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BellaSugar's Guide To Vitamin C Skin Care Products

BellaSugar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:43:48 -0700

I hope that you've found this series helpful. There are so many vitamin C skin care products on the market, it can be overwhelming to venture out and go shopping on your own. By now you all understand the benefits of buying products that contain vitamin C concentrations. For those of you who missed the series, here's a recap:

Vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps fight signs of aging caused by free radicals. It also helps regulate melanin production, reduces dark spots and softens and re-texturizes your skin. Take a look at my six-post series below to find some great products that are best suited for you! Orange you glad you read this series?

Source

Bella Brand: Renée Rouleau Skin Care

BellaSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:06:24 -0700

I just heard about this skincare line called Renée Rouleau, which was founded by a skin salon owner of the same name. (Rouleau also christened September as National Skin Care Awareness Month.) The Rouleau collection consists of more than 60 products, which run the gamut from cleansers to sun protection.

The star product I'm excited to try is the just-released Instant Line Filler with Vitamin C ($62.50). The wrinkle-reducing serum is made with Restylane (typically delivered through injections) and something called Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, which act like little sponges to plump the skin. Frankly, the whole concept sort of boggles my mind it sounds so cool.

It doesn't tingle, but your skin will feel tighter and moisturized. Though I haven't tried it yet, I did speak with one woman who claims it has really helped firm her crow's feet and brow furrow. (Of course, she's only 29, so take that with a grain of salt.) Use the serum in the morning when your skin is cleansed but still moist.

Scar Creams: You Helped a Girl Out!

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:15 -0800

Earlier, I asked if you could help a reader out. She hit up the Problem Solved group in our BellaSugar Community for tips on minimizing the appearance of a brand-new scar. Thanks to all of your amazing tips and advice, I was able to put together a widget of your favorite remedies. Check it out below to peruse all the suggestions, and if you're headed to the drugstore to make a purchase, be sure to follow the link after the widget to get the products in list format so that you can refer back to it while shopping.
To get the products in list format, keep reading.

Scar Creams: Help a Reader Out!

Bella Community — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

This post comes to us from the Problem Solved group, where member Jaime not Jamie asked for some beauty advice.

Last week, I had surgery on my neck. I'm grateful that it was nothing serious, but I'm left with a scar that's a little over an inch long. Kudos to my surgeon for making such a small incision, but since the mark is on such a visible part of my body, I want to make sure that I do everything I can to help it heal nicely. Do any of you have experience with scar creams, vitamins, or any home remedies? I'd really appreciate the advice!

There's lots to explore in the BellaSugar Community. Join now, and perhaps we'll feature what you have to say right here on BellaSugar!

Would You Vampirize Yourself?

BellaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:33 -0800

Maybe Dracula had it at least a little bit right: apparently blood really can keep you young, but only if it's your own.

In the UK, the hottest new antiaging procedure is "S3" or Stimulated Self Serum skin therapy, which is a pretty alliterative euphemism for injecting your own blood into your face. Well, not your blood, exactly, but the clear serum that's left over once your red blood cells and platelets have been removed. The doctor draws blood from you, separates it, mixes your serum with amino acids and other vitamins, and then injects the slurry right back into your face. Apparently, a similar procedure has long been used to help regrow gum tissue in those with receding gum lines, so doctors figured it would work to regenerate skin cells, too.

This sounds like it could work, although it doesn't seem that different from mesotherapy or injectables to me. Maybe it's intended for people who want a slightly more "natural" outpatient procedure, though. What do you think? Would you try this as opposed to Botox or Restylane, or is it just another cosmetic procedure with a slightly vampiric twist?

How Many Skincare Products Is Too Many?

BellaSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:06:44 -0700

My skincare routine has gotten increasingly complicated over the last few weeks. I've added a couple of things that I really want to try, but now I'm using seven products every night before bed. For the sake of my sanity, and my skin, things can't go on this way. I've got to make a few painful cuts before things get totally out of control. What about you? How many products do you all use to care for your skin (makeup does not count. Otherwise I'd be waaaay up in the double digits)? And how many is just way too many?

The Return of Guess the Japanese Beauty Invention!

BellaSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I had so much fun putting together the last Japenese beauty invention quiz that I decided to do it again. I've even made it a little harder for those of you familiar with Japanese this time around, so it should be fun for everyone. Do you think you can determine the function of these unfamiliar-looking contraptions? Take my quiz and find out your kawaii quotient.

Question 1 of 5

What is this Japanese beauty item?

Why Are You Breaking Out? Take This Quiz to See!

BellaSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:00:16 -0700

It happens to all of us. You wake up one morning, or check the mirror in the afternoon, and you've started breaking out. You wash, you apply your benzoyl peroxide/salicylic acid, but it just keeps getting worse, and you have no idea why. We've discussed the different kinds of acne before, but to help you stop your breakout quickly, I've put together a diagnostic quiz to determine just what kind of acne you have, what environmental factors may be causing your breakout, and what you can do to halt it. Click here to begin.

When did you last wash your pillowcase?

Yesterday.

Within the last week.

Within the last two weeks.

Uhhh, can't remember.

Using any new skin, hair, or fragrance products - or switched detergents?

Nope

Yep

Any construction going on around your home or office?

Nope

Yep

What do your acne cysts look like?

Big, red, deep-down bumps

Small, yellow-ish, full of pus, close to the surface

Just blackheads and whiteheads

Any eye irritation lately?

Nope

Yep

What's on your nails?

Polish/topcoat

Acrylic, gel, or solar nails

Nothing

Been taking a Spinning/weights class, or using the machines at the gym or the exercise area at the park?

Nope

Yep

Got a new favorite food?

Nope

Yep

Do you usually get sick when the seasons change?

Nope

Yep

Been kissing someone new or started sleeping at their place? Or has your honey been using anything different?

Nope

Yep

Bella Brand: Zelens Skin Science

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:03:52 -0800

If the thought of animal-friendly cosmetics conjures up patchouli-scented granola creams, you may want to rethink things. Zelens Skin Science takes them to a level of luxury that's more along the lines of Barneys Co-Op than a bulk food co-op. Designed by plastic surgeon Dr. Marko Lens, the skin care line aims to reduce signs of aging by dosing skin with a blend of 14 antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and other good-for-skin plant-derived ingredients. Those ingredients are delivered through liposomes that mimic the skin's cellular structure, so they replace damaged phospholipids - which in turn helps skin cells reconstruct themselves.

Zelens sent me a few creams to try, and I've become a fan of the Intensive Triple Action Eye Cream. "Cream" isn't the right word, really; it's more of a thick gel. Just a little bit goes a long way in reducing puffiness, and I've seen a definite reduction in the tiny milia since using it. The only drawback? At $160 for the eye cream, luxury doesn't come cheap.

Would You Eat These Collagen Marshmallows?

BellaSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:00:35 -0700

We've heard about the chocolate that treats acne and the drink that makes you more beautiful, so now what's next? Why, delicious collagen marshmallows (£10, or approximately $14) with pink grapefruit flavor. Vegetarians beware, as this product contains gelatin.

These Japanese collagen "treats," which are not sold in the US, are now available in the UK. The fluffy puffs supposedly work to help your skin look smoother and less wrinkled, even reducing the appearance of cellulite. What's your take on this beauty food? Do you consider it a tasty treat - or just plain nasty?