Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream SPF 15

PRODUCT: 
Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream SPF 15, 
garnierusa.com

PRICE: $12.99 (2.5oz.)  

CATEGORY: Skin Care Products

TYPE: BB Cream

*My Rating: 5/10

Beautypedia: POOR

TotalBeauty: 6.7/10

Allure: 3/5

TO LIGHTEN UP DARK SPOTS

“Includes Vitamin C as a skin brightener to even out discoloration.“

The Claim:

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream immediately and effectively fulfills your skincare expectations with just one multi-benefit product that combines intense moisturizing skincare + immediate skin perfecting coverage for skin that looks naturally more even, radiant and smooth.

Benefits:

• Broad spectrum sunscreen protection
• Contains the most powerful moisturizer known so far
• Skin lightening benefits
• Provides good antioxidant protection against the environment

QUICK TAKE

SPF: 15

Shades: Two
Fragrant Scent: Strong citrus                 

Key Ingredient(s): Vitamin C (emollient rich)

Texture: Lightweight                        

Consistency: Thin Cream

Coverage: Light to Medium                           

Complexion: Radiant

Finish: Satin-like                               

Results: Dewey Glow (greasy)

Wear: 4-6 Hours                                   

Best Usage: Daily, AM and PM

Best For: Normal to Dry Skin                              

Tested on Animals: Yes

Jar Packaging: No                           

Verdict: I do not recommend it

DOWN and DIRTY DETAILS

Key Ingredient(s): Vitamin C - Formula-wise, this is among the least impressive of the numerous BB creams the cosmetic industry offers. It does not contain enough good-for-your-skin beneficial extras.

• Hyaluronic Acid - (in its salt form, sodium hyaluonate) Can boost skin's moisture content and help prevent moisture loss. It is the most powerful moisturizer and humectant known so far. Provides smoothness and softening to the skin. Can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
• Glycerin (moisturizes) - is a humectant and extremely hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs water from other sources. So, in part, glycerin works because of its ability to attract water from the environment and from the lower layers of skin (dermis) increasing the amount of water in the surface layers of skin.
• Vitamin C (antioxidant) Ascorbyl Glucoside- In general, vitamin C is a collagen boosting antioxidant vital for glowing skin. It is anti-inflammatory, controls oil, hydrates, lightens discoloration, wards off free-radicals, produces healthy collagen and healthy collagen equals plumper skin. There is more information on this ingredient at the end of my blog.

Other Ingredients: Other than the ingredients mentioned above, this product contains mostly emollients, polymers, and thickeners. There are also several fragrant ingredients and over-drying alcohol substances that are not good the skin.

Shades: Two (Light/Medium & Medium/Deep) - Both of which are on the peachy side. Since, this is not as sheer as a tinted moisturizer, the peachy tint can look more obvious.

Fragrant Scent: Strong citrus - Contains numerous fragrance ingredients known to cause irritation and has a potentially problematic amount of skin-damaging alcohol.

Texture: Lightweight thin cream - Feels more like a rich lotion when applied.

Coverage: Light to Medium - Spreads very easily for effortless blending. A little goes a long way.

Finish: Satin-like - It sets to a satin finish that feels slightly moist, making this a perfect option for dryer skin types.

Results: Dewy glow - Leaves skin with a radiant sheen that can look somewhat greasy

FEEDBACK

PInkyPrIss Review: Aren't BB creams are supposed to contain several beneficial ingredients? I went through and researched each ingredient and basically there are just three notable ingredients, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, and Vitamin C. - I wouldn't call that enough good-for-your-skin ingredients to call this product a BB Cream. I agree with Totalbeauty.com users, that this is more like a tinted moisturizer with and SPF. Even Allure.com calls it a “tinted facial moisturizer” in their product review. This is perfectly fine product to use, but when I recommend a product I want it to be exceptional.

MORE PRODUCT INFORMATION: 

Ascorbyl glucoside is a form of vitamin C combined with glucose. The FutureDerm Blog notes, because it gets broken down into L-ascorbic acid, it has the same functions as L-ascorbic acid: exhibiting high antioxidant activity, acting as a coenzyme for enzymes involved in collagen synthesis (namely prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase), and inhibiting the synthesis of melanin. You can learn more about this ingredient in FutureDerm's excellent blog post here.

Allure - Best of Beauty 2012; Readers' Choice Breakthrough 2013
New Beauty Magazine 2014 Award Winner

Tuesday Beauty Tip - How to Cure Dry Cuticles

The Difference Between Olay Regenerating Serum Vs. Micro-Sculpting Serum

What’s the difference between the Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum and Olay’s Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum?

The textures are different and they have different finishes

-Regenerating serum has a silky texture, with a powder finish.

-Micro-Sculpting serum has a thicker-velvety texture, with a shiny finish.

They have different ingredients with different consistency’s:

-Regenerating serum has a silicone-based consistency with water being the first ingredient, and it is not paraben free.

-Micro-Sculpting serum has a water-and-silicone-base, with water being the second ingredient; it’s also paraben free. This serum contains the humectant, Hyaluronic Acid (in its salt form), which is the most powerful moisturizer known so far. It provides a smoothness and softening to the skin and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It also contains the mineral, mica, that gives your skin the instant glow the regenerating serum does not provide.

Ageless-beauty.com notes the following differences between their ingredients:

As for ingredients, the Micro-Sculpting Serum has additional cell communicating ingredients to tell the skin how to behave in a younger fashion: Niacinamide (4th of 30), Palmitoyl Pentapeptide­4 (9th), and Carnosine (13th).
The Daily Regenerating Serum has both Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide­3 (the former INCI name for Palmitoyl Pentapeptide­4, a.k.a.Matrixyl, a collagen stimulating peptide), but in lower concentrations (5th and 11th of 26).

Wrinklecreamguide.org notes,

Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum promotes the use of peptides in high concentrations. In reality it does not contain high enough amounts or concentrates to actually induce collagen production. A majority of the serum’s ingredients are actually thickeners, plastics, and fillers.
In conclusion, the Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum has a lot of potential to work, especially when including two peptides in its formula. However these peptides are too low on the list to actually reduce wrinkles.

Paula Begoun says,

The formula contains enough niacinamide to effectively "increase the skin's ceramide and fatty acid content as well as have anti­inflammatory action and work to reduce hyper­pigmentation."

Finally, their costs are different. The Micro-Sculpting serum runs about $30 and the Regenerating serum is usually less than $25. Typically, i’ts a third of the price.

For two serums that seem so similar at first glance, they sure are different.

Is Olay Micro-Sculpting Serum Worth the Money?

PRODUCT:

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum, 
olay.com

PRICE: $29.99, 1.7 oz., prices vary  
CATEGORY: Skin Care Product
TYPE: Firming Serum

*My Rating: 6/10
*Ulta: 4.4/5
*Beautipedia: BEST
*Total Beauty: 9.8/10
*Makeupalley: 3.5/5

FOR BRIGHT, PLUMP AND HYDRATED SKIN

“This antioxidant-packed serum will diminish fine lines. ”

The Claim:

This fast absorbing, non-greasy formula provides specially designed hydration that softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves skin's texture. Skin looks brighter, more radiant and significantly firmer after just five days.

Benefits: 

• Serum provides ultra-lightweight, non-greasy moisturization
• Anti-aging serum with an amino-peptide + B3 complex penetrates deep into your skins surface to fight the look of tired skin
• Instantly plumps skin for a more lifted appearance
• Helps to regenerate damaged skin.
• Hydrates for noticeably younger and firmer skin
• Improves uneven skin tone and texture
• Skin looks brighter and more radiant

QUICK TAKE

Fragrant Scent: Floral                  

Key Ingredient(s): Amino-peptide + B3, Niacinamide, Green Tea, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid

Texture: Velvety Smooth                        

Consistency: Water- and-silicone-based

Coverage: Absorbs Quickly                            

Complexion: Glowing

Finish: Shiny                               

Results: Radiant skin

Wear: All Day                                   

Best Usage: Daily, AM and PM

Best For: Dry/Combination Skin                              

Tested on Animals: Yes

Jar Packaging: No                           

Verdict: I do not recommend it

DOWN and DIRTY DETAILS

Key Ingredient(s):

• Vitamin E - (Tocopherol) also has a well-established reputation as an effective antioxidant. It neutralizes free radicals and replenishes skin's lipids.
• Vitamin B3 - also known as niacinamide,  is an antioxidant that can improve skin's elasticity, dramatically enhance skin's hydration, help erase discolorations, and revive skin's healthy tone and texture.
• Glycerin - is a humectant and extremely hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs water from other sources. So, in part, glycerin works because of its ability to attract water from the environment and from the lower layers of skin (dermis) increasing the amount of water in the surface layers of skin. Another aspect of glycerin’s benefit is that it is a skin-identical ingredient, meaning it is a substance found naturally in skin.
• Panthenol - is a provitamin of B5.
• Hyaluronic acid (moisturizers) -Provides smoothness and softening to the skin. It can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
• Allantoin (anti-inflammatory) - is a natural soothing, anti-irritant, and skin protectant that increases its water content. It also increases the smoothness of the skin; promotes cell replication; and promotes the healing of wounds, burns, and scars.

Other Ingredients:

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Panthenol, Dimenthicone Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carnosine, Allantoin, Dimethiconol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Citric Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Dmdm Hydantoin, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Titanium Dioxide. Original Contains Fragrance.

Fragrant Scent: Floral - Has a soft, barely-there floral scent that vanishes quickly, too.

Texture: Velvety Smooth - Provides a smooth feeling to surface of skin. Feels like velvet when you apply.

Consistency: Silky - This water- and silicone-based serum makes my skin feel smooth and silky without any greasiness. Its silky consistency helps my makeup glide on easier.

Coverage: Absorbs Quickly

The airy formula sinks right into skin. It does not make you feel greasy and penetrates well into the skin.

Best Usage:

Use one pump of the serum in the morning and at night. Apply with your fingertips, massaging the serum onto your face and neck in an upward circular motion. Focus on areas like the brow and jaw line. Use a cream over the serum to hold in the moisture.

FEEDBACK

PInkyPrIss Review: While this serum may have many great ingredients that are beneficial for the skin, I cannot recommend it. I could not tell people to use a product that so many other people have had problems with. I have read reviews on several websites (totalbeauty.com, ulta.com, makeupalley.com) and there are just an overwhelming number of people who have had breakouts while using this serum. Personally, I don’t usually like wasting my time trying products that don’t have good reviews. I also cannot recommend a product that does not do what it claims to do.

*Allure Winner, Readers' Choice 2013

MORE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

According to Ingredient expert Paula Begoun:

This water- and silicone-based serum doesn't have any sculpting ability, either on a micro or macro scale. Hydrating and plumping skin that is showing signs of sagging isn't going to make it look lifted—it’s not as though this serum is a mini face-lift in a bottle.

The reason this is rated so highly is because it has a lot in common with the other serums from Olay Regenerist. That means with each use your skin is treated to a helpful amount of cell-communicating ingredient niacinamide, skin-identical glycerin, and a cadre of other anti-aging ingredients, including peptides, antioxidants, and more cell-communicating ingredients.

According to TopWrinkleCream.org,

Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum specifically names peptide concentrates in its formulation as well as vitamin B combinations. Peptides are proven ingredients that stimulate collagen and elastin production in skin for wrinkle reduction. But in order to produce enough collagen to reduce wrinkles a product must contain three or more peptides. Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum only contains two peptides in low amounts.

Also, a majority of Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum’s ingredients are thickeners and moisturizers. Some ingredients are pure plastic or wax. Despite being an affordable product Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum does not deliver the results it advertises.

Tuesday Beauty Tip - Fast drying nails

My Upcoming Product Review: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum

FOR BRIGHT, PLUMP AND HYDRATED SKIN

“This antioxidant-packed serum will diminish fine lines. ”

QUICK TAKE

Fragrant Scent: Floral                  

Key Ingredient(s): Niacinamide, Green Tea, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid

Texture: Velvety Smooth                        

Consistency: Water- and silicone-based serum

Coverage: Absorbs Quickly                            

Complexion: Glowing

Finish: Shiny                               

Results: Radiant skin

Wear: All Day                                   

Best Usage: Daily, AM and PM

Best For: Dry/Combination Skin                              

Tested on Animals: Yes

Jar Packaging: No                           

Verdict: I do not recommend it