Anti-aging products come in the form of creams and serums.
抗衰老护肤品一般有面霜和精华
They claim to make you look younger
它们宣称能让你看起来更年轻
by reducing, hiding, or preventing the signs of aging.
通过减缓 隐去或预防老化迹象
High-end anti-aging products
高端的抗衰老护肤品
are some of the most expensive single-use items in the world.
是世界上最昂贵的一次性消费品之一
Just 1 fluid ounce of this rejuvenating serum will cost you $1,800,
1盎司的抗衰老精华售价就达1800美元
making it one of the most expensive liquids on the planet.
是世界上最昂贵的液体之一
But do anti-aging products actually work?
但抗衰老产品真的有用吗？
And does this explain why they are so expensive?
它真的物有所值吗？
Dimitrios Tsivrikos: In all honesty,
事实上
a number of these creams are used as placebo effects.
大多数抗衰老面霜主要是安慰剂效应
Anjali Mahto: More expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better or more effective.
更贵并不一定代表更好或更有效
Narrator: Most anti-aging cosmetics, even budget items,
多数抗衰老护肤品 包括相对便宜的产品
tend to include a standard set of ingredients:
往往有一套基本的组成成分
water, glycerin, acids, oils, and vitamins.
水 甘油 酸类 油脂和维生素
However, the costliest creams contain an array of extravagant additions.
而最昂贵的面霜里则添加了大量奢侈成分
For example, Crème de la Mer includes a trademarked “Miracle Broth”
例如海蓝之谜的专利“神奇活性精萃”
comprised of hand-harvested giant sea kelp,
含有手工采撷的深海巨藻精华
which it claims has “self-regenerating” powers.
产商宣称有“自我修护”的功效
Commercial: These forests are a source of concentrated energy
广告：释放深海森林的强大能量
we unleash for skin’s benefit.
为肌肤带来焕变
We call it Miracle Broth.
这就是“神奇活性精萃”
Narrator: But according to skin experts,
但在皮肤专家看来
these expensive ingredients aren’t guaranteed
这些昂贵的成分并不能保证有效
or necessarily proven to be more effective.
或者说未被证实更有效
Mahto: Often what companies will say is,
通常化妆品公司会说
“My product contains this really interesting botanical and natural ingredient.
我们的产品含有这种神奇的天然植物成分
It’s therefore 10 times better at moisturizing the skin than something else.”
因此保湿效果比其他产品要强10倍
However, they’re under no obligation to prove
然而 他们并没有义务证明
that it’s that ingredient itself that is causing the moisturizing properties,
是这种成分本身具有保湿效果
or something very basic as glycerin, which is found in most moisturizers.
还是甘油这类润肤露中普遍使用的基础成分
Product claims don’t necessarily have to stack up
产品宣传并不苛求
in such a necessarily rigorous way.
在如此严格意义上站得住脚
Narrator: In the US, for example,
比如在美国
anti-aging medications must have approval from the Food and Drug Administration
抗衰老药物必须获得食品药品监督管理局的批准
for both safety and effectiveness,
以确保其安全性和有效性
whereas anti-aging cosmetics, such as creams and serums,
而抗衰老护肤品 如面霜和精华
do not require FDA approval before they go on the market.
无需食品药品监督管理局的批准即可进入市场
Tsivrikos: When it comes to anti-aging promises, it’s a very gray area.
说到抗衰老护肤品 这是一个灰色地带
A number of these companies promise people
很多化妆品公司向消费者保证
that they will actually reverse aging,
其产品能逆龄
they will actually make people look youthful again.
使人重返年轻
Simply by just allowing a clinical population to test your product,
实际只召集了少量临床受试者来测试产品
there’s a great deal of smoke and mirrors at that stage.
这个阶段充满了不确定性因素
Because, in reality, we can actually say with confidence
事实上 我们可以肯定地说
that most of these clinical studies are not to be trusted.
绝大多数这样的临床研究并不可信
Narrator: And the price consumers pay for the most expensive products
消费者购买这些昂贵护肤品支付的价格
is significantly higher than the cost of production.
远高于产品本身的成本
A 2010 investigation by the Daily Mail
2010年《每日邮报》的一项调查发现
found that recreating a 3.4-ounce pot of
用现成的原料重制
Crème de la Mer from readily available ingredients
一罐3.4盎司的海蓝之谜面霜
is estimated to cost roughly $35.
估算成本约为35美元
Whereas Le Mer markets their products at $510.
而海蓝之谜的市场售价是510美元
We contacted La Mer about this investigation,
关于这个调查 我们联系了海蓝之谜
and they responded, saying:
他们回应
“海蓝之谜的价值在于其最优质的成分
复杂而漫长的研究生产过程
以及全世界无数忠实爱好者
所体验到的强大护肤功效”
Tsivrikos: When it comes to purchasing a very expensive product,
每每提到购买昂贵的面霜时
most likely about 60% to 70% of the price that we might be paying
其售价的60%到70%很可能是
is related to the cost of the manufacturer to produce and package the cream,
用来支付厂家的加工成本和打包费用
rather than the actual product.
而不是产品本身
Narrator: But the desire to retain youthful looks is nothing new.
渴望永葆年轻的容颜并不是什么新鲜事
Cleopatra is thought to have taken daily baths
传言道埃及艳后每天都要用驴奶洗浴
in donkey milk for its acidic properties,
因为驴奶中含有酸性成分
while women of the French court would pour aged wine on their faces
而法国宫廷女子会用陈酿葡萄酒涂抹面庞
a process which is now recognized as having exfoliating benefits.
这在今天看来有去角质的功效
But a blitz of beauty adverts in mid-20th-century magazines
20世纪中的杂志上一则唐突的美容广告
that demonized women for having so-called “middle-aged skin”
妖魔化了拥有所谓“中年肌”的女性
was the catalyst for a now booming anti-aging industry.
催生了今天蓬勃发展的抗衰老行业
The anti-aging market is expected to exceed $216 billion
抗衰老市场规模会超过2160亿美元
by the end of 2021,
预计到2021年底
but a large part of that includes cosmetic procedures
其中很大一部分包括美容整形
such as Botox and face-lifts,
例如瘦脸针和面部提拉
arguably an extreme answer to our natural aging process.
这可能是我们抵抗自然衰老的极端方式
Mahto: I feel like I’m seeing a lot of young women
我见过许多25岁左右的年轻女孩
in their mid-20s that are worried about skin aging.
正在担忧皮肤老化
We are currently living in a society that is so focused on outwards aesthetics.
当今社会过分关注外在美
So I think there is also a driving need for people more interested in things like
这驱使人们越来越热衷于
laser surgery or injectables like Botox or filler
激光手术 瘦脸针和面部填充
from a much, much younger age than we’ve seen before.
而且较以前越来越趋于低龄化
Narrator: So despite the lure of magical remedies and luxurious concoctions,
撇开神奇疗效和奢侈配方的诱惑
avoiding skin damage and combating the signs of aging
避免肌肤受损 对抗老化迹象
don’t need to be so expensive.
不一定要这么昂贵
Mahto: Budget products can be equally as effective as their more expensive counterparts.
便宜的产品可以和奢侈的竞争品一样有效
The focus shouldn’t be on the cost of the product.
关注点不应该放在产品的价格上
Wearing a good-quality sunscreen,
第一 全年使用优质的防晒霜
SPF minimum 30, ideally 50, throughout the year.
SPF值最低30 最好为50
The reason for that is that 80% to 90% of the signs that we associate with skin aging
因为80%到90%皮肤老化迹象
occur directly because of sunlight.
都与太阳光照射直接相关
So we’re talking fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation.
指的就是细纹 皱纹和色素沉着
No. 2 is the use of a vitamin-A-based product or a retinoid.
第二 使用含有维A酸或维A醇的产品
One doesn’t need to spend a fortune,
这不需要你花费一大笔钱
and, probably, once you’re spending beyond more than 25, 30 pounds on a product,
当你在一款产品上花超过25到30镑时
it’s probably unnecessary.
很可能是没有必要的