Olay Total Effects Fragrance-Free Moisturizer With Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Dry/Combination

I will admit, I was a bit skeptical about using a "drugstore" brand moisturizer but after thoroughly researching its ingredients I realized that it was perfect for me. It has a hefty dose of niacinamide (vitamin B3), plus vitamin C, and green tea. I love that this product comes in a pump because it is easy to use, and helps reassure that the ingredients remain stable in the packaging. It has a creamy, yet silky consistency that does take a bit of time to sink in, so you must make sure you rub it in thoroughly. One pump is enough to cover your face, neck, and decolletage. Niacinamide- is a potent cell-communicating ingredient that offers multiple benefits for aging skin. Assuming skin is being protected from sun exposure, niacinamide can improve skin's elasticity, dramatically enhance its barrier function, help erase discolorations, and revive skin's healthy tone and texture. Topically applied niacinamide has been shown to increase ceramide and free fatty acid levels in skin, prevent skin from losing water content, and stimulate microcirculation in the dermis. It also has a growing reputation for being able to treat an uneven skin tone and to mitigate acne and the red marks it leaves behind (known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). It is an excellent ingredient for those struggling with wrinkles and breakouts. Niacinamide is stable in the presence of heat and light. Vitamin C - Water-soluble vitamin that is considered a potent antioxidant for skin. It has been shown to increase collagen production (including dermal collagen, which is significant for wrinkle reduction), reduce the appearance of skin discolorations, strengthen skin’s barrier response, enhance skin’s repair process, reduce inflammation, and help skin better withstand exposure to sunlight, whether protected by sunscreen or not. Vitamin C is an excellent ingredient to include in your skin-care routine, particularly if signs of aging are a concern. Just keep in mind that no single ingredient is the be all, end all for skin care. Just like your body needs a healthy, balanced diet to function optimally, your skin needs a broad range of ingredients to help it look its best. Vitamin C comes in many forms, with ascorbic acid being the most common. Other forms of vitamin C include magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, L-ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl glucosamine, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl glucoside, and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. Note that vitamin C in any anti-aging product must be packaged to protect it from excess light and air exposure. Although ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid are most prone to breaking down with repeated light and air exposure, even stabilized forms of vitamin C won't remain as potent if they are not packaged to minimize or eliminate light and air exposure. That means avoid any vitamin C product packaged in a jar, unless what's inside the jar are individually-sealed, single-use capsules. Green tea - Most researchers agree that tea (black, green, or white) has potent anti-inflammatory properties and that it is a potent antioxidant whether consumed orally or applied topically. Current research also indicates that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an extract of tea, can prevent collagen breakdown and reduce UV damage to skin, which is a very good reason to use skin-care products that contain one or more forms of tea.

May 1, 2013

ReVive Les Yeux Presse

More cosmetic than skincare

The second ingredient in this eye cream is fragrant orange fruit water, which isn’t what you want to apply around your eyes, or elsewhere on the face for that matter. Fragrance is never skin care. For an obscene price, you’re getting mostly fragrant plant water, silicone, water-binding agent, and a film-forming agent (think hairspray) that can make skin look temporarily smoother. ReVive includes some antioxidants and an anti-irritant, but the main point of difference this brand has is its use of growth factors. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF; fibroblasts are specialized cells that generate skin’s collagen) are included in teeny amounts in this formula. There is no research showing that topical application of these growth factors can firm or lift skin or remedy any other eye-area woe, such as puffiness or dark circles. Topical application of growth factors is controversial for many reasons, but the primary concern is that growth factors may stimulate the proliferation of cells to the point where their normal, healthy growth goes haywire. Such uncontrolled growth is the blueprint for cancer, and that’s not a good tradeoff for lineless skin (which this product doesn’t provide). The inclusion of growth factors makes this a product I can’t recommend despite the inclusion of some beneficial ingredients. The good news is that growth factors are not expected to have much, if any, effect when applied topically because, according to the textbook Cosmetic Dermatology (2nd Edition, 2009, by Dr. Leslie Baumann MD), it is unknown if growth factors in skin-care products, which aren’t required to prove their claims, “are stable, can be absorbed adequately, or exert a functionally significant outcome to induce dermal remodeling and reverse photoaging” due to the lack of well-controlled studies. Still, it is precisely the unknowns surrounding topical application of various growth factors that warrant a cautionary approach to their use, if you even use them at all. By the way, the glow this product provides is a cosmetic brightening effect, courtesy of titanium dioxide and talc. This product is neither special nor worth the price ReVive charges, but there you have it.

April 15, 2013

Origins A Perfect World Deep cleanser with White Tea

Perfectly irritating fragrance.

It's not even close to a perfect world for your skin when your cleanser contains irritants such as bergamot, spearmint, and lemon peel oils. All of these and many more plant ingredients in this water soluble cleanser are problematic for skin, and are a must to keep away from the eye area. As for Origins' rarefied silver-tipped white tea, it is barely present. Even if the white tea was a major ingredient this cleanser, its positive benefit is negated by the litany of irritants present and the fact that it would be rinsed down the drain before it could have a benefit.

April 15, 2013

IS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum

C no difference

This water-based serum is said to be excellent for treating cystic acne, rosacea, and insect bites—quite a diverse range of problems. Pro-Heal Serum has a formula that differs little from the other vitamin C–based serums from iS Clinical, although those others are sold with quite different claims. I suspect iS Clinical didn’t think anyone would notice. As it turns out, this serum is neither healing nor helpful for any skin problem, especially rosacea, because it contains alcohol. Alcohol causes free-radical damage and irritation, and hurts the skin’s ability to heal. The amount of alcohol isn’t considerable, but its mere presence isn’t good news for skin battling acne or rosacea; plus, it’s listed before the beneficial ingredients such as retinol and tocopherol (vitamin E). Particularly troubling is the claim that this serum can treat cystic acne. This type of acne, which can lead to disfiguring scars, is not treatable with over-the-counter skin-care products. Even well-formulated anti-acne products that contain ingredients that research has shown to be the gold standard for acne (i.e., benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) don’t offer much relief for this severe condition. Medical intervention is needed to get this type of acne to heal. Moreover, there is minimal research indicating vitamin C (the main “active” ingredient in this serum) is a winning ingredient for any type of acne. It is definitely not preferred to retinol or salicylic acid, and the form of vitamin C used in published studies on treating acne isn’t the same kind that iS Clinical uses (Sources: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, February 2009, pages 41–46; and Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, April 2008, pages 955–971). What about rosacea? Unfortunately, the acid component of ascorbic acid (vitamin C’s native form, which is what’s in this serum) can be too irritating for rosacea-affected skin. Stabilized forms of vitamin C (e.g., magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) may prove helpful for rosacea due to their anti-inflammatory action. However, anyone struggling with rosacea should avoid products or ingredients that cause flare-ups, regardless of any specific ingredient’s traits.

April 15, 2013

Clarins Super Restorative Serum

Too much fragrance

Super Restorative Serum is one of Clarins’ most expensive skin-care products, but this is also a classic case of a product’s name, price, and marketing agenda not adding up to what’s inside the bottle, which, for all intents and purposes, is just another thin-textured moisturizer (it really doesn't have a standard serum look or feel; in fact, the finish is a bit tacky, not silky). The Clarins sales staff would no doubt blanch at that statement, as most of the counter personnel we spoke to treated this product as if it were the fountain of youth, yet they clearly must be entranced by their company’s assertions, because nothing in this product can firm, lift, restore, or tone the skin. This product contains mostly water, slip agents, thickeners, emollient, silicone, film-forming agent, water-binding agent, fragrance (lots of fragrance), several plant extracts (all present in minute amounts), caffeine, preservatives, and coloring agents. Clarins tends to favor exotic-sounding plants over state-of-the-art skin-care ingredients such as proven antioxidants or anti-irritants. Obviously, although that is undeniably enticing to some consumers, it doesn’t help skin and it often causes undue irritation. There is no reason to consider this product an anti-aging treatment option. If you’re shopping for serums or moisturizers at the department store and want a selection of modern, elegant formulas, your skin and pocketbook would be better off exploring the options from Estee Lauder, Peter Thomas Roth, DDF, or Clinique before just about anything Clarins offers.

April 15, 2013

Bio-Oil PurCellin Oil

Don't bother

he company maintains that it uses a “breakthrough ingredient” known as PurCellin oil. As it turns out, this oil is derived from ducks (it is the substance ducks secrete from their skin to keep their feathers waterproof), but it has absolutely no research proving it affects the skin concerns that Bio-Oil is touted as being able to treat. In fact, PurCellin oil isn’t even included on Bio-Oil’s ingredient list. Instead, you’re applying a mix of mineral oil and emollients to your skin, along with commonplace vitamins and some irritating fragrant plant oils (which is at best confusing and strangely misleading). Several irritating fragrance ingredients are included, too, all of which adds up to an unabashedly poor product that should not be taken seriously because it simply doesn’t make scars and stretch marks less apparent. All this can realistically do (beyond irritating skin) is provide some moisturizing benefit. That can help minimally if your skin is dry, but it won’t change any other aspect of scarring, nor will it improve an uneven skin tone. Of particular concern is the lavender oil, which smells great but causes havoc on skin. Research indicates that components of lavender, specifically linalool, can be cytotoxic, which means that topical application causes skin-cell death (Source: Cell Proliferation, June 2004, pages 221–229). Lavender leaves contain camphor, which is a known skin irritant. Because the fragrance constituents in lavender oil oxidize when exposed to air, lavender oil is a pro-oxidant, and this enhanced oxidation increases its irritancy on skin (Source: Contact Dermatitis, September 2008, pages 143–150). Lavender oil is the most potent form, and even small amounts of it (0.25% or less) are problematic. Although it’s fine as an aromatherapy agent for inhalation or relaxation, it is a must to avoid in skin-care products. (Source: Psychiatry Research, February 2007, pages 89–96)

April 15, 2013

Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Cream

All that glitters is not gold.

Given the price and size, this ends up being $520 an ounce, yet the core ingredients in this moisturizer are so basic and so boring that the price defies all logic beyond the fact that the cosmetics industry has skillfully convinced many consumers that expensive means better and that hyper-expensive must mean the product works brilliantly. There are outstanding and disappointing products in all price ranges, and this one falls into the disappointing category. The light-diffusing claims are tied to the high amount of titanium dioxide and mica in this eye cream, which brighten and add shine to the eye area, although the shine isn’t the best if your eye area is wrinkled because it will only make those lines more noticeable. However, the shine and whiteness effect is cosmetic and readily available from countless products costing significantly less than this. Beyond the light-diffusing trickery, all of the intriguing ingredients in this eye cream are listed after the preservative. The fact that it’s packaged in a jar won’t help many of the beneficial ingredients, present only in minute amounts, remain stable during use, which is a huge letdown at any price. What about the gold? Well, as it turns out, gold in any amount isn’t a precious ingredient for your skin. It is a relatively common allergen that can induce dermatitis about the face and eyelids (Sources: Inflammation and Allergy Drug Targets, September 2008, pages 145–162; Dermatologic Therapy, volume 17, 2004, pages 321–327; and Cutis, May 2000, pages 323–326). And if it is really nano-sized as claimed that would be even more problematic for your body because gold compounds are associated with many side effects. Gold compounds used to treat arthritis have been shown to cause birth defects, they also pass into breast milk, they can interact with other drugs, and they can cause sun sensitivity, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, and increased sweating. There is zero research proving topical application of gold has any anti-wrinkle or rejuvenating effect on skin. This cream also contains fragrant plant waxes that shouldn’t be used near the eyes.

April 15, 2013

Dior L'Or de Vie - La Creme

Outlandish claims

Let us say from the start that reviewing any product with this price tag just makes me hate the cosmetics industry. It is such a blatant joke I can’t imagine how the marketing people and chemists involved in this product sleep at night. Okay, having had my little tirade, the claim that this moisturizer combines the best anti-aging ingredients with the powers of L’Or de Vie is true only in the mind of Dior; there is no research proving any of that claim is true. And, for this amount of money there should be some proof somewhere because prescription medications that cost far less require piles of documentation. L’Or de Vie is supposedly a unique French vine that is harvested at its peak and goes through a multi-step purification process to extract every bit of this vine’s regenerative essence. The vine doesn’t have regenerative properties for skin, but if you’re going to charge such an outlandish amount of money for what amounts to a basic moisturizer, then you need this kind of story for support. As usual for Dior products, the intriguing ingredients comprise very little of the formula. There are some good ingredients in this moisturizer, but none of the proven ones are unique to Dior, nor are they present in amounts that come close to justifying the price. Bottom line: this falls far short of offering a selection of “the best” anti-aging ingredients. It’s little more than a vastly overpriced moisturizer for dry skin. Even more pathetic, the jar packaging will render the few antioxidants this does contain ineffective shortly after the product is opened.

April 15, 2013

Dior L'Or de Vie Le Serum

dramatically overpriced

What could possibly be in this skin-care product that warrants such an exorbitant price tag? In reality, absolutely nothing! This lavishly packaged, exceedingly ordinary formula claims to provide “ultimate complete anti-aging action,” but the only thing ultimate is the claim. Without sunscreen, this does not in any way have complete anti-aging action. Moreover, if this serum is the complete option, then what about all of the other products Dior sells making similar claims about fighting aging? Do those not work as well because they cost less. Is L’Or De Vie the only product they sell really worth having and the others a waste of your money? If nothing else, this serum is further proof that when it comes to skin care, ultra-expensive doesn’t necessarily equal better. The big-deal ingredient in this serum is a sap extract from a type of grapevine that grows grapes on an old French vineyard. Dior asks you to believe that this special sap, which helps the vine withstand harsh conditions, can somehow extend its magical survival properties to aging skin, leading to a firmer, more luminous complexion. It sounds tempting, but despite the creative story (which, if you scratch beneath the surface is pretty hokey, and one we’ve heard before from lines like SKII among many others), skin care is never as simple as one ingredient, and it doesn’t have to come from a vineyard or any place exotic. Just like a healthy diet consists of eating a wide range of nutritious foods, your skin (the body’s largest organ) requires a range of beneficial ingredients (antioxidants, skin-repairing substances, and cell-communicating ingredients) to keep it vibrant and healthy. Beyond the ingredients tied to the French vineyard, there isn’t much else in this serum to write about; in fact, it is about as ordinary as it gets. As usual for Dior, fragrance and fragrance ingredients are present, and both are sources of irritation that keep aging skin from looking its youthful best—what pleases your nose won’t please your face. In the end, this isn’t money well spent. Even though you don’t need to spend a lot of money for a brilliantly formulated serum (which this isn’t), should you choose to do so, you can find superior options elsewhere.

April 15, 2013

La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Cream

Irritating Illumination

For what this moisturizer costs, it should be brimming with state-of-the-art ingredients and have the type of packaging that keeps those ingredients stable during use. This product strikes out on both counts. First, the core ingredients in this hyper-expensive moisturizer are present in numerous other moisturizers that cost a lot less, and second, many of the less expensive products are not packaged in jars. White Caviar Illuminating Cream has a texture that is both light and emollient, in part because of the silicones it contains plus petrolatum (think Vaseline). It also contains some very good antioxidants, in particular resveratrol and vitamins C and E, as well as interesting plant extracts such as grape vine and licorice. However, it also contains several plant extracts with the potential for irritation, including ginseng and horsetail, along with fragrance, both synthetic and natural. Irritation is always a problem for skin, but somehow it feels even more damaging when you’re spending this much money. There is nothing illuminating about this product, and needless to say caviar is better on a cracker than it is on your skin. La Prairie has been touting this ingredient for years, and there still isn’t a shred of published research anywhere about its claimed benefit for skin. The claims of lightening brown spots are passable given the antioxidants and licorice extracts, but those are not unique to this product and they certainly don’t replace the need for sunscreen during the day. In summing up, the positives definitely don’t outweigh the negatives for this moisturizer, and the price just makes it all rather ridiculous—don’t you agree?

April 14, 2013