It's fair to say that UK women now have more choice than ever when it comes facial anti-ageing solutions. From innovative cosmetic surgery procedures to topical so called 'cosmeceuticals' and sophisticated skin-care, there's never been a wider range of beauty solutions available on the market. However, the latest anti-ageing consumer research, commissioned by Olay Regenerist with YouGov, shows that only 4% of UK women are actually opting to undertake more drastic cosmetic procedures and increasing numbers are confused about which so-called 'wonder ingredients' are really worth it. So what are their main concerns and what's the solution to this most modern of beauty dilemmas?

The Pressure To Look Good

A recent YouGov survey of 1,152 adults commissioned by Olay Regenerist, leading experts in anti-ageing skincare, revealed the signs of ageing that concerned UK women most were a loss of elasticity or sagging (44%), wrinkles (43%) and fine lines (28%). "I hear from women every day about their concerns and complaints about the visible signs of ageing. In my experience, American women tend to be more worried about wrinkles, whereas women in the UK are more inclined to accept some fine lines as a natural part of the ageing process," says beauty industry expert Wendy Lewis, celebrity image enhancement coach and author of Plastic Makes Perfect.

Perhaps this more tolerant attitude to Mother Nature is the reason why, rather reassuringly, only 4% of British women admit to having had a cosmetic procedure. Even with a seemingly endless supply of makeover shows on our screens, a whopping 60% of women said they had not only never had any augmentation, but that they wouldn't consider having any in the future (64% even said they only saw it as a 'last resort'). So why are we so reluctant to head for the Cosmetic surgeon's office?

"The fear of looking 'unnatural' often puts people off having something done. Cost (44%), potential side-effects (43%) and unknown end results (37%) were the three most popular reasons women cited for why they wouldn't have cosmetic procedures in the future," comments Wendy Lewis on the YouGov findings. So with UK women mostly unwilling to submit themselves to a procedure, they are more likely to opt for a topical cream to help them keep wrinkles at bay. But even this can be a source of frustration and confusion for consumers.

'Cosmeceuticals' and Confusion

It seems that even though we're more aware than ever of the latest developments in skincare, we Brits are still confused as to what an effective anti-ageing regime should actually consist of. According to the survey, 56% of women maintain a simple cleansing, toning and moisturising routine as part of their anti-ageing tactics, with 44% adding diet and exercise as an important part of their regime too.

"In my view, the most important steps to maintain youthful skin would be protection in the form of a daily sunscreen and moisturising with a good anti-ageing product. Cleansing and toning are not technically considered by experts to be steps towards 'de-ageing' your skin, though they are certainly part of daily skin hygiene for every age and skin type," advises Wendy Lewis.

But in a beauty market flooded with anti-ageing 'buzzwords' such as retinols, co-enzymes and peptides, UK women can find it hard to navigate through the hype to find what works for their skin. According to the YouGov survey, almost half of women (43%) are confused by claims as to which ingredients really work.

This concern was highest amongst 35-44 year olds, the very group that tend to be most concerned with preserving their looks and achieving a more youthful complexion. In fact, this confusion can lead to a deep mistrust of what consumers see as marketing - only 12% of women surveyed indicated that scientific claims made on packaging had any influence when they were looking to buy an anti-ageing product. "This is likely down to consumers being inundated with over-reaching promises about the latest and greatest 'quick-fix' or 'facelift in a jar'," says Wendy Lewis.

The Solution

When it comes to buying an anti-ageing cream, the YouGov survey reveals women really do vote with their wallets, opting for well-established, trusted brands (57%) over others and noting price as an important part of their choice (52%). It seems that amidst all the hype and hyperbole over the latest 'miracle' ingredients, women seek reassurance from brands they trust to deliver the goods. "It is hard for consumers to know who to trust, so they often seek out the recommendation of a friend, beauty expert or their favourite magazine editors before they buy. I always tell my clients to look for ingredient-driven performance benefits from tried-and true brands that have a reputation for putting out a good product that is safe and effective," agrees Wendy Lewis.

With this in mind, the Olay Regenerist range, one of the leading brands professionals and beauty experts recommend, is an ideal choice for those seeking effective and affordable anti-ageing skincare with proven efficacy. Its star ingredient, the peptide Pal KTTKS, has shown to be effective at improving visible skin texture and wrinkles, and acts as a signal to encourage the regeneration of skin's appearance. Combining this important peptide in a unique Amino-Peptide Complex with Niacinamide (a hardworking B vitamin complex that has a key role in evening out skin tone and strengthening the skin's barrier defences) Regenerist has been shown to have twice the regenerating effect of skin's appearance versus untreated skin. It delivers dramatic anti-ageing results before considering more drastic anti-ageing measures.

And the results speak for themselves. One bottle of Regenerist is sold every two seconds worldwide(1). Regenerist delivers real results at a more affordable price than some 'miracle' creams. Which just goes to show that women really do know what they want -anti-ageing protection from a brand they trust to help them look younger.

"As a leading consultant within the beauty industry, I'm asked daily by my clients if it really is possible for an affordable topical face cream to deliver great results. Is there an effective cream that will visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as deliver younger looking skin? The answer I am happy to say is 'yes'. Olay Regenerist works effectively as a maintenance tool between procedures, and as an alternative before considering more drastic measures for some," says Wendy Lewis.

(1) P&G data on file