I picked up a copy of "The Wrinkle Cure" by Nicholas Perricone, M.D. while on vacation. I knew the book had been released in soft cover for $11.95 but the bookstore only had the hardcover edition at $22.95, regardless I anteed up. Forget the seashells, t-shirts or other knickknacks, glowing skin would be the best souvenir of all! The price of the book is a wee drop in the bucket if you opt to go on the wrinkle cure program.

The Wrinkle Cure is really a 3 part program. According to the author if you eat the right diet, take the right supplements and use the right "cosmeceuticals" you can help yourself to a flawless complexion. At the very least a greatly improved one.

The book begins with Perricone explaining how and why we age. You learn how to determine your skin type and its proper care. Ethnic differences in skin is also covered. Then Perricone presents a program to address how you can erase signs of aging. Perricone holds over 16 U.S. patents for information and products that help prevent aging of the skin.

His program involves first determining your primary skin concern such as scarring and discoloration. Then he discusses the best products to use to prevent and correct these concerns. Though he recommends cleansers that you can find in the local drugstore. The majority of corrective products which he describes in detail are ones he holds the patents on and markets.

He disusses his discoveries and their benefits in great detail. Two of his primary cosmeceuticals are vitamin C ester and alpha lipoic acid. He states that you can find vitamin C ester and alpha lipoic acid in a number of products on the market. At the back of his book he tells you where to find them. He lists several sites like Sephora.com, Nordstroms, Saks etc. But what he fails to mention is that though alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C ester are available in a number of products and at these sites, all of the products are NVPERRICONE products not another brand! Just recently I read though that Johnson and Johnson had licensed some of Perricone's technology for their ROC brand. Hopefully, this will help drive prices down as Perricone's products are pricey indeed!

But what price do you put on glowing skin? Much better to spend alot on something that works than a little often on products that don't produce results. With this in mind, I opted to purchase some of the products and hopefully get the results he claims.

Perricone has a complete line of skin care products ranging from a nutritive cleanser 6 oz. $30.00 to an anti-spider vein leg product 6oz. $120.00. The two main corrective products are the alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C ester. By using these two products, Perricone says you can soften,and smooth skin, reduce lines and scars, improve sagging skin, firm facial contours and even plump lips! Perricone suggests you use combinations of these products for maximum results. For evening, for example he suggests you use alpha lipoic eye area therapy $45 for .5 oz with a few drops of vitamin C ester eye area therapy $45 for .5oz. If you wish to correct scarring and fine lines he suggests you use face firming activator 2oz. $95 in the am and Vitamin C Ester restorative cream in the pm $90.00 plus the other appropriate skin products for your skin type.

Hence the skin care regime price adds up quickly. But the company claims that a 2oz bottle of cream once a day will last 2-3 months and the eye area creams used together once a day will last 4 to 6 months. So looking at it that way plus with the added promise of gorgeous skin I bit the bullet and bought.

Angelina Jolie HELLO! My first purchase was the alpha lipoic lip plumper. It makes you look like you have been making out for 1/2 hour according to the quotes in Perricones book. At $33 for .48 oz it should probably include the person to make out with! According to the book, alpha lipoic acid increase circulation. Hence when you pat on the lip plumper your lips will become full and moist and oh so kissable. I have tried lip plumpers before. With one you had to actually manipulate your lip for 7 minutes to get that puckered puss. With Perricones lip plump you just had to pat it on. I did so but alas, my lips looked about the same. The plumper goes on smooth and I love the orange sherbet flavor. But I can do without both when a full tube of Kiehls lip balm runs about $5.00! However, after a few days I felt or imagined my top lip looked fuller and I certainly was more AWARE of my lips.

My next investment was the popular (according to Sephora.com) Face Firming Activator. Use of this product will cause a glow to the skin according to Perricone and reduce skin problems. The company claims that in 3 days you will have smaller pores, in 2 weeks a decrease in lines and in 6-8 weeks acne scars will diminish. I have used it for a few days now and can say my skin feels wonderful and smooth. But as yet I do not notice a difference in lines. The lotion is lightweight. I am impressed enough to continue with the product and will add the vitamin C ester the book recommends. Hopefully, time will prove Perricone to be correct and I will get the results he promises!

Another part of the equation is diet and supplementation. Perricone suggests fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and other food products to help the skin look its best. He also recommends you drink tons of water. In addition, he gives a list of supplements you should take to optimize your skin health. He also sells skin vitamins. His 50 mg alpha lipoic capsules are $30 for 60 capsules. I purchased a bottle by Twinlabs with the same amount for $10.

One drawback to the book is he does not pull the program together for the reader. He makes suggestions on what to do. And he tells you what products will work but he does not tell you how to combine the products only that you can combine them and how to use them for maximum results. To get that information I had to visit his website www.nvperriconemd.com and the clinicalcreations website.

Time will tell if his products work, I hope to update this review with good reports in the future. Meantime, my skin feels smooth and has a little glow to it! But noone has mistaken me for Angelina Jolie yet!

Recommended: Yes