Alchemists spent centuries looking for the elixir of youth, then they stumbled upon DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol)?a popular ingredient in wrinkle freezers. It makes sagging, tired skin look smoother and tighter by causing cells to quickly and visibly swell.

But shortcuts often come with a price. Twenty-four hours after application of an anti-wrinkle cream with DMAE, Canadian scientists found that more than 25% of cells die (the downside), forming a thicker epidermis which results in smoother, less wrinkled skin appearance (the upside).

"Cells stopped dividing, they stopped secreting," said Dr. Francois Marceau of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec, "I don't want to scare people," he added. "The risk is probably not very big."

So what's a girl to do when she has only 10 minutes to look 10 years younger and wants to give her cells a break?
› Acupuncture facelifts provide instant results without any chemicals involved.
› Facial yoga exercises relax wrinkles by retraining facial muscles.
› Frownies facial patches use plain paper with plant-based adhesive to smooth out wrinkles.
› A mask of whipped egg yolk and a tablespoon of salt is a time-tested instant face lift.