Curel Continuous Comfort is $3.99 on Drugstore.com
The answer is yes, according to Dr. Frederic Brandt in this month’s Real Simple magazine. Even the most basic moisturizer hydrates, giving the skin a chance to rest. By doing so, you help maintain collagen production over time, according to Dr. Brandt. This keeps the skin firmer and younger for longer.
However, as Dr. Brandt is quick to point out, there are lots of other ingredients that are clinically proven to improve the skin too. At any rate, though, don’t be fooled into thinking expensive is automatically better. Although it is true that expensive creams often have better presentation and new ingredients (like the vitamin B5-derivative nicotinic acid in the NIA24 line), more drugstore-based skin care companies are putting extensive funds into R&D and coming up with some equally impressive ingredients (like the vitamin B5-derivative niacinamide in some Olay and Cover Girl products). The key is to stay educated! (For a full post on drugstore versus department store products, please click here.)
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April 18th, 2008
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Every once in a while, a product comes along that just looks so cool, you know it’s going to be a hit. That’s the case with Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer ($34.99 on sale, Kohl’s.com). Complete with side-by-side jars for day and night creams, your eyes never have an excuse to be without treatment.
But how effective is Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer? The product seems to be loaded with lots of ingredients — nearly 100 between the two formulations — and both have a low concentration of firming peptides (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 and acetyl hexapeptide-8 in the day cream, palmitoyl oligopeptide in the night cream). The day cream appears as though it will hydrate and make dark circles appear less visible, while the night cream will hydrate, fight dark spots, and firm the skin somewhat. Still, how effective is each cream really? Read on to find out…
Will it reduce dark circles?
Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer will temporarily reduce the appearance of dark circles, with silica, amethyst, quartz, and zinc to create a bit of a shimmer that keeps the light reflecting ever-so-gently from your skin. It also contains glucosamine, which will reduce the appearance and lessen the worsening of dark circles that stem from hyperpigmentation. However, if the cause of your dark circles is blood pooling around the eyes, this product seems as though it will only help them cosmetically.
The most effective formulation for dark circles from hyperpigmentation and blood pooling (that I can find, anyway) is retinol and vitamin K, which are not in this cream. According to this study in Dermatologic Surgery, treatment of laser with retinol and vitamin K resolves purpuric discoloration of the skin faster than laser alone. Retinol and vitamin K were also reported to lighten dark circles in the journal Clinics in Dermatology.
Day Balm: Sweet almond seed hydrates quickly
Sweet almond oil is the most commonly used massage oil, and for good reason: it absorbs quickly into the skin, and leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated, according to the journal Palliative Medicine. The ingredient has antioxidant properties as well.
Day Balm: Yeast hydrates further
The yeast in Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer has long been rumored to be a home remedy for eczema. While there isn’t a lot of independent scientific research backing this claim, so long as a patient does not have an allergic reaction to yeast, the ingredient should only have hydrating and some soothing effects for the skin. (If anyone has more information on yeast in skin care, please, contact me! 
)
Night Balm: Soybean stimulates collagen production
The soybean in the Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer night cream is probably my favorite ingredient in both formulations. Soybean extract has been found to increase collagen production, stimulate hyaluronic acid production of keratinocytes in cell culture, and to reduce hyperpigmentation. Again, this should help with the lessening of dark circles that result from excess melanin production, although it may not help dark circles stemming from excess blood pooling around the eyes.
Night Balm: Glycosaminoglycans…
Glycosaminoglycans are probably the “newest” ingredient in Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer. Unfortunately, adding glycosaminoglycans to the skin in the form of a cream is like adding collagen to the skin. It’s a nice idea, but research has not yet shown that applying glycosaminoglycans to the skin has any effect. This is just like collagen: research has never shown that applying collagens to the skin stimulates collagen production. Collagens in skin cream only hydrate, and glycosaminoglycans are likely to be the same way, although research in stimulating GAGs is fairly new.
What are glycosaminoglycans? Glycosaminoglycans are found primarily in the dermis of the skin. The major purpose of GAGs is to defend against water loss, as they bind large quantities of water, up to 1000 times their volume. For this reason, GAGs are also known as “natural moisturizing factors,” or NMFs (for more, see here). Most studies show that GAGs, such as hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate decrease with age; however, some studies found no change in the amount of GAGs in aged skin. If in fact the majority of research is correct and GAGs do in fact decrease in aged skin, then changes in skin due to loss of GAGs may include decreased elasticity, decreased turgidity, and wrinkling.
How can glycosaminoglycans be stimulated? Research from L’Oréal has demonstrated that application of a sugar molecule called xylose can stimulate glycosaminoglycan production. For this reason, L’Oréal has incorporated xylose in Shu Uemura Phyto Black Lift products, Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra Lift, and L’Oréal Skin Genesis products.
Personal Use
Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer feels like a lip balm for the eyes. It feels very light, despite the very long ingredients list (excerpted below!). The day balm leaves skin with a nice shimmer that ever-so-lightly reflects the light, giving the undereye area a refreshed, younger appearance. On the other hand, the night balm leaves a shinier finish. Both feel very nice around the eyes, and despite all the ingredients and my sensitive skin, it left my eyes looking smooth and refreshed.
Overall Opinions
I personally do not use Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer, because I feel that there are eye creams with higher concentrations of potent ingredients. However, besides the lack of sunscreen in the day cream, there is absolutely nothing “wrong” with Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer, per se. For me, it’s like that nice co-worker who tells you about her bus ride every morning: I like it, certainly don’t mind it, but I wouldn’t want to take it home and live with it everyday.
With that said, Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer reduces the appearance of dark circles and helps to eliminate dark circles that result from excess melanin production. Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer also hydrates the skin, and the day balm slyly disguises your imperfections, so you may need less concealer. Overall, a good, solid product. Product rating: 6.5/10. (High concentration of proven ingredients: 1.5/3. New technology: 2/3. Value for the money: 3/3, because peptides are usually found in more expensive formulations. Sunscreen: 0/1).
Partial ingredients list: Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer Day Cream
Water, butylene glycol, methyl gluceth-20, glycerin, dimethicone, polybutene, yeast, dipropylene glycol, quercus silver bark, sweet almond seed, algae, hersperidin methyl chalcone, cucumber, green tea, grape seed extract, barley, passiflora incarnata extract, sunflower, sea whip, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, dipeptide-2, tocopherol, sucrose, sorbitol, caffeine, linoleic acid, amethyst, quartz, zinc..
Partial ingredients list: Eyliplex-2 Eye Lift + Circle Reducer Night Cream
Water, butylene glycol, shea butter, cetyl esters, hydrogenated polybutene, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, polybutene, methylheptyl polyethylene, passiflora, sweet almond seed, soybean extract, glycosaminoglycans, palmitoyl oligopeptide, caffeine, sodium hyaluronate, bifida ferment lysate, acetyl glucosamine, silica, chamomile…
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April 18th, 2008
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futurederm |
Anti-Aging Treatments, Antioxidant Treatments, Eye Creams, Product Reviews |
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If you pick up one thing in Kohl’s Beauty Department, make it All Bright Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 ($12.00, Kohl’s.com). The sunscreen brightens the skin with glucosamine, and is one of the cheapest sources of vitamin C & vitamin E (one of my favorite combinations!), firming peptides, and effective sun protection out there. As an added bonus, the product is highly portable, and I love it as a hand cream. To learn more about the research behind the product’s ingredients, read on.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine should help prevent sun spot development, and may decrease the appearance of existing sunspots somewhat. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, glucosamine has been found to inhibit melanin production in the skin by down-regulating melanin gene expression. Although the exact mechanism by which this occurs is not known, it is speculated that glucosamine plays a role in inhibiting enzymatic glycosylation, a required step in converting inactive human pro-tyrosinase to the active tyrosinase (and tyrosinase is a key enzyme in the production of melanin).
Glucosamine in combination with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants may also be somewhat helpful in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. According to a 2001 study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, glucosamine and antioxidant oral supplements reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by a statistically significant 35% amongst 53 women when taken daily. The exact formulation was not revealed, but contained glucosamine, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, manganese, and quercitin. It was, however, also noted in the study that the oral supplement did not increase skin’s hydration, and only decreased the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Ascorbyl glucoside
Ascorbyl glucoside is a stable form of vitamin C that withstands light, heat, and changes in pH better than its traditionally used L-ascorbic acid counterpart. Although research on ascorbyl glucoside is more limited than L-ascorbic acid, it has been reported to have similar effects and physiology to L-ascorbic acid, as reported in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis in 2004 and The Journal of Health Science in 2005. Although the concentration of ascorbyl glucoside in the product is not reported, it is definitely a great addition to All Bright Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30, particularly for the relatively low cost of the product!
Palmitoyl oligopeptide
Palmitoyl oligopeptide is traditionally found in more expensive creams and some Olay products. Although palmitoyl oligopeptide has been confirmed to be less effective at reducing wrinkles and increasing firmness than Botox, it has been reported to stimulate collagen production and to be chemotactic for fibroblasts (i.e., concentrates fibroblasts in one area). Palmitoyl oligopeptide use should increase the firmness of the skin somewhat over time. I personally like the idea of using peptides in combination with retinol at night and antioxidants and sunscreen during the day.
Overall opinions
I LOVE All Bright Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30, because it contains so many beneficial ingredients for a relatively low cost. I personally am carrying it around as a hand cream, and applying it after I wash my hands each time. One caveat: my mother does not like the smell of it, and I think it’s not bad, so you may want to try before you buy. At any rate, if there’s one thing I love from Kohl’s Beauty Department, it’s All Bright Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30!
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April 18th, 2008
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futurederm |
Anti-Aging Treatments, Antioxidant Treatments, Best Products, Best Products, Sunblocks |
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