Every day, the emails arrive, asking about the latest anti-wrinkle/firming/lifting/brightening/re-contouring product to hit the cosmetic counters. Message after message implores us to review these items. And all of them are geared toward one burning question: does “Product X” really work as claimed? Don’t get me wrong, we love hearing what our readers want us to review (it is a major factor when we make these decisions) but every now and then I have to step away from my desk, take the dog for a walk, and rant a bit.

Here’s my issue: why do we (as consumers) have such a disconnect when it comes to believing cosmetic companies marketing anti-wrinkle products that seem too good to be true? Why isn’t an air of skepticism our default? Instead, hope springs eternal as month after month all of the major cosmetic lines (and every fashion magazine) herald the arrival of their latest youth-in-a-bottle product. No one ever stops to think about last month’s wonder product because now there’s something new essentially stating it does the same thing.

What never ceases to amaze me is that no matter how many times Paula and I have debunked fantastic-sounding claims (and supported our conclusions with published research) many of our readers remain faithful that the next product will get it right. It doesn’t faze them that Lancome (for example) has had products claiming to work like Botox and lasers, yet none of them performed remotely as claimed. Not a single consumer saw their forehead creases go away or saw their imperfections zapped with laser-like precision. Yet many of us bought the products anyway, hoping against hope (and reality) that they’d work. Now Lancome has a new anti-aging serum claiming to boost the activity of the genes in our skin, resulting in renewed youth. It’s scary how many skin-care products are making ever more remarkable claims, yet rarely are they backed by formulas capable of doing what’s stated in black and white. But still, we believe. We really want to believe these cosmetic companies have our skin’s best interests in mind.

My mother is guilty of this, too. She knows what I do for a living. She’s read the books. She’s met Paula. Yet at least once per month I get an email or phone call from her asking about a line-erasing product or eye cream claiming to tighten bags under the eye and turn back the clock on wrinkles. Every time I tell her the same thing: Mom, stop wasting money on these products and start saving for a cosmetic procedure that really will make a difference—and please Mom, start using sunscreen. I guess she, like many consumers, doesn’t want to face facts. After all, it’s easy to look past the truth when the temptation to get what you want from a readily-accessible skin-care product is all around us.