For centuries, women have been trying to defy aging – from soaking in milk baths to daily facial masks – anything to preserve their youthful complexions.

“Forever young, I want to be forever young” (and look forever young) from Alphaville’s Forever Young hit song speaks of the universal fear of mortality – aging included. Then making attempts to erase all its reminders sure seem reasonable.

Anti-aging is an enduring beauty pursuit that went as far back as Cleopatra who wanted to preserve her beauty and youth by indulging in daily donkey-milk baths. But she was definitely on to something, for the milk contains alpha hydroxy acids that have youth-restoring and skin-softening agents.

Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty was the only female emperor in Chinese history to be recognized for her youthful complexion even at age 80. Her secret lies in her own DIY facial masks called “fairy powder” made of a blend of green tea extract, mung beans and Chinese Motherwort ground into a fine powder, which she applied three times a day.

Another beauty discovery is the use of pearl powder where Empress Cixi of the Qing dynasty found it helpful in evening out skin tone. She was said to have maintained a strict regimen of applying one spoonful of pearl powder to her skin every day.

Women today are still searching tirelessly for that fountain of youth. When it comes to keeping the signs of skin aging like lines and wrinkles, lack of skin firmness, loss of radiance and hyperpigmentation at bay, women would go through surgery, aesthetics treatments, or bottles of lotions and potions in the hope of delaying those signs. While aesthetics treatments have been known to tighten, lift and erase instantly, we know that products don’t work the same way. When a product says “anti-aging”, we know that it’s not really going to stop us from aging but what we can hope is to erase concerns such as dullness and prevent lines and wrinkles from surfacing prematurely. The real hope in a jar or bottle is for us to age gracefully and well.

Through many years of medical experience in treating women’s skin and a patented breakthrough technology of a delivery system called Neulastin, selected IDS Skincare products such as Rejuvenating Complex (RC) and Rejuvenating Complex Plus (RC+) work much more effectively in improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Skin appears smoother and more revitalized. Other age-well products include C-Plus (C+) a vitamin C powerhouse and A-Plus (A+) a vitamin A serum that makes perfect pairing with any other anti-aging products.

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