Philosophy

For many of us, that’s Philosophy and right now on their site, you will save 15% on orders totaling $75 or more. You also will score free shipping!

Obviously, the king of the  mountain is Hope in a Jar – if you haven’t tried it yet, you should now while you can get a special price! If you are seeking a reliable consistent daily moisturizer, this is SO your baby – whenever I use it, my skin just glows the day through.

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Image: Sephora

I’ve found just that in Philosophy Hope In A Jar and Eye Hope.

It really is a powerful pairing, it includes a great anti-aging eye cream as well as a super hydrating (and super popular) moisturizer.

Hope In A Jar is meant to help with everything from wrinkles to rough textures, but I love it for just plain hydrating my dehydrated skin. I swear to you ladies (and any gents who read this), my skin GLOWS when I use it regularly.

Eye Hope is from the same family, it  is an asset in fighting fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, and smoothness around the eyes. It’s super lightweight too, and won’t get all gross and greasy.

I love team work, don’t you?

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I have found hope though (and from the same people who gave me Hope in a Jar!). Philosphy’s Eye Hope is meant to provide – well – hope for skin tissue around the eye area.

This product is great for sensitive skin and also has anti-inflammatory benefits that calm and soothe skin, and even brighten skin tone. It’s really awesome – you must try it!

Image: Nordstrom

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Banking on promises that a product can “reverse the aging process” or “deliver the results of a facelift” leads us to spend our kids’ college fund (or my shoe fund) year afteryear to try an array of anti-aging skin care products. Our hope is that one day we will find a product that actually lives up to its claims.

Speaking last week at the American Academy of Dermatology’s SKIN academy (Academy), dermatologist Patricia K. Farris, MD, FAAD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, discussed how to separate fact from fiction when evaluating cosmeceuticals and tips for gauging the validity of product claims.

“When consulting with our patients, dermatologists can suggest skin care products that have strong science behind them and that have been proven to be safe and effective in human studies,” said Dr. Farris. “The biggest problem with cosmeceuticals is not that they don’t work, but that their benefits are greatly exaggerated.”

Cosmeceuticals can be divided into categories based on their active ingredients. Anti-oxidants represent the largest category. They are followed by peptides (small proteins that stimulate the production of collagen and thicken the skin) and growth factors (compounds that act as chemical messengers between cells and play a role in cell division, new cell and blood vessel growth, and the production and distribution of collagen and elastin). More recently, Dr. Farris noted that the new trend is toward combination products. For example, cosmeceuticals with multiple anti-oxidants, retinol plus anti-oxidants, growth factors plus vitamin C and other unique combinations that are now being mass marketed. Consumers tend to favor combination products, embracing the philosophy that if one ingredient is good, then two must be better.

“The important thing to understand about combination products is that often the individual ingredients have been studied, but the combination of active ingredients has not,” said Dr. Farris. “More rigorous scientific studies are necessary to assure that biologic activity is maintained when ingredients are formulated together, and clinical studies should be done to determine if combination products really offer any added benefit.”

Consumer demand is high for cosmeceuticals containing “natural” or “organic” ingredients. However, Dr. Farris advised that the notion that these ingredients are safer than synthetic ones is a common misconception. In reality, there is no data to support the notion that natural or organic ingredients — derived from the root, stem, leaves, flowers and fruit of plants — are safer or even more effective than their synthetic counterparts.

“The problem with cosmeceuticals labeled ‘natural’ is that the labels themselves don’t mean anything because these products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” said Dr. Farris. “In fact, ‘natural’ skin care products are less tested and scrutinized than synthetic products and pharmaceuticals.”

Dr. Farris noted that most compounds as they exist in their natural state cannot be formulated into skin care products. They must be chemically altered before they can be incorporated into cosmetics. For instance, compounds including retinol, vitamin C, and soy are among those that require chemical alteration — after which they are referred to as enhanced natural ingredients. Enhanced natural ingredients tend to be more stable, penetrate better and have more long-lasting effects on the skin than unaltered plant extracts, which is the reason why most cosmeceuticals contain chemically-altered ingredients.

“There are a number of cosmeceutical ingredients that are completely synthetic, such as collagen-boosting peptides and synthetic forms of vitamin A,” explained Dr. Farris. “These compounds are among the most potent anti-aging ingredients and have been used extensively by dermatologists. So, it’s important for consumers to understand that synthetic ingredients are not necessarily bad and, in fact, skin care products containing these ingredients are probably among the most effective in the marketplace.”

Dr. Farris offered these tips when purchasing cosmetics:

– Ask yourself what the product claims to do and what kinds of studies have been performed.

– Trust your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

– Stick with products and brands that you know to be reputable. Well-known manufacturers have more money behind their active ingredients and product testing.

– Beware of Web site claims, as many are biased even if they say they are objective.

– For day, use products containing anti-oxidants, as they have sun-protection properties. At night, use products containing retinoids, peptides or growth factors for their repair properties.

– Talk to your dermatologist about the best options for your skin care needs.

Photo credit: Neutrogena® Dermatologics

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