When you reach for an anti-aging product, you don’t want your skin to just look better—you want it to be better. Enter “cosmeceuticals,” topical solutions made with biologically active ingredients that actually heal and revitalize damaged skin.

These products, which are not drugs, promise medicinal strength without the prescription. But buyer beware. The term “cosmeceutical” on the packaging alone isn’t enough to guarantee results. That’s why reputable manufacturers make sure they have the active ingredients and hard clinical evidence to back up their claims.

Finding the right cosmeceutical for your skin doesn’t have to be a chore. Let Beauty Collection take the guesswork out of it for you, and you’ll be well on your way to younger-looking, healthier skin. Here are a few basic guidelines to get you started:

1. Check the label. A quality cosmeceutical is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that target trouble spots at the cellular level. For example, the copper peptides in the Osmotics Blue Copper 5 line boost natural collagen production and improve skin elasticity that results in younger-looking, beautiful skin. DDF Wrinkle Resist Pore Minimizer is packed with nutrients and important vitamins for your skin.

2. Make sure there’s an expert on board. Often, cosmeceutical manufacturers have board-certified dermatologists involved in every step of the development process. Some companies, like Murad—creator of the Age Reform Intensive Wrinkle Reducer, which smoothes and resurfaces skin—were founded by physicians who formulate products based on their clinical expertise.

3. Look for clinical results. Data from user trials can go a long way toward helping you predict if a product will be effective for you. Take the Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Firming Elasticity Repair, for example, which is designed to rejuvenate skin tissue. In a recent trial, all panelists reported that their sun spots improved, while 90% also found that the serum reduced redness and fine lines. These are the kind of numbers you want to see before taking the leap.

4. Don’t ask for a prescription. The word “cosmeceutical” may sound like “pharmaceutical”—but there’s actually no medicine involved. [In fact, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration doesn’t even recognize the term “cosmeceutical” under the law.] This means that powerful anti-aging formulas such as MD Skincare’s Hydra Pure Vitamin C Serum, which helps firm up and repair skin, can be all yours without taking a detour to your doctor’s office.

5. Know your terms. Cosmeceuticals are the creams and other topical solutions that you apply directly to specific areas of your body. Nutraceuticals are taken orally to help boost skin repair from the inside out. Perricone MD, which offers both, recommends its line of antioxidant-rich nutraceuticals to complement topical products such as the Pigment Corrective System, which smoothes lines and corrects brown spots.

[Hot tip! Try a nutraceutical like Murad Age Reform Wet Suit Supplement—rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals—to keep your skin well-hydrated while your cosmeceutical regimen works topically.]

6. Be a completist. Most cosmeceuticals are designed to target a specific area of the body, such as fine lines around the eyes. For a complete regimen, try the Osmotics Blue Copper 5 line, featuring products designed specifically for the face, eyes, and lips. The Firming Elasticity Repair enhances skin elasticity in the face and neck.

7. Treat your condition. Sun damage and the passage of time aren’t the only factors behind aging skin—rosacea, acne, and other skin conditions contribute as well. Even hormone changes during menopause can lead to fine lines, blemishes, and thinning skin. Nutrient Replacement Cream from B. Kamins Chemist replenishes the skin’s nutrients—and also offers soothing relief during those hot flashes!

[Hot tip! Harmful free radicals in sunlight speed up the signs of aging—so, take a cue from famous beauties like Cate Blanchett and Heather Locklear and stay out of the sun as much as possible. Can’t avoid daylight forever? Protect your skin from sun damage with DDF’s Moisturizing Photo-Age Protection SPF 30.]

8. Watch the rhetoric. Unfortunately, there are plenty of products out there claiming to be cosmeceuticals that just don’t perform. Don’t have time to check out each claim yourself? Let us do the work for you. Beauty Collection has everything your skin needs to keep that youthful, healthy glow.