Curel’s New Life StagesTM line is fresh into drugstores this month, and designed to treat skin through various stages of aging. The first, Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion ($7.79, Drugstore.com), “replenishes essential building blocks found in naturally young, healthy skin and increases skin’s moisture level via a blend of skin hydrators, Vitamins C & E and collagen,” according to OB/GYN and Curél Consultant, Dr. Miriam Greene. According to the company, you see and feel healthier skin in just 1 week of daily use.
Very hydrating
Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion contains a lot of hydrating ingredients, including glycerin, cetyl alcohol, petrolatum, shea butter, collagen, elastin, dimethicone and paraffin. The formula itself has the consistency of a thick lotion, and it takes a few seconds to rub in. However, it leaves skin feeling powdery soft and hydrated, rather than oily or sticky. Click here for a free sample!
Vitamins C and E
Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion contains the ultra-promising combination of vitamin (as ascorbyl palmitate) and vitamin E. Ascorbyl palmitate is actually a fat-soluble ester of L-ascorbic acid (L-ascorbic acid combined with palmitic acid, a fatty acid). According to a 1997 study, ascorbyl palmitate is more stable than L-ascorbic acid. A 2001 study in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics found that the stability of ascorbyl palmitate was increased further when ascorbyl palmitate was used in high concentrations (1-2%), or placed in water-in-oil emulsions like in Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion rather than oil-in-water emulsions.
According to Dr. Leslie Baumann’s Cosmetic Dermatology textbook, vitamin C and vitamin E are network antioxidants that have been found to synergistically enhance the power of one another. (When one antioxidant is depleted, it can essentially “borrow” an electron from the other antioxidant to renew itself, and vice versa). Vitamins C and E as L-ascorbic acid and tocopheryl acetate have also been reported by Djerassi et. al. to prevent the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. Vitamin C and vitamin E have also been shown to enhance the photoprotective effects of sunscreen, as vitamin C has been reported to enhance UVA protection, whereas vitamin E is more effective against UVB radiation. By using network antioxidants on your body, you can prevent future signs of aging induced from free-radical production.
Sage Leaf Extract
According to an article in BioFactors, sage is a natural compound that has antioxidant properties. According to OB/GYN and Curél Consultant, Dr. Miriam Greene, “Sage reduces redness and irritation.” Given that sage appears to be in fairly high concentration in the product (my best educated guess would be around 1% or higher), it should be effective in soothing reddened skin.
How does Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion compare to other similarly-priced lotions?
Against my favorite body lotion, Olay Quench Body Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin ($18.64 for two, Amazon.com), Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion does pretty well. According to a study by Bissett et. al., niacinamide in Olay Quench treats hyperpigmented spots and skin sallowness and reduces redness, but so does the vitamin C and sage extract in the Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging product. However, according to the study by Bissett et. al., niacinamide may reduce fine lines and wrinkles over time, while Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion probably will not.
Against another new body lotion, Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 ($10.99, Drugstore.com), Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion does even better. Although both contain hydrating dimethicone, Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion contains antioxidants vitamin C and E, which have been shown to enhance the power of sunscreen when used in conjunction with sunscreen. If you apply Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion and a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen over it on exposed areas of the body, I definitely prefer the Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion.
I’m still learning, but in my opinion…
Curél Life’s Stages First Signs of Aging Youth Defense Moisture Lotion is hydrating, fights redness, and prevents future free-radical induced damage. Used daily in conjunction with sunscreen, and it’s a winner! 🙂
One note: The product has a light scent, so you may not want to use it in conjunction with your favorite perfume. You be the judge: Click here for a free sample!
Ingredients (courtesy of Curel.com)
Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Corn Starch Modified, Dimethicone, Polypropylene, Paraffin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Dilaurate , Alumina, Stearic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Gelatin, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydantoin, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance.