The Favorite Products of Beauty Experts: Dr. Sarah Vickery, Beauty Product R&D

For body, I use a combo of 1. Olay Shea Butter body wash and Olay bar soap. I have very dry skin, and these are both incredibly hydrating. I also think both of these smell great naturally nice and fresh without being overly flowery or powdery (which I do not like!).

For my face, I still use 2. Olay Regenerist lotion with SPF. It's a classic and I love it.

I like a lot of Secret products, but currently I'm using 3. Secret Natural Minerals in vanilla and eucalyptus. It does its job nicely without an overpowering powdery smell.

One of the benefits of having some good friends in hair care is that I recently got an early supply of 4. Pantene Aqualights shampoo and conditioner. I LOVE it! I have a lot of hair, but each strand is on the finer side. Right now, my hair is pretty long, and it doesn't take much to weigh it down. I feel like Aqualight was made for me. I'm finally getting compliments on my hair again. Although that could also be due to my new Wella hair color.

I like all of the 5. Venus shave creams, but I generally grab the one for sensitive skin. I actually don't have sensitive skin, but why risk it?


Before joining P&G, Dr. Vickery obtained a Ph.D. in Bioanalytical Chemistry at the University of Kansas. As a Principal Scientist for Research & Development (R&D) in Color Cosmetics at P&G Beauty & Grooming, Dr. Sarah Vickery plays a key role in the development and promotion of new cosmetic technologies ranging across the face, eyes and lips. Specific projects included the study of the surface characteristics of new thermoplastic elastomer mascara brushes to evaluate delivery of mascara onto lashes, and the use of imaging techniques to assess lip color wear, providing insights into long-lasting color development.

1

Deep Cleansing Brushes: What's the Difference Between All of Them?

I'm sure you've noticed it in my Beauty Expert Series that Clarisonics have been mentioned many, many times. They're continually mentioned in magazines and on-line by both dermatologists and estheticians as a must have (and use) item. Why? While you might think that using just your hands, cleanser and a few splashes of water is enough to clean your face.... it really isn't. You need a bit more friction than that. Add in a little light exfoliation each time you use the Clarisonic and it is a skin's dream come true. You look more glowy, don't have a light residual layer of makeup when you go to bed, and since you've exfoliated off a little dead skin all of your expensive skin care works better.

But, that Clarisonic is so expensive! I have one, I admit to being too lazy to use it every day (I'm more of an every 2-3 days Clarisonic girl, I go with an old fashioned wash cloth twice a day usually). I've been resolving to improve this to every night over the summer.

But, what if you don't have a Clarisonic? And can't imagine shelling out the big bucks to do it? There are alternatives, and I thought a review and comparison of the 4 deep facial cleansing machines I have here at home would be worthwhile. I do want to state that in the past I've reviewed the Sirius Beauty brush as well, but I've since given it away. So, here are the 4 I have at home!

Read on to see pics and info on each of the devices.

67

Gillette Venus with Olay Razor Review: Finally an All In One that Works!

Recently I shared the news that there was a new Venus razor with Olay, and while I was excited about it... As usual I was a bit worried that the hydrating/razor gel strip things wouldn't be quite as good as a regular shave gel, and that they'd simply get in the way of a decent shave. This is usually a good idea that isn't well executed. I try them out only to revert to my normal razor and shave gel within the week.

Well, after having used this razor for about 2 weeks I can definitely that it is about time that someone figured out how to do this right! The Olay strips are every bit as good as a regular shave gel. They are hydrating, helped me get a smooth shave and they move so freely that they only got a bit in the way in the very tightest of corners (aka, near my bikini line a little), but it didn't make a big difference. That Olay strip actually lasts for the entire life of the razor as well. At the 2 week mark I need to change out my blade, but I still have about half of the Olay strips left. And, the 5 blades, in combination with the Olay strips, did give me a very close and smooth shave.

There really are 2 downsides to this razor. The first is that because the strips get moved a bit too much in tight spots (again, bikini line) they aren't as helpful there. I recommend still using a shave product there since that's the last place you want razor burn.

Second is obviously price. These things are a bit pricy. I'm planning to pick up a few more blades and use them throughout the summer. The results were definitely smoother than with my usual 3 bladed Venus razor heads, and I know I'll love it when running around in skirts and dresses.

Gillette Venus

0

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash: Hydrate and Cleanse at the Same Time

Last summer I started a little series called Shower Shakeup. I found that I was using the same products in my shower, continually repurchasing the same things over and over. The horror! This is hard for most beauty bloggers to imagine. The reason? These products worked for me. They worked really well. I forced myself out of the box for a week, and I've (sometimes) written about new items in my shower since that time. But I have to admit that there was a reason I was repurchasing those items over and over. They work for me and are just amazing. The first one I returned to? The Olay body wash that I'm a *tad* obsessed with, Ultra Moisture. So, when Olay asked to sponsor a review post about the product, I figured that it was probably high time that I actually fully address this product in my blog.

A quick (30-second) check of my bathroom found 4 full-sized bottles of this stuff currently being used and/or stashed for future use. Not pictured are the bottle currently in my trash (aka the bottle I just finished; I thought fishing it out was a bit odd), and the 2 smaller bottles in my drawer of products for travel.

At first glance, you might think that this is just another body wash. It has a light floral perfume fragrance that is pleasant in the shower but I can't smell it on myself later. (In my book, this is good. I want to smell my perfume, not my soap.) It has a great lather, which I love, even though it doesn't mean anything about how well it cleans me. It rinses off easily and I don't feel anything other than clean.

So, why do I keep going back to this body wash? Because I can't find another one that is remotely close in terms of moisturizing my skin. During the summer I barely need to add lotion (only to my eczema-prone legs). During the winter, if I'm not using this body wash, I need to add a layer of body oil under my moisturizer. There's a whole process involved in sealing moisture into my skin. Olay Ultra Moisture makes things much easier; I can just slather some lotion on right after patting dry--a big time-saver!

Ultra Moisture is definitely very different from other moisturizing body washes. What the sticker on the bottle says in true: there is more than a jar of moisturizer in every bottle. I first started using this product when my dad (also a pediatrician) told me he recommends it to his eczema patients because it has the highest amount of hydrating ingredients of any product on the market. He'd heard this from the dermatologist that he sends patients to, and I've heard it from others as well.

I've tested many other "moisturizing" body washes since then, and very few have ended up being reviewed on 15 Minute Beauty. None of them has been as hydrating as Ultra Moisture. So, yes, this body wash has taken up residence in my bathroom. I'm sure I'll continue to return to it in between all of my product testings.


Sweepstakes!
Olay and BlogHer are offering a $50 Visa gift card! To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment telling me "What are some of the ways you simplify your routine?" Include your email address in the comment as well.
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/20 - 4/17.

Be sure to visit the Olay Body Wash page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers reviews and find more chances to win!
While weíre on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the "Looking Your Best" posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!


Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a product sample and then paid to write about this product. I was encouraged to give my own opinion and to be honest in my review. Prior to this review I had purchased this product for my own use too many times to count. For any further questions please see my disclosure policy.
Prize provided by BlogHer and Olay.

93

Olay Facial Hair Remover Duo Review: Don't Be a Scary Hairy Person!

So...facial hair removal. This isn't something I address very often. Really, who wants to announce to the whole internet beauty blogging world that they have facial hair issues? Not me.

Though I do have some issues. I've mostly had problems since I had my daughter last year. Things just seem a bit thicker and darker than usual. I think this is mostly something that bugs me, and no one else notices. How often do you notice if the woman next to you in the checkout lane has one stray hair? Unless that hair is about six inches long, not very often. But if I'm the one with the single stray hair, I really notice that hair!

My self confidence definitely takes a hit.

Things I've tried in the past for hair removal on my face include hair removal creams, home waxing strips, and of course just tweezing away any strays. I'd love to just laser away everything, though that is expensive, and since most of my hair is fine and blonde I'm not an ideal candidate. I fully confess that I do sometimes use my at home laser hair removal system on it, though not often enough to have really seen much difference.

None of those previous hair removal methods have been ideal. All of the creams have caused major irritation issues such as redness, uncomfortable skin, and even blemishes. The burning is so uncomfortable for me that I usually end up removing them before their time is up, which means I just end up with icky skin and still have hair. And yes, I just used the word icky.

After all of my trial and error with facial hair removal, I usually stick to home waxing strips. They work pretty well, though they do leave hair behind that I then need to tweeze. The tweezing can take quite a while, so waxing can be pretty time consuming. At least the wax strips don't leave me red and blotchy for a few days afterwards.

How Do Depilatories Work?

New Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo is a depilatory cream. It works like other depilatory creams (the main active ingredient is calcium thioglycolate hydroxide), so the hair removal action really isn't anything revolutionary. What is different is the Skin Guarding Balm, but I'll get to that later. First, I'll review how a depilatory cream actually works.

If you head over to my post about hair structure, you'll read about how the outer layer of the hair (the cuticle) is basically made up of shingles of dead protein called keratin. Within the keratin you'll find the amino acid cysteine. The cysteines within keratin have special bonds (called di-sulfide bonds, in teal above) holding them to each other, giving the hair strength and structure.

All depilatories work at the site of that bond, breaking it and splitting apart the keratin. As the disulfide bonds are broken, the hair structure basically falls apart. Apply a little pressure and the hair will break apart and basically dissolve wherever it has been exposed to the cream. This mostly means the hair that has already reached the surface of the skin, though a little bit of the hair beneath the skin's surface will be affected as well. However, the cream can't reach all the way down the hair shaft and dissolve the root of the hair.

Depilatory creams don't only work on hair. Because you find a lot of keratin in the skin as well as fingernails, the creams will also break disulfide bonds in those keratins as well. So, you'll weaken your nails if you don't wash the cream off of your hands, and any skin exposed to a depilatory will have irritation.

Since all depilatory creams work with the same basic reaction, breaking those disulfide bonds, aren't they really all the same? Well, not so much. There are a few active ingredients out there, and some of them, such as thioglycolic acid, require the presence of other chemicals to ensure that the reaction takes place. So, thioglycolic acid products should also contain calcium hydroxide. That's not exactly a skin friendly ingredient. There are also different strengths available, so I recommend using a body depilatory on your body and a facial depilatory only on your face.

So, That's Really Interesting...Get To The Point. Did You Like The New Olay Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo?

Now that you're all educated about how depilatories work, you should know that the Olay product works basically the same as all other depilatory products on the market. It goes in there and takes care of that disulfide bond. I don't have any specifics such as % active ingredient or anything, but this is a facial hair removal product from Olay, so you know they've formulated it for the face.

Duh.

What sets this product apart from say, the Nair you used on your bikini line in high school, is that this is a system. Rather than simply having that hair removing depilatory cream, there's a first step that is amazing. Love it.

The first step in this system is a Skin Guarding Balm that adds a protective layer over your skin to protect it from the cream. It comes in a stick, and truthfully it looks and feels exactly like the lip balm that comes with the two step 12-hour lippies from CoverGirl, Revlon and the like.

It is a white stick that when applied to your skin melts easily into an oily balm that is very much like vaseline (but it isn't, rather than petrolatum it is mostly sucrose polycottonseedate and beeswax). You lightly rub the stick over the areas you'll be treating and then rub it into your skin for 20 seconds using light circular movements. You'll have a oily sheen across your skin, but the balm will be much less noticeable.

Next you use the Hair Removal Cream. It's a basic white cream, and the most noticeable thing about it is that there is no gross smell as you apply! Instead, it is a floral/herbal/citrus scent that is light and fresh, though I can't really describe it any more in detail. You rub a layer of the cream over the balm, and about a minute later you will notice that the typical chemical smell associated with depilatories does come out. The smell isn't horrible, just noticeable.

Now, here's the part where I fully admit that I messed up and did put a little bit of the removal cream on a little bit of skin that had no balm. I didn't do it on purpose, though it did serve as a nice control, so let's pretend that I did this on purpose.

The areas that had balm applied to them felt fine. I could feel the cream was on, but there were absolutely no sensation associated with it. No burning, tingling, itchiness or warmth. Just a feeling that a cream was over the balm.

On the small bit of skin without balm (under my chin), there was burning and itching after a few minutes. It wasn't unbearable, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. This area did have a bit of redness later after the treatment, so make sure you use the balm everywhere!

After 6-8 minutes, it is time to remove the cream. Using a cotton or tissue, wipe the cream off of your face. A little bit of pressure here will help, since you're effectively breaking the hairs apart in their new disulfide bond free state. Once you've wiped everything off just wash your face!

I really loved that when I wiped my face clean at 6 minutes, everything went with the cream. Seriously. I was super smooth, my face was not at all irritated and I felt like me again, instead of some hairy monster person. There was no clean up needed since it got every hair, so a definite time saver.

Would I use this again and actually spend money on it?

YES. It definitely saved me time, let me be the hair free person that I love to be, and my skin loved it.

Sweepstakes! Olay and BlogHer are offering a $50 gift card!

To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment telling me how you use your beauty routine to express your inner beauty. Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com for more reviews, and more chances to win!

Rules:

To enter this contest, you can pick from the entry methods below but only 2 will count (and no duplicate comments). So, pick 2!

- Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

- Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

- Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

This sweepstakes runs from 1/3/2012 - 2/3/2012.

While we're on the subject of looking good, you might want to check out the "Looking Your Best" posts in the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com. There are some great tips and expert posts!

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a product sample and then paid to write about this product (oh, and to do so in at least 350 words. I think I'm a *bit* over that, don't you?). I was encouraged to give my own opinion and to be honest in my review. I have written this piece on my own, and all opinions are mine and mine alone. Though I did have my PhD in Chemical Engineering hubby double check my chemical reaction picture. For any further questions please see my disclosure policy.

105

Travel in a Carry-On, How to Fit it All in A 3-1-1 Bag

Have you seen Up in the Air? This is me.

Ryan: You know how much time you lose by checking in?
Natalie: I don't know. Five, ten minutes?
Ryan: 35 minutes a flight. I travel 270 days a year. That's 157 hours. That makes seven days. You're willing to throw away an entire week on that?

I've fully established that I am not a light packer (here's just one of many packing posts to prove my point). I need a lot of items when I travel, and so many of them are liquid that I can't even fit what I need for a quick 2 day trip in to a TSA approved 3-1-1 bag. So I check. Always. I'm not quite Natalie Keener (who even packed her own full sized pillow), but I do have shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, face and body moisturizer, toothpaste, concealer, foundation, lip balm.... All in small travel sizes, but still too much to fit into a quart sized bag for TSA approved carry-on travel. So I check it all.

Last week I shared my super high maintenance girl packing of nail polish as part of the Manicure 101 series. I mentioned it mostly because it had come up a few times recently over on the Makeup Alley Nail Board that I like to frequent. Girls over there think nothing of bringing a huge number of colors, all carefully bubble wrapped, for a weekend trip. They're like me, I love this.

A reader, Deb, commented on that post, and I had to know more!

Christine, I think we are twins separated at birth :) I was reading your previous travel posts and we both have the same struggle...so much stuff to bring. I travel constantly for my job and have been slowly getting it together.

Yes! A reader that travels and has gotten this whole thing down! She has a system and it isn't because she needs less stuff than me. It's because she's super smart and has figured out how to work within the system to continue her high maintenance ways. I asked Deb to write me with her tips, and she did. She wrote and she was very detailed, which made me even happier.

Read on to see how Deb travels!

13

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

2

Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion- SPF 15

Anyone who is really into anti-aging will tell you that the first product you need is a sunscreen. Hands down, it is the single product that has the most data supporting it in the anti-aging literature. If you ask a dermatologist what you need, they will tell you sunscreen. It should be worn everyday, no matter what you have planned.

I've worn it every day for the past 10 years (trained well by my mom), even on those days that I know I'll be driving to work in the dark and staying there for the next 30 hours.

My mom wears sunscreen and avoids the sun, and she truly looks about 10 years younger than her tan-crazy friends! (Yes mom, you do, so don't bother commenting about how you don't!)

While sunscreen is included in a huge number of beauty products such as moisturizer, foundation, powder and lipbalm, I believe that many of these products are inappropriate sources of your daily sunscreen. Moisturizer or a specific suncreen product are great, I think anything in a foundation or other cosmetic will be applied so sparingly that any SPF added should just be ignored (the only exception to this rule is lipbalm, that one counts).

Lucky for us, Olay has given us our peptides and sunscreen in a light moisturizer that is perfect for everyday! Even better, there is Vitamin C included (which is a great anti-oxidant), just as an added bonus!

This is a great daily moisturizer. It feels very soothing on the skin, very silky and hydrating. It sinks in quickly, leaving your skin perfectly prepped for makeup.

If you haven't picked a daily morning moisturizer, definitely check this one out, it just might turn out to be your holy grail!
Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion- SPF 15

2

Olay Week!

Welcome to Olay Week!

This entire week I'll be featuring Olay Regenerist Product Reviews, an overview of Emmy Beauty (sponsored by Olay) and even an Olay Contest!

This week, due to the generosity of Olay, I will have a giveaway of Olay Definity Illuminating Eye Treatment! There will be 5 winners!

To enter, simply comment on any of this week's Olay Posts. I want you to leave 2 comments (in a row) on the same message. The first will be just your message, then leave a second message with the same user name, with your e-mail address so that I can contact the winners (this second comment will NOT be published, it's just for me). That's it! At the end of the week, I'll choose 5 names randomly from those that leave both messages.

You can enter once on each post, so the more posts that you comment on, the more you'll be entered! And yes, you will need to leave both messages to be eligible each time!

I have to make those that are related to me not eligible for this contest, I think it would be fishy if my mom, sister or cousin Jennifer won the eye cream, sorry!

15

Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

Olay's Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum is different than the other lotions in this line in that it is specially formulated for the skin around your eyes. It has a concentrated form of the amino-peptide complex, and it's non-greasy formula absorbs incredibly easily into this area. It leaves the skin hydrated and perfectly prepared for your makeup!
Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum

2

Olay Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream

One of Olay's more hydrating Regenerist products is the Olay Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream. Per Olay's Website:

Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream uses our exclusive amino-peptide complex, which combines vitamin E, pro-vitamin B5 and Olay moisture in a rich, non-greasy formula.

So, this is a moisturizer with the Amino-Peptides (which we have discussed in the past, as a "good thing" to quote Martha), which includes more vitamins and is hydrating.

So, how is it? I love this stuff! I think this was my favorite lotion of the Olay Regenerist products that I tried. This comes in a huge bottle (50 mL is a lot!) and it has this great top that releases exactly 1 use with a single pump. The lotion is thick but not difficult to spread in a thin, even coat over your face. It feels incredibly silky (due primarily to the silicones in the formula, see the ingredient list below), and you can just feel it sinking into your skin as you apply it. The lotion does have a perfume smell, but this one is not the same EA 5th Avenue smell that the other products have, it's a little lighter and with more of a floral note. The smell is nice, but not very long lasting (which I love).

For me, this was the Regenerist product that was the best match with my skin tone. It was hydrating and non-greasy without being overly hydrating (I have combination skin), but also didn't leave my skin feeling dry and tight. With a few days of use my skin felt very soft and smooth and I just glowed!

Ingredients:

Water
Cyclopentasiloxane (a silicone, used as a skin emollient)
Glycerin (humecant)
Niacinamide (deriviative of Vitamin B3)
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer (listed as an adjuvant in Google searches, I'm not sure what this means)
Dimethicone (a silicone)
Dimethicone Crosspolymer (more silicone)
Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, PEG-10 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Pentapepide-3, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide, BIS-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone, Benzyl Alcohol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Allantoin, Carnosine, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Alumina, Citric Acid, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Yellow 5, Red 40. Vitamin B3, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Amino-Peptide, Green Tea.

Olay Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream

3

Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Lip Treatment

The lip area is an often neglected area of the face for anti-aging treatments, until it is too late! By then, you have vertical lines, thinning, and you find your lipstick bleeding out from your lips all over the place! This is usually when people get all sorts of injectable treatments that turn them into blowfish. This is not a good look. Let's try to prevent that, shall we?

Olay is helping to save us from looking at more of those poor blowfish faced souls with this Regenerist Lip Treatment. This treatment has the amino peptide complex as well as several "micro-fillers" that help to visibly reduce the look of these lines. I didn't recognize many of the names on the ingredient list other than glycerin, mica (not sure why that was there, but I do know what this rock is) and candellila wax.

I'm honestly not sure if this product truly helps with lines or not, as I have none. (If you do and have used it, please let me know.)

I will say that this is a pretty nice product. When applied to the lip area there is a very pleasant tingling sensation, and my lips feel super hydrated for hours afterwards. It does offer a great base to apply lipstick over. I think just for these reasons alone this is worth the purchase price, and if it happens to prevent aging and in the long run you don't join the school of blowfish, then that's just an added bonus!

Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Lip Treatment

1

Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Cleanser

As much as I like the Regenerist lotions, creams and serums, I think that my favorite Regenerist product is the Daily Regenerating Cleanser. This is a pretty gentle cleanser with little beads added for exfoliation, as well as amino acids and beta hydroxy acids.

According to the Olay website, this cleanser is specially formulated to speed up skin turnover in 2 ways:

Oxygenated derma-bead formula gently removes dead skin surface cells to detoxify
Creamy formula with amino-peptide complex regenerates skin's surface at the cellular level

I find this to be a cleanser that is very gentle on my skin, has pleasant little beads present in it for a little bit of exfoliation (but not too harsh, there is a good amount that makes this great for daily use without fear of over exfoliation), and I really do enjoy using it. There is a light perfume that is similar to the other Regenerist products, but it is overall much lighter. I have no after wash tightness and the formula is very easily washed off. Overall, this is a great cleanser.

Take a peak at the ingredients below:

Water
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether (emollient)
Glycerin (humectant)
Oxidized Plyethylene (appears to be an emulsifier)
Stearyl Alcohol (emollient)
Cetyl Betaine (surfactant)
Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid)
Distearyldimonium Chloride, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Steareth-21, Sodium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, PPG-30, Steareth-2. Sodium Glycolate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carnosine, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid, Fragrance, Iron Oxides, Beta-Hydroxy, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Amino-Peptide, Vitamin C.

Notice that the surfactant doesn't appear until item #6 on the ingredient list, and even then it is only after 2 emollients and a humectant! No wonder this is such a gentle cleanser. I find it interesting that the cleanser features the Amino-Peptide Complex and Salicylic Acid, because by nature a cleanser doesn't allow these ingredients to be absorbed into the skin, which is how they work best. So, if you're looking for a product that will allow you to get the most out of these ingredients, I would steer you more toward a product like the Micro-Sculpting Cream that I featured yesterday.

I think this cleanser would be great for pretty much everyone, whether your primary concern is anti-aging, basic skin care or even acne. Next time you are at the store looking for a new cleanser, I recommend you check it out!

Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Cleanser

9

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

Olay has just introduced a new cream to the Regenerist line, the Micro-Sculpting Cream. This cream is important for one huge reason, this is the product with the highest concentration of the Regenerist amino-peptide complex! I've explained peptides in the past, so you know how important they are, and frankly, if a company as big as Olay is using them so much, then you know there's a reason!

This cream also is incredibly hydrating, primarily due to "an Olay-exclusive intracellular fortifier made up of hyaluronic acid... and hydrating glycerin." Now, hyaluronic acid is a pretty large molecule, but there is some literature about smaller bits of it, and if that's what is in this cream, no wonder it is soooooo incredible! That's strong stuff! It really holds in moisture. And glycerin, you should know by now, is a humectant.

The paperwork I was sent by Olay quoted a study they did:

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream significantly smoothed skin's surface after only 24 hours of treatment, with effects progressively increasing at two and four weeks.

Now, that sounds pretty good to me!

In separate studies, Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream was proven to hydrate skin cells better than several leading "super-creams" and outperform a leading prestige super cream in a blind test with over 200 women.

Once again, sounds pretty good.

Now, I've been using this cream every night for about 3 weeks or so now. What do I think? I really like this cream!

The cream is pretty thick, and it has a strong perfume smell that disappears quickly. I really like the perfume they used for the Regenerist line, it's very similar to Elizabeth Arden's 5th Avenue, which I wore nearly everyday during college! The cream soaks into skin quickly and does not interfere with application of makeup.

I don't have problems with sagging, lack of firmness or wrinkles (I'm only 30 and I've been an avid sunscreen user for over 10 years), but I did notice that with this cream, my skin is definitely well hydrated and radiant.

If you have been considering the Regenerist line, I really recommend this cream. If you don't need super hydration, it might not be the correct Regenerist Product for you though, so stay tuned this week as I'll be reviewing the lotion, serum, and deep hydration regenerating cream in addition to the lip product and eye lifting serum.





Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

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Olay Complete Body Wash

I know that I've mentioned before that I have ezcema, which is generally very well controlled. I have to be very careful about what soaps and lotions I use on my body, and little changes can leave me with a rash and very uncomfortable from itchiness.

One of my daily staples for years is this Olay bodywash. Truthfully, it doesn't really seem to matter which Olay wash I use, as long as it is Olay! I wasn't quite sure why this was, and then my dad (also a pediatrician, it runs in the family) showed me a handout on ezcema from a dermatologist. According to this Harvard faculty member, Olay has the highest percentage of oil of any body wash on the market. It is basically 17% Vaseline! No wonder it is so incredibly moisturizing! Without an Olay bodywash I turn dry and itchy. Check it out if you have this problem too, it really does help!
Olay Complete Body Wash

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