In partnership with iderma.com, I will be announcing when the online retailer, founded by dermatologist Dr. Gregory Nikolaidis, launches new brands. This month there are two new brands on their roster: Elure and Shinso Skin Care.

Elure is a skin lightening system designed to reduce skin hyper-pigmentation and even complexion. Elure Advanced Skin Lightening Night Cream and Elure Advanced Skin Lightening Lotion can be purchased for $150.00 MSRP.  Shinso Essence, Shinso Mist, and Shinso Glow are now available for purchase. Shinso Skin Care has been used by celebrities such as Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston for its powerful anti-aging products that contain rare sea water and botanicals.

Have you used any of these brands? I’m not familiar with them myself, but I sure could use Elure’s skin lightening products for my age spots!

*Sponsored

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Rough night? Whether you’re stressed with work, school, your relationship, holiday shopping, or just your rude roommate keeping you up all night, not getting enough shut-eye can seriously wreak havoc on your look. After all, they don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothin’! And if you’ve been suffering from some gnarly (yes, gnarly) under-eye circles or puffy, tired eyes as a result of your sleepless nights – fear not! There’s a way to treat those peepers that’ll help you look and feel ready to take on the day, no matter how little relaxation you’ve had the night before.

A de-puffing rollerball, made especially to target the sensitive skin around your eyes, will quickly become your new best friend. Simply apply in the morning (with just a roll or two, it’s hardly a time-consuming addition to your morning beautifying routine!), and these products will soothe inflamed skin and reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles and unsightly ‘baggage.’ Some even double as a primer to help keep your makeup in place!

From left to right: First Aid Beauty Detox Eye Roller, Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Rollerball, Vichy Aqualia Thermal Eye Roll-On Hydrogel, and Yves Saint Laurent Top Secrets Wake-Up Eyecare.

-Alex Gambardella

Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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by Copley, TIA staff writer

If I was ever curious about what rock-bottom would look like for my skin, all I had to do was look in the mirror. Flaming red bumps had sprouted on top of a rash covering the southern hemisphere of my face. After weeks of waiting for the storm to pass, I finally resigned myself to the fact that the forecast was only getting gloomier and I needed professional intervention. The dermatologist diagnosed me with dermatitis, and I hung on his every word for a miracle cure that would turn the fate of my skin around.

Unfortunately, my condition had no corresponding miracle cure. Instead, I received not one – or two – but three prescriptions. The first two were an oral antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory gel which I could easily incorporate into my daily routine. The third prescription required me to change my cosmetic habits, paring down my skin’s diet to sunscreen only and replacing my standard rotation of cleansers with Aqua Glycolic Toner.

I was appalled at the thought of giving up my daytime cosmetics and methodical evening regimen, which usually entail over ten different products. “What am I supposed to do for anti-aging? Can’t I use targeted treatments where I have shallow wrinkles and sun spots?” I pleaded with the doctor. His response: “The best anti-aging therapy that you can give your skin is to use the Aqua Glycolic Toner every day as recommended.” Eschew all my other products for a single toner? This was a tall order. Yet my skin was visibly on strike, so I had no choice but to follow the doctor’s orders.

After picking up my other two prescriptions from the pharmacist, I grumbled as I forked over another $15 for a big plastic jug (6 fl oz) of bright blue liquid, expecting it to go the same way as all the other toners I’ve tried: into the back of the medicine cabinet. My previous relationships with toners have made me commitment-phobic. The astringent variety that I used during adolescence (Sea Breeze) sapped every last drop of moisture from my skin, while the tonic types that I tried later in life added nothing except an extra step in my routine. I believe in the benefits of good organic toners (such as the ones on this list), which contain natural actives that refresh and rebalance the skin. But my experiences have always left me underwhelmed, wondering whether my skin is too stubborn to take advantage of the toner’s perks.

Toners come in several types with different purposes, as this two-part series on toners explains in detail. My skin tends to feel dry, so I have always limited my toner trials to weak, water-based versions low on alcohol and high on plant extracts. The only two that I have stuck with on some sort of regular basis are Dermophisiologique Polivalente Tonic and L’uvalla Orange Toner. I generally only dab them on after cleansing when I want to give my face a breather from the regular serum/moisturizer routine or temper a breakout. The Aqua Glycolic Toner was entirely unlike any toner product I had used before.

For one, the dermatologist said that I should splash my face with water both before and after applying the toner. This method seemed counter-intuitive compared to most other toners I know, which are meant to be left on the skin and soaked up. The other odd thing was that I had to make a special request from the pharmacist to pull the Aqua Glycolic Toner down from the shelves behind the counter. Though it is an OTC product and can be bought online, my local pharmacy keeps it behind the counter, presumably because its formula contains medical-grade actives. I returned home to investigate these ingredients first-hand.

What jumped out at me right away was an extremely high level of alcohol. The first ingredient after purified water is SD alcohol, which is ethyl alcohol that has been denatured to prevent ingestion (and attendant lawsuits). Denatured alcohol can function as an astringent, anti-foaming, and anti-microbial agent. Because glycolic acid is water soluble and does not penetrate well with excess oil on the skin, SD alcohol is useful in the Aqua Glycolic Toner for its ability to remove residue and oil from the skin. The downside is that – unlike cetyl, cetearyl, and stearyl alcohols – SD alcohol is not a fatty alcohol that moisturizes the skin. Rather, it can be very drying, sensitizing, and irritating.

I certainly did not need any help drying out my already flaking, inflamed face. But if my skin had to be dried out in order to return to a state of equilibrium, I was willing to give it a try. For the sake of my acne-like condition, I liked the addition of eucalyptus oil, which contains chemicals that fight bacteria and fungi, as well as soothe inflammation. At least it seemed like there was nothing in it that could further clog my pores or create more bumps on my face. The rest of the minimalist formula gave me hope that the toner would pack a highly concentrated punch.

As its name gives away, the star of the Aqua Glycolic Toner is glycolic acid. This cosmetic darling, derived from sugar cane, loosens the bonds that hold skin cells together and dissolves the top layer of dull, dry, or damaged cells. Among alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid boasts the smallest molecular size and the deepest skin penetration. Because of its ability to penetrate, glycolic acid can reduce the appearance of fine lines, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation. Because of its power to shed the upper layer of the epidermis, it can reveal a fresh layer of underlying skin and even out tone. In the Aqua Glycolic Toner, it is accompanied by ammonium glycolate, a form of glycolic acid that serves a special purpose.

PH balance is critical in a glycolic acid formulation. The lower the pH level, the more potent the glycolic acid content will be, and the more likely it will sting and damage cells. The higher the pH level, the greater percentage of the acid will be neutralized, rendering it ineffective. Ammonium glycolate is often used in conjunction with glycolic acid to maintain an optimal pH level. To maximize results and minimize irritation, ideally you want a product that contains at least 10% glycolic acid and an acid-base balance close to your skin’s normal pH (5.5). The Aqua Glycolic Toner is comprised of 11% glycolic compound and has been partially neutralized to a pH of 4.5.

Except for its alcoholic base, everything else in the formula sounded well-orchestrated. I squeezed a generous squirt onto a cotton pad through the Aqua Glycolic Toner’s ingenious upside-down dispenser. As expected, the toner stung ever so slightly on areas that were already irritated or blemished. I think that the sting can be attributed more to the alcohol than the glycolic content, which has been pH balanced relatively close to the skin’s natural acid mantle. I was shocked (and grossed out) by the color that my cotton pad turned after a few swipes across my face. It took upwards of three cotton pads to finally achieve a negligible tint.

After using the toner twice daily for the past month, my complexion is remarkably clear and my skin didn’t become dehydrated by the alcohol, as I had feared. I think my skin’s about-face was more thanks to the medications I was prescribed than the toner. However, I know for a fact that the toner is removing far more grime and oil from my face than I would otherwise rinse off with a cleanser. This was borne out by several experiments in which I cleansed with my regular face washes and followed up with the Aqua Glycolic Toner. Even though the cotton pad turned over far less makeup after cleansing first, the toner managed to draw out yellowish debris and oils that the cleanser left behind.

Could it be detrimental to erase all of the face’s natural oils? Some theories contend that stripping oils from the skin can block its inherent ability to shed the top layer of cells and trigger an increase in oil production, thus clogging pores and leading to acne. My trial with the Aqua Glycolic Toner has had the opposite effect, giving me soft, smooth, and balanced skin. There are occasional patches of dryness around my nose, but overall my skin is surviving quite well on its restricted diet of toner and sunscreen. I’d like to believe that fine lines and brown spots are gradually becoming fainter, but I suspect that these sort of results take more time to see.

Though I appreciate how clean my skin feels after the full toner treatment, it’s a rather expensive habit. I used up my first bottle of Aqua Glycolic Toner and a bag of cotton pads in just one month, and had to purchase another round of each. More importantly, my face seems to be lacking the glow that it gets from my trusted potions and lotions (and my natural oils). Now that my skin is back to normal, I am slowly starting to reincorporate my old products. The Aqua Glycolic Toner will come into play every few days for a deep cleansing and exfoliation and will always be on stand-by in case of a breakout. It’s not the holy grail of anti-aging products, but it might be for oily skin types. Now the only toner that I plan to keep in my product rotation, the Aqua Glycolic Toner helped to rescue my skin from rock bottom.

For more honest reviews and information about beauty and personal care products, visit Truthinaging.com

Ingredients:
Purified water, SD alcohol (specially denatured), Ammonium glycolate, Glycolic acid, Eucalyptus globulus oil, FD&C green #3.

Marta Wohrle

I was born in England in 1960. A former journalist and recovering consultant, I now work in the online and digital media space. I have never tried Botox. I founded Accord Media in 2008 to publish Truth In Aging with a mission to offer truthful and unbiased guidance to people seeking to improve their physical health and appearance through skin care, hair care, health and beauty products, and salon and clinical treatments. A publishing industry veteran, I try to bring a uniquely curious, honest voice to consumer journalism through my web sites.

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This past August I had the chance to meet Ada Polla, the CEO of Alchimie Forever, while at Cosmoprof North America. I have to admit, I was slightly nervous going to meet the head of this natural, Swiss, antioxidant skin care company. But upon learning that we had something in common (she studied and lived in Boston for several years), I felt more at ease. It also helped that she was incredibly nice and not at all stuffy like many CEO’s I come across in my work life (I literally could’ve sat there and talked to her for HOURS.)

As our conversation flowed, I found that Ada (and Alchimie Foever as a whole) believed in several principles that I believe as well. That is: self care through skin care; taking care of yourself as a priority; considering skin care a form of health care; and anti-aging as both a means of prevention and correction. Just like I said in my recent article on Shape.com: it’s OK to take time for yourself no matter how busy you are, in fact, it’s imperative.

We talked at length about how it is so important to make taking care of your skin a priority since it is the canvas for everything else. You certainly wouldn’t need as many “correctors” both in skin care and cosmetics, if you kept a strict skin care regimen each day…not to mention beginning it all at a young age. For example, you wouldn’t need a product to counteract inflammation if you would use products that agreed with your skin type and were less harsh to begin with. I have made the same mistakes myself, often hearing about how great a particular product is without considering if it would be right for my skin, and then paying the price later when my skin reacts either by breaking out, turning red or over-producing oil. Basically, a skin freak out. That’s when you would see me applying concealer, a mattifying powder and whatever else was necessary to cover up my faux pas. Can you relate?

It’s also important to think about what are in our skin care products, as well. We are all very much aware that the toxic load of chemicals in many of our skin care and cosmetics can contribute to cancer. I’m guilty of sometimes loving how an eye shadow (or other makeup ) looks on me without considering the chemicals in it (i.e. Truth in Aging’s recent review of Clinique’s Lid Smoothie.) But I do strive to be more conscious of what goes on my skin, and Alchimie Foever’s products contain all skin nourishing nutrients. I’m currently using their Age Defying Serums and love knowing that I am not only using something healthy on my skin, but that both Diode 1 and 2 are not at all heavy and feel more like water than a serum.

I’d love to hear from you–do you consider skin care a form of self care? Have you used any of Alchimie Forever’s products? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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I’ll admit it – as important as it is to my skin and to my overall health, the idea of sunscreen still makes me cringe. The goopy texture, the overwhelmingly summery smell, the way it gives my makeup an unwanted oily sheen and feel, the way it just never fully blends in, no matter how much I rub at it… the list goes on and on! But alas, we outdoorsy gals simply can’t live without it, so I’ve suffered through the unpleasant applications and tested my share of lightweight creams, sprays, and oils in search for a more pleasant yet still protective alternative.

Luckily, Kiehl’s and its Super Fluid UV Defense is here to save us beauty mavens from some common misconceptions about sunscreen. For one, it’s not just for summery sunny days – UV protection is necessary on a daily basis, especially for preventative anti-aging measures – and two, it doesn’t have to be a total drag when it comes to mixing with your makeup! The SPF 50+ formula is ultra-lightweight and can be worn over your daily moisturizer, making it undetectable under makeup, yet still succeeding in preventing dark spots, wrinkles, and other unsightly skin damage! At only $34 for a 1.7oz bottle, it’s a small price to pay for youthful, protected skin!

- Alex Gambardella

Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

Gold is the new black given just about every other investment is enfeebled by the economy. It might be a better bet than government bonds, but other than a gold tooth – an acquired taste – should gold be considered an essential part of your beauty arsenal. Every now and then cosmetic formulators venture into alchemy and go for gold (E’shee, Nutra-Lift and just the other day it was mentioned in our interview with Cherie Dobbs, founder of Dermastart). But I can’t help but wonder: what is its true value in skincare?

Dermastart has a serum called AU 24K Gold and I am just starting to test it. Cherie Dobbs says that “gold works with our own body makeup and helps with blood flow and oxygen.”  I haven’t been able to find any specific evidence for that but claims for the medicinal benefits of gold date back many of thousands of years and ancient Indian, Egyptian and Chinese medicine used gold-based medicinal preparations for such ailments as smallpox, skin ulcers and measles.

The use of gold compounds in medicine is called chrysotherapy. One of its modern applications is the soothing arthritic symptoms. Gold salts (the ionic chemical compounds of gold) are injected to reduce inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Gold nano-bullets are being used, according to Science magazine, as a cure for cancer. And isotope gold-198 is used in some cancer treatments and other diseases.

As far as skincare is concerned, gold is said to minimize collagen depletion and boost elasticity. There’s even a gold thread face lift in which a 24K gold mesh framework is inserted permanently under the surface of the skin where it is supposed to stimulate collagen production which then plumps and firms up the skin and reduces wrinkles.

I can’t find independent research on gold and improving the skin, but there might be a clue to gold’s plausibility as an anti-ager in its used against arthritis. This is an inflammatory disease and chronic inflammation is believed to one of the causes of aging. So, theoretically, gold could help the skin by being an anti-inflammatory.

Except that the mechanism by which gold drugs operate to treat arthritis is a matter of scientific debate. Harvard Medical School thinks it’s not an anti-inflammatory and that gold works by making the proteins associated with autoimmune diseases inactive. Other theories are that gold helps in the transportation of drugs to their sites of action.

Also there’s much debate around the kill or cure theme. Once absorbed into the cell, gold is proposed to be linked to anti-mitochrondrial activity and induced cell apoptosis, so it might be affecting healthy cells as well as unhealthy ones. On the other hand, research indicates there’s an anti-inflammatory action from ionic gold nanoparticales with little or no toxicity. Although research on rats had less positive results. ). After a lot of burrowing around on academic websites, I did turn up some evidence that gold salts boost collagen lll.

All this contradictory research is a bit frustrating. As is finding out that the most common reaction to oral gold medication for rheumatoid arthritis is, ironically, a skin rash (source).

For more honest reviews and information about beauty and personal care products, visit Truthinaging.com

Marta Wohrle

I was born in England in 1960. A former journalist and recovering consultant, I now work in the online and digital media space. I have never tried Botox. I founded Accord Media in 2008 to publish Truth In Aging with a mission to offer truthful and unbiased guidance to people seeking to improve their physical health and appearance through skin care, hair care, health and beauty products, and salon and clinical treatments. A publishing industry veteran, I try to bring a uniquely curious, honest voice to consumer journalism through my web sites.

Website - More Posts

I am a big believer in monthly facials. I wasn’t gifted with perfect skin and in order to keep a younger looking appearance sans plastic surgery, taking care of my skin is a priority. I love going to The Woodhouse Day Spa in Kingston, PA (and there are others around the country too) and have had their Four-Handed Massage and Minkyti Facial before, so I was all for experiencing something new. As I just turned 37, I became most interested in a new facial they are performing there involving the NuFace toning device. I’ve heard a lot about NuFace and I’m familiar with microcurrent technology, so I was ready to see if it would work for me.

This facial starts off like any other facial at The Woodhouse Day Spa, using products from Amala skincare to cleanse and exfoliate (from the Rejuvenate collection), then NuFace’s Conductivity Gel is applied. As the esthetician smoothed the NuFace device on the right hand side of my face and under my chin, I felt absolutely nothing. I even began to wonder if it was on, assuming I was supposed to feel my skin tingling. However, once she got near my hair line, especially my eyebrows, that’s when I began to feel a tinge here and there.  Whenever you are getting a facial (or any spa treatment) it’s good to speak up if you feel any discomfort so that the treatment can be adjusted. Once I told my esthetician that I was feeling small pin pricks, she applied more gel and that remedied the situation.

The esthetician moves the device with the contour of your face and the microcurrent is delivered to lift and firm the skin. As we age, we lose about 1% of our skin’s elasticity each year. So if you want to avoid going under the knife, this is a great way to reprogram your muscles. (I asked if it would work on my chest too, but she just laughed. I was serious though!)

After about 10-15 minutes of using the device, she then spritzed my face with the Optimizing Mist and applied Amala’s Rejuvenating Face Cream. I was told that it takes about 8 treatments to see a complete difference, then maintenance with the device about 1-2 times per week. However, I did notice that my skin felt a bit tighter, especially above my eyebrows and in between them. I had the esthetician take a before and after picture and you can see that the wrinkle I have between my eyebrows is much less and that the skin above my eyebrows does appear to pull them up slightly.

While I didn’t purchase NuFace (the kit is about $325) I was still happy with the results. The facial itself is $70. What do you think? Have you tried NuFace for yourself?

If you are local here in Northeast PA, please visit The Woodhouse Day Spa via their website or Facebook fan page. If you happen to book a spa treatment, let them know you heard about them from A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Not local? You can still find The Woodhouse Day Spa nearest you by visiting their corporate website.

Ps. They sell Farmhouse Fresh products in their boutique! I’ve tried their Honey Heel Glaze….AMAZING.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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I have never really seen the point of primers and tended to regard them as a way for a cosmetic company to sell a product that is essentially superfluous. That is until I bought Smashbox Photo Finish SPF15 ($17) and discovered that it completely transforms the look and behavior of foundation to create a super smooth and long-lasting look. OK, I get it now. But there’s a lot more going on with this primer.

Smashbox Photo Finish SPF15 is an anti-aging version of its cult status foundation primer, Photo Finish. In addition to sunscreen ingredients, it boasts something called Dermaxyl, which makes this version of Photo Finish an ‘anti-ager”. Makeup morphing into skincare is a trend that we are going to see more of. In a way, this makes Photo Finish something of a BB cream – these new multitaskers that are all the rage in Asia and are taking off in the US. But do these additional bells and whistle’s really add up to much?

My guess is that Smashbox’s Dermaxyl is one of the collagen-boosting peptides that is known as Matrixyl 3000, palmitoyl oligopeptide, and antioxidant green tea and grape seed extracts. Plus there’s kola seed (which is a source of caffeine) and moisturizing ceramide-2. These are all worthwhile additions and I like the thought that a humble primer is doing my skin some good.

On the other hand, I would prefer Photo Finish SPF15 if Smashbox hadn’t decided to include a sunscreen at all. I can see why it wouldn’t choose chalky (but relatively safe) zinc oxide, but I wish it hadn’t opted for the toxin and estrogen mimicking, octinoxate (although researchers disagree on the concentrations needed before it becomes harmful). The other sunscreen used here is the relatively safe octisalate. There’s also diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, a UVA absorber, which the EU has pronounced as harmless in concentrations up to 10%.  So, all in all, it could be worse.  There is, though, retinyl palmitate and this is increasingly being regarded as to be avoided if exposure to sun is expected as research has shown it to be carcinogenic.

There’s a ton of silicone here, but then it is a primer after all and that silky layer has to be achieved somehow. Most of the other ingredients, even the solvent methyl perfluroisobutyl ether, seem to be fairly benign.

Before buying this again, I’d prefer that Smashbox made a few formula alterations such as leaving out the retinyl palmitate and finding alternatives to phenoxyethanol and propylene glycol. But until then, Smashbox has given its cult primer a nudge in the right direction for those of us that want makeup to contribute to their anti-aging regimen.

For more honest reviews and information about beauty and personal care products, visit Truthinaging.com

Active Ingredients: 7.5% octinoxate, 5% octisalate. Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone crosspolymer, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, methyl perfluroisobutyl ether, methyl perfluorobutyl ether, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, safflower seed oil, cola acuminata seed extract, green tea, grape seed extract, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, tribehenin, ceramide-2, PEG-10 rapeseed sterol, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, water, ethyl trisiloxane, caprylyl methicone, methicone, silica, silica silyate, hexylene glycol, propylene glycol, triethoxycaprylysilane, caprylyl glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol, (+/- iron oxides, titanium dioxide)

Marta Wohrle

I was born in England in 1960. A former journalist and recovering consultant, I now work in the online and digital media space. I have never tried Botox. I founded Accord Media in 2008 to publish Truth In Aging with a mission to offer truthful and unbiased guidance to people seeking to improve their physical health and appearance through skin care, hair care, health and beauty products, and salon and clinical treatments. A publishing industry veteran, I try to bring a uniquely curious, honest voice to consumer journalism through my web sites.

Website - More Posts

It’s about this time of year, as we inch closer to the summer months and my birthday, that I become increasingly aware of every new wrinkle and sag to my skin. I get frustrated when I look at pictures of myself and notice that my crow’s feet are becoming more like that of a turkey vulture’s. (For those of you who have never seen a turkey vulture, their feet are much bigger than a crow’s. Trust me.) With each and every email that finds it’s way to my inbox, I am forever looking for those products that promise to give me back my youthful appearance…and can actually deliver.

ESPA, conceived in the UK but now available here in the US, is a natural skin care and spa treatment brand that has an Age-Defying collection of Lift & Firm products that I have been using for several weeks in the hopes that someone will tell me I don’t even look close to turning 37. And I can safely say that 2 weekends ago, that is exactly what happened. I was asked how old my boyfriend is (33) and was told that I looked younger than him. Remember that part of The Grinch Stole Christmas when a huge smiled unfurled on the Grinch’s face when he found the spirit of Christmas? Well that was me upon hearing this huge compliment (except I look nothing like the Grinch, thankyouverymuch.)

I have been using ESPA’s Super Active Lift & Firm Mask, Lift & Firm Intensive Eye Serum, Lift & Firm Intensive Serum, Lift & Firm Eye Moisturizer and Lift & Firm Moisturizer. The mask I’ve only used once per week, as that’s all I’ve felt is necessary for my skin type. It’s comprised of Argan Oil, Grapeseed Oil and Silt. You will literally feel it working as your skin will feel tighter and even tingle a bit, not from the mask drying though (because it’s not that type of mask).  I delicately pat the eye serum and eye moisturizer around my eyes, especially where I see the fine lines and wrinkles as well as the sagging under eye. I applied the Lift & Firm moisturizer to my neck as well. I can honestly say that my skin did appear more youthful, as if the skin had been plumped up. Even my skin tone, which can have some redness on either side of my nose and on my chin, seemed to appear more even-toned.

The products do have a strong scent to them. While I could not find anything specific to what the scent was, it seems very citrusy (like lemon) with an undertone of Rosemary. I liked the scent very much because it reminded me of the strong aromatic facials I enjoy at the spa, however I mention it should you be one who prefers unscented skincare or may be sensitive to fragrant products. This is a scent that will last the entire day as well…which I find amazing since even most perfumes wear off after so long. (Perfume companies need to take note!)

I really like this line from ESPA, which is targeted to mature, stressed and dehydrated skin types. (I’d like to pretend that I don’t have mature skin, I’m too young to use that word just yet!) If you are in the UK, you can find them at www.espaonline.com and in the US at www.us.espaonline.com. If you’ve used their products, do share your experience in the comments!

*Sponsored

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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