Update 7/9/22. Wouldn't you love the secret to smoother, younger-looking skin? What do women all around the world know that you need to know? These are two of the questions asked at the beginning of the Principal Secret Reclaim infomercial which you may have seen on TV. It's been a while since I reviewed Reclaim and I thought it was time for a fresh look. The ingredients appear to differ from when I last reviewed it but the principle key ingredient is the same. Let's take a look at Principal Secret Reclaim – and the commercial – and see what we can discover.
Principal Secret Reclaim Ingredients
| Octinoxate (7.5%) | Octisalate (5.0%) | Oxybenzone (3.0%) |
| Water | Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate | Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride |
| Cetyl Alcohol, | Glyceryl Stearate, | PEG-100 Stearate |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline | PEG-8/SMDI Copolymer |
| Glycerin | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 | Sodium Hyaluronate |
| Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract | Glycosaminoglycans | Melon Fruit Extract |
| Banana Fruit Extract | Grape Leaf Extract | Iris Florentina Root Extract |
| Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract | Tricaprin | Dimethicone |
| Butylene Glycol | Ceteareth-20 | Carbomer |
| Aminomethyl Propanol | Trisodium EDTA | Ethylhexylglycerin |
| Caprylyl Glycol | Hexylene Glycol | Potassium Sorbate |
| Phenoxyethanol |
Read the ingredients from left to right. This tells the relative amounts of each in the skin cream. Of these, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is the most important because it's mentioned on the product. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is the scientific name for Argireline.
What Is Argireline
At the heart of the Principal Secret's Reclaim is an ingredient called Argireline. The scientific name for Argireline is acetyl Hexapeptide-8. Hexapeptide is a fancy way of saying the molecule in this anti-wrinkle cream is made up of 6 amino acids.
At one time, it was said Argireline was the “the secret to the wrinkle reduction power of Reclaim.” Interesting. Does it have any proof? Yes. lets look at it next.
Argireline Wrinkle Research
Researchers in Spain in 2002 tested argireline (10% solution) in women and noted it reduced wrinkle depth by 30% after 30 days of use. Wrinkle depth refers to how deep the wrinkle looks.
One issue with this study was researchers did not tell us how many women were involved. The summary of the study only mentioned “volunteers.” How many volunteers? Was it 5, 10, 100? Generally, the more people in the study, the better the study.
Researchers in China tested Argireline – twice daily – against a placebo in 60 women (25-60 yrs of age) for 4 weeks. These researchers noted a 48.9% improvement in women using Argireline compared to placebo. They also saw a significant improvement in wrinkle depth too.
Another part of this study involved applying Argireline to the skin of old mice. Here, researchers noted improvement in skin texture and an increase in skin collagen production. Various other lab mouse and test tube research also exist too which show Argireline can reduce wrinkle appearance.
Argireline Before & After Results
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
How Does Argireline Work?
The research reveals argireline is basically a Botox cream. In other words, it looks like botulinum toxin but, on a molecular basis, it's a weaker version. Argireline acts similarly to botulinum toxin by temporarily relaxing the collagen and elastic fibers of the skin and temporarily paralyzing the muscles. It works by inhibiting acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in muscle contractions.
This Botox-like effect results in a more smoother skin appearance. The company which makes argireline – Lipotec/Lubrizol (Lubrizol.com) – used to say that “ARGIRELINE® is a safer and milder alternative to Botulinum Toxin.” In a small study, it was noted argireline extended the time between Botox treatments with no side effects.
Argireline is also one of the main ingredients in the anti-wrinkle cream too
One difference between Argireline cream and Botox is argireline is about 4000 times less potent than botox. Some researchers also say argireline can be used between botox treatments and that it might reduce the frequency of botox treatments.
Argireline Before & After Results
Watch on my YouTube channel if you prefer
Can You Buy Argireline?
Yes. Here are some argireline serums I found.
Argireline Side Effects
Principal Secret Reclaim is safe according to research. It may be wise to first use it on a small patch of skin first to see what happens. Some online testimonials have mentioned the cream might (again, in theory), temporarily relax more muscles than you want to relax. This may cause temporary skin sagging. There is no proof of this happening. If it happens, I think the risk may be low.
- To be safe, don't use it during pregnancy or when breastfeeding.
- Don't combine with Botox unless your dermatologist says it's okay
- Injecting Argireline is not recommended
- Does it work on all skin types? I don't recall any study mentioning if Argireline works as well on black vs. white skin for example. My guess is it probably does. Most research involves women but it probably also fades facial wrinkles in men as well.
Is Victoria Principal A Chemist?
Back when this stuff was sold via a 30-minute infomercial, it was said Victoria Principal is a “member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists.” I thought this was interesting because as far as I know Victoria Principal has no formal scientific training. I'm sure many of those on her team are though.
I went to website of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (scconline.org) and discovered anybody can download a membership application. A basic membership costs $140. It looks like anybody can be a “member” if you pay $140 and provide a few references.
The Catherine Crier Interview
In one of the infomercials there was a short segment with Catherine Crier that starts out this way: “And here to get to the facts and science behind Principal Secret Reclaim's astonishing results is television news journalist Catherine Crier.”
The segment starts out with Catherine Crier saying to Victoria Principal “Welcome” – as if Victoria Principal has shown up to the set of some TV interview show. But, since this is a commercial for Victoria Principal's product, it's actually Catherine Crier who is the “guest.”
Many infomercials look like “interview shows.” For example, you may remember seeing the commercial for the arthritis supplement called Supple which to me, looked almost like the set of the Larry King Show!
Speaking of Larry King, he's still doing infomercials for Omega XL supplements.
Does Reclaim (Argireline) Work?
Since Argireline is a weaker version of botox, makes sense women and men might notice a temporary reduction in facial wrinkles. That said, I recommend speaking to a dermatologist or esthetician before trying any Argireline skin creams.