SEARCHING FOR THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

“Growing old gracefully.” Not something I am personally embracing at the age of 46. For those who choose to do so, hats off to you. I’m not judging. I’m just not there yet. Because none of us have to be. For me, I want my outside to match my inside, and I don’t feel 46…unless you count how I feel when I have to get out of bed too early.

Procedures from the dermatologist help. I have never been shy about admitting that I enjoy a healthy dose of Botox or Dysport in my forehead. But during this pandemic, getting to the dermatologist was not an option. My last Botox touch-up was on January 9. Timing probably couldn’t have been worse. But thankfully, I believe a few things I was putting on my face and inside my body (tequila was not one of them!) helped to maintain a more youthful appearance. A friend asked me what I felt was most effective, but it’s difficult to say. I just know that this combo is working, so I’m going to continue, and I’ll share it all with you. This post will focus on the skincare piece. And I have fallen in love with Neostrata.

Rather than plagiarize and take credit for brilliantly summarizing what makes these products different, here is a graphic from their site.

I used to work in skincare. But that’s not necessary to understand it. Regularly exfoliating to slough away the dead and dull skin to reveal fresh new layers is a key step in the anti-aging process. As a teenager, I used to slather granular facial scrubs all over my skin, hoping to clean those pores and remove all of the dirt and grime from the environment. But harsh mechanical exfoliants are not good for your face. They’re too rough, and they aren’t really as effective as other options. Which leads me to the first product I’ll share from this line.

Exfoliating Facial Wash - I use this before bedtime and in the morning. It contains Polyhydroxy Acids that effectively remove debris from pores…because nothing is more unattractive than large pores. And clogged pores lead to skin problems like acne. This product sloughs away dead skin cells to reveal healthy new skin with fewer visible lines. Sometimes I worry that exfoliants will leave my skin dry or rough, but this product actually refreshes the skin with a blend of aloe, cucumber, and rosemary extracts. It helps balance the pH in your skin, making it ready to receive whatever you apply next. Just don’t get the product in your eyes because it does burn them a bit.

Pigment Controller - This brightening treatment helps to brighten the appearance of skin, making it more luminous, and it diminishes the appearance of dark spots. It’s formulated with stabilized Vitamin C, NEOGLUCOSAMINE® 0.1% Retinol, and a potent antioxidant found in turmeric. I use this all over my face at bedtime every night and in the morning most days as a light and silky moisturizer. My skin feels very smooth, and the tone seems much more even. In the photos in this post, I am not wearing any foundation. I applied this product all over, used concealer under my eyes, and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage on dark spots.

Dermal Replenishment - Only at night do I use this product instead of the Pigment Controller. I use for it for its benefits, which I’ll get to, but not in the morning because it has a bit more of an oily look and feel and sort of flakes off if you rub your skin a bit later. That doesn’t bother me at night. I feel as though this product has helped tremendously with the firmness and plumpness/fullness of my skin. That makes sense because Neostrata’s proprietary AMINOFIL® works with Maltobionic Acid and NEOGLUCOSAMINE® technology to provide a firmer appearance and reduce the look of wrinkles. This product also works to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and hydrate, which is key because dehydrated skin is a major factor in aging.

Intensive Eye Therapy - I LOVE this eye cream. My biggest issue is dark circles, followed by wrinkles and that under eye bag. This is something that my dermatologist said a filler like Juvederm can resolve. But again, we are in the midst of a pandemic, so I had to try something else. I use this product at bedtime and in the morning before applying my concealer. It plumps and firms around the eye area, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and crow’s feet. Caffeine helps diminish the appearance of dark circles, and it also works with hyaluronic acid to deflate puffiness. I swear by this stuff!

Brightening Eye Cream - Sometimes in the morning, I alternate and use this eye cream instead of Intensive Eye Therapy. If you have dark circles as your primary eye concern, this is a great product. It brightens and firms using antioxidants, peptides, algae extracts, and stabilized vitamins C and E and polyhydroxy acid blend of gluconolactone and lactobionic acid. Gluconolactone is wonderful for sensitive skin under the eyes and works really well with vitamin C in anti-aging. Lactobionic acid is a patented antioxidant derived from natural sugars and is known as a "Bionic Acid.” It keeps the under eye area hydrated, which is key because nothing says “tired eyes” more than a dry under eye area.

Triple Firming Neck Cream - One day while I was editing and choosing blog/Instagram photos, I noticed that my neck seemed to be aging faster than the rest of me. YIKES! I used to watch a soap opera (before kids when I had time to watch TV) and remember noticing how youthful an actress’ face looked while her neck looked old and saggy. I could not become that woman. Three ingredients — NeoGlucosamine, NeoCitriate, and Pro-Amino Acid — work together to firm and lift sagging skin in the neck and décolletage and to diminish deep creases and “crepey” texture (when it looks and feels like crepe fabric). I have seen a dramatic difference since using this product at bedtime and in the morning. I have only been using it on my neck, but I’ve just begun using it on the décolletage area because I notice a few lines when I wake in the morning. Don’t worry about this product ruining clothing or caking in your neck creases because it’s formulated with that consideration in mind.

Perfecting Peel - And finally, a once a week at-home chemical peel. I recently asked my dermatologist about something stronger and more aggressive for hyperpigmentation/dark spots. While the products above are working well and I’ve seen great improvement over time, I’m a bit impatient. I asked about microneedling, and she is only “meh” on it, especially since I don’t have a lot of acne scarring. She suggested a chemical peel. I may end up there, but I’m not sure I’m ready just yet because your skin does actually peel and turn red after an office treatment. The degree to which it does that depends on the person. So I’ve tried this at-home product twice, and I like the results because I see an improvement without any burning, peeling, or scary red face. It’s formulated with a potent blend of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) — Glycolic and Citric Acids — and visually improves skin imperfections such as fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. So if you’re a baby steps kind of gal like I am, this is likely the product for you. I felt a little tingly but no burning or irritation at all.

Purchasing new skincare products without experiencing them in person can be daunting. So thankfully, Neostrata has a 30-day money back guarantee. That said, I don’t think you’ll need it. At the time of this post, all products ship free. Their Instagram profile says they offer 20% off your first purchase, but I signed up for the newsletter with a new email address and couldn’t seme to make it work, nor did I see the offer appear in my inbox. But give it a shot, and it’s likely worth messaging them to get a code if it doesn’t. After all, it is advertised. If you try them, let me know what you think. As with any new skincare product, it’s best to ease into it. Use once daily for a week to two, or even every other day if you have sensitive skin, and then increase usage to twice daily where directed. Consistency is key, as it giving it a fair shot. Don’t call it quits if you don’t look 25 after two weeks.