Mendi A.
I would like to see a blog about the truth regarding sunscreen and how it’s allegedly preventing us from getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight, which is causing all sorts of different problems for people, some of whom I personally know (low Vit. D). The different info is really getting confusing. I want to protect my skin from damage and wrinkles, especially my face, but am I also hurting myself in other ways by doing so?

My team and I have written extensively about this issue. The articles are all on PaulasChoice.com. Click here for our article on Vitamin D and Sun Exposure. 

Kate B.
I would like a blog on how you defend your condemnation of alcohol and witch hazel in skin products to alternate-medicine people (like Dr. Weil) who vociferously promote them.

I’ve searched Dr. Weil’s website and he doesn’t seem to like alcohol, either. He has pages explaining it can be a causative factor for cancer, erectile dysfunction, dementia, osteoporosis, dry skin, and on and on.

For what I’ve written, there is nothing to defend; I am merely reiterating what the research shows is true for this ingredient. The studies we have cited on PaulasChoice.com for alcohol makes it abundantly clear that alcohol (in the form of denatured alcohol, benzyl alcohol, SD alcohol, and ethanol) causes irritation, free radical damage, cell death, and dryness. A martini isn’t a health food for your body any more than it is for skin. Alcohol is also a poor antibacterial agent for acne (the bacteria that causes acne isn’t on the surface of skin it’s in the pore and alcohol can’t penetrate that deep into skin), and because of the irritation it causes, it stimulates oil production directly in the pore.

The problem with witch hazel is that it can be a skin irritant when used daily and is often stabilized in alcohol.

Lisa D.
Color trends. I know how you feel about blue eye shadow but the group that grew up wearing it is now in charge and color is just as popular as ever. Is there any color(s) you find appropriate or have you changed your mind about blue at all?

Actually, the people developing makeup products are younger than you can ever imagine. They are not the baby boomers. Kids run the cosmetics industry when it comes to marketing and those are the people making decisions about the products being sold.

In terms of colors, I have never changed my viewpoint about blue or other pastel, overly obvious colors. But the fashion world has supported that viewpoint month after month, year after year. You only have to look at the makeup worn by celebrities when they are on the red carpet, or models in fashion magazines in ads for clothing companies, or the makeup on the cover girls on magazines—they aren’t wearing blue, purple, pink, orange, red, burgundy, or mauve eyeshadows. The neutral brown, tan, beige, charcoal shades are, and always have been, the best options for the eyes.

Kyra M.
I’d love to read about how and where Paula’s Choice is giving back to the community. Where does Paula see the greatest need?

At Paula’s Choice our mission is to take brilliant care of your skin, whether you use our products or someone else’s, but we also strive to do all we can to be of service to the community. There is no need that isn’t important. All any of us can do is be involved, donate our money and/or time and care, regardless of the cause. Paula’s Choice commitment to give in this way comes from our hearts and we are honored to participate in this effort.

Paula’s Choice and I personally and proudly support:

American Cancer Society
American Humane Society
American Red Cross (Disaster Relief Fund)
ASPCA
DAWN (Domestic Abuse Women’s Network)
Dress for Success Seattle (a division of the YWCA)
Habitat for Humanity
Humane Society of the United States
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
Save the Children Federation, Inc.
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
United Negro College Fund
YWCA

Rachel D. 
How to resolve common makeup crises:
Stubborn mascara that won’t wash off with soap and water — Use mineral oil or Paula’s Choice Gentle Touch Makeup Remover; unbelievably effective!

Foundation that’s peeling off as you try to apply — You are either using the wrong foundation (check our recommendations on Beautypedia.com), you’re over-blending, or you’re wearing a moisturizer or sunscreen that doesn’t wear well under makeup.

What to do when you decide to touch up your powder eyeliner and it leaves sprinkles across your face after you’ve completed your makeup. — Always knock the excess off your brush before applying. Keep your makeup sponge and a bit of foundation and your magnifying mirror handy to touch up what does fall on to your face. 

You blink and leave a ring of wet mascara below and/or above — You need to use a mascara that’s not as wet as you’re describing. You can also build the intensity slowly so it isn’t as wet when you go to the next eye. When a mistake does happen, let it dry completely and then use a Q-tip to flick it away. You can then touch up with your concealer or foundation.

Lauren M.
I’d like to read about the best moisturizers with sunscreen in them for sensitive skin.

We have a large list of options on Beautypedia.com but in general, for sensitive skin, the only active ingredients on the label should be titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. Synthetic sunscreens always have a risk of causing an irritant reaction for some skin types.

Donny
To coincide with summer: what types of sun and rays of sun we should avoid. How each type affects our skin for the short-term and long-term? Ideal application and frequency of sun-screen, and store alternatives we can buy.

UVA damages DNA, UVB burns the skin. Both cause skin cancer, wrinkles, collagen breakdown, impaired immune cells, and brown skin discolorations. Infrared heat from the sun is something your skin feels; it doesn’t cause damage as long as you are not outside in 100+ degree weather for very long. It’s really that simple. Ideal application is every day of your life, use an SPF 15 or greater (and greater is better, I like layering sunscreen for the face, a moisturizer with sunscreen, a foundation and pressed powder with sunscreen). 

Susan G. 
Why is my skin allergic to sunless tanning gel?

Why are some people allergic to dogs but not cats, or grass but not flowers, or pollen but not flowers? It’s just the way your body reacts to the typical ingredients in self-tanners.

Susan B.
How do you take care of dry skin on your feet?

Check out this article where you’ll find skin-care solutions for knees, heels, and elbows. And don’t forget to sign up for my FREE newsletters here.

The Cosmetics Cop Team held a contest asking our Facebook and Twitter fans to suggest what they’d like me to blog about. You can read my response to the winning question here. Actually, all of the questions were really great and challenging so I am blogging brief answers to those requests. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the contest! I loved it!

Brian N.
I’d like to see a blog about where the industry is going to go in the next 10 years and what’s new and exciting on the horizons in terms of research etc.

I’d like to know where it’s going, too. Right now it seems that consumers will buy anything that says “all natural” or “anti-wrinkle” (and people over 50 have more money to spend than any other group). In terms of what will really benefit skin that is yet to be seen.

Brandi L.
Adult acne and struggling with “teenage” like super oily skin in my late 20s. Always hoped I’d be done by now.

There is no difference in treating adult acne than teenage acne, and you would still approach your skin-care regimen in the same way. Follow this link to my article on Acne Treatment. Good luck, and let us know how you are doing on your routine!

Sabrina W.
I’d love to see you write more about your products and which are best for Rosacea. You have some information on your website and beautypedia, but not extensive information. So far I’m pleased with my new products.

Here is an article on our website about rosacea that I think will really help you: Rosacea Skin Care Solutions.

Caroline B.
Deceptive product advertising and why we continue to fall for the BS. What specific communications techniques do they use for particular target markets, and how can the consumer be more aware of these deceptive practices?

It’s all deceptive. Period. Why? Because women want to be beautiful and the claims, celebrity endorsements, and advertisements are too seductive to ignore no matter how repetitive and redundant they are. Keep in mind that even the cosmetic companies don’t believe what they advertise or they wouldn’t keep launching new products, making the same claims as the ones they currently sell or sell in other lines they own.

Jenna K.
I would like to see information regarding Oil Cleansing Method. website: http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/ On a similar note, I find baby oil removes all traces of my Colorstay foundation, but I am not sure if it is damaging to my acne-prone skin.

There is nothing wrong with using mineral oil to remove makeup. Mineral oil is one of the most benign, gentle ingredients in the world of skin care. There is no research showing cosmetic or pharmaceutical grade mineral oil is a problem for skin.

The website you mention is a bit weird. Again there is nothing wrong with removing makeup with oil, plant oil, or mineral oil, but the reasoning in this article is just odd. For example, one of the points is that oil removes oil and therefore you need to use oil to clean out your pores which contain oil. Think about it, if you have oil on your counter top would you ever try to clean it up with more oil? It would just get worse. It also mentions the need for steam. That is really bad information. Steam can cause fragile surface capillaries to surge with blood and then burst causing redness and spider veins on the face. Plus heat stimulates oil production in the pore.

RapidLash is a cosmetic product claiming to grow lashes. Like many companies with their version of lash-growing products, RapidLash wants to compete with Allergan’s expensive prescription-only version called Latisse ($160 for 0.1 ounce). Most of these Latisse-wannabes are nothing more than colorless liquid eyeliners with some peptides thrown in that have no research showing they can affect hair growth. RapidLash stands apart not only because it costs considerably less than Latisse but it does, at least in theory, work to grow lashes.

A serious distinction between Latisse and RapidLash is that Latisse is a prescription-only drug. Therefore, it is subjected by the FDA to intense scrutiny, proof of safety, and proof of efficacy. Because RapidLash is a cosmetic, it is not subject to these same requirements. Rocasuba, the company that distributes RapidLash, has done some amount of their own testing, but it pales in comparison to the level of testing Latisse went through to prove what it can and can’t do and what risks accompany its benefits.

Claims for RapidLash are carefully worded so they remain strictly cosmetic and not like a drug but here’s the difference: RapidLash does contain an ingredient that quite possibly allows it to work like Latisse. The active ingredient in Latisse is bimatoprost. Bimatoprost is the active ingredient in the prescription medication Lumigan used to treat glaucoma. Patients with glaucoma who used Lumigan noticed their eyelashes really grew and got darker. Allergan owns Lumigan and so they took advantage of this side effect and obtained FDA approval to sell this active ingredient as a lash growing treatment.

RapidLash contains an ingredient called isopropyl cloprostenate, which has some distant molecular similarities to bimatoprost. While there is no published research showing isopropyl cloprostenate can grow lashes, its relation to bimatoprost clearly exists. This association is the likely explanation behind RapidLash’s runaway success. A quick Google search produces thousands of online “fans” all attesting to its efficacy.

Given there is evidence that RapidLash could work similarly to Latisse, it is therefore possible that the same side effects associated with Latisse could occur when using RapidLash as well. Bimatoprost can cause irritation, redness, a bluish skin discoloration around the eye that could be permanent, and a permanent change in eye color among other potential problems anyone considering Latisse should be told about. The company selling RapidLash says they have no research or evidence showing these risks exist for their product, but their research is not reviewed by the FDA nor are they required to perform the mandatory safety and efficacy tests for drugs required by federal law. However, it is reassuring that the company has made the efforts to ensure the safety of RapidLash, and they willingly provided these documents to us.

So should you consider trying RapidLash for longer lashes and fuller eyebrows? The Cosmetics Cop Team is leaving this product unrated and not making a conclusion one way or the other. There just isn’t enough substantiated information to make a clear recommendation. For your own eye health, if you do decide to try RapidLash, or Latisse for that matter, watch for any negative side effects as mentioned above and it never hurts to check with your doctor first. Bottom line: RapidLash should work, at least in theory, to produce the results you want.

My Cosmetics Cop Team’s most recent Online Radio Show was all about makeup tips to help you look young, healthy, and vibrant. Doing the weekly radio show has been a kick and we’re thrilled to have so many listeners and callers! Because this particular show was so popular and we didn’t have enough time to go over every tip and product recommendation, we decided to publish the information on our blog. We hope you find this information helpful—and that you’ll tune in to the radio show because we have some wonderful topics coming up, each designed to keep you beautifully informed!

Makeup Don’ts

• Don’t neglect skin care or try to cover up skin problems with makeup instead of treating them! No matter how good any individual makeup product is, it will only look as good as the skin it’s applied to. Skin must be smooth and free of dry, flaky patches or yucky, clogged pores. Using makeup to conceal what you don’t like about your skin is the wrong approach.

• Don’t forget to check your eyebrows: Overly drawn on, penciled in like a waxy line, or overly sparse brows are not what you want to see. These mistakes can make someone who is 25 years old look much older.

• When you tweeze or wax your brows there is a fine line between natural and softly shaped, and a fake, overly arched look. If you’re not sure how to groom your eyebrows, make an appointment at a salon that specializes in brow shaping and enhancing (but have them provide an outline of what they want to do; you don’t want to have your brows stripped away).

There are some interesting brow makeup products to consider. Some of the Cosmetics Cop Team’s favorites include:

o Billion Dollar Brows Brow Powder
o Origins Fill in the Blanks Eyebrow Enhancer (this is a brow pencil)
o Maybelline New York Define-a-Brow Eyebrow Pencil
o Sephora Arch-It Brow Kit (comes with great instructions and tools for shaping your brows at home)

• Don’t forget to check your makeup in a magnifying mirror: What you can’t see, you can’t fix, especially makeup settling into lines around the eye and folds along the mouth. A little powder applied directly over the line, blending upwards and out, can keep everything in place, but you have to see it up close to get it done right. Have your sponge and/or brushes ready so you can quickly blend or diffuse any mistakes. Magnifying makeup mirrors can be purchased in most drugstores, Bed Bath & Beyond, and beauty supply stores such as Sally Beauty.

• Avoid overly greasy moisturizers around the eyes, as they are a slip-up waiting to happen. It will encourage concealers and foundations to travel right into the very lines you want to hide. If you feel you need an extra-emollient moisturizer around your eyes, do it at night after you’ve removed your makeup, and use lighter-weight products during the day.

• Don’t forget to downplay shiny makeup during daylight hours: Extra shine or glitter is fine at night, but during the day no matter what your age it just looks overdone, kind of like wearing a sequined gown to the office. Exception: there are many “radiance-boosting” makeup products that forgo obvious, distracting shine in favor of creating a subtle luminosity. Examples of our favorites in this category include:

o Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour (great for the cheek area)
o Lancome Color Ideal Illuminateur Sheer Highlighting Pressed Powder (great for all over use)
o Lorac Oil-Free Luminizer (ideal mixed with your foundation for a subtle glow)
o Jane Shimmering Bronzer (brilliant as bronzer and the “strips” of color also work as eyeshadow)

• Don’t forget to be careful with gloss: Too much gloss can look like you’re drooling, instead of a luminescent glow of color over your lips. Also be very careful with glossy, slick, or creamy lipsticks; if you have lines around your mouth, these will bleed quickly and won’t last past mid-morning before a touch-up is needed.

Again, check in a good magnifying mirror during the day, because for some women, it takes a bit of time for lipsticks or glosses to feather into lines around the mouth. You can also stick with softer colors from some of the best lipsticks we’ve found for comfortable, long wear—and they don’t feather into lines around the mouth! Our favorites:

o Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lipstick
o M.A.C. Lipsticks (Matte or Satin—the color range is huge)
o Rimmel Lasting Finish Intense Wear Lipstick
o Revlon Matte or Super Lustrous Lipsticks (the latter offering a staggering range of 70+ shades)

Makeup Dos

• Pay attention to your smile! Whiter teeth make you look healthy and vibrant. Even if your skin isn’t glowing, if your teeth do, it adds incredible brightness and beauty to your face. Since Paula’s Choice launched our Brighten Up 2-Minute Teeth Whitener we have all become fastidious about our smiles! And our customers agree: This product has become the best-selling item Paula’s Choice has ever launched!

• Dark lipstick is, well, dark. By definition when something is dark it isn’t bright and glowing. Soft color is a sexy, glowing look any time of day. Red can work too, and it makes a dramatic statement, just keep it on the brighter side as opposed to a deep magenta shade (and definitely not purple or anything in the brown family). Some of our favorite red lipsticks include:

o NARS Lipstick in Fire Down Below, or Jungle Red
o Laura Mercier Lip Crème in Truly Red
o Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow, or Fire & Ice
o Estee Lauder Double Wear in Stay Scarlet

• Think soft color with blushes and eyeshadows, but nothing too pastel-ish. Do a split-face makeup application on yourself to test different looks and see which one gives you the soft celebrity or cover girl look you want to achieve.

• Make sure the intensity of your blush complements your skin tone. If you have fair to light skin, pale pink, rose, or peach shades are always going to be more flattering than deep berry or plum shades, which can make the cheek area look bruised. In contrast, women with medium to tan skin tones can look gorgeous with berry or plum-hued blush. The Cosmetics Cop Team has some favorite powder blushes, and they are:

o American Beauty Blush Perfect Cheek Color (this line is sold at Kohl’s)
o Jane Blushing Cheeks Blush
o L’Oreal True Match Blush

• Color balance is important. In other words, if you are wearing a pinkish lipstick or gloss tone your blush should be in a similar color family. It’s sort of like if you are wearing a pink skirt and orange top: under most circumstances, these strong colors can clash. It can sometimes work, but be careful. High contrast makeup can look glaring, and if you’re thinking young, vibrant and healthy, stick with related tones.

• Soft glowing (not shiny or glittery) foundations, blushes, and powders used carefully can add a beautiful dimension to skin, but you have to be careful. Shine all over can be distracting, but placed in the center of the face (not the nose) and along the blush area and chin can eradicate dull skin. Of course great skin care is more important, but getting some help from your makeup is the best of both worlds.

• Ignore the recommendations to use cream blush. The reason you don’t see cream blush very often at the counters is because it is hard to use. When you blend it on, you’re generally wiping off the foundation and powder you just applied. It also tends to slip and fade more during the day and it is harder to control. Given how soft and beautiful blushes are these days you can achieve a sheer, creamy look without a cream blush and get better, faster results. If you must have a creamy-type blush, stick with cream-to-powder formulas such as:

o Revlon Cream Blush
o Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick
o Studio Gear Naturalism Cream-to-Powder Blush (sold at Ulta)

• Do use blush! Forgoing blush is a mistake. It would be like not wearing a blouse with your skirt, you’d be naked on top. Same thing with blush, don’t leave your cheeks naked.

• Eyeliner applied close to the lashes with a soft brown or charcoal brown shade can look beautiful by enhancing the lashes and framing the eye. If the outer corners of your eyes have begun to droop, make sure the eyeliner turns up ever-so-slightly so you don’t emphasize the drooping. For the lower lash line, use a softer color than you did for your upper lash line. For example, if your upper lash line is lined with black, use a dark gray or even a soft taupe for the lower lash line. Black all around the eye can look too harsh and take away from the soft, even-handed look you’re going for. Powder eyeshadows work great as eyeliner, and those from M.A.C., Shu Uemura, Sephora’s own brand, and Trish McEvoy offer wonderful options.

• Test makeup primers. Some formulations smooth out skin and help create a glowing, but not shiny, look to your makeup. You want a primer that enhances your skin tone while also giving your skin the ingredients it needs to look and feel healthy. Some of our favorites include:

o Giorgio Armani Light Master Primer
o Jan Marini Age Intervention Prime Face Primer
o M.A.C. Prep + Prime Line Filler
o Victoria’s Secret Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20

You can also apply any well-formulated serum in lieu of primer. With a well-formulated serum you can be sure you’re getting the benefit a primer provides, plus critical antiaging ingredients skin needs to repair itself and resist wrinkles. Paula’s Choice offers three Antioxidant Concentrates that are brilliant options for use as a “foundation primer with benefits.”

• Blend, blend, and blend again. Don’t use emollient/greasy concealers on blemishes. Do use a lightweight, flesh-tone (that means no yellow, orange, or lavender tones) concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your foundation.

Now that you know what to do and what to avoid, we hope your makeup application and the look you’re going for will be easier than ever to achieve! Here’s to beautiful days ahead—and using makeup to enhance your best features rather than covering them up! For complete reviews of the products mentioned above, visit Beautypedia.com.

“Are you kidding me?!?”
It’s the only utterance I could muster as I hung up the phone in exasperation after talking with the salesperson at the Nordstrom’s Clarins counter. The only information I needed was the active ingredients in their new moisturizer with sunscreen. It was an easy question that someone with even the most limited amount of skin-care sales experience could handle—just turn the package over and read the three or four words that are written on it. But as soon as I asked, I should’ve known that things were not going to go well…

“Clarins’ counter, how many I help you?”

     “Hello!” I greeted her warmly. “Can you tell me what are the active sunscreen ingredients in the Bright Plus HP Hydrating Day Lotion SPF 20?”

“Let me look,” she said, as she shuffled around. “Ah yes, here it is. It’s SPF 20.”

     “Yes, but what are the active sunscreen ingredients in it?”

“It has SPF 20 sun protection.”

     “I understand what the SPF is because it’s in the product name. I want to know which active sunscreen ingredients are in the product to make the SPF 20.”

“Umm. Please hold.”

     I could hear her muffle the receiver with her hand, some indistinct talking, and then a new, French-accented voice came on the line.

“How may I help you?”

     “Hi, I’m curious about the sunscreens in the Hydrating Day Lotion SPF 20. Can you tell me what they are?”

“Yes, they are SPF 20.”

     I tried not to audibly sigh, but my patience was waning. “I am aware of the SPF because it’s in the product name, what I want to know is what are the active ingredients—the ones listed on the side of the box?”

“Oh yes, I see…” and then she began to rattle them off.

     As I wrote them down, I asked, “What are the percentages of those ingredients?”

“They are …” and she began to rattle those off, too. Then, suddenly, she stopped before the last sunscreen amount and said, “From there, you can do the math.”

     “Pardon me?” I stopped short, legitimately not understanding her statement.

“The math—you can do the math. So it adds up to 20, because, like I said, the SPF is 20.”

At that point, I think I was stunned into silence, because this is absolutely not how SPF works—and anyone selling skin care should know this!

We get questions all the time from Paula’s Choice customers and Beautypedia subscribers who are confused about how SPF works and which SPF they should use, and it’s no wonder if they’re dealing with salespeople like these at the Clarins’ counter. Here’s what you need to know:

• First, be very cautious of any information a cosmetic salesperson gives you about the products they are selling.
• When it comes to sunscreen, a product’s SPF number lets you know how long you can stay in the sun without burning while wearing that product.
• If you can stay in the sun for, say, 15 minutes before your skin starts to turn pink, then applying a sunscreen rated SPF 15 will allow you to stay in the sun 15 times longer. So, 15 (minutes) x (SPF) 15 = 225 or 3 hours and 45 minutes of sun protection.
•  It’s vital to know that the SPF rating refers only to protection from UVB radiation (the sun’s sun burning rays, not UVA, the sun’s silent, “aging” rays that cause deep cellular damage).
• There is no way to judge the UVA protection in a skin-care product with sunscreen unless you check the ingredient listing.
• Only a handful of ingredients can protect skin from the UVA spectrum, so any sunscreen, regardless of SPF must absolutely contain the UVA-protecting ingredients of either titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, Tinosorb, or ecamsule (Mexoryl SX).
• While the SPF is determined by the combined percentage of active sunscreens, it is not a cumulative equation. Simply adding up the percentages is not how SPF is determined!

What I would have really liked to say to the Clarins’ woman I spoke to is this: I can do math, and algebra, calculus, trig, and a bit of geometry, too, but that won’t help me know a percentage of an ingredient in any skin-care product. However, I can add up your customer service skill and skin-care knowledge and it equals absolute zero

Nearly every time I’m out in department stores doing research, I encounter some form of cosmetic counter insanity. My most recent research outing, however, yielded a double helping of the same ridiculous misinformation—from two entirely different cosmetic counters! If I heard this twice in the same day, then who knows how many people are getting this same bogus, 100% incorrect sales pitch as well?!

I went to Macy’s to take a look at Dior’s new DiorSnow D-NA Reverse Night Serum, and quickly noticed that “Alcohol” was the second ingredient, right after “Water.” My expression must’ve visibly turned, because the sales lady immediately asked me what was wrong.
“It’s just too bad this has so much alcohol in it,” I said.
“Oh, honey,” she smiled, “It’s the face kind of alcohol. Nothing to worry about!”

Now, there is simply no such thing as “face” alcohol. There are, in fact, innocuous fatty alcohols (with names like cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and so on), but when an ingredient label simply lists “Alcohol,” “Alcohol Denat.,” or “SD-Alcohol 40,” you can be sure that it’s the very bad kind! These types of alcohols are extremely detrimental to skin: drying it out, causing free-radical damage with continued use, and, for those with oily skin, triggering more oil production in the pore lining. Sure, it can temporarily de-grease skin, but the long term damage (and the triggering of more oil production) is not worth the short term benefit (check out the research here).

Not more than an hour later while at the Nordstrom’s Lancome counter, I was surprised to find myself in front of yet another cosmetic salesperson trying to convince me of the virtues of alcohol as skin care. Looking at Lancome’s Flash Bronzer Tinted Body Gel Enriched with Vitamin E, I remarked that it was a shame to see that alcohol appeared second on the ingredient list.
She was quick to clarify, “Does the label say “Alcohol” or “Alcohol Denat.?”
“Denatured Alcohol,” I said, “the bad one.”
Her tone softened, and she explained, “That kind of alcohol is used as a preservative, which is a good thing!”

Ugh. There are so many things wrong with that statement! First, alcohol denat. is grain alcohol (think gin or scotch) made undrinkable by denaturing it. Second, it is absolutely not functioning as a preservative; it’s being used to ensure that the tinted gel dries quickly so that it doesn’t make a mess when it’s applied. It has nothing whatsoever to do with good skin care! Third, were it actually a preservative, how could anyone rationally extol its place up front and personal on the ingredient list? Considering that vitamin E (this product’s alleged star ingredient) appears halfway down the list (as it happens, far below methylparaben, the product’s actual preservative), how exactly is that “a good thing”? And of course, there’s still all those other detrimental issues when alcohol is high up on an ingredient list. This is clearly a product that anyone who knows anything about skin care would gladly pass by.

Of course, I said none of this because it would’ve only gotten me kicked out. Then again, I didn’t purchase the product either—and I can only hope that said it all!

I have been following Paula and her Cosmetics Cop Team’s work for years. Some of that is because I will test new skin-care or makeup products at the drop of a hat. So when the opportunity came up to get paid to test a new product by Clarisonic (of the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush) I jumped at the chance. It’s called Opal Sonic Infusion System, which they claimed would reduce my visible signs of aging. I mean really, who could pass this up?

When I arrived to pick up my Opal Infusion System I was given these instructions:

• It was a 12-week (3 month) trial
• I was to return monthly where they would photograph my face to document any improvements
• They’d be testing my skin for hydration and elasticity
• I was to arrive at the monthly follow-up sessions without any makeup around my eye area
• I was to use the battery-powered applicator and serum provided, twice a day, preferably at the same time every day
• I was told to only apply the serum to the crows feet area around my eyes
• At each monthly “check up” I would be completing a survey to record my feelings regarding the product and its effectiveness

After reviewing their requirements, I thought “OK, simple enough, I can do this!” That evening it was time to try my first application. The system itself is compact and cleverly designed (think of a flat egg with a silver “crack” across the middle) with the serum stored in the top part of the egg and the bottom portion of the egg containing the “sonic” applicator. Following the instructions, I pressed a button on the side which dispensed a pre-measured pea-sized amount of serum on the applicator. I switched the applicator on, which started the vibrating motion and pressed it against the “crow’s feet” area of my face, rotating the applicator in a circular motion.

The feeling was a bit odd; for those of you who have used a Sonicare toothbrush it was the same strange tickling feeling except on your skin—not in your mouth! After 30 seconds the applicator beeped and shut off, automatically. Once it was ready to go again, I repeated the steps around my other eye. After 60 seconds, as promised, I was done! Easy enough!

I closely examined the skin around my eye area. Nothing had changed—I looked exactly the same just a little greasy due to the residual serum (which by the way is very nice, goes on smoothly and absorbs quickly). Oh well, this was only the first day of testing. I decided to give it more time to work its anti-wrinkle magic (clearly this test was not the least bit scientific; I was waiting for a miracle which skews any results anyway)!

Next morning I found myself in the bathroom using the Opal Sonic Infusion as instructed. Before I started, I was surprised to see that the fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes actually looked better! I couldn’t believe it! With great enthusiasm I applied the serum with the special powered applicator again. But my enthusiasm was short lived when I noticed later in the day my fine lines and wrinkles were as before. I stuck to the plan and used the Opal Sonic Infusion that night. Once again, I saw the same impressive results the next morning. This pattern continued for the rest of the trial—elation in the morning, disappointment by the end of the day.

I wondered how this could be. Why do my crow’s feet look better in the morning, yet go back to their normal state in the evening even though I use the Clarisonic in the morning and evening? As I faithfully completed the trial test period I came up with a theory as to why I was experiencing daily ecstasy and agony over my crow’s feet: Was the constant vibrating of the Clarisonic applicator slightly irritating my skin, causing it to swell, thus making my wrinkles look less pronounced? By the end of the day the inflammation calmed down, which would explain why 8-10 hours later my crow’s feet returned to their normal state. If my theory was true, could the inflammation the Opal Sonic Infusion was potentially causing eventually result in my crow’s feet getting worse over time?

After the trial was over, I stopped using the product but my attention was still completely focused on my eye area. Day one, two and three: no change; however, on day four I did see a change. My eye area looked worse. I didn’t see more crow’s feet but those I have looked deeper and more pronounced. Nothing got better after 12 weeks—the wrinkles got worse.

My conclusion? This new Clarisonic device is a sonic BOMB. I, for one, have no desire to spend $245 to make my wrinkles get worse—time will take care of that all on its own for free!

On a positive side note, the serum was actually very nice. It went on smoothly and absorbed quickly and my eye area felt hydrated and refreshed. If Clarisonic sold the serum separately without the applicator, I would consider purchasing it! I emailed The Cosmetics Cop Team and asked them about the formula (they urged me to blog about this). The team responded by telling me it was quite good because it contains the type of ingredients that can help skin look and act younger—though they explained (and I agree) that Paula’s Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum was even better and much less expensive. Between the lower cost and better results, my eyes look younger just thinking about it!

I have always supported companies that are about more than just the products they sell. Spending your money on any brand’s product is an indirect endorsement of the company’s culture, perspective, and how they see their social responsibility.

In my short period of working here at Paula’s Choice I’ve already learned that Paula and her team deeply respect women. Our responsibility is to treat our customers with respect, give them honest, straightforward information, and help them take the best care of their skin possible without wasting money. We never oversell to anyone and we never build up false promises! Never!

The Paula’s Choice and Cosmetics Cop Team all believe women and men everywhere deserve to feel the best about themselves inside and out, and it is our job to help in that process.

Paula’s Choice is also dedicated to supporting social causes and always has been. Paula passionately believes it is her responsibility to give back to the community. Paula’s Choice supports a wide range of community causes with both time and money: The American Cancer Society, ASPCA, Habitat for Humanity, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation are but a few we support.

I am also proud to say that the entire Paula’s Choice team is committed to helping the environment as best we can. Some of the things we do is have minimalist packaging (no wasted outer cartons), all our packing materials are recyclable, our plastic containers (and caps) are recyclable, and our catalogs and step-by-step guides are printed with soy-based ink. Paula’s Choice will never test on animals, nor will the company fund an outside source on their behalf. Paula’s Choice also supports local volunteerism and donates products to countless organizations.

For me, being part of the Paula’s Choice team means I am actively involved in making the world a better place, and selling products I know women and men can trust to take the best care of their skin! That makes coming to work every day pretty darn good!

A caller to my weekly Internet radio show had a question about a skin-care product she had been using. With earnest, she told me she bought a product called AminoCare and wanted to know what I thought of this alleged “Genetic Solution for Anti-Aging.” Before I could say much of anything, she made sure to tell me AminoCare was created by a doctor who had a brilliant reputation for curing cancer. Wow! Somehow, this phenomenal achievement was missed by mainstream media, leading medical organizations, and the FDA. Along with stopping cancer in its tracks, this doctor found time to create anti-aging skin care capable of stopping cells from aging (I guess if you can cure cancer you may as well keep going and stop aging, too).

She had heard about AminoCare from a friend, who heard about it from another friend or something like that. I was choking back laughter and frustration, though I’m fairly certain I was yelling, “You can’t really believe this crap!” or worse. But she did believe it (at least enough to buy the products), just like lots of women do. But the reason she was calling, despite her enthusiasm about this doctor’s credentials, was she was now having doubts. After some prodding on my part, she said she and her husband had been using AminoCare for a year but hadn’t noticed any difference. Obviously, AminoCare hadn’t cured aging after all. What a shock. Now this vulnerable, naïve, dear woman was going to try something else (I can’t remember what products she was ready to believe could stop wrinkles and aging) and asked what I thought of these new ones she was considering. She mentioned the products were supposed to lift skin back into place, which started another round of ranting on my part—thousands of products with thousands of identical claims and we wonder endlessly which story sounds the most convincing.

But back to AminoCare: It was clear from the ingredients in these products that they weren’t even well formulated and the entire scheme was banking on the snake oil ingredient tamanu oil. Period. That’s the doctor’s answer to stopping aging and wrinkles. Imagine: curing cancer and wrinkles with two creams and some supplements! Now if that isn’t the epitome of marketing nonsense I don’t know what is.

The day after my radio show was broadcast one of my listeners sent me this (with a few edits from me):

The lady who called into Paula’s show yesterday about a product called AminoCare: she stated something about the reputation of the product’s creator. I would highly encourage your staff to perform a web search for Stanislaw Burzynski. I am not sure what she knows about his “excellent” reputation, but he has made the news a lot here in Houston over his controversial cancer treatments.

I don’t know much, other than what I’ve read; however, the gentleman apparently has a long history of not following federal laws or FDA regulations and has been indicted (although not convicted) several times over the issue. This doctor is obsessed with urine-based therapeutics, so I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to learn that he probably pees in his skin care line.

I personally don’t understand why all of these people make things so hard on themselves; quit the nonsense, and just don’t buy anything without Paula and her Cosmetics Cop team’s blessings.

Best of luck with your research, and thank all of you for making skin care so much easier.

Jennifer

Thank you, Jennifer. Your research is spot on. I decided to see if there was any reference to Dr. Burzynski on one of my favorite medical myth-busting sites, www.quackwatch.org. I wasn’t surprised to find three paragraphs about his shenanigans in an article on questionable cancer therapies. As you mentioned, this doctor has been in lots of legal trouble for his purported cancer treatments, and yes, they are derived from urine. You can read the entire article here.

As far as his AminoCare products, the tamanu oil is absolutely nothing to get excited about. It is just one more of the hundreds of overhyped cosmetic ingredients accompanied by marketing stupidity that blows your hopes out of the water and grabs your money as you drown in useless and limited or problematic skin-care products (for example, AminoCare doesn’t sell a sunscreen and doesn’t recommend one either; I guess this doctor missed the proven association between sun damage and aging). There is no research anywhere proving that tamanu oil can stop aging, reverse wrinkles, or make you look even one second younger.

By the way, anyone considering the AminoCare products should know the company does not allow returns. Here’s part of what you see on the AminoCare site when you click on return policy: “It is our company policy that all sales are considered final and we do not issue refunds for any items which have been purchased, used or unused.” Love me or leave me is this “doctor’s” philosophy, I think that says it all—leave as fast as you can!