A Review: Skin Inc Serums

Jessica Savino Professional Makeup Artist

 

On Monday I told you all about serums and why they are good for you. Today let me introduce you to Skin Inc. 

 

Skin Inc describes itself as a Skin Supplement Bar. It is an online service that has a plethora of serums depending on what your skin needs. The website is very user friendly and provides a full ingredients list for all products. I do not recall there being any fragrance in any of the products so bravo on both the no added fragrance and the full ingredients list. If you don't know what your skin needs, you can take a quick online evaluation (which is what I did) and they will tell you what they think your skin needs. They thought my skin needed some renewal, regeneration, and replenishing so they suggested a Coenzyme Q10 Serum, a Vitamin A Serum, and a Hyaluronic Acid Serum. I ordered the 3 serums which they send you separately. You then mix them together to make 1 big serum. You even get to choose what color bottle you would like to store your serum in. I chose purple. They even give you a little label to write your concoction on. I wrote mine with the never drying pen. I had ink on my fingers for the next week whenever I picked up the bottle.

They suggest you use 3 drops 2 times per day, morning and night. You can definitely stretch this out a bit by using 2 drops 2 times per day. I am 1 1/2 months in and I have about a 1/4 of a bottle left. Even though this serum did not cause any breakouts and has kept me pretty hydrated, I will not be repurchasing. I didn't see anything life changing and for $90 every 2 months, I need to see some amazing results. I do like the quality ingredients that they use and Skin Inc does have a ton of single serums that you can try that are much less expensive. I will definitely be trying some of their other products, just not the custom blend serum again.

 Jessica Savino NYC Professional Makeup Artist

RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 Review

Summer is fast upon us! Not nearly fast enough but be patient my little goddesses, it will be here before you know it. 

Every year I re-post my sun protection post reminding you why you need to wear sun protection. I usually post it in April because the weather starts getting nicer, the sun is out longer and everyone starts spending more time outdoors. Let me be clear my lovelies, it goes without saying that you should be wearing sun protection all year long, everyday no matter the season. 

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a Paula's Choice fan. I look for certain things in my products that she usually has in her products so it's a no brainer. Also besides producing quality products, she will suggest other companies products as long as she feels they are up to par. That's a great supportive trait to have as a successful business woman. 

I decided to try PC's Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30.

PHOTO CREDIT

PC's Resist line is aimed at anti-aging so all of the products have ingredients with anti-aging properties. 

According to the website, Resist Anti-Aging Collection:

Smooths Wrinkles

Builds Collegen

Fades Dark Spots

 
RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 is a daytime moisturizer with sunscreen designed for combination to oily skin with signs of aging. Its multi-purpose formula not only protects skin from sun damage, but also fortifies it with potent antioxidants to repair and stimulate collagen production for firmer skin. You will see a more even skin color, fewer visible lines and wrinkles, and the return of a younger healthy-looking glow.

I choose the  Super-Light because it is supposed to have a shine free finish. A lot of mineral based sun protection can make you look a little shiny and I was looking for a more on the matte side, natural finish. I had tried the Hydralite sunblock and although a good product, it was a bit shiny for me. It is also supposed to be shine-free. It was not.  

I have been wearing this for a few weeks now and I am very happy with it. I wore it for 1 week in sunny Florida without any burning/tanning issues and no breakout issues as well. It has a high Zinc content so it is tinted to combat the white cast that comes along with Zinc and Titanium Dioxide products. I find the tint to be an odd shade of pinky mauve although it does not translate that way on the skin (or in the photos). Once applied, there is absolutely no white cast and really no tint to speak of.  

One pump out of the bottle.

Blended into the skin.

My one complaint is Paula's Choice packaging for their suncare products suck! At the least the one's I have tried do. This comes in a plastic tube that you squeeze to get the product out. Have I mentioned that it sucks? It squeezes out way too much product and you can easily waste your product. I usually re-package the product into a dark, glass bottle with a pump that used to house a competitor's sunblock. 

Please Paula! Put a pump on your squeeze tube! 

This is supposed to be good for Oily/Combination skin. I have true combination skin, oily t zone, normal in some spots and dry in others. I have read reviews from people with dry skin saying it looked a little chalky on them. I have had no problem at all with chalkiness on any dry parts and it has been very cold in NYC. I do apply a moisturizer underneath this product.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Paula's Choice products. 

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DIY Alpha Hydroxy Face Masque for Younger Skin

I had a few of my ladies ask me this past week what could be done about their aging skin. Sigh~I know you ladies read my blog. You should know the answer to this. 

Skin texture seemed to be their main concern. Some bumps and small lines forming. I cannot yell this loud enough!

ACIDS PEOPLE!

The famous Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy acids. 

It's simple:

Alpha Hydroxy for texture, bumps and fine lines.

Beta Hydroxy for acne, pores and oily skin. 

I was watching the Rachel Ray show and she had a dermatologist on demonstrating DIY skin solutions that you can concoct right in your own kitchen. You know how much I love me a skin DIY from my kitchen! 

So here is a quick, little potion that you can whip up for a DIY Alpha Hydroxy Face Masque.

Combine:

• 2 Tablespoons Apple Juice
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 Egg White

Whip together until frothy then apply to your face with a flat foundation brush. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and rinse off with a soft wash cloth. This goes on very liquid-y and then you will feel it tighten up on your face. Your face will look very smooth and plastic-y while the masque is on and then very glow-y after you rinse it off. Apply 2 times a week for smooth, glowing, radiant skin.

Cracked bowl and all! There is nothing fancy going on here.

What makes this an Alpha Hydroxy Acid is the malic acid in the apple juice and the lactic acid in the milk. 

This recipe will make enough for like 3 or 4 people to use so invite your besties over for a girly spa day or maybe refrigerate until your next use. I'm not even sure if you can refrigerate and reuse but go for it, that's what I'm doing next time.

Speaking of DIY beauty routines, I am about half way through my olive oil/eyelash experiment. This is a very unscientific experiment. I have not measured my eyelashes, I wouldn't even know how to do that. This will be judged strictly by photo comparison and my honest opinion if my lashes grew or not. So far, they still look exactly the same. A heads up for anyone looking to try this, oil in your eye sucks!

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Dr. Dennis Gross Age Erase Moisture with Mega 10 Plus

Oh hi
there kitties!

My skin in the winter is quite dry. Visibly dry with peeling, flaking and redness, usually around my chin. Now with the Retin-A, there is dryness everywhere. My skin needs a giant drink of moisture and that is exactly what it gets with Dr. Dennis Gross Age Erase Moisture with Mega 10 Plus.

 

According to the website:

• Active Vitamin D provides supple, glowing, younger looking skin
• Vitamins, antioxidants & peptides target free radicals for cellular defense
• Time-released Hyaluronic Acid helps soften & smooth fine lines & wrinkles 

Mega 10 Plus, is a complex developed by Dr. Gross which contains 10 essential nutrients for optimal skin health. 

This is not a "wet" moisturizer, meaning it does not just sit greasy on the skin. It sinks in nicely and works well under my sunblock and makeup. I know this has "age erase" in the name, however this is a very good moisturizer that will not erase your age. It is very replenishing and my skin loves it. You can use it AM and PM. 

I have had absolutely no irritation or breakouts from this product. 

It is fragrance free (YAY!), cruelty free (YAY!), Vegan (If that's important to you) and paraban free(YAY!). Pretty much everything I look for in a product. 

Key Ingredients

• Vitamins A, C, E: Potent antioxidants that prevent collagen breakdown
• Vitamin B: Adds essential moisture & provides a plumping effect
• Vitamin D: Boosts the benefits of other active ingredients
• Ubiquinone (CoQ10): Potent antioxidant that defends against free radicals & builds collagen
• Phospholipids: Natural substance that draws moisture from the air & seals it into the skin
• Green Tea Extract: Natural antioxidant; Protects against free radicals & environmental toxins
• Yucca Root Extract: Natural plant extract with high antioxidant content & anti-inflammatory properties
• Soybean Extract: Kick-starts collagen production
• Biodynes TRF: Yeast Extract that has cell-renewing, soothing, anti-inflammatory & anti-irritant properties
• Squalane: Naturally derived emollient that works to prevent dryness
• Ceramides: A complex lipid that helps strengthen & repair skin's barrier 

Excellent key ingredients, however "key ingredients" mean there are other ingredients that they have not listed on the website. C'mon people, just list ALL of the ingredients so it doesn't look like you're hiding something. Thank you!

A little bit about Dr. Gross:

Dr. Dennis Gross, NYC dermatologist, has devoted his life to the science of skincare. Skin, the largest organ of the body, is the first to show signs of both external and internal health. The quality and scope of his education and research inspired a passion within to fight the deadly epidemic of skin cancer. During his early years as a dermatologist in NYC, Dr. Gross would spend hours “in the field” conducting free skin cancer screenings in and around NYC, educating the public about this life-threatening disease.  

So I really like and recommend this product.

This is a quality product that will not break the bank. 

$48 for 1.7 ounces  

To order or read more about Dr. Dennis Gross click here

Until next time!

~Jessica~

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Thanks

:-)

**My own product purchased with my own $$. No affiliate links.

Dry Brushing

 

Besides telling all you pretty kitties about makeup products that I love, I also love to tell you about skin care, not only for your face but for your body as well. Not only do I like to share product information with you, I love to share tips and tricks that you can do in the privacy of your own home so you can get the most out of your skin. 

It is here that I will share with you the secret of

dry brushing!

This is one of the simplest things you can do for your skin.

Why should you do it? 

There are 3 major benefits to dry brushing your skin:

• Exfoliation-Removing dead skin from your body only results in 1 thing! Younger, smoother skin! Yay!
• Increases Blood Flow-You know what lack of blood circulation causes? Cellulite! You know what happens when you increase blood circulation? Buh Bye cellulite! (maybe not completely but it will reduce it)
• Stimulates the lymphatic system-This aides in overall health as it will help remove toxins from your system. 

So it's simple. The goal is to dry brush once a day. I will admit that I don't do this as much as I would like because I'm a muppet and sometimes remember while in the shower and my skin is already damp.You want to start with dry skin so the best time to do this is right before showering (or whenever you remember but your skin, and the brush, must be dry). Using a natural bristle brush, brush the skin upwards towards your heart. Brush in sections, for example, start with your calves, work your way up to your thighs, your booty, your belly-you get the picture. I have read that you only need to brush an area once or twice-I probably brush around 10 times then jump in the shower. Your skin has now been exfoliated, which means you're getting rid of the old skin cells and bringing on the newer and healthier ones. This is also the perfect time to add products with nutrients and antioxidants because exfoliation aids in the absorption of whatever products you will now apply. You can also add an anti-cellulite treatment for a double whammy against cellulite! 

Take that cellulite! 

If you are going to dry brush before showering, I would advise against any additional exfoliation in the shower. You don't want to irritate the skin!

Until next time,

it's smooth skin sailing!

~Jessica~

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masque

OH HI!

As part of my new skincare regimen (that I still haven't told you about besides the retin a), I have decided to add some face mask's  to the mix. I love doing my yogurt mask but stopped that when I started using RetinA because I didn't want too much exfoliation going on.

During the sticky, humid summer, I decided I needed an clay mask to suck the sweat and oil out of my pores. Sounds sexy right?

I decided to try Deep Cleansing Clean-Up Mud with Aloe Juice for Blemish Prone Skin by Montagne Jeunesse. Sounds very fancy doesn't it? I found this in Stop&Shop. It cost $1.59 for .7 oz. I got about 4 uses out of it. I decided to try it because the ingredients were natural without anything that I wasn't familiar with.

Ingredients:

Aqua (purified water), Kaolin (natural clay), Hamamelis Virginiana (distilled witch hazel), Glycerin (plant origin), Illite (mediterranean clay), Bentonite (natural clay), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (natural clay), Sea Salt (dead sea salt), Salix Nigra (willow)Bark Extract, Glucose (sugar), Romarinus officinalis (rosemary) Leaf Oil, Xanthan Gum (natural thickener), Allantoin, Aloe Barbadenis (aloe vera) Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis (green tea) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng, Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis (evening primrose) Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Lactoperoxidase (milk origin), Glucose Oxidase (sugar origin), Limonene.

I really liked it a lot-it made my skin super smooth and I did not breakout which is always a big plus!

I liked the clay masque so much, I decided to try a few more. I purchased Fruit Smoothie Deep Pore Cleansing Masque, also A Very Berry Ultra Moisturizing and Cleansing Masque. I have not tried them yet, however I did not read the ingredients list until I got home and unlike the Clay Masque, these two have fragrance and some colorants such as Red Lake added, so I'm not too sure about these two. I'm not particularly pleased and based on that info alone, I don't know if I would re-purchase. 

I am all for purchasing the higher end products and I believe everyone needs a good quality clay or charcoal mask as they draw out the impurities in your pores, however if your pocket can't handle the more expensive ones, then the Montagne Jeunesse Clean Up Mud is a really great buy. The jury is still out on the other two products. 

These products are manufactured in the UK and they have the Leaping Bunny symbol on them which means they do not test on animals. They are also approved by the Vegetarian Society, if that matters to any of you and they are also Green Approved. 

If you want to learn more about Montagne Jeunesse

Click Here

Until next time, 

~Jessica~

Retin A and Beautiful Skin

Oh hello there!
Time for our lesson on Retin A.

So Retin A is basically a topical form of vitamin A that helps the skin renew itself. It works by increasing skin cell turnover promoting the extrusion of the plugged material in the follicle. It also prevents the formation of new comedones. 

Retin A was introduced over 30 years ago to help people who suffered from acne. However there were some side effects. Besides clear skin, people were also reporting more youthful plump skin, even skin tone and disappearing wrinkles! Say whaaa? I think I hear butterflies and fairies singing...

Retin A is an exfoliate, which means it will gently dislodge dead skin cells, cleaning  pores and bringing pimples and blackheads to the surface to be obliterated forever (or until you stop using it). It also stimulates collagen, giving you that plump, healthy skin you had in your 20's. 

Prior to starting my Retin A regimen, I researched it and was a bit scared of what I found. So before you get all this beautiful, youthful skin back, you have to go through hell first. Apparently, you will have the worst skin of your life before you have the best skin of your life. You reportedly, have horrendous breakouts. If a pore is clogged, the only way for it to be cleared is for it to come out. Usually in the form of a pimple. In addition to the worst breakouts, you will also have dry, flaky, peeling, irritated skin. Sounds like a blast.

As someone who was going to be using Retin A for an adult (teenage) acne problem, this sounded terrifying. I asked my derm about this and she said I shouldn't have a problem with it and anyone who has these issues, goes in too fast and doesn't follow the rules.

So there are some rules with Retin A that need to be followed. 

First-You know how they suggest you apply your moisturizer to damp skin, such as right after you wash your face or get out of the shower?

YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITH RETIN A!

The suggestion is to wait 15-30 minutes after washing your face. I wait about 30-60 minutes after just to be safe. This rule is probably good to follow with any strong exfoliate such as AHA/BHA. 

Second-You MUST use sun protection. You should always use some form of sun protection, however it is an absolute must when using Retin A (or any exfoliate). Your skin is much more sensitive to the harsh rays of the sun. So slather it on! And use nothing less than a 30 SPF!

I decided to ease in and just dip my toe before jumping in. The first week I used it once ever 2 nights, then I started using it every other night for the next 3 weeks. Then I was using it 2 nights on/one night off. I did that for a month. Finally, 3 nights on/1 night off for 2 weeks and now I am using it every night except for Saturday night. Saturday night is my night off. I don't know why but it has always been that way. I just wash my face and crawl into bed. No products. I suspect it has something to do with drunken Saturday nights in my mid 20's. 

OK, back to the subject~

So 3 months in and so far I love it! I did not experience any of the dreaded breakouts or peeling skin (except for one little area on my nose). 

Any existing acne that I've had is clearing up and I have not had any active breakouts in weeks, which is like a lifetime when you suffer from it. I am really excited to see what my skin will look like 3-5 months from now since they say you won't see the full effects until 6-8 months. 

So for anyone suffering from acne or if you're just looking to give your aging skin a boost, I highly suggest trying Retin A. Remember, you need a prescription for this so get a good dermatologist.

Ease into it and please follow the rules. Also, be sure to invest in a really good moisturizer because you may need it if you start to peel. 

Until next time

~Jessica~