I have just had a chance to use a few of the Striking Skincare cruelty-free beauty products.  As with any boomer, we are always looking for the fountain of youth.  We grew up with the mantra of not “trusting anyone over 30″; now we just want to look 30 again.  I tested three of the Striking Beauty products — Multi-Vitamin Creme Cleanser, Multi-Peptide Serum, and Restorative Moisture Cream.  In case you have forgotten your high school chemistry, a peptide is a chain of amino acids that can be combined to stimulate different responses within the body.  With the particular set of amino acids used by Striking Beauty, they serve as little messengers encouraging your skin to soften lines and wrinkles, increase elasticity, create better skin tone, firm skin and otherwise reduce the visible signs of aging.

I have small pores and dry skin and don’t regularly use anything beyond warm water and a soft towel.  I liked the Multi-Vitamin Creme Cleanser – it was gentle, deep cleaned (surfacing more dirt than I thought I had on my face) and left my skin feeling nourished. The active ingredients are: Vitamins A, C and E, sea buckthorn extract, carrot, avocado oil and evening primrose oil.

When I used the Multi-Peptide Serum, it felt so good going on my skin, I could hear my cells awakening in gratitude.  I wasn’t expecting much on the first day of using the products.   Well I was wrong.  My face was immediately more radiant and skin coloring was more even.

Responses from study participants in an independent study:

• 94% of study participants said they had firmer skin in 14 days.
• 84% of study participants said the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles were reduced in 14 days.

I like the Restorative Moisture Cream. It feels good going on (clean and smooth).  It has peptides, shea butter, green tea, Vitamins C & E, linoleic acid, soy sterols and rosemary leaf extract to moisturize, increase collagen production, reduce puffiness and even skin tone. I haven’t yet noticed the firming results but Striking Beauty indicates this can take at least 14 days. So, I’ll work on my patience and have faith given that the Creme Cleanser and Serum have worked so well.

You can purchase these products from the My Beauty Bunny cruelty-free beauty store!

Patty is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations be effective and to fulfill their missions.  Her career has included running the Center for Nonprofit Management, university teaching, being involved in sector infrastructure projects and professional associations and directly working with hundreds of nonprofit organizations.  She is native Angeleno and a loyal UCLA Bruin fan.  She was recently named one of the 100 most inspiring alumni by UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Cruelty-free beauty brand, Beautisol, has a new eye cream, “Bright Eyed,” which is designed to combat wrinkles around the eyes including wrinkles caused by aging, expressions (think laugh lines, etc.), and sun exposure.

I found that it absorbs well and had an unexpected advantage over other creams I’ve tried.  I have a condition around my eyes called syringomas (these are small bumps that cannot be surgically removed without scarring, and if you do remove them they come right back).  The Bright Eyed cream drastically reduced the size and appearance of these bumps! Nothing else has ever worked on them.  It’s working on the wrinkles, too, so I will definitely keep using it!

It contains Argieline  which is supposed to impart a Botox-like effect, Leuphasyl which reduces the depth of wrinkles, hyaluronic acid which is a moisturizer, as well as a number of other ingredients.  It is part of a system of skin care designed to be used together including a product for crow’s feet called “Eye Want” and a serum for the rest of your face called “99% Pure Peptide Rescue.”

Check out this Beautisol customer’s before and after photos (none of this was retouched):

I’ve just started using the products together as a system – I’ll let you know how it works for me.

Beautisol has a great way to try Bright Eyed for yourself, or you could be really nice and get this for a friend. It’s a Bright Eyed Holiday Kit with a .5 ounce bottle of Bright Eyed, an eyelash curler and an eyemask for $39.

Vicki

If you’re a regular shopper of Whole Foods, you’re probably familiar with Avalon Organics. I had always wanted to try it, but I wasn’t sold on Whole Foods’ high prices. Luckily, I recently found out about a wonderful online retailer of natural and organic products. It’s called iHerb.com and their selection and prices are amazing. In fact, I’ve gotten quite of few of some of the best natural beauty products on their site, but I’ll have to tell you more about those later.

For now, let’s talk about this cleanser. I was really pleased with it. It’s a gel cleanser with a citrus scent. It works into a nice lather and it completely clears my skin of dirt, makeup (not eye makeup), and oil without making my skin feel tight or dry.

I love that it has Vitamin C, which is a natural antioxidant and skin brightener. My skin has been looking great. It’s clear, healthy, and does seem a bit more radiant (if I do say so myself).

Even better, the cleanser contains 100% vegetarian ingredients, certified organic ingredients, and is free of sulfates and parabens. And of course, it’s cruelty-free.

I’d recommend it for those with oily skin. It’s a great way to keep the oil at bay without stripping or overdrying your skin. The brand says it also would work well for normal skin. But those with dry or sensitive skin should probably choose another Avalon Organics cleanser, like their Lavender Cleansing Gel.

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I tried Jeune D’Age Organics Anti-Aging Serum, and I’m very impressed with the quality of the ingredients and the relatively low price. The really unique part of this product is that each dose comes in its own sealed packet, which preserves the freshness and keeps the product from oxidating.

I really like the fact that the company is forthcoming with the ingredients and they have no problem telling you exactly what is in the product – only good stuff of course!

Here are some of the active ingredients:

• Organic aloe vera
• CoQ10
• DMAE
• Acai oil
• Organic extracts of bilberry, orange, lemon, cranberry and sugar maple
• Vitamins A, C, E, B5 and B3
• Hyaluronic Acid (a great moisturizer; and this one is vegan – NOT made from rooster combs)

The serum turns white when you really rub it in, and it seems to absorb and moisturize better when you do that. Once it’s absorbed, it leaves your skin feeling moist, but not at all greasy. Those with oily skin will be pleasantly surprised. It absorbs completely and is great for use under makeup.

It’s great for all skin types and can be used as a moisturizer, but VERY dry skin might need another moisturizer on top (which is the case with most serums that I have tried).

The packets come in a cute box that is made with flower seeds, so you can plant it when you’re done! They also sell refills at a cheaper price, so you can reuse the box.

Jeune D’Age just came out with a facial cleanser, toner and a face and body lotion – reviews coming soon!

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Clear Cleansing Gel
A gentle waterless cleanser for removing dirt, oil and makeup. I really liked how this non-foaming gel seemed to melt into my skin and left it soft and smooth. It did seem to work well on dirt and oil and most makeup. But my mascara seemed to be a little too much of a challenge for it to remove.

Washing Foam
A gentle cleanser for use with water. Because of the foam pump, it lasts forever and you get to use every last drop. Cleanses all dirt and oil. Left my face a little tight afterward, but didn’t dry out my skin.

Moisturizer a-VC
A moisturizing, anti-aging toner. LOVE THIS! It’s like no other toner I’ve ever tried. It has the consistency of a serum and liquid toner. It goes on smooth and feels delightful on the skin. Super-hydrating and comforting. Plus, it has Vitamin C for antioxidant protection and a brighter skin tone.

Creme a-VC
A daytime and nighttime moisturizer with vitamin C for plumper, firmer, more radiant skin. It goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. It eliminated dryness and did make my complexion look more even.

Vital Nanoemulsion a-VC
An anti-aging serum with vitamins A and C. I was diligent with this product, applying it every day for two months. I’m happy to say the spots of hyperpigmentation (caused by acne scars and sun damage) are definitely lighter. I’m extremely pleased. I’ve tried everything to lighten this hyperpigmentation and this has given me the greatest results.
Of course, I think I got the best effects from this line because I used all of the products in the regimen, including the Restoration Clear Gel that I previously reviewed.

Marie Louise Cosmetics is a skin care line made in Japan. Known as the Mother of Modern Beauty, Marie Louise was the first to created beauty creams in Japan. All products utilize Deep Sea Water, Vitamin C, Alpha-Arbutin (skin-whitener), Ceramide, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Hyaluronic Acid and other highly effective ingredients.

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