Strivectin SD – Dermalogica – Reviews for Anti-Aging Wrinkle Creams

I have been in search for good facial products (cleanser, toner, exfoliate and moisturizer) for quite some time now. I was using this certain brand for years, although I was lucky enough not have experienced any skin irritation with all the different product brands that I used, I was still not lucky to find one that would actually do more than just washing off dirt on my face and having the clean and smooth feeling it promised but only for a few hours and then my face will feel oily again. Those brands haven't also helped with my skin imperfections like dull and rough skin, blackheads, and oily skin.

It was that one afternoon during an out of town trip with some friends when I used Obagi Nu-Derm Foaming Gel since I forgot to pack my essentials, and I was totally surprised how my face felt afterward. Obagi Nu-Derm Foaming Gel is a light, easy lather so I did not expect my face to feel fresh, smooth and clean almost the entire day. After using it for 2 days, I made a mental note to myself to buy myself this "miracle" of a product. I searched online to learn more and find out if there are other Obagi products available and there were quite a few but I decided to stick with the Nu-Derm first since it was what I have already tried.

I have normal to oily skin and Obagi Nu-Derm products cater to all skin types which made me love it even more. I am now an Obagi Nu-Derm products user for a year now and I can feel and see improvements on my skin.

• My face feels clean and fresh, meaning less oiliness
• I have less blackheads and whiteheads
• I don't get pimples as often as before
• My face is smoother and more radiant

It's a good thing that I learned about this before my 30's because with all the anti-aging treatments that I have been reading, prevention is the best anti-aging treatment. And don't worry if you do not have oily skin because like I mentioned earlier, Obagi Nu-Derm has products for both oily and dry skin.

Obagi Nu-Derm Cleanser:

• Obagi Nu-Derm Foaming Gel (for oily skin)
• Obagi Nu-Derm Gentle Cleanser (for dry, sensitive skin)

Obagi Nu-Derm Toner:

• Obagi Nu-Derm Toner

Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm:

• Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm Forte (for normal, oily skin)
• Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm (for dry, sensitive skin)

Obagi Nu-Derm Sun Protection:

• Obagi Nu-Derm Sun Shield SPF 50
• Obagi Nu-Derm Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35
• Obagi Nu-Derm Physical UV Block SPF 32
• Obagi Nu-Derm Sunfader SPF 15

I also learned from the Obagi website that this Nu-Derm line they have is actually an anti-aging regimen, which is a double plus for me. I get to have great skin now and at the same time preventing it from damage in the future.

My Mom told me I should start using anti-aging products! I actually didn’t take her seriously, cos I think I'm too young to start and second, there are no visible wrinkles or age spots on my skin. Curiosity got the best of me however, and I decided to do some reading about anti-aging. It's no surprise though that almost every article I have read has the same message: "Prevention is better than cure". 

It’s easier to delay the formation of wrinkles, than trying to get rid of them when they’ve decided to show up on our foreheads and lip area, well that’s unless you’re okay with getting a Botox. Healthy and natural anti-aging regimens, however, are still better. So if we want to look youthful and amazing in our 40s, we should definitely start now. Below are some tips I’ve gathered to ensure both a youthful look, and youthful health.

1. Eat fruits and vegetables and drink 5 to 8 glasses of water a day.
2. Exercise, in order to strengthen your muscles, balance and bone density.
3. Drink vitamins.
4. Use anti wrinkle creams, toners, moisturizers, and especially sun block. Too much sun is the primary cause of skin damage.
5. Get enough sleep.

Now I know you are thinking this is too easy to do, but we got to admit that it's easier said than done. We all know these things but somehow we find ourselves NOT doing them like getting enough sleep, or exercising and eating healthy. Hopefully, after reading this simple anti-aging tips you'll be one step closer to actually doing them religiously.

Sad to say, many of us neglect to take care of our skin at an early age. I can't even think of reasons why we don't tone and moisturize when we were teenagers but we can put makeup on. I didn't include cleansing since we do wash our face at least 3 times a day but most of us do not really use toners and moisturizers afterward.

Taking care of our skin is actually one of the best precaution and the most easy and convenient anti-aging treatment there is. It is way cheaper than going to a dermatologist or beauty doctor to have your face lift or whatever "anti-aging" procedure they offer to give you youthful glow and young-looking skin. The best anti-aging treatment starts with you, at the comforts of your own home, without draining your monthly budget.

If you're not familiar yet, here is the most common skin care routine:

Cleanse - we may not consider or consciously been doing this as an anti-aging treatment but actually it's the first step on the skin care routine and this step is probably the only step that most of us do since washing the face is as automatic as when we brush our teeth in the morning and evening. However, simply washing with water doesn't cut it. We need to use a gentle facial cleanser to get rid of the dirt, dust and oil that our skin face every single day. Choose a facial cleanser that suits your skin type: for oily skin, for dry skin, for sensitive skin.

Exfoliate - exfoliation isn't everyday. The purpose of exfoliating is to get rid of dead, dry skin so exfoliating every day might cause your skin to dry out.

Tone - some dermatologists say you can go without facial toner if you use a really good facial cleanser twice a day or if you have dry skin, but if you have acne-prone or oily skin, a toner is highly recommended. Benefits of a toner:

• help refine pores
• remove excess oil
• remove makeup and dirt residue
• restore skin's pH balance

When choosing a toner, if you have oily skin make sure that it has salicylic acid.

Moisturize - if you have dry skin, you may skip toners, but you cannot skip moisturizing even when you have oily skin. There are also moisturizers that are made for specific skin types so make sure that what you are using is the ideal one for you. Light and non-greasy for oily skin and somewhat rich and moisturizing for dry skin, etc.

Taking care of our skin is as easy as waking up and getting dressed, what's a little difficult is choosing the right product for your skin type. Just remember to read the ingredients and more specifically the skin type that it's made for.

You are in search for a good anti-aging cream, you look for brands, read reviews about them but do you have an idea on what to really look for in an anti-aging cream? A good anti-aging cream should have effective active ingredients. Now what are the ingredients you should look for?

Here are the common ingredients that are present in anti-aging creams:

• Tea extracts - green tea, black tea, or oolong extracts, but green tea extracts are the most commonly used
• Copper peptides
• Hydroxy acids
• Kinetin
• Retinol (Vitamin A)
• Coenzyme Q10

Now, keep in mind that each individual is different and it doesn't mean that when someone close to you says that this certain anti-aging cream did her wonders, that it would also do you good. So you may have to try several anti-aging creams before you find the one that is effective for you. Also, anti-aging creams don't work overnight. You have to be patient to wait for weeks or months, considering that you are religiously applying the cream, before you see results like less visible wrinkles, etc.

Some more points to consider:

• Over-the-counter anti-aging creams may not be as effective as those of prescribed ones.
• Expensive anti-aging creams do not necessarily mean they are effective than the cheaper ones.
• There are some anti-aging creams that may cause you side effects like rashes or skin irritation. Make sure you read and follow the instructions, if you still experience side effects then stop using it.

If you really want to make sure about the anti-aging cream that would be perfect for your skin and you have money to spare, then a trip to the dermatologist would be of help and can recommend of prescribe you a good anti-aging cream.

All of us are aging, whether we like it or not. We age every day and the first place it will show is on our skin. It's inevitable. However, there are a couple of things we can do to avoid premature aging.

Based on research, there are two different types of aging:

Intrinsic aging - or what is commonly known as the the natural aging process. This type of aging normally begins during our mid-20's and signs would not be visible for a couple more years.

Extrinsic aging - or premature aging, is the type that is caused by external factors. These external factors act together with the natural aging process which causes our skin to age prematurely. The most common factor of premature aging is the sun. Yes, the bright, warm, beautiful sun. It's harmful rays especially between 10 am to 4 pm can cause several premature aging sign such as: freckles, fine lines, dark spots, loose skin and worse, skin cancer. This type of aging is referred to as "Photoaging" by dermatologists and it occurs over a period of time.

What to do to prevent premature aging?

• Use sunblock/sunscreen. They are not invented strictly for beach use. They are made to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun so make sure you apply sunscreen on your face and body when you go out.
• Avoid too much tanning. No matter how great you look with a tan, you would look great with loose skin, dark spots and wrinkles after several years as an effect of your tanning. Tanning bed counts too.
• Avoid staying under the sun from 10 am to 4 pm. If you can't, make sure you have applied sunscreen.
• Stop doing facial exercises. We used to think that doing facial exercises can help us look younger, tone our facial muscles. It looks like it won't. Doing facial exercises can actually lead to wrinkles and fine lines a.k.a premature aging signs.
• Quit smoking. I know it's hard to do but at least try to lessen the number of sticks you puff each day and then slowly try to simply quit. Smoking doesn't just cause nicotine stains on the teeth of the smoker, dark lips and gums, lung caner, asthma, it can also contribute to wrinkled, leathery skin and yellowish hue in the complexion. Who would want that?
• Eat healthy and exercise. Need I explain more? Foods rich in Vitamin A, C and E are rich sources of "skin nutrients". As for exercising, it does wonders. It can release unwanted stress from the body, sweat out excess fats, keep the heart pumping, the blood flowing and well, our muscles toned.

When it comes to the natural aging process, there really is nothing we can do to stop it or prevent it from happening. It is natural. But with premature aging, there are several precautions that we can do. I know some would say "why prevent it when we'd experience it anyway after 5,10,20 years?". I'd say, do you want to look like you're 50 at the age of 30? I know you don't. What's good about preventing premature aging is that it's never too early to start. Actually, the earlier you start to care for your skin and your health, the better.