Beauty And The Blog

Of course you have seen them. Just about every women’s magazine has them. You know, those articles where they tout what the beauty editor claims is the best skin care or anti-aging products. Or often it is based on a reader’s poll.

Do you believe the products receiving these “Beauty Awards” are truly the best you can get? Do you run right out and stock up? Or do you do a little research of your own first, like finding out the list of ingredients and what they really can or can’t do?

I have wondered at times if some of these ‘awards’ are based on advertising dollars. What do you think?

And if it is “Reader’s Choice”, do you really think the average reader (not you of course, you read this blog, wink..) knows what the right combination of ingredients are? Are they voting/nominating these products because they smell great? Or maybe because it is a highly advertised product, so therefore, it must be great?

These ‘voter’s’ and ‘beauty editors’ are not anti-aging or skin care professionals. They are either lovin’ the advertisements (voters) or being paid to plug a product (editors).

And yes, I plug products. I do. The ones that have the right ingredients and can get a job done. I’m an esthetician, I really do know this stuff. So I tell you, and tell you about products I love. It isn’t because they smell good or look pretty sitting on your vanity or bathroom counter. Or because some celebrity uses it. Or the advertising campaign. It’s because I want you to know what to look for (ingredients!), what to try, what has the best chance of actually working for you. And for you not to waste your time and money.

So, keep a reality check on yourself next time you are looking over that list of the “best of the best” by magazine readers or editors.

And check out the quoted article below from Paula Begoun, you’ll see what I mean. I use her Paula’s Choice line, and I recommend it.

And yes, I am an affiliate. You can check out my “Disclosure” page so you know what I am talking about on that.

Photo by Chayenne 1991

Fashion Magazine Favorites You Should Avoid!

Recently, Allure featured their annual Readers’ Choice Awards. As is often the case in popularity ratings, what’s popular is often not good for you, which would explain why fast food chains rank as the most “popular” restaurant choices, why people continue to tan, smoke cigarettes, and on and on!

The problem? We often like what isn’t good for us. Sure enough, the Cosmetics Cop Team took one look at this list and saw problems—big problems—with many of the winning products. Here is our researched analysis for a few of the Allure readers’ favorites, along with our Cosmetics Cop Team recommended alternatives that will save your skin and get you beautiful results.

Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash ($6.89 for 6 ounces)

The Problems:

• The drying, irritating detergent cleansing agent sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate is a major ingredient.
• Acne-fighting salicylic acid is included in the formula, but is wasted in a cleanser because it’s just rinsed down the drain before it can be effective!

The Better Options:

• Neutrogena’s Extra Gentle Cleanser ($7.99 for 6.7 ounces)
• Paula’s Choice CLEAR Normalizing Cleanser Pore Clarifying Gel ($10.95 for 6 ounces)

St. Ives’ Apricot Scrub Invigorating, for All Skin Types ($4.20 for 6 ounces)

The Problems:

• Walnut shells and cornmeal are the exfoliants; both are too abrasive and damage the skin’s barrier.
• The fragrance in here will likely prompt further irritation—and irritation, even if you can’t see or feel it, hurts your skin.

The Better Options:

• A washcloth! Instead of a manual scrub, you can simply use a clean washcloth with your daily gentle cleanser, which works just as well to exfoliate the surface of skin as any scrub you can buy.
• For enhanced results: follow up with a well-formulated BHA or AHA exfoliant.

Olay’s Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ($26.99 for 1.7 ounces)

The Problems:

• Jar packaging. Sure, this moisturizer contains more beneficial antioxidants than many Olay products, but once the jar is opened those valuable ingredients will quickly become unstable and ineffective.
• Jars also require that you stick your fingers into the product, which can transfer bacteria and cause further breakdown of formula essentials. Say it with me, now: No jar packaging!

The Better Options:

• For daytime: Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging DNA Superstructure UV Cream SPF 25 ($29.99 for 1.7 ounces)
• At night: Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer ($22.95 for 1.7 ounces).

Clinique’s All About Eyes ($28.50 for 0.5 ounce)

The Problems:

• There’s simply no evidence, research, or documentation proving that eye creams have special formulations that are better for that area versus the companion face moisturizer.
• There’s also no research indicating what ingredients should be used around the eye but not on the face (or vice versa).
• Jar packaging lets air in, and that doesn’t keep the important ingredients stable nor is it sanitary to stick your fingers in a product every day.
• The only time you might want to use a different product for your eyes is if the skin around the eyes happens to indeed be different (drier or more oily) than the skin on the rest of the face. Otherwise, what’s good for the skin on your face is just as good for skin around your eyes!

The Better Option:

Stick with the well-formulated facial moisturizer you’re already using! You will save money and take much better care of the skin around your eyes!