by Leslie G.

I was so excited when I received the email from Truth in Aging informing me that I had been chosen to review Board and Batten Restore Like a Girl ($56/40ml). Living in Michigan, a great night cream is a must during the winter.

Let me give you a little background information about myself and my skin. I am a few months shy of the big 50. I would categorize my skin as combination, oily forehead and nose, normal or dry everywhere else. Even with an oily nose, I am prone to flaky skin on the sides of my nose, especially in winter.  

Once I was informed that I would be testing a product from Board and Batten I immediately got on their website and was rather impressed with what I read. First off, their concept is "farm to skin" products. I love the farm-to-table movement we are seeing in many restaurants these days and was reminded of this when I read their philosophy. They make their products in small batches on their farm in Lake County, Florida, growing the ingredients used in their products right on their farm.

My first impression of the cream was that the consistency was a mix between coconut oil and Vaseline! It took some getting used to and to say that a little goes a long way would be an understatement. The ingredient list reads like something straight out of a health food store! Jojoba oil leads the way followed by cocoa seed butter, tea seed oil and evening primrose oil, all great moisturizers. The list of natural ingredients and powerful antioxidants goes on, no nasties in here.

After four weeks of use I have hardly made a dent in the jar. That being said, I have really seen some nice results as far as my dry flakes on the side of my nose — they are almost gone! I have found it takes some work rubbing this in and even then it seems to take a while to absorb. After cleansing each night I followed up with my MitoQ serum and Restore Like a Girl. This is a definite keeper for cold climates, it may be a bit too moisturizing for summer or for those with oiler skin.

Like Valerie, who reviewed Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum ($88 in the shop) for us recently, I approached this serum with some caution. I have sensitive skin and a healthy respect for retinol based products, appreciating their usefulness, but anxious not to overdo them. I was curious as well as a little trepidatious as to how I would do on a month-long nightly trial of this serum.

I already use and very much like Dr.Dennis Gross Ferulic & Retinol Fortifying Neck Emulsion ($75 in the shop), but my neck seems to have rougher, tougher skin than my face. Therefore, I started out with a cautious every other night. Within a week, I realized that not only was the Overnight Serum very gentle, but I was waking up looking pretty damn good. I upped it to every night and have used it thus for the past four weeks.

I am getting compliments on my skin and I, personally, am appreciating improved radiance, clarity and smoothed out fine lines. I should note tbat I have decreased my beloved Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel ($88 in the shop) to every other day in the interest of not over exfoliating, as there are several alpha hydroxyl acids in the Overnight Serum.

In addition to retinol, there is retinyl palmitate and a combo new to me that is listed as retinyl palmitate/carrot polypeptide. Now, retinyl palmitate is a controversial ingredient since, according to a National Toxicology Program report based on a year-long study on mice, it becomes carcinogenic in sunlight. Since I am only using this product at night, I am not overly concerned by this. I did do some additional research on retinyl palmitate/carrot polypeptide and found that it is marketed under the name of Vitazyme A-Plus. The company that makes it says that the peptide “it reduces or eliminates the well-known toxicity of the fat-soluble vitamins.” Intriguing.

What I appreciate about the DDG formulations is that there are a ton of antioxidants to compliment the retinol. In addition to what is almost Dr. Gross’ signature ingredient, ferulic acid, niacinamide gets pride of place and there’s ellagic acid and gallic acid, two antioxidants that are found in many plants.

I was especially thrilled to find silybum marianum (silymarin). This is the active component in milk thistle, one of my favorite antioxidant plant extracts (I included it in my Treatment Gel).  As I discovered in my review of a most interesting potion called Difinsa, silymarin activates a protein that protects us from cancer and triggers sensors for UVB-induced DNA damage and signals DNA repair (source). This is pretty useful in product that contains retinol and retinyl palmitate.

There are all the usual suspects in the preservative department, but overall, Overnight Serum has a fantastic array good ingredients that make this an extremely effective and highly recommended night treatment.

In the past few weeks, I have received letters from people terrified that their vitamin C serums are going to give them cancer. In some cases, a specific form of vitamin C called ascorbyl palmitate was singled out for concern, while other writers were on the verge of trashing anything in their medicine cabinet. Helpfully, everyone sent me some links so that I was able to see their sources. Since their concerns were shocking and the initial research seemed worrying, I set about trying to find out the truth about vitamin C and ascorbyl palmitate.

A study from 2002 on ascorbic acid-6-palmitate

All roads led back to a study from 2002 where the researchers (Meves et al.) set about looking at the antioxidant properties of a lipid-soluble derivative of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid-6-palmitate.

Synonyms for this ingredient are ascorbate-6 palmitate, ascorbyl palmitate and vitamin C-palmitate.

What Meves found was that scorbic acid-6-palmitate strongly promoted ultraviolet-B-induced lipid peroxidation and they concluded that “despite its antioxidant properties, ascorbic acid-6-palmitate may intensify skin damage following physiologic doses of ultraviolet radiation” and noted that this was “probably” due to its “lipid component."

This does sound definitive, but is it?

Calls for more research

Not long after the 2002 Meves study, an article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, commented on it, noting “It is clear from the study reported by Meves et al that ascorbyl-6-palmitate is not ascorbic acid.” Then its author went on to question whether ascorbyl-6-palmitate could penetrate the stateum corneum or interefere with its own built-in form of antioxidant defense, disrupting the lipid barrier or even penetrate deeper and harm cellular layers of skin. The conclusion was “only additional in vivo studies will allow us to assess its potential harm to skin.”

So has there been more research?

The 2002 Meves study on the harmful effects of ascorbic acid-6-palmitate seems to be the only one its kind. I can find no other studies that try to replicate the results to either support or refute them. I went through the toxicology reports on PubMed and The Meves study is indeed listed there. But it is the only one that refers to harmful effects.

Research on ascorbyl palmitate is mostly positive. Actually, the research history is overwhelmingly positive. For example, a 2006 study on mice that demonstrated that ascorbyl palmitate topically administered twice a week inhibited 91% of tumors.

A study from 2014 found that this ingredient prevented cell death from X-rays. I’ll also mention research from 2013 on how ascrobyl-6-palmitate inhibited lipid peroxidation – the exact opposite conclusion from what got us started on this (although I do find it a bit odd that study was on humans and soybeans). In 2011, researchers noted that “vitamin C palmitate (VCP), a lipid-soluble form, integrates into human erythrocyte membranes and prevents oxidant damage”,

Other scientists (in 2013) have been cheerfully looking at ways to improve getting ascorbyl palmitate into the skin, seemingly unconcerned by the study from 2002.

One negative study from China concluded that ascorbyl palmitate had low antioxidant activity, which ascorbic acid’s was high.

I could go and on. As I said, the research pedigree for the safety of ascorbyl palmitate seems sound.

So why the sudden flurry of cancer concern?

The short answer is that I am not sure. However, a 2014 article by Felicia Rose Labs has been passed around.

The writer says that palmitate molecules “convert the skin loving vitamin C into a proven hazardous substance.” This process of stabilizing the vitamins leads to “accelerated skin cancer and skin aging.” This is entirely based on the Meves study from 2002.

She concludes that you should watch out for any vitamin with palmitate attached, including vitamin A. This is based on the National Toxicology Board’s findings that retinyl palmitate is carcinogenetic when exposed to sunlight. The thing is that the NTB also said that retinoic acid, not just retinyl palmitate increased skin lesions and photocarcinogenic activity.

In conclusion

Faced with on one, unreplicated study raising concerns and many more that find the effects on skin to be beneficial, I see no reason to stop using products with the ingredient ascorbyl palmitate.

Three years ago I was asked to review the first version of this product. Looking back at my review reminded me of the positive and somewhat negative issues that arose for me using BRAD Ultra Peel Exfoliating Gel ($175 in the shop) the first time around. Yes, it did seem to lighten and tighten, but I experienced peeling around my nose, and an actual “burned” feeling after using the product every day for a week. I backed off, found certainly helped with age spots. But I wasn’t so impressed I would have sprung for it, and I like a routine daily, rather than having to count days and worry about damaging my already 64-year-old skin using too much product. 

Now Brad has reformulated this Ultra Peel, and I can report that the negatives have vanished, and, for the most part, the positives have remained and possibly increased. This is a product that contains exfoliating AHAs: alpha hydroxy, malic, kojic and lactic acids. This means it can make your skin more sun-sensitive, so don’t forget sunscreen. It also has skin brighteners such as licorice and bearberry extract. It also contains “bio-ferments,” this is described on their website: “the process of fermentation concentrates the nutrient value and increases the bio-availability of ingredients so that they can be absorbed into the deeper layers of the skin. Bio-fermentation does not require any preservatives; prevents oxidation so maintaining maximum potency and effectiveness of ingredients; and increases anti-microbial activity in the products.” I know, it’s somewhat mysterious.

I have been using the product daily. It’s an orange-ish serum, drippy, that is dispensed from the “magic properties” black glass bottle via a glass dropper. Very medicinal looking, but the smell is clean and the product disappears into the skin, leaving no orange glow. It’s also very easy to apply. Rather than attempting to aim the dropper on my face, hurrying to rub it in before it slid off and risk losing even a drop of the serum (it’s not cheap), I found that dropping half a dropper-full on the back of my hand and then dipping my fingers into the little pool to apply all over my face and neck was the easiest way to go. Although there was a warning regarding possible stinging, it was only the first day I noticed the tiniest tingle. After that it was smooth sailing, easy-peasy every morning. I finished by adding moisturizer on top and eye cream (YBF Control), I was out the door.

This product gives the skin a glow. I noted in my earlier review, at my age I have a fair amount of age spots and sun damage. The first thing I noticed after about a week was a lightening of the more prominent dark spots. Another week and I noticed that the pores on my nose seemed to have opened a bit, which was disturbing, but within a few days, seemed to have tightened back up. It was almost as if, with this rather subtle peeling taking place (and I do mean subtle, I never saw so much as a flake, or felt any burn besides the first use tingle), the dead and blocking top layers were falling away and new skin was being revealed. At a month in, my skin looks finer and smoother, there in continued fading of dark spots, and I am pleased that it’s such a benign experience overall.

The only negative thing is this now that the fading and evening out of my facial and neck skin in going on, I notice the spots where I have broken capillaries much more! Arrgh! Two steps forward, one step back!  So now I am wondering what to do about THOSE. Wish the Ultra Peel could work its magic on those, but I think they are too deep, and I’d have to go for the freaky laser treatments I’ve heard hurt so much. Ick.
 
Would I buy it? Three years ago I said no, too expensive. Now I am more convinced that it may be worth it to have such a gentle ongoing peel process happening. Since the bottle is very generous, I am continuing to use it and if I can find a way to deal with those red veiny things, well, I just might be a convert. Sometimes you don’t see the possibilities and problems until they are quite literally side-by-side right on your face!

I have been testing Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum. It seems pretty unanimous among derms that ferulic acid and retinol is a proven heavy hitting anti-aging duo, so I was excited to give this product a go. Ferulic acid has been established as a powerful antioxidant and free radical hunter, with potential sun protection capabilities. Retinol is a well-known anti-ager used for exfoliating to smooth lines and renew skin. Dr. Dennis Gross uses a proprietary blend of both, ensuring that the retinol isn't too harsh and this formula can be used on many skin types.

This fragrance-free formula is more like serum gel that feels rich (not greasy) and is easy to apply. It has that sort of smoothness that comes with products that contain silicons, which it does. Although silicons are something I try to avoid, they aren’t a definite deal breaker for me. I enjoyed using this product. It was non-irritating and felt nice on my eyes. However, after a few weeks, I didn’t think I was noticing any changes. And I was missing my Mukti eye serum.

So when my mom came to visit me, I offered the product to her. I thought it might be interesting to have my mom (who just turned 70) test it out. She also really like the feel of it. She’s been using it for several weeks and said that she is noticing a slight difference around her eyes! She specifically told me, "the lines around her eyes appeared to be slightly less pronounced."  This is a big deal for my mom to say, because she’s always so skeptical about the effectiveness of products. She also said that she probably wouldn’t buy it again because of the price. Clearly my mom and I have different philosophies when it come to skincare. I say if it works, it’s worth it!

Elastin is the connective tissue in skin. As the name suggests elastin allows the skin to stretch and recoil. In the skin, most elastin is in the dermis, the springy middle layer. The building block of elastin is a protein called tropelastin and there is only one tropelastin gene in humans (compared to lots of genes for collagen). Tropelastin is pretty cool and can stretch eight times its molecular length before recoiling back again.

Elastin production starts to decline when we are still very young and by middle age we hardly produce any at all and rely on what was generated in the first few years of life.

The good news is that it is one of the longest lasting proteins in the body and has an enviable half-life point of around 74. The problem is that any damage — from UVB light, for example – is inefficiently repaired and so the skin gradually loses its elasticity well before we reach our 70s (source).

There are many ways that collagen production can be increased, but less is known about how to boost elastin. Tretinoin was used for many years, but interesting retinol in studies has been found to have no effect. Given the controversies around tretinoin use, this is disappointing. So I’ve been researching ways we can boost our elastin and this is what I have come up with:

Amino acids

This is a good place to start because elastin is primarily made up of the amino acids glycine, valine, alanine, and proline. So look for serums that major on amino acids such as:

SkinOwl Eye+ ($46 in the shop), a damn good eye cream that is packed with no less than 13 amino acids.

Deciem Hand Chemistry Intense Youth Complex ($20 in the shop) has proline, alanine and serine.                                      

BRAD Biophotonic Essential Elixir Multi-Peptide Youth Regenerating Serum ($95 in the shop) with bio-fermented amino acids.

Sciote Peptide + Defense Youth Serum ($110 in the shop) has all the amino acids you could wish for in its “peptide complex blend”.

Organic Radiance Ultra Nourishing Anti-aging Elixir ($40.50 in the shop) punches above its price point with amino acids and other good ingredients such as MSM.

Soy

The genus name for soy is actually glycine, one of the amino acids that are in elastin. Research has shown that topical soy extracts boosted elastin fiber.  Frustratingly, there aren’t a ton of good products with soy extract, but we do have:

E'shee Cellular Repairing Night Cream ($289 in the shop) with soybean oil, as well as the amino acid proline.

Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Moisture Cushion Oil-Free Moisturizer ($58 in the shop) has hydrolyzed soy protein.

Medik8 Pretox Eyelift ($70 in the shop) has a hefty dose of soy protein.

Elastase inhibitors

The elastase enzyme attacks structural proteins, e.g., elastin, and so ingredients that inhibit it are a good thing. There is a peptide, known as TT2, that does just that and as a result reduces sagging and slacking. You can find it in E'shee Clinical Esthetic Alpha and Omega Gene Therapy Eye Cream ($284 in the shop).

One study identified the botanical extracts best able to combat elastase and white tea and rose came out top. White tea is tea made from new growth buds and young leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. It is a staple of SimySkin products such as:

SimySkin Nourishing Eye Cream ($45 in the shop) has white tea and green tea as well as some collagen-boosting peptides.

SimySkin Hydrating & Nourishing Face Moisturizer ($45 in the shop) majors on white tea and has some good antioxidants such as alpha lipoic acid.

Rose can be found in La Vie Celeste’s Rose Hydrosol Eye Cream ($ in the shop) and Sevani’s Age Defying Rose Hyaluronic Tonique ($39 in the shop)

New peptides

Tetrapeptide-17 goes by the name of Tego Pep 4-17. Other than a study conducted by the manufacturer that showed an improvement in skin elasticity, there isn’t much information available. But it has been harnessed by Your Best Face, for example in its new overnight serum.

Restore also has Uplevity (tetrapeptide-2), which is also supposed to increase elastin.

Your Best Face Restore Night Treatment Serum ($145 in the shop)

Copper peptides

Copper is the key mineral in lysyl oxidase, an enzyme that weaves together collagen and elastin. Clinical studies have found that copper peptides remove damaged collagen and elastin from the skin and scar tissue because they activate the skin's system responsible for those functions. It also promotes production of glycosaminoglycans.

Benir Beauty BV-9 Platinum Provectus Super Serum ($195 in the shop) uses a unique formulation of 7 different peptides, including copper.

Copper peptides, plus Matrixyl 3000 and niacinamide are combined to great effect in Medik8 Firewall ($145 in the shop)

Red LED light

Red LED light is one of the best things for restoring elastin, and some German researchers shed light on how it works. The LED light changes the molecular structure of a glue-like layer of water on elastin, the protein that provides elasticity in skin, blood vessels, heart and other body structures. The light strips away those water molecules that are involved in the immobilization of elastin, gradually restoring its elastic function and thus reducing facial wrinkles. Red LED is featured, along with ultrasound, on the Truth Vitality Lux Renew ($279 in the shop).

A word about vitamin C

There have been concerns voiced about vitamin C bringing down elastin and so, paradoxically, good for collagen production but bad for elastin. This turns out to be not quite right as the concern is based on one study that noted that when the skin is exposed to sunlight and photodamage, it goes into elastin production overdrive. In the study, the vitamin regulated it back to normals. (source)

Not long ago, I received a press release about Foreo Luna Night Cleanser ($35.95). What caught my eye was the sentence “meteorite powder found in the Night Cleanser contains rare elements that cleanse and very gently but effectively exfoliate to purify and soften the skin.” Meteorite powder? Would that be powder from actual meteorites, that is to say solid bits of debris from asteroids or comets. The stuff that’s been whizzing through outer space and survived its impact with the Earth's surface?

My mind was immediately racing at the speed of light. Had the powder in this cleanser killed a dinosaur? How would you go about getting meteorite powder? Is it mined? Come to think of it, aren’t meteorites comparatively rare? At least rare enough not be pulverized into a skin cleansing ingredient? I needed answers to my questions.

If you Google meteorite powder, not much comes up outside of planet Foreo. Well, except a cute GIF on Pinterest for making your own meteorite with sand, flour and cocoa powder. Could be the makings of a cleanser.

So I decided to go a little deeper into the whole meteorite thing. I wanted to know how much meteorite was lying around on the earth anyway.

According to Ask An Astronomer estimates for the amount of meteorite matter landing on Earth each year range from 37,000-78,000 tons. Most of this is dust-sized particles. A study done in 1996 (looking at the number of meteorites found in deserts over time) calculated that for objects in the 10 gram to 1 kilogram size range, 2,900-7,300 kilograms per year hit Earth. But most meteorites are too small to actually fall all the way to the surface.

So much of the meteorite matter coming down to Earth is dust. Which is powder. Powder that could go into a cleanser. But how would one — Foreo — gather it. Do they have a giant vacuum pointed at the skies?

Now remember that Foreo talks about “rare elements” that “purify the skin.” This leads me to my next question. What is a meteorite made up of? About 86% of the meteorites that fall on Earth are chondrites. Mostly melted silica, but organic matter has been found, such as amino acids (which are in us). Baby, we are all just star dust!

Most meteorites are found objects, lying around in the sand waiting to be picked up. There are 38,660 well-documented meteorite finds, according to Wikipedia. There’s many an amateur meterorite hunter and I imagine them fanning out across the Great Plains each with some kind of Geiger counter thingy, a large magnet and wearing a Foreo emblazoned hoodie.

But why hand over your meteorite to Foreo when there’s eBay, where I’m told, meteorite’s fetch “$300.00 per gram or more — meaning a 1 pound meteorite can be worth a million dollars.”

Not long ago, I received a press release about Foreo Luna Night Cleanser ($35.95). What caught my eye was the sentence “meteorite powder found in the Night Cleanser contains rare elements that cleanse and very gently but effectively exfoliate to purify and soften the skin.” Meteorite powder? Would that be powder from actual meteorites, that is to say solid bits of debris from asteroids or comets. The stuff that’s been whizzing through outer space and survived its impact with the Earth's surface?

My mind was immediately racing at the speed of light. Had the powder in this cleanser killed a dinosaur? How would you go about getting meteorite powder? Is it mined? Come to think of it, aren’t meteorites comparatively rare? At least rare enough not be pulverized into a skin cleansing ingredient? I needed answers to my questions.

If you Google meteorite powder, not much comes up outside of planet Foreo. Well, except a cute GIF on Pinterest for making your own meteorite with sand, flour and cocoa powder. Could be the makings of a cleanser.

So I decided to go a little deeper into the whole meteorite thing. I wanted to know how much meteorite was lying around on the earth anyway.

According to Ask An Astronomer estimates for the amount of meteorite matter landing on Earth each year range from 37,000-78,000 tons. Most of this is dust-sized particles. A study done in 1996 (looking at the number of meteorites found in deserts over time) calculated that for objects in the 10 gram to 1 kilogram size range, 2,900-7,300 kilograms per year hit Earth. But most meteorites are too small to actually fall all the way to the surface.

So much of the meteorite matter coming down to Earth is dust. Which is powder. Powder that could go into a cleanser. But how would one — Foreo — gather it. Do they have a giant vacuum pointed at the skies?

Now remember that Foreo talks about “rare elements” that “purify the skin.” This leads me to my next question. What is a meteorite made up of? About 86% of the meteorites that fall on Earth are chondrites. Mostly melted silica, but organic matter has been found, such as amino acids (which are in us). Baby, we are all just star dust!

Most meteorites are found objects, lying around in the sand waiting to be picked up. There are 38,660 well-documented meteorite finds, according to Wikipedia. There’s many an amateur meterorite hunter and I imagine them fanning out across the Great Plains each with some kind of Geiger counter thingy, a large magnet and wearing a Foreo emblazoned hoodie.

But why hand over your meteorite to Foreo when there’s eBay, where I’m told, meteorite’s fetch “$300.00 per gram or more — meaning a 1 pound meteorite can be worth a million dollars.”

by Melissa D.

When asked if I would like to review the Bottega Organica Overnight Renewal Cream ($165 in the shop) I took a look at the ingredients and was extremely interested because they all looked to be natural.  The timing was perfect as I am always looking for a good night cream in the winter due to sleeping under the heat vent which tends to make my skin tight and dry. I typically use a heavy shea butter-based cream to avoid looking like a reptile when I wake up! As a woman in my late 30's I definitely want to do whatever I can to maintain a youthful glow.

The Bottega Organica Overnight Renewal Cream does not have a strong scent. It's very light and perfect for a night cream. The consistency is not overly heavy but it's also not what I would describe as light. It's somewhat greasy however I don't consider this to be a bad thing being that it is a night cream. I have to say I absolutely LOVE this cream! If I could I would take a bath in it! It left my skin feeling silky smooth in the morning and I have noticed a decrease in the lines I am starting to see around my eyes and also a decrease in some acne scarring. I did not have a single breakout while using this cream. 

The cream is chock-full of natural ingredients to help combat aging such as their signature prawn sage, which Marta discusses in detail in her review of Bottega Organica’s face serum. There are also several other attractive botanicals like carrot seed extract, rose flower extract, mandarin oil, neroli and frankincense, many of which also help to heal scarring by promoting cell regeneration. It also includes yarrow extract which can be helpful in fighting acne.

I received the cream in January and still have about half a jar left. However I think I was using more than needed the first few weeks, as I'm used to heavily slathering on a night cream in the winter but soon realized that not a lot was needed so I pulled back a bit. That being said there would likely be more than half the jar left at this point if it weren’t for my initial over-use.

Bottega Organica is a company that was begun by a doctor who researched many plants for their "ability to maintain human cells in a youthful state,” according to their website. Dr. Andrea Alimonti studied many plants to find those that are beneficial for use in skin care. Bottega Organica also harvests and processes all of the ingredients they use on their farms located in Italy and New York. It's pretty awesome to know that the products you use from them do not contain any nasties!

In beginning my research of the Bottega Organica Overnight Renewal Cream I discovered the cost of a jar is $165. At first this made me a little sad but the more I used it and when I realized the ingredients are not only natural but grown and processed by the company that makes the product, it made the cost easier to swallow. Also the jar will likely last 4+ months which I feel is reasonable. I'm willing to pay a little more for a product that is not full of junk and that is proven to work which I find that this does! I will definitely be purchasing this cream again and am looking forward to trying other products from Bottega Organica. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great night cream!

As members of the Truth In Aging community well know, one of my favorite ingredients is copper peptides. This ingredient is a powerful booster of collagen and restorer of hair with a long and rich research history going back to the 1970s. So Deciem’s NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1% ($60 in the shop) had me at hello.

The copper used here is a tripeptide, meaning that it has been combined with three amino acids. I was able to mentally reference the fact that in my Truth Vitality Advanced Complex for hair, the key active is copper with five amino acids. What makes NIOD’s face serum neat is that it packages the copper tripeptide-1 part of the formula separately and you mix it with what they call an activator, a copper salt from two more amino acids.

The 1% that Deciem boasts about is actually worth the hubris, as research has been conducted at 0.68% and produced results on inflammation. Talking of hubris, it is claimed that this serum will make you younger looking in only five days. I am not so sure I can concur with that, but after a month of testing it, I am convinced that it should be part of my regimen.

I didn't particularly notice wrinkle reduction as a result of my test. That may come later. But where NIOD seemed to really be helping was with firming, especially my lower cheeks and sides of my mouth going to the chin. This is where sagging tends to begin for me and I believe that the copper peptides (along with ultrasound and LED) made a difference.

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1% really is a serum and does not for one minute pose as a moisturizer or even as a serum that can be used on its own. My slightly oily skin can often wear a serum without the need to layer a moisturizer, but not in this case. Despite the low-molecular version of sodium hyaluronate, this serum is very drying without an additional moisturizer.

One reason for this may be that it includes myristoyl nonapeptide-3, a peptide that is said to mimic retinol and exfoliate the skin in order to encourage cell turnover. There’s not much research on this ingredient that I can find. I was intrigued to see some decapeptides and an oligopeptide and discovered that along with wheat protein they are marketed as an ingredient called Renaissance Powder. The manufacturer promises it will regenerate the skin and minimize scars.

There are a couple of potential toxins amongst the preservatives and solvent that could be irritating. I had no adverse reactions. Overall, I would heartily recommend this to anyone wanting to introduce collagen boosting copper into their skincare routine.

As members of the Truth In Aging community well know, one of my favorite ingredients is copper peptides. This ingredient is a powerful booster of collagen and restorer of hair with a long and rich research history going back to the 1970s. So Deciem’s NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1% ($60 in the shop) had me at hello.

The copper used here is a tripeptide, meaning that it has been combined with three amino acids. I was able to mentally reference the fact that in my Truth Vitality Advanced Complex for hair, the key active is copper with five amino acids. What makes NIOD’s face serum neat is that it packages the copper tripeptide-1 part of the formula separately and you mix it with what they call an activator, a copper salt from two more amino acids.

The 1% that Deciem boasts about is actually worth the hubris, as research has been conducted at 0.68% and produced results on inflammation. Talking of hubris, it is claimed that this serum will make you younger looking in only five days. I am not so sure I can concur with that, but after a month of testing it, I am convinced that it should be part of my regimen.

I didn't particularly notice wrinkle reduction as a result of my test. That may come later. But where NIOD seemed to really be helping was with firming, especially my lower cheeks and sides of my mouth going to the chin. This is where sagging tends to begin for me and I believe that the copper peptides (along with ultrasound and LED) made a difference.

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1% really is a serum and does not for one minute pose as a moisturizer or even as a serum that can be used on its own. My slightly oily skin can often wear a serum without the need to layer a moisturizer, but not in this case. Despite the low-molecular version of sodium hyaluronate, this serum is very drying without an additional moisturizer.

One reason for this may be that it includes myristoyl nonapeptide-3, a peptide that is said to mimic retinol and exfoliate the skin in order to encourage cell turnover. There’s not much research on this ingredient that I can find. I was intrigued to see some decapeptides and an oligopeptide and discovered that along with wheat protein they are marketed as an ingredient called Renaissance Powder. The manufacturer promises it will regenerate the skin and minimize scars.

There are a couple of potential toxins amongst the preservatives and solvent that could be irritating. I had no adverse reactions. Overall, I would heartily recommend this to anyone wanting to introduce collagen boosting copper into their skincare routine.

Hair dye ingredients are positively hair raising. Some of them, especially those that go into making dyes for dark hair, can be very harmful. I frequently am asked to recommend safe hair dyes and so when my colleague, Maura, was at the office with a new, rich mocha-colored coif, I was immediately curious — especially when she said the brand, Madison Reed, made a big deal about safe ingredients.

I’ve heard that before. For example, a few years ago, when a friend asked me to look at Naturtint, a hair dye brand that implies it lives up to its name. It does not. Naturtint had many dubious ingredients, with p-phenylenediamine being a particularly egregious offender. This is a common active in dyes for dark hair and its effects can run the gamut from tearing to coma. So I went to check out Madison Reed with caution.

Since dark dyes are typically amongst the worst offenders, I looked up “Positano Black”. Thankfully, there was no p-phenylenediamine and, I was delighted to see many good things. Nonetheless, this hair dye isn’t completely free of nasties. For a start there’s ethanolamine is also known as acetamide MEA and the European Union classifies it as corrosive and harmful if in contact with the skin. However, the industry body, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, proclaims it is safe in concentrations up to 7.5%.

Although Madison Reed claims to be free of resorcinol (a known irritant), there are a couple of variations such as 4-chlororesorcinol. However, this has been determined to be safe in normal use in hair dyes (source). P-aminophenol can be toxic and an irritant, according to many animal studies, but has been deemed safe at the concentrations used in hair dyes (source).  

Other ingredients, such as 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine have been deemed safe, even by those picky scientists over in the EU (source). Furthermore, Madison Reed have included some good things such as argan oil, panax ginseng and vitamin C

Overall, Madison Reed has avoided the worst offenders and can be recommended to all but those who want a completely natural, safe product. But pure veggie dyes don’t really do the job of a permanent dye. And this is the perfect segue for Maura to tell us how Madison Reed has performed for her.

I’m only mildly embarrassed to admit that I discovered Madison Reed by clicking on a Facebook ad; but it lead me to a gentle, low-toxicity hair color system that’s a pleasure to use so I can’t complain too much. They caught my eye with the phrase “ammonia-free.” I had recently read in an article (so sorry I can’t source this) that salon hair color has 2% ammonia while most drugstore box color has something like 99%, a frightening number that curbed my penchant for grabbing a box of Garnier Chocolate Cherry on a whim to add some pizazz to my naturally mid-toned, nondescript brown hair.

A bit of my hair history: my hair has never given me much trouble, but I’ve also never been thrilled by it. Hairdressers comment that it’s “fine, but you have a lot of it” and it grows in a casual wave that’s prone to frizz in humid weather. I’m lucky that it holds a style well and aside from a few cowlicks at the crown of my head, I don’t struggle too much to make it look the way I like when I put in the effort. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston in the early 2000’s, all of the cool kids at my school got blonde highlights, à la Jennifer Aniston in the final seasons of Friends. In retrospect, I’m glad my mother didn’t give into my pleas that I be allowed to participate in this trend, but the result of our arguments was a pressing sense of the expense and commitment of a visit to the salon for hair color. So, when as an art student in New York City a friend asked me to help her dye her hair from a box, it was an “aha” moment: “Oh that’s right! People actually do this themselves in their own bathrooms, and for $10!”

In the handful of times I used drugstore hair color, the major adverse effects were a strong chemical smell that could last until my next hair wash and a stiff, crunchy feel that could last through a few shampoo sessions. But once I learned how packed with nasty stuff they were, I took a break from dying until seeing the fateful Facebook ad. I missed the polish a richer hair color gave to my style and ordered a box of Madison Reed’s auburn-hued Portofino Red - 6NRR.

I still remember receiving my first box from Madison Reed and feeling so impressed and pampered by the thoughtful packaging. With your order, you receive everything you could need to dye: the color & activator, with a pointy-tipped spout for easy application of the color; 2 pairs of gloves, one for application and one for rinsing; a barrier cream to apply to your hairline and ears to avoid telltale “I just dyed by my hair” stains; a gentle wet wipe in case you get color on your neck or hands anyway; sample bottles of their shampoo and conditioner (which I also love and of which they sell full-size version); and a cap to wear as the color sinks in.

The first thing I noticed when dying my hair was how pleasant and non-chemical the smell was. It’s a gentle botanical aroma that made the experience of dying my hair so much more pleasant. Of course, since this is still an at-home dye kit, there's still the somewhat annoying process of slowly and deliberately ensuring that the color reaches each and every strand, but at less than $30 per order (even less if you choose the auto-delivery option), it's worth the extra effort. After rinsing the hair color, using their shampoo and standout conditioner, there’s no crunchy feel or chemically smell lingering for days. Just shiny, healthy color that lasts.

I was hoping that the I’m Fabulous Super Peptide Eye Serum would deliver what it said it would do on the website, but needless to say I was disappointed. The first thing I noticed was the packaging. It was very simple and no instructions or ingredients on the packaging. I had to go to the website to find the information. The company is dedicated to providing organic, pure vegan products. That is truly something worth trying if that is important to you.

I noticed on the list of ingredients the first ingredient was snap-8 peptide then snake peptide followed by aloe and hyaluronic acid. They seem to have great ingredients that had no nasties, but what was snap-8, and the snake venom-like peptide? The company states, “The massively talked about active ingredient Syn-ake® works like Botox, by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters which cause facial muscle tension (fine lines & wrinkles). With the muscle contraction inhibited, fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced. So a bit like the action of Botox — without the needles and pain. Syn-ake® is scientifically and clinically proven to reduce wrinkle depth and quickly!” I was quite curious about this so I used this on my whole face for the five weeks.

First of all the jar has quite a bit of product in it and a small amount goes a long way. The directions say it can also be used as an all over face treatment, so I applied it to my whole face as well as my neck. I figured if it was like botox without the needles I would take advantage! The website made it seem like you would feel something happening after you apply and it would be like magic as far as softening. Well after 5 or 10 minutes I felt nothing, but it felt clean and no oily residue. After a bit my face felt soft but dry so I needed to use a moisturizer. 

So to be fair to I’m Fabulous, their products may be truly organic and pure and that is wonderful. The product just did not work for my 50-something-year-old skin. Perhaps it would be great for someone in their 30s, 40s or someone with skin that is not as dry as mine. I did not have any breakouts and there is no scent to speak of. It would be great for sensitive skin. 

I just can’t give this product a thumbs up. For me as far as seeing any major or even slight difference in the appearance of wrinkles there wasn’t any. I could not wait to get back to my regular regimen. I am always happy to give something new a try, especially when the products are organic and good for your skin. This time it just didn’t work for me. I am used to Medik8 Firewall and MitoQ and there was no comparison as to what they do for my skin.

by Kim E.

I recently was given the opportunity to test out the Dr. Dennis Gross’ Antioxidant Cleaning Cloths with AHAs ($18 in the shop). The product claims to exfoliate, soothe inflammation and fight the signs of aging. I normally use a Costco brand of face wipes and thought it would be nice to try something different, especially since I have never tried any products from Dr. Dennis Gross before. 

I am 48 years old and my skin is fairly normal. I am oilier in my T-zone but in the winter months I notice my skin does get slightly drier. The wipes come is a package of 30. I used one each night to take off my make-up. I think that it did a pretty good job at doing that. There wasn’t much of a scent to the wipes but the first few times that I used them, I did feel a slight tingling to my face. It certainly wasn’t enough for me to stop using them, it went away quickly. I think the wipes are much softer and feel thicker than the other wipes that I was using.

As far as the list of ingredients, I am impressed that they could fit a lot of good stuff in these face wipes. I certainly am no expert but the ingredients for the wipes look impressive. Polysorbate 20 is an emulsifier which helps to mix oil and water. I am not sure if it actually does anything for your skin. This is the one ingredient I wasn’t so sure about. Willow bark extract is an astringent known for its smoothing and conditioning properties.  Citric Acid (AHA) and Salicylic Acid (BHA) are both known as a good exfoliates and to help with pigmentation and wrinkles. Bisabolol works as a skin conditioning agent and enhances the appearance of dry skin and restores suppleness to the skin. There are also lots of other antioxidants including grapefruit extract, blueberry extract and tocopheryl acetate.

After using the wipes for 30 days, I would say that it did exfoliate and soothe my skin. I had found that I didn’t need to exfoliate as much while I was using the wipes. I really like the fact that I can use these wipes to remove makeup and exfoliate my skin all in one. I am not so sure about whether it did anything to “fight the signs of aging.” I am now out of these wipes and I found myself researching for one the other night to take off my makeup and was bummed that I was out. I guess that is a sign that I will be buying these again!

The Truth Vitality Lux Renew is a groundbreaking beauty tool, a 3-in-1 device that helps firm and smooth skin and treat acne with a combination of LED light and ultrasound treatments. If you own a Lux Renew, then you most likely already know what all the buzz is about.

The Lux is getting around! Truth in Aging community members aren't the only ones sharing how the Truth Vitality Lux Renew works for them. Now more than ever, others are catching on to what has long felt like a Truth in Aging secret. 2016 has been a big year for spreading the Lux love, and I couldn't be more proud. Here are what beauty editors and dermatologists are saying about the Lux Renew:

Shape

From Shape.com:

"It helps with inflammation immediately, though you might need more time to observe its wrinkle reduction. 'I like all the options this device has, because you can tailor it to your needs,' says David Baratta, photo and bookings editor for Shape. 'My face did feel a bit tighter after using it, which I imagine would translate to good firming results over time. Also the bacteria-killing properties did shrink one of my pimples overnight.'"

Dr. Whitney Bowe

From Dr.WhitneyBowe.com:

"If you are needle-phobic or not quite ready to take the plunge for injections, this is a great option! I also recommend it to my patients for use in between our appointments to maximize their results from in-office procedures! It can complement procedures for tightening (Ultherapy, Thermage), redness (V-beam) or acne (Peels and Theraclear), allowing you to get more out of each treatment and extending the results so you can space those treatments farther apart. For a cost-saving option, this is one of the better products I’ve tested!"

 Refinery29

From Refinery29.com:

"Many people are skipping the spa and doctor's offices altogether and taking matters into their own hands with less expensive, DIY treatments and tools. The Kline Group reports that the at-home beauty devices market increased 14% globally in 2014, and continues to rise. "Manufacturers and brands are in a race to make the next Clarisonic,' says Schook. That rush to the patent office has produced some impressive technology. 'At-home chemical peels and devices such as Truth Vitality's Lux Renew offer blue and red LED as well as ultrasound for anti-aging and anti-acne treatment,' says King."

You can find more Lux love on our press page and share your own by leaving a review or telling us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (@truthinaging) using #LuxLove.

My just-washed hair looks like a bunch of limp noodles. There’s a bit of a wave, but very little texture. So, I was excited to try Pure Glam’s Volume Root Powder ($26.99) and see if it delivered on the promised lift. Indeed, it did.

My interest was piqued when I read Pure Glam describe this powder “magically transforming into a light, translucent styling paste.” It was hard for me to visualize what this meant. After shaking a small amount of powder that looked like the remains at the bottom of a bag of white cheddar cheese puffs (but with none of the cheesey odor, and in fact no odor at all) into my palm, I rubbed my hands together and understood. These light, powdery flakes almost melt into a sticky styling paste. Though the instructions advise to shake the powder directly onto your scalp and massage in, I have more control using my hands with powders so I sprinkled some onto my fingertips and rubbed into the crown of my head and a bit to the sides of my temples. I turned my head upside down, gave my hair a quick shake and BAM! When I looked in the mirror, boy was there volume, as you can see in the photo. I even think a bit of the shock of the amount of volume my hair has is evident on my face in the after photo.

The feel that this volume powder imparts is a very specific dirty-hair feel. The best way I can describe it is: you attend a formal event with a highly styled and heavily hairspray-ed updo, dance all night, comb it out and wake up the next morning with hair that looks amazing. It’s a glamorously worn-in, product-heavy texture that, as a fine-haired girl, I love. But I don’t think the mild stickiness and dirtiness would be everyone’s cup of tea.

Pure Glam claims that, “it works to create lift, volume and texture, while also helping to absorb oils.” I take issue with the last point. This powder didn’t sop up much of the oil at the root my day-old hair, and I ended up using a bit of my regular Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo powder to take care of that.

I do love the fact that Pure Glam’s product is a powder and comes in a petite, lightweight cardboard cylinder,  which makes it ideal for traveling. You could even throw it in your handbag to give hair a boost for going out after work. The downside of this powder’s simplicity is that unless you have perfectly naturally lithe, non-frizzy hair, I don’t think this product alone could meet all your styling needs. It lives up to its voluminous name and does nothing else.

The main ingredients are all things I’m pretty confident could be found in a well-stocked health food store, including kaolin clay, organic potato starch, organic tapioca starch, organic corn starch and organic aloe leaf juice. The only unfamiliar component for me was silica silylate, which EWG rates as very low hazard.

At $26.99, it’s not much more expensive than some of the premium volumizing products you’d find at the drugstore, except that it has a much simpler and less toxic formula. With only five ingredients, this will be a handy but specific tool in my hair styling kit.

My just-washed hair looks like a bunch of limp noodles. There’s a bit of a wave, but very little texture. So, I was excited to try Pure Glam’s Volume Root Powder ($26.99) and see if it delivered on the promised lift. Indeed, it did.

My interest was piqued when I read Pure Glam describe this powder “magically transforming into a light, translucent styling paste.” It was hard for me to visualize what this meant. After shaking a small amount of powder that looked like the remains at the bottom of a bag of white cheddar cheese puffs (but with none of the cheesey odor, and in fact no odor at all) into my palm, I rubbed my hands together and understood. These light, powdery flakes almost melt into a sticky styling paste. Though the instructions advise to shake the powder directly onto your scalp and massage in, I have more control using my hands with powders so I sprinkled some onto my fingertips and rubbed into the crown of my head and a bit to the sides of my temples. I turned my head upside down, gave my hair a quick shake and BAM! When I looked in the mirror, boy was there volume, as you can see in the photo. I even think a bit of the shock of the amount of volume my hair has is evident on my face in the after photo.

The feel that this volume powder imparts is a very specific dirty-hair feel. The best way I can describe it is: you attend a formal event with a highly styled and heavily hairspray-ed updo, dance all night, comb it out and wake up the next morning with hair that looks amazing. It’s a glamorously worn-in, product-heavy texture that, as a fine-haired girl, I love. But I don’t think the mild stickiness and dirtiness would be everyone’s cup of tea.

Pure Glam claims that, “it works to create lift, volume and texture, while also helping to absorb oils.” I take issue with the last point. This powder didn’t sop up much of the oil at the root my day-old hair, and I ended up using a bit of my regular Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo powder to take care of that.

I do love the fact that Pure Glam’s product is a powder and comes in a petite, lightweight cardboard cylinder,  which makes it ideal for traveling. You could even throw it in your handbag to give hair a boost for going out after work. The downside of this powder’s simplicity is that unless you have perfectly naturally lithe, non-frizzy hair, I don’t think this product alone could meet all your styling needs. It lives up to its voluminous name and does nothing else.

The main ingredients are all things I’m pretty confident could be found in a well-stocked health food store, including kaolin clay, organic potato starch, organic tapioca starch, organic corn starch and organic aloe leaf juice. The only unfamiliar component for me was silica silylate, which EWG rates as very low hazard.

At $26.99, it’s not much more expensive than some of the premium volumizing products you’d find at the drugstore, except that it has a much simpler and less toxic formula. With only five ingredients, this will be a handy but specific tool in my hair styling kit.

By Pam G.

I'm 64 with dry, dehydrated and sometimes sensitive/reactive skin. Because of loss of elasticity and crepiness, my eyes looked a good 15 years older than my face before I began this test of Deciem Hylamide SubQ Eyes ($35 in the shop). I've used SubQ Eyes twice daily and I began the test only under one eye and, as I describe below, the results were so impressive I've since expanded the use.

Hylamide SubQ Eyes tackles a variety of eye concerns using some very interesting ingredients. A flavonoid glucose bio-active works to lighten dark circles, and a Darutoside complex helps lift lids. There are also peptides to smooth out lines and, according to the company, their Nonapeptide-3 Retino-Complex is a technology that preforms a similar function as retinol, but without any irritation or unwanted side effects.

Bottom line — I love this product. This is the only product that solved my severe under eye dehydration, crepiness and puffiness without making my skin look drier. It rehydrates AND moisturizes — so that solves the problem I've had with other brands' "hydrating" or hyaluronic products which suck the moisture and life out of my skin. It also gives instant positive improvement to my under eye area and I started noticing improvement to elasticity in less than 3 weeks. It works great with concealer and I do not have to add another product on top to get enough moisture or slip for my concealer. I'm amazed at all this for a great price.

I have tried MANY eye products at far more expensive price points that don't do anything for me. My skin rarely improves dramatically with any products, including those considered to be the Holy Grail by others. So this product is truly unique and contains precisely the right ingredients for my improvement-resistant skin.

The results have been so good I've also started applying to a little vertical line between eyes and some crinkles on side of my nose. The crinkles look very diminished compared to the other side of nose where I'm not testing the product.  I am now using the product on both eyes rather than just the one test eye since the improvements were so noticeable. 

Finally, I called Deciem to find out why I couldn't use this on my upper lids, instructions say use only on under eye area. They told me they will be changing the instructions and the product CAN be used all over the eyes. At the time of original product release, the study results were only available for under eye skin. Now they have the results of usage on the upper eyelids and found that SubQ Eyes also provides a lifting effect. Since I just began use on the uppers, I have no results yet other than the immediate "beautification" SubQ provides. 

Sonäge Presage Moisturizer SPF15 ($52) is a moisturizing sunscreen with antioxidants and amino acids that easily became a part of my daily routine. As this is a mineral sunscreen, there is an initial chalkiness that dissipates after a few minutes. Overall, it is well behaved over serums and under makeup. There’s just enough SPF for a normal working day and more than enough anti-agers to put your sunscreen into the every little helps category.

There’s a pragmatism to the Sonäge approach — the brand uses the word “balance” a lot. While they use plenty of natural ingredients and will try to find alternatives from the plant world (such as broccoli seed oil to replace silicones), Sonäge is not averse to using chemical preservatives, or synthetic polymers and is upfront about not being – or trying to be – 100% natural.

This sunscreen is a case in point. The actives are the minerals, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — not without their own controversies, but preferable to any chemical sunscreen. The dominant ingredient is the silicone, cyclopentasiloxane (not quite there with the broccoli oil yet). Most of the rest of the ingredients are natural and include some good antioxidants. There are the usual suspects in the preservative department.

One of the less common ingredients is hydrolyzed RNA. This stands for ribonucleic acid and it is present in all living cells as its primary role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for the synthesis of proteins. However, in skincare it seems to have the humbler role of moisturizing.

Glycoproteins (proteins that have sugars attached to them and fill in the space between tissues until they deplete as we get older) are included, as well as specific one called lactoferrin, a pack mule protein that transports iron, copper and zinc to the cells. Still on the subject of proteins, Sonäge Presage Moisturizer SPF15 has silk amino acids.

Amongst the antioxidants there’s superoxide dismutase, which overpowers the damaging reactions of superoxide, the most common free radical in the body, and is particularly useful in a sunscreen as it protects against UV rays.

On the moisturizing front, there’s almond, avocado and hazel seed oils. For my slightly oily skin, I found that Presage was hydrating enough. I would recommend this sunscreen for any pragmatist (but not purist) looking for a decent moisturizing SPF with added anti-aging benefits.

My attention has recently been focused on three things: how to get my glow back; mimimizing my crow’s feet, which seemed have deepened into ravines; and what to do about a vertical line that seemed to be forming on my left side between my mouth and ear. I am happy to say that real progress has been made on all fronts and, as always, when I take stock of what’s working for me, I am struck by the mix of old faithfuls and new finds that have become fixtures.

Perhaps the most surprising success has been revisiting Benir BV-9 Platinum Provectus Super Serum ($195 in the shop). I had a hunch that some of the peptides might be helpful for crow’s feet that I was starting to worry about. Potentially, there was a trifecta of expression inhibiting peptides, collagen building peptides (copper and Matrixyl 3000) and bee venom. I was right. I started to see the lines fanning from my eyes fade a little within just over a week and now five weeks on, I am in a very different place than I was when I started this experiment. I am definitely going to continue as I am impressed with what Benir is capable of – at least for the expression lines that I have honed in on.

The other product that I have been very happily reunited with is Sciote Peptide+Defense Firming Youth Serum ($105 in the shop). I was asked by Aldo, Sciote’s founder, to give it a try again as it has a new, improved pump. Although I am happy to confirm that the pump is working well, I was more interested in whether the serum’s combination of amino acids, hyaluronic acid, vitamin A and Matrixyl 3000 would help me get my glow back. I typically do well on amino acids and with morning use of this serum, I am looking dewy. I couldn’t be more pleased.

As I get older (and possibly wiser), I am increasingly aware of the benefits of a proper night regimen. I had been testing Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic & Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum ($88 in the shop) and quickly realized that it was going to be a keeper. I really think this night serum with ferulic acid, retinol and niacinamide has turbo charged my regimen. I am appreciating improved radiance, clarity and smoothed out fine lines. I should note tbat I have decreased my beloved Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel ($88 in the shop) to every other day in the interest of not over exfoliating, as there are several alpha hydroxyl acids in the Overnight Serum as well as the retinol. Nonetheless, these transformative pads are now indispensible and I am on my fourth box.

As the DDG products are having a visible impact on my skin tone, my enthusiasm for trying to fade a dark spot below my right has been renewed. I have gone back to dabbing it with Medik8 White Balance Click ($80 in the shop) and, for the first time ever, I think it has lightened to an extent that has gone beyond subtle.

For moisturizer, I have incorporated Difinsa53 Skin Protectant Lotion ($62.50 in the shop) into my life with ease. I like that it hydrates, provides antioxidants, settles any skin flare ups and gives me some sun protection. I also fall back on I Pekar Moisturizer ($78 in the shop) when my skin seems extra thirsty and I want to keep things simple with good natural ingredients.

As far as eye serums go, I am having a break from testing and am giving my eyelids a firming lift with AQ Eye Serum ($99 in the shop). I only use it in the morning as I find I wake up with slightly puffy eyes if I use it at night. Evening eye creams of choice are SkinOwl Eye+ ($46 in the shop) or I Pekar Eye Cream ($68 in the shop).

A recent decision was to augment my Lux Renew treatments by dabbing on some of Deciem NIOD Copper Amino Acid Isolate Serum 1% ($60 in the shop). Although the name is a bit of mouthful, it basically copper peptides with a couple of other interesting peptides. I put it on before the Truth Vitality Treatment Gel as the ultrasound helps collagen-building ingredients penetrate. After removing the Gel at the end of the session, I like to spritz with a little of Your Best Face’s Uplevity toner/mist.

If I have a day off Lux Renew but a few minutes to enjoy a mask, then I reach for I Pekar’s Hungarian Thermal Mud Mask ($98 in the shop). Absolutely guaranteed to get my glow back on.