This past year, I tried many products from a wide range of brands. While many were good, these are the ones that I enjoyed using the most or made the most difference on my skin. It’s quite an eclectic bunch – with brands you might not be familiar with. Note that these are only new discoveries. Old favorites are not on here.
My favorite product of all is Revision Skincare’s Revox II Peptide Serum. It has become my new, go-to serum for reducing expression lines. This is the only one here that I will use every day without fail and keep on re-buying!
From left to right, top to bottom:
Nia 24 Rapid Depigmentation Serum
This treatment is for the dark spots on my cheeks. They are resistant to most brightening treatments, and that is largely due to the spots not being melanin-based. (The spots are due to lipofuscin, an age pigment that comes from cellular garbage. You can read more about the causes of hyperpigmentation here.)
But I still like to use brightening serums to inhibit melanin formation from exposure to sun or inflammation. Nia 24 has a texture that I happen to like a lot. It’s a light emulsion (not a clear liquid-y serum) that layers easily with my other serums. Because it’s more of a lotion, it provides a little moisture, which my dry cheeks welcome.
There’s just one small gripe – the pump is too forceful. It squirts out product way too hard, which then travels a little distance before landing (1 or 2 inches from where I want it).
Fig & Rouge Lip Balm (Cherry Blossom)
Fig & Rouge is an ointment that you squeeze out and rub over lips. I personally prefer an ointment texture over a cream or gel. I also find that ointments moisturize my lips better than a ‘chap’ stick or balm with a roll-on applicator.
This particular one is pinkish-red and gives lips a rosy tint. Like a gloss but without the brilliant shine (which I don’t like). It’s convenient when I don’t feel like wearing lipstick. I like how it gives my face a subtle punch of color. The color lasts too.
Teamine Eye Complex
Good eye creams are hard to find. This one is especially made for dark circles. When it comes to eye creams, I’m quite picky about the texture. What I look for is a cream that is easy to apply – it doesn’t require any effort to work into skin, it doesn’t lead to any tugging, it glides over skin easily but isn’t too watery, it’s not too thick and solid (which requires some rubbing to work in), and it’s fluid enough to seep into skin on its own.
Teamine goes on easily and absorbs well. It also happens to be one of the most effective dark circle treatments out there. The cream is rich in Vitamin K (good for dark circles and harder to find in formulas), Vitamin C, and peptides.
HydrafacialMD ETX Age-Refining Eye Gel
This was a surprise discovery. I offer the Hydrafacial treatment in my clinic, and this is one of their retail products. ETX is a clear, hyaluronic acid gel that provides ample moisture. I have found this makes a great eye serum, something you can put on before an eye cream.
It preps my skin with moisture. I wait about a minute before applying another eye cream over it. The gel makes it easy to apply the second product, a big help since the skin around the eyes is so thin and easy to pull.
With this eye gel plus another eye cream, my eyes stay hydrated all day or all night. It’s the same concept as applying a hydrating toner below a moisturizer. The eye gel turns the skin into a moisture-absorbing sponge.
It’s only $32 for 0.4 oz, which is inexpensive if you compare it with most retail eye treatments. Also, there aren’t that many eye serum options.
The only downside is that this product isn’t readily available. It’s a professional line sold only in medispas that offer the Hydrafacial treatment.
Revision Skincare Revox II Peptide-Rich Serum
My favorite of the bunch. This serum is amazing. Revox II is a neuropeptide serum (Botox mimic), so it inhibits muscle contractions. This is how traditional Botox by injection works. Revox is your topical alternative to the injection.
I’ve been using it on my eleven’s between my eyebrows and horizontal lines on my foreheads. The improvement has been rapid and visible. It has reduced the depth of the lines.
My eleven’s aren’t deep, but over time, I know they will get deeper without intervention. I don’t want to get cosmetic Botox unless it’s absolutely necessary. This serum is the perfect solution for me now.
If you have very deep lines, the serum won’t perform any miracles. You’ll need cosmetic Botox or dermal fillers for a major improvement. But it will reduce the depth of the wrinkles.
By the way, there are a whopping FIVE peptides in here! That’s very unusual.
Tony Moly Panda’s Dream Eye Patch
I tried a number of Asian sheet masks this past year. They were all pretty good, especially for their price point (just a few dollars each). This one stood out because it made my eye area visibly brighter afterward.
Panda’s Dream comes with 2 patches, one for each eye. The sheets were large enough to cover part of my upper cheeks. So the upper cheeks benefited from some brightening too.
These patches also relieved my tired eyes. I felt refreshed afterward. At $3 each, this is a terrific buy.
Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream With 1.0% Pure Retinol
There are many decent retinol products on the market. What I like about this one is the format. It’s a cream in a tube with a pointy tip. When I purchased this product, I didn’t pay too much attention to that feature. But as it turns out, this narrow, pointy tip is absolutely fantastic. It allows me to control the amount I squeeze out very easily. This is helpful because I want only a tiny amount for select parts of my face. It also keeps the packaging clean.
I use it on the eleven’s between my eyebrows, the horizontal lines on my forehead, the fine lines below my eyes, and the crease area of the nasolabial folds.
Skinceutical’s Retinol concentration 1.0%, which is high. 2% is the maximum concentration for over-the-counter. But the great thing is, I haven’t experienced any dryness or irritation at all, which is a potential side effect of higher concentrations.
The cream also absorbs easily, isn’t heavy, and can be layered with another cream. The lightweight tube makes it travel-friendly too.
See my Favorite Samples of 2014!
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