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BY MEG NUGENT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Here is this week’s question for HealthQuest and Meg Nugent, who is a veteran health and fitness journalist and who has direct acces to a slew of experts on exercise, physical and mental health, nutrition and all things wellness:

I have a liking for expensive face cremes (a leftover from my richer days, I am sure). I have read that it’s a waste of money but I am not convinced. -- H.B., Sharon, Mass.

The good news is, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get that dewy glow. But you do have to do a bit more than slather on some face creme to achieve a youthful complexion.

“More expensive does not always mean better and when it comes to skin-care products, price does not always equal quality,” says Lisa Coppa Breslauer, a dermatologist at Overlook Hospital in Summit and at the Laser + Skin Institute, in Chatham.

Dermatologist Daniel Groisser, a dermatologist affiliated with Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, seconds that opinion. “There is no real, scientific evidence that “youth” in a $15 bottle is inferior to “radiance” in a much smaller, $75 bottle,” says Groisser, who is also medical director of The Dermatology Group, in Morristown and West Orange.

Anti-aging skin cremes, which consumers spend billions of dollars on every year, are not subject to FDA testing and standards, according to Groisser. This means, essentially, that the companies that create and sell these products can make any claims they want to about them, Breslauer says.

“Testimonials or promises made by the manufacturer are not always substantiated with objective proof,” she says.

By no means should you chuck your beloved jar of skin creme. Just make sure you check the label to see if they contain active ingredients that have been scientifically proven to work, adds Breslauer. Such ingredients include Vitamin C, retinol and alpha hydroxy acids. However, she cautions you to be aware that the active ingredients must be in high enough concentrations to actually impact your skin quality.

One more thing. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that lovely skin comes from good, clean living? I know, I know, you really didn’t want to read that but they pay me the big bucks to give it to you straight. Here’s some straight talkin’ from dermatologist Groisser: “Avoiding sun at peak hours, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., avoiding dehydration, excess temperatures and smoking, as well as maintaining good, overall eating habits and exercise, are the most important factors for good skin health.”

But if you can’t resist the luxuriant feel of a pricey face cream and if money’s no object, slather away!