Kiehl's Photo-Age High Potency Spot Treatment: Melasma Eraser for the Win!

Just read this product description from Kiehls.com:

Our Photo-Age High-Potency Spot Treatment powerfully reverses UV Damage three ways: provides instant luminosity & radiance, reverses visible damage on skin surface, and inhibits invisible damage from rising to the surface.

Doesn't that sound great? Who doesn't want improved luminosity and radiance??

But, the real reason that I was excited about this product is on the box.

This intensive, targeted treatment is formulated with brightening actives to reduce irregularities such as brown age spots which can be caused by sun damage and darkness from scarring.

You had me at brightening.

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Bliss Triple Oxygen Facial: Can the Foam Work?

I recently shared how I feel about "extra" oxygen. I'm going to ignore that as an obvious target of this product review. I'll just summarize and say, you don't need extra oxygen in your skin. At best your skin is not set up to have it actually get to alive skin cells, at worst you would be increasing free radicals and making all those anti-oxidants that you've already painstakingly applied to your face completely useless.

So, we're ignoring the useless oxygen.

Other than all that nonsense, I do actually really like this facial. It's pretty cool: a light orange/peach gel comes out of the bottle, you spread it on your face. With spreading and with about 1-2 minutes the products foams up and I swear if you listen closely you can hear it bubble. It is like Rice Krispies! The foaming feels really cool as well, not at all unpleasant. I'm not sure how the bubbles work, but I'm sure the Beauty Brains girls could explain it to the rest of us. After 5 minutes the foam rinses off easily.

The results? I do look a bit glowy and well rested. I'm also very hydrated, which I suspect is the real reason this mask works. Glance down at the ingredient list below and you'll see some moisturizing ingredients in the list (glycerin, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate). As well, there are some anti-oxidants (grape seed extract, tocopheryl acetate) which make me wonder if Bliss is trying to neutralize any free radicals? As well, I don't see their oxygen even mentioned.

Ingredients:
Water (aqua), methyl perfluorobutyl ether, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate, coco-glucoside, glycerin, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, cyclopentasiloxane, chondrus crispus (carrageenan), polyquaternium-37, dimethicone PEG-7 phosphate, fragrance (parfum), propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, sodium PCA, vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, gynostemma pentaphyllum extract, panthenol, polyhydroxystearic acid, ethylhexyl isononanoate, isononyl isononanoate, sodium cocamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate, hydrolyzed soy protein, potassium chloride, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, tocopheryl acetate, potassium sorbate, PPG-1 trideceth-6, citric acid, mica, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, ferulic acid, ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol manganese chloride, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), tocopherol, citral, limonene, linalool, red 40 (CI 16035), yellow 5 (CI 19140)

So, if you want to feel pampered and try out the cool foaming action then try out this facial. But, be educated about the extra money you're spending on the oxygen. It's probably paying for those cool bubbles.

Bliss Triple Oxygen Facial Mask

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Dr. Brandt Contour Effect

Dr. Brandt's newest product is a rich cream meant to help you win the battle of aging! I haven't tried this product yet, but a quick glance at what is in it shows me that is has peptides and antioxidants. In addition, Dr. Brandt states that this product is for those with dry skin, meaning it is very hydrating product, and will help plump up your skin helping with those fine lines we all develop as we age.

Key Ingredients:
• allantoin: prevents irritation to the skin.
• bacocalmine: anti-stress herb that sends signals to stop inflammation and irritation within the skin.
• calmosensine: a di-peptide that acts as a messenger for a relaxing effect on skins comfort and well-being.
• glycerine: is a humectant, and attracts water.
• grape seed extract: antioxidant
• mamaku essence: fern plant from New Zealand that increases cell production as well as tissue vitality and function. protects from environmental aggressors allowing cells to regenerate in a perfect healthy way. cell multiplication is boosted, restoring moisture and volume in the epidermis, prolongs cell life

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Dr. Brandt Crease Release

I have a confession, I was going to be a neurologist. And I hated learning about neurotransmitters in medical school. Strange, huh? Yet, here I am with a beauty blog, writing about neurotransmitters! What are they? Little chemicals that are released by the neurons or nerves, they travel across the great unknown to their target (usually another nerve or neuron, but sometimes part of a gland or maybe even a muscle), where the neurotransmitter makes the target act in certain ways.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because the whole idea behind this Crease Release product is a neurotransmitter, GABA. GABA is short for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, and it is a very small neurotransmitter that nearly always inhibits it's target, as it does at the neuromuscular junction. Which means that GABA will inhibit the muscle. That's right, the muscle won't move. Now, in theory it definitely makes sense if you could deliver GABA to the muscle, that you could inhibit it's movement, which would be a great way to simulate the effect of Botox on the forehead, for example.

So, does Crease Release actually work? Honestly, I had serious doubts that this product would be able to penetrate far enough into the skin to reach any muscle fibers (despite the small size of GABA). While you won't see complete immobilization of anything from this product (sorry, you'll need Botox to do that, it works with a different neurotransmitter, but that's a whole different series of posts that I'll likely never do), I do think that this product made an overall difference. I used WAY too much of this one day and my forehead was really sore, everytime I moved my eyebrows it hurt. So yes, I do think it gets down in there. I tend to get horizontal creases in my forehead by the end of the day, and I honestly think that by the end of the days I use this product the lines are much smaller.

Crease Release is a thick cream, and literally I can cover my entire forehead with a very small amount, similar to the amount of lip balm I apply to my lips. Which means that even though this cream is very expensive (thank goodness it is in that Discovery Kit!), a small amount is going to last you a very long time! Try this before you Botox!

Key Ingredients:
• gamma amino butyric acid: causes immediate and visible smoothing effect on the skin.
• gynostemma: anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory.
• sesame oil: emollient on the skin. very moisturizing.

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Dr Brandt "c"-gel

Now, if you want to add anti-oxidants to your skin care routine, pretty much any of the Dr. Brandt products will have you covered. But, if you really want to add a big punch of anti-oxidants, I have to recommend the c-gel. A quick glance at the list of ingredients below will show you just the sheer number of antioxidants in this gel.

Dr. Brandt recommends applying gels and serums to your skin before you apply a cream or lotion. This product in particular he recommends combining with Laser Tight- Laser in a Bottle to really combat aging.

This gel is fantastic! It is light, has a very faint smell and basically just absorbs into your skin without any residue, you'll never even know that you applied it! It is silky (due to the silicones) and just applies beautifully.

Ingredients:
• cyclomethicone: silicone
• dimethicone crosspolymer: silicone
• propylene glycol: a "base" for holding the other ingredients together
• sorbitan olivate: emulsifier
• lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil: anti-inflammatory
• vilis vinifera (grapeseed) oil: antioxidant
• phenoxyethanol: preservative
• polysorbate 80: surfactant
• citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil
• anthemis: chamomile, helps increase cell turnover
• nobilis flower oil (chamomile): antioxidant
• geranium maculatum oil: helps to balance oil production
• zinglber officinale (ginger) root oil: anti-inflammatory
• PVP: Silicone
• aqua (water)
• phospholipids: these are fatty little things that are part of cell membranes, not sure why they are here, but there you go!
• tocopheryl acetate: Vitamin E, Antioxidant
• ascorbyl palmitate: Vitamin C, Antioxidant

I do have one small problem with this product- Vitamin C is somewhat unstable, and it does best when not exposed to light and air. The bottle it comes in has a pump, and the bottom pushes up as you use the product which is great! This means that the product doesn't get exposed to air. However, the bottle is clear, rather than tinted. So, to help ensure that your Vitamin C remains stable I recommend storing it somewhere dark like inside of your medicine cabinet, rather than on the countertop.

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Dr. Brandt Laser in a Bottle

Laser in a Bottle is an interesting product. This is a light moisturizer chock full of anti-oxidants, but with the addition of Hyaluronic Acid this lotion promises to tighten and tone your skin. Unfortunately Hyaluronic Acid is pretty large, and it can't really penetrate down into the skin, but what it can do (and it can do it very well) is sit on the surface of the skin, holding on to moisture, and creating a definite firming and plumping effect. While this effect is temporary, it is definitely there and it can last for hours! If you glance down at the ingredient list, amongst the moisturizers and tons of antioxidants that Dr. Brandt is definitely known for, you'll see that the hyaluronic acid is actually pretty high up on the ingredient list, which is very unusual and definitely accounts for the great results many see with this lotion!

So, how did I like this lotion? I do like it quite a bit! This is a light, unscented lotion that was the perfect amount of moisture for my combination skin. I did see a "plumping" effect after use and several people commented that I was "looking great" or "more awake" which I consider a great success!

Ingredients:
• aqua (water)
• camellia oleifera (green tea) leaf extract: antioxidant
• pisum sativum (pea) extract: antioxidant
• helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil: emollient
• PEG-12 glyceryl distearate: emollient
• cetyl alcohol: thickening agent
• hydrolyzed soy protein: antioxidant
• stearyl alcohol
• vitis vinifera (grapeseed) extract: antioxidant
• camellia sinensis
• (white tea) leaf extract: antioxidant
• lavandula latifolia (lavender) oil
• hyaluronic acid: a large molecule that while found in your skin, is much too large to penetrate into the skin itself. It is known for it's ability to hold moisture to it.
• cyanocobalamin: Vitamin B12
• ceramide-2, menthone glycerine acetal, glycerin, glyceril stearate, PEG-100 stearate, butylene glycol, xanthan gum, titanium dioxide, cyclopentasiloxane, ammonium, acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer, dimethicone/vinyl, dimethicone crosspolymer, triethanolamine, benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, methylparaben, propylparaben.

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Dr. Brandt r3p Cream

Dr. Brandt includes a lot of antioxidants in many of his products, and this cream is no exception. However, what does make this cream different from many other anti-aging creams on the market today is that this cream also includes not 1, but 3 peptides! I love when a product includes multiple ways of fighting aging. I spent an incredibly long time looking at the list of ingredients in this product (that and work made today's post later than usual), and you can see from the list that not only is there a lot of moisturizers, but that there is a large number of peptide and antioxidant ingredients as well. (I put these important ingredients in bold for you to notice them more easily)

So, how is this cream? It's a little strange, because I'm not sure I would call this a cream actually. It's a little bit stickier than most creams, a light yellow/tan color and I honestly have been trying for days to think of a way to describe the smell. It's a sweet earthy smell, that's really the best I can do for you. I don't particularly care for the smell, but given all the good stuff packed into this product and that the smell goes away as soon as you apply the product, I can put up with it!

The r3p Cream is actually a light moisturizer, believe it or not, and Dr. Brandt suggests that if you have dry skin you consider pairing this cream with a second, stronger moisturizer. It was actually just right for my combination skin, soothing my dry spots but not over moisturizing my oily areas. Dr. Brandt does warn that some dryness or peeling may occur (I'm guessing from the red algae extract that speeds cell turnover), but with once a day use at night I did not experience this problem. What I did see was smooth, glowing skin!

Ingredients:
• aqua (deionized water)
• isodecyl neopantanoate: emollient
• cetearyl alcohol (and) cetearyl glucoside: emollient, emulsifier, thickener
• glycerin: emollient
• polyacrylamide (and) C13-14 isoparaffin (and) laureth-7: solvent/surfactant
• butyrospermum parkii (shea butter): emollient
• squalane: emollient
• sodium PCA: a natural skin humectant
• maltodextrin (and) camellia sinensis leaf (white tea) extract: Antioxidant
• acetyl hexapeptide-3: Peptide
• camellia oleifera seed (green tea) extract: Antioxidant
• saccharide isomerate: Emollient
• chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract (chamomile): Antioxidant
• ethoxydiglycol:Peptide
• sodium PCA (and) betaine (and) sorbitol (and) glycine, (and) alanine (and) proline (and) serine (and) threonine (and) arginine (and) lysine (and) glutamic acid
• retinyl palmitate (vitamin A): Antioxidant
• ahnfeltia concinna extract: A very special extract from red algae, this is a peptide that dramatically increases cell turnover!
• propylene glycol (and) cyclopentasiloxane: emulsifier
• (and) ascorbic acid (and) PVP (and) PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone (and) sodium chloride
carbomer: Vitamin C, Antioxidant
• triethanolamine: a pH adjuster
• vitis vinefera (grapeseed) extract: Antioxidant
• hedychium coronarium root extract: Hawaiian White Ginger, antimicrobial agent
• aloe barbadensis leaf
• propylene glycol (and) methylparaben (and) propylparaben (and) diazolidinyl urea: preservative
• DMDM hydantoin: antimicrobial preservative
• lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil
• tocophenol acetate (vitamin E): Antioxidant

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Dr. Brandt's Pores No More

I have combination skin that at times can become the bane of my existance, really. I need to moisturize my cheeks before they become dry and tight feeling, but too much moisture turns my slightly oily t-zone into an oil slick. Throw in a little change of the weather (like fall), and I'm very prone to shininess. I try carrying around blotting papers, powder, and I've tried nearly all of the mattifiers on the market without improvement. Until now! I do not know how I survived all of those years without this product. This is the mattifier that actually works people! Apparently someone even did a clinical study on it, and immediately oil is decreased by 63%!

This stuff is easy to use. 1 pump is enough for your entire face. It's a medium nude tone liquid, the consistency is somewhere between Ranch Dressing and A1 Sauce (I know, I know.... I couldn't think of any other way to describe it!). Don't worry about the color, once it's applied you can not see it (even on my lightest shade of MAC foundation skin!). It does smell quite a bit of Witch Hazel, but the smell is gone once the liquid has absorbed into your skin. It has an interesting feel, almost like talcum powder instead of a liquid. As you spread it onto your face, any oil literally disappears before your eyes, leaving behind smooth, virtually poreless, matte skin! I've had no issues with applying makeup over the Pores No More, in fact my foundation has been applying much more smoothly and I spend less time blending each morning. While the directions state that you can reapply over your makeup throughout the day, I have had no shine late into the evening!

The Active Ingredients
flax seed oil (linum seed extract): reduces oil production.

pro dimethysilanediol salicylate (same family as salicylic acid): soothing anti-inflammatory ingredient that restores pH balance in the skin, absorbs oil and prevents future breakouts.

tea tree oil: is an anti-bacterial, lipid soluble, non-irritating, and clarifying ingredient making it exceptional for treating blemished acne prone, and/or oily skin.

If all of that isn't reason enough to run out and buy this product right now, Karen over at Makeup and Beauty Blog recently attended the Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show where top makeup artists from MAC, Chanel, Clinique and Philosophy told all the ladies that the next trend will be Matte Skin! Ack! If that doesn't strike fear in the heart of those of us with shiny t-zones, I don't know what will!

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PCA Skin Anti-Redness Serum

No matter our skin type, ethnicity or other skin issues, there is one universal problem that we will all suffer from at one point or another– Redness.

Well, have no fear, because PCA Skin is here to fix our problems with their new Anti-Redness Serum. I have to say that this stuff really works. According to PCA skin, this is for "reduction of redness in those with persistent flushing, sensitive or rosacea-prone skin conditions and over-exposure to UV rays."

To help test out as many redness scenarios as possible, PCA sent samples to me and my mom! My redness is primarily just around my nose with occasional irritation across my cheeks. I also tested out the serum after an eyebrow waxing. My mom on the other hand does have rosacea with some redness across her cheeks, though I do have to say that with her current prescriptions she has only a small amount of stubborn redness that doesn't want to go away.

Initially, I was applying this serum in the morning with my moisturizer, and I didn't think it was doing a thing. Really. Then, suddenly one morning I realized that I hadn't applied concealer around my nose in about a week. I tried stopping the serum the next day, and the redness returned. Needless to say, I'm back to applying it everyday.

This serum was even more impressive for me after a recent trip to an ULTA opening (love that store), where I got a free eyebrow waxing. It wasn't something that I had planned on doing that morning, and when I arrived home about half an hour later I found my brow was still very red and inflammed despite the soothing lotion used by the salon. I had an appointment to rush off to, so I made a desparate grab for the PCA Anti-Redness Serum. I smeared it across the red areas and brushed my teeth. By the time I was swishing and spitting the redness was completely gone! If you ever experience redness after waxing I strongly suggest you pick up a bottle of this serum!

As for her experience with the product, my mom has experienced some improvements in the redness from her rosacea. She has really enjoyed using the serum, and loves the feeling of the serum on her skin.

So, what exactly is this stuff? It's a very pleasant milky white liquid, with a faint herbal smell. It quickly and fully absorbs into skin, leaving no shine or residue behind. A little bit of this serum goes a long way, so that 1 ounce bottle you buy will likely be well worth the money!

Key Ingredients:
• Aldavine: Brown and Red Algae blend, helps to decrease capillary leakage
• Capparenols: From capers, helps to inhibit inflammation
• Bisabolol: From Chamomile, anti-inflammatory and a humectant/occlusive to help with moisture
• Pro-Vitamin B5: Anti-inflammatory
• Sodium PCA: described by the company as one of the skin's own humectants to help with moisture retention

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Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum

The final product in Olay Week is the Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum. This serum contains the same great Amino-Peptides that all of the other products contain, and until the Micro-Sculpting Cream was introduced, I believe that this was the product with the highest concentration of the Amino-Peptides.

This product is very hydrating, and I think it is best suited for intensive treatment at night (at least if you have combination or oily skin). It feels very silky, only a small amount is needed to cover the entire face and neck, and it soaks in to the skin very quickly without leaving any greasy feeling behind. You'll wake up refreshed and glowing!
Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum

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Bioelements Review Series: Breakout Control

One of the best Bioelements products that I've tried to date is Bioelements Breakout Control. This is a product that is meant to be an "adult acne lotion" and can be used as a preventive lotion 1-2 times per day on the entire face or as a trouble shooter for problem areas. I started using this product twice a day when I began using Bioelements, but was soon able to cut back to once a day and then to an as-needed basis.

Breakout control is a 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide lotion, which makes it essentially the same product as Proactive's Repairing Lotion. Except, that this product is not Proactive's Lotion, because it is simply better!

Let me explain a little bit here. As I've mentioned before as a teen I had acne, which while it wasn't horrible, was not a small problem. I ignored the medicine my dad prescribed me (I didn't like being dry and peeling along with my pimples), and the problem simply didn't go away when I turned 18.

The problems were definitely better once I started medical school, but the real change came when I was preparing for my wedding. I bit the bullet and ordered Proactive, and began using the system religiously. While I did see an improvement in my acne, I also had quite a bit of peeling/drying and redness. My skin was clearer, but it was not happy about what I was applying to it. I tried decreasing to once a day lotion and then once every other day, but the issues with irritation persisted. I tried the Proactive products meant for those with dryness, but this made my acne worse. In frustration, I stopped using the products a few years ago, though I still have about 2 months worth of products in my bathroom right now.

Since that time my face has finally started to clear up quite a bit, though I do have blemishes around a certain time each month, and at times of stress.

When I saw that the active ingredient in Breakout Control was also 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide, I was anticipating many of the same issues. But, I'm really happy to report that I have had no issues with irritation, dryness, redness or itching as a result of Breakout Control (or any other Bioelements product, actually). I applied this to my entire face twice a day for a few weeks, weaned myself down to once a day and now I use it just when I have the beginnings of trouble.

My face definitely cleared quite a bit with the use of Breakout Control! I will say that it didn't seem quite strong enough for my largest blemish, but to be fair that one was present already when I started using the product and was a very deep blemish.

Blemish Control has definitely helped to decrease any small blemishes that I have and I believe has really helped to prevent any new ones from rearing their ugly heads!
Bioelements Breakout Control

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Bioelements Review Series: Sleepwear and Probotix

My next step in my nightly Bioelements routine is Probotix. Honestly I still haven't quite figured out what this one does, here is info from the Bioelements site:

BIFIDUS FERMENT LYSATE - Cell compounds derived from natural bifidus cultures (also found in yogurt and dietary supplements) lab-engineered to treat the skin. Strengthens the immune system and balances the skin's microflora.

LACTOSE & MILK PROTEINS - Stimulates skin cell functions, calms sensitive and irritated skin, softens skin.

I haven't found any info doing medical literature searches on topical use of any of these ingredients. However, that does not by any means mean that the info is not there, and I certainly have no objections to using any of these things on the skin. I did find quite a few reviews of this product with doing a quick Google search, and there did seem to be a lot of people with good things to say about Probotix! I used this clear gel everynight, and since my skin now looks so great, I'm definitely recommending it to others!

At the end of each night, I have been using Sleepwear to complete my nighly beauty routine.

According to Bioelements, the active ingredients in Sleepwear are:
Topical Calcium PCA - Strengthens epidermal cell cohesion and inhibits the release of MMPs that damage collagen and elastin.
Cranberry Oil - "super vitamin E" and a potent source of antioxidants
Retinol - vitamin A in its purest and most active form. Smoothes out lines and wrinkles
Protein Peptides - stimulate the synthesis of collagen by more than 300%

I had a few added ingredients in my Sleepwear (It was custom blended for me by Bioelements, so I have added Vitamin C and Lavender in mine). But, notice what it already has in it, Cacium PCA (which helps to stop break down of collagen), Retinol and Peptides are all included!

Sleepwear is a great moisturizer. It comes in the cute little glass jar, and has a light lemon color. Mine smells like fresh lavender, which is just amazing right before bed! It easily soaks into my skin, and isn't too heavy. I feel really glowing after using it each night, and I literally go to bed each night just smelling the lavender-- Love it!


Bioelements Probotix Anti-Aging Serum
Bioelements Sleepwear

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Bioelements Review Series: Power Peptide

The second step in my Bioelements skin care routine is the Power Peptide both morning and night. Now, I've never really been a toner girl, despite having combination skin. I forget to use it, haven't seen benefits, etc. So, I was surprisingly loyal to using my Power Peptide, and I didn't really understand what exactly it was that I was spraying on my face twice a day until I started to write this post.

Power Peptide is not really a classic toner, if you could ever even consider it one at all. Power Peptide is a liquid that you spray onto your skin while it is damp and allow to either dry, or you apply other products over it while it is still damp. The Power Peptide really has no smell, and is a light refreshing mist. I wash my face, lightly pat it to remove most (but not all) of the water, and then spritz on Power Peptide. I try to do this without a shirt on, because since the spray falls all over, I could then get the extra onto my chest, shoulders, etc. I did find that the Power Peptide tarnished my silver necklaces (easily fixed with my polishing cloth), so I started removing my necklace for my daily routine. In the morning I allow this to dry a bit before applying my Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15, but at night I continue on with applying the rest of my Bioelements products. The Power Peptide bottle is surprisingly very large at 6 ounces, and I have barely made a dent in it!

Now that you know what Power Peptide is like to use, what the heck is this stuff? Well, according to Bioelements, this product:
• Adds youthful radiance
• Revitalizes skin with renewing peptides
• Boosts moisture
• Brightens and refines skin tone

All of that sounds pretty great to me! How does it do this? With Peptides. Peptides are basically very small proteins, and yes, they are small enough to get down through the skin in all the layers we've discussed.

I'm enough of a believer that I'm going to continue to use the Power Peptide! I love spritzing, I feel like I'm back in the 1940s or something (very decadent and glamorous)! I also like applying products over the Power Peptide, I use a LOT less of the other products when they are applied over damp Power Peptide as they are very easily distributed in a more even application. Be sure to pick up a bottle when you buy your Bioelements products!

Find Bioelements near you
Bioelements Power Peptide
Reference: Lupo, MP. Cosmeceutical Peptides. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31:832-836

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