SUNBLOCK- The Propaganda for Anti-Aging Products

In this post I'm taking a different route in my sunblock series. Many beauty product corporations are claiming to be anti-aging or even age reversing all because of one ingredient... sunblock. Do not be fooled by products that claim to be anti-aging or age reservsing! Now sunblock can prevent damages to the skin but age reversing? I don't think so... There is no FDA regulation for what qualifies as using the term anti-aging, so companies like Neutrogena are using it loosely! All they have to do is just stick a little SPF into any products of theirs and voila... it's all of the sudden an age-reversing product!

Evidence #1: Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Day Lotion with SPF 20

I have never like the majority of Neutrogena's products, there has only been one item from the brand line that has passed my test. As a consumer, Neutrogena has failed me over and over again, from face wash to shampoos and conditioners. So when I hear the name Neutrogena, its rings a negative resonance for me.

Now back to Neutrogena Anti Oxidant Age Reverse Day Lotion with SPF 20, age reverse my ass! (Excuse my language- but I am very bitter about this product). Yes, I know I'm only in my twenties but I have seen actual results from other products that also have claimed to be anti-aging or age reserving. With this product, it was a complete epic failure! And even as a sunblock, it ranks the bottom of my list.

First of all, like I said when it came to age reversing it was a complete failure, I saw no results. Now I may not have any wrinkles, but I do suffer from an uneven skin tone time to time. So this product even out my skin tone like it claimed it would... NOPE! NOTHING.. NADA!

Well since this product won't work in the age reversing category, I thought I might as well just use it as a sunblock. The experience?... Horrible! Even though this product claimed to be more of age reversing lotion, it felt more like a sunblock than it did a moisturizer. It smelled like one too. The product was oily and greasy, and felt heavy when applied on. To top it all off, only a week and a half after purchasing this product, it started to separate on me. The oil from this product must have separated itself and when I tried to apply it nothing but oil and grease came out of this tube! Literally, clear drops of oil was squeezed out. So I had to throw away $20 in the garbage. I'm not risking a break out!

So save your money and don't buy this product! Unless you want to apply oil all over your face... (I'm still angry at this product... )

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel.. That is if you consider 12 hours instant!

Now for the creme de la creme, Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel is actually my favorite self tanning product out there. Well at least for now. Once again it has it ups and downs, but the positives outweigh the negatives which is why this product ranks out on top for me.

If you have been following my blogs you'll notice that there is no real perfect product out there. There alway seems to be a flaw, but I hope my insights will help you determine whether a product is worth your money or not.

For me Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel is (but like I said.. for now). What I like about this product is that it is easy to apply and it's not messy unlike GlowFusion. Another reason is that there is a lesser chance you will turn orange unlike GlowFusion as well. But be advised! You can turn orange! That is if you apply a lot of it!

Also since price is a huge issue for me (being a college student doesn't allow you to splurge), this product only rings out at $33! That is a little bit pricey but much cheaper than GlowFusion and I have been using it for a year. I still have enough left to last me another six months. So when you think about it, it's even cheaper than going to a tanning a salon at $20 a month or even more! (But of course it's not cheaper than just laying out in the sun).

Now for the negatives... I'm not a big fan that it is a gel. It feels oily and greasy when I apply it. However, by some miracle I don't break out! No pimples, black heads, or zits from this product.

Another problem, since it is a gel and greasy your skin does not absorb it right away so I suggest you apply it at night before you go to bed. If you plan on applying it on during the day, well get ready for a super shiny face, they weren't kidding when Clarins called it a gel.

Of course since this is a self tanner, it doesn't last forever. This product last for about five to seven days and then it's time to reapply. However, it actually lasts longer than GlowFusion. But, GlowFusion beats it by showing results sooner. It takes less than half the time to see results from GlowFusion than it does Clarins, which I have timed it out to be about 10 to 12 hours.

However, to me I get more value out of this product than any other self tanner out there. But if I happen to find another self tanner that is even better, you can bet I'll share it with you!

Gettin Rid of those Dark Circles... Part 2

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew's Anti-Puff Eye Roller should just roll it's way off the self! I mean I never really had faith in any eye products but at least the products do DO something. This product however does NOTHING! If I wanted to put something cold on my eyes I'll just splash it with cold water and save myself $10.

I think they just put scented water into this little green tube. I've have used it plenty of times and experimented with it on days when my eyes were extremely puffy. However no results. My eyes were still left puffy, the ony thing the product did was just cooled my eyes but thats it.

It didn't even lighten up the dark circles that were under my eyes too. It did nothing!

But hey if you're in desperate need to soothe and cool your eyes and have money to just throw away this is just the product for you.

Anyone else use this product? What do you think of it? Did it work for you? Feel free to join in on the conversation.

Other than that, stick around for part 3...

Gettin Rid of those Dark Circles... Part 1

As I get older I begin to see those dark circles forming under my eyes and it is not attractive! It makes me look old, and at the age of 22 who is already been using anti-aging products, looking old is a something I cannot endure or gracefully accept. I'm even dreading turning 23 in the next couple months.

So what is a girl to do? How do I get rid of this under eye issue? What product works and don't? Do cucumbers really do the trick?

In my desperate need of finding a solution I have ran across a lot of products that don't work, including L'oreal Skin Genesis Eye Serum.

If you're looking something to get rid of dark circles this is not the trick. I'll but it on day and night and I just see the same dark circle under my eyes just sitting there refusing to budge. However, this product is not a complete waste, it does help with other eye issues that I've noticed.

If you've started to see very small premature wrinkles around your eyes this might do the trick. There are times when I wake up and I see a tiny wrinkle under my eyes, and yes I do freak out, but I've noticed if I put the eye serum right before I got to bed the tiny wrinkle disappears or is less visible. The only problem is when I do put this product on before I go to bed I end up waking up with crust all over and around my eye. And it is disgusting. It clings to my lashes and sometimes hard to wipe off without irritating my eye.

So in the end I wouldn't buy this product again, it was too expensive and the negatives out weighed the positives.

What products works or doesn't work for you? Feel free to put your two cents in!

Other than that, stayed tuned for part 2!