Dear Jeannine: How Should I Test My New Skincare?

So many people ask me this!  It's a great question.  How often do you eagerly purchase the latest skincare product that promises to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, rid discoloration and dare I say... make you look younger?  Or maybe you heard about an acne product that even takes care of the scarring.  When it comes to our skin, we jump at technology.  And often times, I find, our eager minds are often disappointed with the results.  What if I told you that most of the time, it's your fault.  Not the products.

How many products you’ve sent to your own skincare graveyard?  You know, the ones you bought, tried and put aside or tossed this year?  Ask yourself – did you really give them a chance?  When brands make claims such as "reduces crow’s feet" or "fades acne scars," those claims are able to be made after a series of clinical trials.  Trials are typically held for a minimum of eight weeks.  Some are even longer.

Truth is, in order to ensure that your skin is actually using ingredients properly, which is why you’re not seeing the results you’re looking for fast enough, it needs to be energized and you need to use the product for a minimum of eight weeks before you can expect to see real results.   As you may remember, I’ve been testing the newly reformulated Regenerist line, (see post here), which has been upgraded with technology that boosts my skins responsiveness to anti-aging ingredients.  So yes, I did notice results a bit sooner.

When I test new skincare products to review on BeautySweetSpot, I tend to test throughout the length of a clinical trial.  Sometimes I cheat and will post a review a week or two earlier, but results do show earlier, just not to their maximum potential.  For example, I've been talking about the Olay Regenerist Multi-Sculpting Cream for some time now, proving its benefits of energizing the skin, while hydrating it and decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Personally, my skin is more hydrated overall making it look much healthier and the fine lines around my eyes are less noticeable. I'll always tell you what's out there, but it’s impossible for me to test every new skincare launch.

Next time you find a product that you believe is good for your skin.  Be patient!  Give it a shot for about two months and believe me, you'll start noticing some differences in your skin.  If by then you don't, it's time to toss it into your skincare graveyard!

*This post is sponsored by Olay Regenerist, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

Beat the Winter Blues & Energize Your Life

By now, you know I'm all about exuding positive energy.  Have you read The Secret yet?  It will change your life.  NYC energizes me.  Sunshine energizes me. Opportunity energizes me.  The cold, dark winter however... that's another story. Therefore, keeping my mind focused on the law of attraction and right kind of energy takes a little more work.  You too?  Instead of going into hibernation this season, here's how you can energize your life.  It's working for me! Mind - Learn something new.  I'm challenging myself to teaching a New Media class at my old college next semester so I'll be preparing for it all season long.  A challenge!  Since you'll be indoors more often as the weather gets colder, try new recipes, challenge yourself to actually understanding Soduko, read the NY Times from cover to cover.   You get it. Find a new passion or delve deeper into one that already exists.  Do it!

Body - Stay fit or if you're not in shape, get fit.  Just because you classify bikini season as May through September doesn't mean abs aren't flattering all year round. There's no better feeling than slipping into a pair of skinny jeans and actually feeling skinny.  Tip: Challenge yourself to a new workout that really pushes your limits. I'm doing CKO and have never felt stronger.  Remember, pain is weakness leaving the body and for those minutes that you're so uncomfortable, just remember... it's working.

Skin - You know you need to switch up your skincare regimen since the season changed, but don't just slather on thicker creams.  Make sure you're actually doing something for your skin.  Reenergize it! I refuse to let my skin look dull, which is why I’m adding Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream to my winter skincare routine.  The new Skin Energizing Technology found in the cream actually helps to energize your skin, while hydrating it and decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Bonus: Results are seen after just one use!I previously wrote about the technology and benefits (see post here).

Get on my page as the sun goes down earlier and coldness sets in.  Grab a pumpkin spice latte and reenergize your life!

*This post is sponsored by Olay Regenerist, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

Awaken Tired Skin with Olay Regenerist

Your skin isn't old.  It's just tired.  Did I catch your attention?  That's the exact phrase that landed in my inbox a few weeks ago and of course, made me read the entire pitch.  As a 30 year old woman, if my skin is just getting tired... then it better wake up, because this girl is still convinced she's not aging, yet!  Turns out, Olay discovered that tired skin doesn't have the natural bioenergy levels needed to fully respond to anti-aging products fast enough to show visible results quickly. By giving skin back its energy, it will act up to ten years younger. Boom!

"By awakening the skin you give it the chance to become more receptive to anti-aging ingredients, so you will see these ingredients work faster – seeing results more quickly, explains Dr. Diane Berson, an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.  "When the skin is energized it acts and looks younger."

With the help of two new ingredients to help energize the skin, Olivem and Lys'lastine, Olay has upgraded its Regenerist line to include Skin Energizing Technology, including its Micro-Sculpting Cream and Micro-Sculpting Eye & Lash Duo, an eye cream and lash serum that does it all – helps to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and thickens your lashes.

The new ingredients are both antioxidants that are known for their ability to penetrate the skin deeply.  "When you combine these with peptides, which increase collagen production, and niacinamide a power anti-ager that restores the skin’s barriers, you get an unprecedented result: younger-acting skin, faster," Dr. Berson states.

Tired skin?  I'll take that.

*This post is sponsored by Olay Regenerist, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.