Valen’s Vanity Square

Aging is a natural process, and there is nothing that can stop it from happening.

The more I look at the mirror when combing my hair, the more strands of white hair I found! I can’t stop white hair from growing out, so I need to dye my hair. Well, although I can start taking supplements for reducing white hair, but dying hair is the fastest way to cover up the whites.

That’s why products that have to do with anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, anti-white hair, anti-hair fall etc are forever so popular. For most men, they usually start to worry about aging when they see the first sign of baldness. For women, a strand of gray hair or one fine line under the eye would trigger the aging alarm - it’s time to use anti-aging products or apply anti-aging skin care measures!

But actually, anti-aging skin care should start way before the symptoms of aging appear. Basically, it’s about practicing proper skin care from young, follow a healthy lifestyle, avoid stress, drink lots of water, etc. Additional anti-aging skin care products can be added when the signs of aging start to manifest.

Today’s market has a gazillion of anti-aging skin care products to choose from, but finding one that is suitable for your skin type is not that easy. Some brands are well-known but may not suit your skin, while some that you’ve never heard before may be the right one for you. So it’s always best to do a bit of research here and there.

For example, if your friend told you that prototype 37C had done wonders for her skin, perhaps you should find out more about the product first by checking out prototype 37c reviews online or from magazines. This helps to ensure you are investing in the right kind of anti-aging products.

Well, same for me. I also need to do a bit of research on anti-aging moisturizers now, gotta replenish my L’Oreal Revitalift very soon!

Jeez, a few late night sleeps and the hot, humid weather are enough to make my pores open up and cause a couple of zits to pop up. Urrgh, my complexion also looks less firmer than last week.

It’s like you get all ready to look good for a special occasion, but because you’re so busy preparing for the occasion (i.e. house cleaning, cookies baking) and go to bed late for a few nights, you get the opposite effect.

And I have a bunch of relatives to meet this afternoon! I think I need to do a mini at home facial treatment afterward - skin exfoliation and facial mask - before I leave the house. Of course, must apply my L’Oreal anti-wrinkle firming day moisturizer, too. While it’s not the best firming face cream that I’ve known, but it’s considered a cost-effective option for me for the time being.

Oh, I also like L’Oreal anti-wrinkle night cream (the one in blue bottle), but have finished up the bottle a month ago. Ah, I must get a new bottle this week. I think it would have made a difference if I didn’t stop using the cream, and I wouldn’t have looked so bad today.

Below is an article taken from the “Anti Aging and Skincare Made Easy” ebook (see picture in sidebar).

Talking of anti aging or anti wrinkle skincare products, the first thing that comes to one’s mind is vitamin C-based antiaging skin care products. These products work by enabling the synthesis of collagen (a structural protein that is found in skin). This category of antiaging skincare products is related to anti-oxidants. Anti-aging skin care products that are based on vitamin C are, however, posed with the danger of having themselves oxidized (as they come into contact with air during their usage). So some antiaging skincare products are based on the derivatives of vitamin C, which are more stable and less expensive. However, the effectiveness of such anti-aging skin care is not as much as it is for vitamin C based antaging skin care products.

Besides vitamin C, vitamin E and lipoic acid are anti-oxidants too. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble anti-oxidant that is found in human blood and helps in building resistance against infection. Vitamin E is also known to inhibit cancer. Liponic acid is known to combat the signs of aging very effectively by reversing the skin damage caused by the aging process.

Phytochemicals form the other category of anti aging skin care products. Phytochemical are special chemicals that are extracted from plants. There are a variety of phytochemicals that are in use today. Phytochemicals prevent occurrence of cancer of certain types; these include prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. That is why they find their place in anti aging skin care products.

Some B-vitamins like B5, B6 and B12 are also in use for anti aging skin care products.

The field of anti aging skin care products is vast and needs a lot of research. Though the currently available products are effective, they still have challenges to combat. Hopefully, these challenges will get resolved in due course and help get better and cheaper anti aging skin care products.

However, anti aging skin care products should be used only as a supplement to the natural ways of skin and body care. So, drinking a lot of water, getting a good night sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining healthy eating habits and keeping stress at bay are essential means of delaying the aging process. No anti aging skin care product can replace them really.

Hope you have had learned something from this article. If you want to read more of these informative articles on anti aging or acne skincare, you can click on the link at the sidebar and find out how to download the ebooks for free!

I started using Garnier’s Age-Lift anti-wrinkle day cream more than a month ago, and now decided to switch back to L’Oreal’s Revitalift anti-wrinkle firming day cream (I refer it as ‘Gong Li cream’ when I talk to hubby). Why?

Firstly, I don’t really like its smell, it’s so fruity. May be it’s the blueberry extract ingredient?

Secondly, my face seemed to become more oily than before since I started using it, even though its texture is lighter than Revitalift. And it didn’t give me the instant glowing complexion after application, as what I have had with Revitalift.

Thirdly, the cream neither improves the fine lines on my face nor preventing them from becoming worse. I wonder if that’s why my beautician said that my skin sagged a lot recently.

I bought Garnier’s Age-Lift because it was RM10 ringgit cheaper than Revitalift, ha! Luckily, there was a promotion for Revitalift (now with elastin) in Jaya Jusco last week (not sure if the promotion is still on now). I got it at RM34.90, the actual retail price is RM49.90. So now I’m back to using ‘Gong Li cream’ again, my face ‘feels’ so much better now, haha!

Saw L’Oreal’s latest product - Derma Genesis - on display last week. And that ticked off my ‘experimental’ desire (more like shopping desire actually). Anything that claims to be able to restore the youth of my skin, I will certainly buy into it, haha!

The two ‘magical’ ingredients in Derma Genesis are Pro-Xylane and Hyaluronic acid. Pro-Xylane is a naturally-derived, bio-degradable anti-aging molecule that creates an optimal environment for cellular growth, thus promoting creation of new cells, while hyaluronic acid is a well-known moisturizing agent.

The full Derma Genesis Cellular-Youth Creating Skincare series comprises 5 main products:

• Foam wash - Gently exfoliates and removes skin irregularities
• Day cream (with or without SPF15) - Re-plumps, tightens and illuminates
• Intensive night cream - Re-news, tightens and relaxes
• Essence concentrate - Intense smoothing action for a radiant glow
• Eye contour cream - Anti-fine lines and anti-dark circles

See, I want to look as good as Penelope Cruz. But I have to wait, gotta finish my L’Oreal anti-wrinkle cream first!

Anti-aging products are on the top of my must-have list nowadays. As my current financial status refrains me from buying goods from cosmetic brands, I diverted my radar to bottles and jars on the open shelves in pharmacies, hehe. And as mentioned in my previous post, I have started using products of L’Oreal and Bio-essence.

They are:
L’Oreal’s Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Day Cream SPF18

1. Anti-wrinkle and firming action with:

• Pro-Retinol A Forte - stimulate the regeneration of skin’s cells and to strengthen the epidermis.
• Fibre-Elastyl - a L’Oreal patented firming active ingredient, protects the elastic fibers from degeneration.

2. Optimal protection against skin aging with:

• Enriched, powerful UVA and UVB filters, preventing photo-aging and the appearance of new wrinkles, and for a complete and daily shield against time effects.

I’m glad that I picked up Revitalift. I have used it for more than a week, and found it quite friendly to my skin. It’s not oily even though its texture is rather thick. Just make sure that you gently massage the cream on your face until it’s well absorbed into the skin. On the packaging it says that “Within 3 weeks, wrinkles are reduced, skin is firmer”. Well, let me use it for another week or two then we’ll know if it really works.

(Somehow I believe that, coupled with my facial sessions with NYSS, this cream will work fine for me. )

Bio-essence’s Cell Renew Essence

• Enriched with Bio-mineral essence, herbal ingredients and moisturizing agents that penetrate into the skin to deeply nourish ultra dry areas.
• Revitalizes the skin structure and promotes cell renewal.
• Fine lines and wrinkles diminish progressively and skin becomes finer and smoother.

Errr, I think I’m a person that changes my mind rather quickly and spontaneously. Initially I planned to buy Radiant Youth Essence, but instead I ended up paying for Cell Renew Essence. I didn’t change my mind for no reasons. Firstly, Cell Renew Essence is almost half the price of Radiant Youth Essence (RM80 plus vs RM40 plus for the same volume). Secondly, I think the the former offers benefits more relevant to my skin needs.

Unlike Radiant Youth Essence, Cell Renew Essence is not oily in nature and has more of a water-based texture. It absorbs well into the skin, and I feel that it is providing adequate hydration to my skin. I’m using it day and night before the moisturizer. Again, I think this product is able to do some good for my skin. We’ll see.

Jeez, I have spent too much on e-books recently! And there goes my paycheck that just came in last week.

But it’s for my benefit, believe me. I’m currently actively learning about internet business. Hopefully that, eventually, I would have a successful online business and I could splurge all I like on skincare and beauty stuffs!

While there are so many mortgage lenders around to help people buy properties, how come there’s no short-term loan to cater specifically to women’s beauty needs? Haha! If there is one, the first thing I would do is to grab all these anti-aging potions!

Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Crème 50ml - RM850!

Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Fluid 50ml - RM712!

La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Cream 40ml - RM700!

Lancome Absolute beta-White Advanced Whitening
Anti-age Spot Concentrate 30ml
RM480!

Sothys Global Anti-age De-stressing Serum 40ml
RM749!

Look at their prices. Now you understand why I said I need a beauty loan.

Thanks again to Jess from Lolyco for giving me this valuable Bio-essence Non-Surgical Face Lift Pine Pollen Trial Pack to ‘test’. I have been wanting to try their face-lifting cream before considering the full-size jar.

Bio-essence Non-Surgical Face Lift Pine Pollen Trial Pack (RM27.96)

Let’s see what are inside this promotional pack…

Deep Cleanser (10g)

• Cleanses skin without leaving a tight feeling after wash
• Removes makeup & impurities
• Skin feels refreshed & soft after use

To me as long as a cleanser cleanses well and doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry, it’s good enough to be used every day. But at night I will still carry out my double cleanse ritual - first with cleanser milk or cream, followed by a foaming gel like this one.

Skin White Revitalizing Exfoliator (10g)

• Removes dead & aging skin
• Makes skin finer, fairer and smoother
• Removes blackheads, whiteheads, dark spots & pigmentation

If you have used Ginvera Marvel Gel before, then this is something similar. An exfoliating gel that comes with natural micro-rice beads suitable for daily use, it is a gentle way of removing dead cells from the skin without making my skin dry. But I most probably won’t use it every day if I buy the full-size product, because it’s doesn’t come cheap (neither does Ginvera Marvel Gel)!

Radiant Youth Essence (5g)

• 95% enriched with green tea essence & Ginseng
• Locks in moisture, keeps skin hydrated and soft
• Refines pores for radiant skin

I LOVE this one! It may ‘look’ oily in its form, but as long as you massage it slowly and until it is fully absorbed into the skin, it won’t leave any trace of greasiness on your face. Instead, you will feel that your skin is silky smooth… so soft… so tender… I am definitely putting this into my next shopping list.

Face Lifting Cream (10g)

• Firms and lifts face contours
• Shallows visible aging lines
• Restores skin firmness & elasticity
• Refines pores

This cream doesn’t contain SPF, so I am using it only at night, immediately after Radiant Youth Essence. It can be used during day time as well, as long as you remember to apply your sunscreen lotion. Initially I was quite concerned if it would be too heavy for my skin (i.e. causing my skin to become oily). But, so far so good. I would prefer lotion though, if they have one.

The cream causes a cooling sensation once applied on the face. So far I haven’t noticed any obvious reduction on lines, or increased firmness of my face. But I do feel a mild tightening effect every time I apply the cream (though visually I haven’t observed any difference). I’m not sure if this means the cream is working to pull and lift my face… I hope it is! Perhaps I have to use it more often and for a longer time.

So, I still couldn’t decide whether to put Bio-essence face-lifting cream into my shopping list. Hmm, may be I should first try L’Oreal’s face-lifting cream. I wonder if they have trial pack as well…