Deep Wrinkle Filler?

Emma the Intern

Hello Everyone! I'm Emma the Intern, and I have some products for you.
So earlier last week, when I started interning, my skin was flipping out. I had bumps all over my face, kind of like dry skin, but lotion didn't make them go away. So I told Eliza and she gave me a bunch of products to demo.
THEY WERE AWESOME! My face cleared up so fast, it was amazing!
I cleansed my face with a normal scrub, then started on the new products. At first, it was a little hard to figure out what went where, but I finally got the hang of it.

• First step: Befine food skin care FIRMING TONER with Ginger and Willow Bark

• This stuff smells really good and makes your face tingle in a wake up sort of way. Like all of your skin cells are waking up at once. Basically, its a good tingle and it gives my face a smooth, even tone. Very nice. Plus, it has an allergen free fragrance, its paraben free, and it has vegetarian proteins. And to sweeten the deal a little more, the product is not tested on animals whatsoever. It'll make you pretty AND make you feel good.
• Second Step: Active Radiance Serum by Murad
• This stuff was great and you don't need a lot. It has a pearly look and goes on really easily. The serum helps to protect the skin against free radicals and helps to repair existing sun damage. Sounds like a kick-butt product. Works like a kick-butt product. Must be a kick-butt product. Its already made my skin a little more glowy. Definitely a must, and its got some pretty good reviews. They say it better than I do.
  
• Third Step: Prevedem Antioxidant Serum
• I won't lie to you. When it first comes out of the bottle, this stuff looks a little weird. Its got a brown color and an interesting smell, but it does wonders for the face. Its another line of defense against free radicals and sun damage, and also takes the red out of your skin. It really helped to calm my skin down and give me a nice glow. I definitely recommend it if you have blochiness or uneven skin tone.
• Fourth Step: Pores no more pore refiner by Dr. Brandt
• This is a slightly tinted, super silky paste that helps to even out the appearance of your skin. I've actually been using it as a foundation and not putting any other kinds of foundations over it when I put my makeup on in the morning. It gets rid of shininess and can be reapplied throughout the day. Its great stuff that makes the skin so soft, you'll be stroking your face all day. Definitely a must have for anyone with skin issues.

Ready, Set, Glow!

A couple of days ago I blogged about oxygen facials and promised that I'd return with commentary on exfoliation.

Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that build up on the surface of the skin and leave your complexion looking dull. You can get really great results with medical-grade exfoliation (microdermabrasion), especially if you have mild acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, or large pores you want to minimize. (See our full story for your options at www.itkbeauty.com/digital. Also check out microdermabrasion on our Website: www.cosmeticsurgerytimes.com/microdermabrasion)

For those of you who are do-it-yourselfers or if you want to try out a product at home that will really deliver great results, I've got just the thing: Dr. Brandt's Microdermabrasion. Not your ordinary exfoliator with ground apricot seeds, but a product with magnesium oxide crystals that polish away dead skin cells, revealing fresh, pink, radiant skin.

No kidding!

I've been using this every three days for two weeks now, and I've never gotten results like this with any other exfoliator.

If you're used to using run-of-the-mill exfoliators, you may find this a little rough feeling on the skin. The problem with most exfoliators is that when you apply it to damp skin (as is usually the instruction), it becomes diluted and you really don't get much of a scrub going on. With this product, it's such a fine consistency, and one that doesn't just disappear when it gets wet, that it actually does what it's supposed to!

Have sensitive skin? Me, too. But despite the mild discomfort, I've had no other skin reactions.

$75 at Amazon, Sephora, and other online retailers.

The Oxygen Facial Mask: Show and Tell

The facial oxygen "energy" mask. Just the name brings to mind freshness, breathability, a sense of youthfulness.

And that's pretty much what it promises to do.

I've been using the Bliss Triple Oxygen Energy Mask for several months, and I admit, it feels good (meaning my facial skin feels "refreshed") when I use it after a long day. But that's about where the benefits end for me.

According to the manufacturer, the product "energizes" and "detoxifies" the skin. "Energy" I get, but detox? I'm skeptical...

Based on my experiences with a variety of products, I'd say that you're better off with a good exfoliator, which will unequivocally get your glow on and have your face looking and feeling refreshed and revitalized. (Stay tuned for my next blog in which I'll reveal your best bets!)

The Bliss Triple Oxygen Energy Mask goes for $52 (granted it'll last you a year or more!). But honestly, folks, I'm underwhelmed. Let's face it, while some of Bliss's products are to die for (body butters), this is also the same company that markets Fat Girl Slim, a body cream that claims to tighten the skin and diminish dimples. Uh-huh. We wish, we buy, we hope -- but ultimately, we may be disappointed...

Suddenly Summer Skin

Let's face it, as the bleak winter (especially here in Cleveland) days start to become longer and a little warmer, you feel compelled to buy fresh flowers, wear happy colors, brighten (or lighten) your hair, and get rid of that pasty winter skin.

Sun Safe
Just say NO to tanning beds, and instead, go sun safe this year with a great sunless tanner.

And I've got just the product.

I've used all kinds -- ranging from the no-brand cheapies to the higher quality department store buys.

The verdict?

For the most part, you get what you pay for. My favorite, and the best quality one I'm using right now? Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess Tinted Self Tan. And at $28.50, it's not too hard to fit it into the budget (hmmm, reduced chances of skin cancer as well as the need for cosmetic corrections of sun damage to my skin down the road? Okay -- I'm convinced!).

Streak-free & Carefree
Oh, I can already hear you grumbling:

• "It's messy."
• "I don't like the smell."
• "I can't get even color."

Not so! While there is a light scent characteristic of self tanners, it's not a deal breaker. And I LOVE this product because not only is it tinted (which means I get immediate color), but it's also a nice spreadable consistency (gelee) that gives me really even color.

Don't Forget the Sunscreen
No matter what your sunless tanning choices might be, be sure to note that most of these don't include a sunscreen.

Protect, prevent and stop damaging your skin!

Great Product, Reasonable Price

I love good skin care products, but, like you, it's tough for me to spend $100+ on some of the great products out there (especially when you don't really know if they're going to deliver on their promises).

BUT, good news! I've been using BioElement's Crucial Moisture for about a week now, and it's a great product -- at a fraction of the price of some of my favorites.

First, it's not a heavy cream, so it's ideal for normal and dry skin types. And it really does a fantastic job hydrating the skin such that you have a smooth, line-free complexion (it's dryness that causes those fine lines to stand out).

While the product is scented, it's not harsh on the skin (and my skin is very sensitive!). It smells like aromatherapy for the face -- an invigorating scent that get's me up and running in the morning.

While the night cream I use (NIA 24) comes in at $135, Crucial Moisture is a deal at $31.50 (spalook.com).

Eyelash Envy No More!

Looking for lusher lashes? You'll be very interested to know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration just approved a new prescription product -- LATISSE -- that has been clinically shown to make eyelashes longer, thicker, and darker.

Here's how it works:
You apply LATISSE once per day to the base of the upper eyelashes with a single use (per eye) disposable applicator. According to the manufacturer, you can expect to see a change in the quality and length of your eyelashes in as soon as 8 weeks, with full results in 16 weeks.

Now here's what you REALLY need to know:
You have to continue to use LATISSE to maintain your new and improved lashes. If you stop using it, they'll return to their original state.

Why?
Because eyelashes, like your hair, follow a regular growth cycle: they grow, fallout, then grow again.

There are other innovative non-prescription lash products on the market, but these have big price tags (in the hundreds!!) and who knows about actual results.

Stay tuned for more information on lashing out -- what's sure to be one of 2009's big beauty trends!