Anti-Aging : Beauty and Fashion Tech

Estee Lauder Perfectionist CP+ Wrinkle Lifting Serum

Estee Lauder Perfectionist CP+ Wrinkle Lifting Serum is a peptide anti-aging serum aimed at collagen production. It is designed to be used daily, before applying moisturizer. A decent sized container runs around $55. I found that very little is needed and it absorbs very quickly. I haven’t used it long enough to speak about result though.

For October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Estee Lauder has also released Perfectionist CP+ as part of its pink products collection. To find that version, visit your local Estee Lauder counter. If you are going to buy a fairly expensive serum, some of the cost might as well go to a good cause!

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Popularity: 22% [?]

DDF Protect and Correct UV Moisturizer With SPF 15

DDF always tends toward impressive products. I particularly love their new Protect and Correct UV Moisturizer aimed at treating and preventing hyperpigmentation and melasma. I have always been a fan of double duty products, so this one goes high on my recommended item list.

DDF’s Protect and Correct is a light moisturizer with four chemical sunscreens for SPF 15 coverage. It also contains various extracts, including licorice root extract, to help treat pigmentation. So, the sunscreen prevents discoloration, while the extracts treat it.

The lotion has a decent feel to it, absorbs fairly quickly, and I had no issues with acne with it. I do wish it had a higher SPF though. I really prefer to use SPF 30 and above. A physical blocker in it instead of all chemical ones would be nice too. Regardless, it still is a quality product.

DDF Protect and Correct retails at around $58 and can be found at various online sources.

Buy DDF Protect and Correct UV Moisturizer SPF 15 at Spa Look

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Popularity: 23% [?]

Melasma Treament with Exuvince Skin Brightening Gel

I am constantly switching up my melasma treatment products. I do this for two reasons:

(1) I want to test them all for publication, and (2) It is actually good for you to switch products. Hyperpigmentation tends to respond best when different items are used, so switching treatment actives now and then can trigger your skin to react better to them.

My latest test item has been Exuviance Skin Brightening Gel. Right off the bat I noticed something different about this gel that I really liked: The gel is thicker than most. This makes it easier to apply only to discolored areas. The gel itself is hydroquinone free for those who are concerned about that ingredient. Instead of using hydroquinone as the primary agent it includes the following:

A skin-renewing blend of anti-aging Polyhydroxy and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (PHAs and AHAs), including Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid and Gluconolactone - along with skin brighteners including Kojic Acid, Vitamin C, Mulberry Extract, Bearberry Extract and Licorice.

That is a pretty decent list of ingredients that are known to be effective skin lighteners, making this a good one to try out. I used it for several weeks in conjuction with a hydroquinone product and was perfectly happy. But effectiveness overall is hard for me to judge, simply because I do use hydroquinone in conjuction with other products and am not willing to completely give it up when testing other items.

At $25, the Exuviance Skin Brightening Gel is also one of the most affordable brightening products on the market that includes a good blend of treatment actives. So this one is a good value as well.

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Popularity: 35% [?]

Five Great Uses for Creme de la Mer (Psst.. It Can Actually Be a Good Value)

Oh the joy of Creme de la Mer. Some swear by it. Others say it is over-rated. Most agree that it is expensive, and yes, if you use it as your daily face creme it is.. But if you use it for more limited purposes, it actually can become a pretty good value. I never apply it to my full face. Instead I stretch an ounce of the lovely thick creme for over a year using it in the following ways.

* As an eye creme. La Mer makes an expensive and rather small eye balm, but the creme works just as well. In fact it is one of the best dry skin eye creams I have found. A teeny tiny bit is all that is needed for some wonderful overnight hydration.

* Condition your lashes and brows. While you are putting a bit under your eyes, rub some into your lashes and onto your brows. It will not irritate your eyes and will condition both lashes and brows.

* As a sore skin treatment. Consider that terrible feeling and look of a nose that is raw and red after a bad cold. Regular lotion stings on the dry skin. But Creme de la Mer does not. I have found nothing better to treat a raw nose. Use it at the first signs of a cold and you can prevent it altogether.

* Dry skin spot treatment: Got patchy areas of super dry skin? Use a bit of Creme de la Mer on only those areas.

* Soften calluses. To help remove calluses, rub some high strength glycolic acid such as AB Skin Care Happy Feet (read review) on them and apply a bit of Creme de la Mer to seal it in and provide moisture.

Creme de la Mer is available online and in better department stores. For use in small areas, look for the smaller and much cheaper .24 Sample Size. A small tub will last quite a while if you are only using it as an eye or lash cream. My last sample size tub lasted 3-4 months because I only used it for my eyes.

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Popularity: 24% [?]

Dr. Michele Copeland Skin Care Foundation and Concealer

Dr. Michele Copeland Skin Care has an extensive line of skin care products, along with some quite lovely cosmetics with anti-aging ingredients. Being a fan of double duty types of products, I gave the Ageless Foundation and Concealer a try and loved them both.

Dr. Michelle Copeland Skin Care Ageless Skin Under Eye Concealer with Anti-Wrinkle Complex, comes in a tube with a wand applicator. It is creamy in texture, as a good under eye concealer should be. The concealer contains the ingredients found in Copeland’s Rewind Eye Formula for anti-aging treatment.

Dr. Michelle Copeland Ageless Foundation Dr. Michelle Copeland Skin Care Ageless Skin Foundation is wonderful. The makeup covers fairly well and has a nice moisturizing feel to it. I found that it looked very nice and did not settle into lines and wrinkles. Best of all it contains a bunch of anti-aging ingredients. From the Dr. Michele Copeland website:

Developed by renowned New York Plastic surgeon, Dr. Michelle Copeland, the Ageless Skin Foundation Cameo contains Dr. Copeland’s Age-Defying ERASE Complex, which has an exclusive blend of age-defying ingredients and SPF 15 protection. You just [can't] find this in other foundations! Like Ageless Skin Concealer, this lightweight foundation not only covers up but also helps solve skin issues with powerful anti-aging ingredients like Argireline, DMAE and Coenzyme Q10. Contains Aloe, a natural moisturizer. Blends in easily and evenly to provide a smooth, natural finish.

I’m a big DMAE fan, and with SPF 15 and moisturizing properties, this foundation goes high on my favorites list.

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Popularity: 12% [?]

Remergent Skin Care

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the wonderful book The New Science of Perfect Skin: Understanding Skin Care Myths and Miracles For Radiant Skin at Any Age by Daniel Yarosh PH.D (read review). Yarosh also has a skin care line through his company AGI Dermatics. If you are a retinol fan, or have been considering trying retinol products, this is great line to look at. If you are not familiar with retinol, it is one of the most effective, if not the absolute best, anti-aging, anti-wrinkle treatment actives available.

I tried four products from the line, and today will focus on the Complete Cleanser and two retinol products, the Progressive Retinol Complex and Advanced Retinol Therapy. Watch in a few weeks for a look at the Clarifying Concentrate, aimed at treating melasma and similar types of hyperpigmentation.

The Complete Cleanser provides pH-correction to condition and prepare the skin for optimum delivery of treatment actives. This is a generally non-drying lotion type of cleanser that does a sufficient job of cleaning and removing makeup. Mostly, it is aimed at helping the treatment actives absorb the best.

The two retinol products are what really shine. The Remergent Progressive Retinol complex contains .4% retinol and serves as a good beginner product in order to acclimate the skin to retinol. It is also formulated to minimize irritation from the active ingredient. If you have not used retinol before or are sensitive to it—something that is common and is entirely normal—this is a great place to start. From there, the next step is a move up to Advanced Retinol Therapy, which has 1% retinol, the highest concentration available over the counter. Finding a product with a full 1% over the counter can be a bit difficult, and many products never tell you the concentration, so it is nice to know that you are getting the full amount with one.

I found that the Advanced Retinol Therapy was a bit more gentle than some other retinol products I have used, although I still did get a bit of redness from it, likely from a bit of overuse. Remember that a little goes a long way with this stuff! The container actually puts out pre-measured doses for your entire face and one is enough! I had no issues with breakouts using it (retinol can also help treat acne in some people, but it doesn’t seem to work well on acne for me). I also saw nicely bright and good looking skin after 4 weeks of use. I have particularly been using retinol in conjunction with various skin lighteners to treat melasma and pigmented areas.

Overall, the Remergent line is a nice option for anyone wanting to try retinol or who wants to know that they are getting the full over the counter amount. It is available online from various sources and through some dermatologists. See remergentskin.com for locations.

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Popularity: 19% [?]

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Pressed Powder

Peter Thomas Roth is generally known for their excellent skin care products instead of cosmetics. But now they have a nice combo cosmetic/skin care powder, Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Pressed Powder. It also had an appearance in the Get Smart movie, starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.

From the company:

The new powder is lightweight, translucent and instantly improves the overall look of the skin while delivering anti-aging peptides and neuropeptides, which helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and deep wrinkles. The powder blends seamlessly for a flawless, luminous finish, helping skin retain moisture while working to set makeup. The key anti-aging ingredient behind the product is SYN-AKE – a synthetic neuropeptide that mimics the wrinkle relaxing properties of snake venom from the Brazilian Viper.

I gave it a try and found it to be pretty nice. The powder is finely milled and goes on smooth. The black compact is also attractive, with a flip up compartment for the pad and an interior mirror. So as a powder alone, it is rather nice–that it also has anti-aging properties is a bonus! Overall, it is nice stuff!

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Popularity: 8% [?]