Featured in pretty much every great publication – from Oprah’s O Magazine to Elle, and named a top serum in “the best of the best” by Harper’s Bazaar UK, you can be sure I expected a lot from iS Clinical’s Active Serum.
I was lucky enough to be given a sample of Active Serum by Dr. Karen Soh at my recent trip to her office after experiencing my first laser treatment. She recommended this product and said it’s amazing, and as an anti-aging expert, I had to believe her.
Said to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation and acne, this serum also smoothes and softens the skin texture, as well as provide both long-term results. I also became really excited to try it out after doing research and looking at their their amazing before and after images.
I’ve been using this (almost) every night for the past few weeks, and I am really impressed. I never really thought too much about serum – to me, my beloved moisturizer is enough. However, I really do like the idea of a serum as an extra skin care step.
Though I can’t really vouch their long term results (unless you’d like a review years later!), but from the last few weeks my skin has felt ridiculously soft, and it gives an instant ‘glow’ and ‘lift’ to the skin. No breakouts at all, and I’m extremely happy with this product – I will definitely check out Active Serum once this vial is done and have already recommended it to my Mom. I’m a little scared that this will cost a lot though, but during the past few weeks I’ve hardly used the vial – though 2 drops every night is recommended, one drop for me is enough to rub over my whole face, so it may just be worth the price; you’re hardly using any product!
To put it simply, I would recommend this product. It gives such a youthful ‘lift’. I can’t really explain it; it just seems to ‘wake’ my skin up. I’m really glad Dr. Soh recommended this to me and gave me a sample (thank you!), because I wouldn’t have tried this product any other day, since I have no clue on what’s good in the anti-aging world. If you’re on the lookout for a great anti-aging serum (or a serum that improves your skin and it’s ‘youth’), do try Active Serum out. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
Do you use serums? Do you feel they are necessary to your skin care regimen?
Two weeks ago, I attended my very first beauty event (cue the excitement…!!!), that was the launch of Skin Ceuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex eye cream. It was wonderful to be a part of a ‘media’ event, and the room buzzed with all sorts of PR and writers. I also recognized a few editors and writers, whose work I’d been reading for the past few years, so that was exciting.
It was good timing too – now that I’m 21 I think I should start with the anti-aging products, and you should all know about my panics of aging (especially mentally), so I was very eager to go to the event and learn about the aging process. There were two presentations on aging and … it ain’t pretty. Apparently when you age your feminine hormone lowers, so you can expect mustaches in the future. Yes, a mustache. The girls and I shuddered as we heard that.
Dr. Karen Soh is an aesthetic and anti-aging physician, so it was nice to educate myself about our skin and what happens when it ages! She has been trained in all aspects of aesthetic medicine such as lasers, fillers, Botox, Restylane, and much more. She also offers various aesthetic treatments at the Pacific Wellness Center, where the event was held. I’ll be going back in a week’s time to see Dr. Soh, so more info on that later. One point I remember Dr. Soh pointed out was that one of the worse factors of physical aging is smoking (I told ya!), so I was happy that I seemed to know what I was talking about. The above photo is me and Dr. Karen Soh.
The presentation also talked about Skin Ceuticuals new A.G.E. Eye Complex Eye Cream, and showed us some pretty impressive before and after pictures – I was especially intrigued at the before-and-after of the dark eye circles, because, as you know, dark circles and I are best friends who secretly hate each other. I’m still adamant on the fact that eye creams don’t work for me and these damn circles are here for life, but it’s always worth a try, no? The presentation ended off with a live-demo of an eye area treatment massage, which looked nothing short of heavenly.
Advanced Glycation End-products (A.G.E.) are the seeds of intrinsic aging that contributes to sagging, crackling and thinning of the skin. The A.G.E. Complex eye cream from Skin Ceuticals is formulated for those with mature skin (45+ years old) to prevent glycation and to combat the other processes of intrinsic aging.
I’ve been using the A.G.E. Eye Complex eye cream for a week or two, even though I think I’m a little under the target audience. Although I haven’t seen much results yet, it does seem promising. Application-wise, it’s painfully easy to use, and is very cooling on the skin. There is a slight tingling feeling which I liked as well, although I’m not sure what the tingling might mean.
Like I said, I’m not sure if I can ‘test’ its effects in such a short time, but from the presentation they did have some impressive looking before and after photos, so only time will tell! So far, it’s a nice eye cream. The only one I can compare it to is Clinique’s All About Eyes, and I feel A.G.E. feels more ‘concentrated’.
To sum it up, the event was a success in my humble opinion! I learnt a lot and met some really nice people. The atmosphere was great and the location was perfect – it was like a whole other calm, serene world tucked away in the busy city. Really loved it, thanks Mei Yan and Eileen for inviting me to my very first media event. :)
It’s best to start using anti aging products in your 30s and 40s. Some products may be far too rich for your young skin if you’re below 30.
However, I believe that prevention is better than cure – so I would recommend using lighter, simpler products to start off with, and then work your way up in concentration every 5 years or so. I recommend Clinique’s All About Eyes eye cream (check out my review) if you are in your twenties.
Say it isn’t so … I don’t want to believe it! I had been noticing for a bit that the skin under my eyes were looking a little dry, and horrors of all horrors – I saw the faint beginnings of fine lines. NOOooo!
Obviously I rushed to Clinique and bought All About Eyes, one of the most famous eye creams on the market.
Moisture-rich eye cream diminishes the look of undereye circles, shadows, fine lines-instantly and over time. De-puffs, calms with botanicals. Helps boost natural collagen production. Strengthens skin’s moisture barrier against common irritants. Ophthalmologist Tested.
Before I start – these are my thoughts on miracle anti-aging creams: Marketing scam! If you have wrinkles, you have wrinkles; like we discussed about cellulite, it’s already something your skin has formed. The only real thing that can help in terms of ‘turning back the clock’ is plastic surgery procedures or scientifically proven ingredients like Retinols/Retin-A.
Regardless, like I previously said in my post Preventing Signs of Aging Tips, moisturizing is great at preventing, so I do think anti aging products work – just for prevention, rather than repair. (Let me know if you agree or disagree with me!)
“Moisture-rich eye cream…” Heck yeah! I love this formula. Like with all Clinique products, the formula seems gentle, easy to apply, and non irritating. The product feels lightweight on the skin too, so you don’t really feel like anytime is on it. (A trick for really tried eyes – put your eye cream in the fridge for 5 minutes before you apply it – heaven!)
“…diminishes the look of under eye circles, shadows, fine lines instantly…” Nope, nothing’s changed. Nothing can help these deadly dark circles and shadows of mine. I still look dead in the morning! :-P I do see small results in de-puffing eye bags though, so that’s good. Regarding the fine lines, they did seem to disappear from this quick dose of moisture (which any moisturizer can do, really). I do think that the extra moisture at the eye area every night will help greatly in preventing more of those nasties from forming.
“…and over time.” Only time can tell, but overall, I like this product. As far as the rest of their pitch above, I do think it’s a calming eye cream and helps boost the skin so it appears more youthful. I really liked the formula itself, it was easy to apply, and I liked that it was so gentle. So like I said before – prevention is better than cure, and I would recommend this as a great ‘starter’ eye cream. Some of the older ladies with more concerns may want to check out eye creams with retinols/Retin A in them.
Does anyone use All About Eyes, or eye creams in general? Do you think anti-aging creams are pretty much scams as well? I’d love to know your thoughts because I’m pretty adamant for that idea, unless of course someone (or some product) proves me wrong!
What’s your take on aging, ladies? Are you terrified of getting ‘old’? I am sure everyone can admit, at some point, that getting (and looking) older scares them just a little bit.
I’ve been writing a few anti-aging posts lately on prevention (moisturizing, sunscreen, etc.) because I do believe, personally that if you do want to appear younger (and feel it) there are other ways than just the usual plastic surgery route.
Clara Krupp’s best selling book, How Not to Look Old
may be of interest for those who want to look and feel younger. Here, she shares some of her tips:
Charla’s Top Ten Ageless Secrets to Take Off Ten Years
- Pick pink for your pout.
- Arch your brows upward.
- Don’t outline your lips with a dark liner.
- Whiten your teeth.
- Cut some bangs.
- Switch from powder to cream blush.
- Soft is better than hard (makeup).
- Illumination is better than darkness (face, hair).
- Moist is better than dry (skin, lips, eyes).
- Slim is better than heavy (eyeliner, clothing).
Do you agree with these tips? I have not read her book (let me know if you have, and if you recommend it!) but I have to agree with the list above – they are easy tips to make anyone, regardless of age, look ‘fresher’. Let me know what you think! :)
I had read tons about this product in the US magazines but it wasn’t sold in my country, so when I spied this product in Italy almost two years ago, and was immediately excited!
Unfortunately I didn’t want to give up my money to that (too expensive, plus I had other things to save up for on that trip! ;)) and thought I’d just wait until it came out here.
No matter how well you protect your skin, sun, stress and pollution bring daily damage. Now a potent moisturizer works overnight to deliver a unique complex of eight rapid and delayed-release antioxidants that defuse this free-radical activity. Helps keep skin strong and prevent visible signs of aging.
Fast forward 1.5 years, and last year I saw this at our counters. My friend was stocking up on her Clinique sunscreen and I looked at it and thought, Hey, I remember you! It’s taken me this long to write this review because I had forgotten where I put the sample I asked for … those things are tiny. I’ve been using it for the last two weeks, on and off, and I’m really happy about the results.
While I can’t tell how well it’s preventing signs of aging, I can tell you that I have had no breakouts (my biggest fear, that’s why I asked for the one made for oily skin), my skin felt amazingly smooth (even softer than my beloved DDML Gel!) and my skin looked really fresh and bright the next morning.
One gripe is the price. It is expensive, however, because the formula is so rich and thick, you’ll only need about a pea size amount at most. Also, you only apply it at night – so really, I can see this tube lasting over a year, no problem.
So ladies, if you’re looking for a “starter” anti-aging product to add to your skin care regime, (or for the older ladies who want to prevent further damage, it does not repair, though) I highly recommend this!
Has anyone tried this product out? It seems very popular online, I’d love to hear your thoughts, or other products for anti-aging you swear by.
As far as aging goes – I’m sure the main concern for everyone is their face, but as they say, hands do show your age very well.
Renowned dermatologist Dr. Zein Obagi has seen it happen a million times: women who have never noticed their hands before find themselves with bulging veins and dark spots that ages them quite a bit.
If aging hands is a concern of yours, fortunately, both preventative and corrective measures can be taken to treat and protect the delicate skin of hands:
- Carry an SPF lotion for hands at all times. “UVA rays, which cause skin aging, penetrate the windshield as you drive and reach the dermis and subcutaneous tissue,” Dr. Obagi reveals. Apply it to your hands and wrists.
- Use products with retinol. “If you want to be smart about renewing your hands, treat them with a product with a high concentration of retinol,” Dr. Obagi recommends. “I created ZO Skin Health Oraser Overnight Hand Recovery to infuse skin with collagen-stimulating, spot-lightening retinol to restore hands as you sleep.”
- Use an at home exfoliation treatment. “Dissolve dead skin cells and polish the surface, uncovering radiant, healthy hands,” Dr. Obagi explains.
Pretty simple, no?
“Women are attuned to every fine line that appears on their faces, but don’t give their hands the same attention,” Dr. Obagi explains. “Because hands are especially vulnerable to UV exposure and have very little fat layer to conceal veins, the signs of aging they monitor closely on their complexions—wrinkles, creases, and sun spots—tend to be exaggerated on the hands without proper care.”
Do you do anything to take care of your hands? I’ll need to get a hand cream with SPF pronto!
Hello and welcome! 
Loading ...
