Why Beauty Product Loyalty Has its Rewards: See how with regular use, anti-aging products can actually live up to their claims

Are you a product junkie? I am. Let me put it to you this way, if I had a dollar for every cream, lipstick or eyeshadow in my bathroom, I'd ... well, I'd probably just go out and blow it on more products.

Seriously, it's getting to the point where I have to limit the number of times I let myself go into a CVS or near a beauty counter for fear that all those pretty packages, dazzling hues and promises of a tighter, firmer, line-free visage will lure me into making a serious dent in my checking account.

These days it's the "Dear lord -- please stop me from getting any more wrinkles" products that really test my resolve. I mean, what forty-something, whose face certainly isn't getting any younger, wouldn't be enticed by statements like "powerful anti-aging technology," or "discover the recipe of youth"? Retinols, peptides, niacinamide -- you name the latest, greatest ingredient and I promise you it's been slathered on my face.

The challenge is to pick a single product and stick with it long enough to let it work its wonders. Since most claim to yield results after "8 weeks" or "3 months" -- using one for a week, getting frustrated by lack of instant gratification and moving on to the next, must be counter productive.

That's why, when I heard (and read) great things about Rodan + Fields Anti-Age Night Renewing Serum, $89, I decided to sweep all of my usual products off the counter to see whether it would yield the "reinvigorated, more lifted look". And, really, after reading that results come after a month, I could, for once, stick with a program ... right?

The answer, due in large part to the clever way it's packaged, is a resounding yes. The mono-dose capsules make the product easy to use -- I am always afraid of using too much or too little and since the price tag is a little high (though not as high as it could be), I didn't want to get overzealous with product disbursement. The retinol inside each teeny little capsule is meant to increase cell turnover, while the peptides boost the skin's natural collagen, smoothing and firming my face. Each night I'd crack open one of the capsules and apply it to my face -- in lieu of my regular treatments, and sit back and wait for the marker of "Wow, I look like a babe," or "Wow, I just wasted my money."

Before I knew it, a month had passed (time flies when you're having fun -- or when you're a single, working mom of 8-year-old twins) and whaddaya know? It worked. I definitely saw improvement in the texture of my skin -- it felt smooth and taut, and I would swear that I have fewer lines on my forehead now. Like I said, "Wow."

Who knew that being loyal would reap such benefits? This positive experience might just change the way I use (and purchase) products. Then again ...