This is a follow-up to my last post on firming skin. Here are some firming and tightening skincare products that I am using now. They are a mix of preventive and corrective products. I love all of them.

From left to right, top to bottom:

Eminence Organics Firm Skin Acai Masque

  • I am a fan of Eminence masks, mostly because they feel and smell wonderful. In all honesty, this has not given me any immediate firming effect, but I still enjoy using it anyway. When I mask, it’s almost always with several masks on different parts of my face (multi-masking). This mask goes only on my lower cheeks.
  • As with all other Eminence masks, this one has a blend of botanicals – all berries! Acai berry, blueberry, raspberry, brambleberry, and seabuckthorn berry. Their function is mainly antioxidant. Hyaluronic acid provides the plumping effect. And it also has the basic anitoxidants: Vitamin A, C, E, CoQ10, and Alpha Lipoic Acid.
  • Some of the Eminence masks have a strong scent. This one is mild, which I prefer (not a fan of products smelling like food).

 

 

 

iS Clinical Youth Serum

  • I am addicted to this serum. I use this on both the jowls and below my eyes where there is some puffiness. This has worked miracles on the skin below my eyes. Its tightening effect flattens and depuffs the skin in a few days (for me). I just wish it were less expensive ($150 for 1 oz).
  • The standout ingredient in this serum is the Extremozymes complex. (You can learn more about Extremozymes here.) Extremozymes repair DNA and proteins. This is a very expensive ingredient, accounting for the serum’s high price tag.
  • It also has Copper Tripeptide Growth Factor, a bioidentical (not derived from humans, animals, or plants) peptide that stimulates fibroblasts to make more collagen.
  • Other skin regenerating ingredients include: peptides & proteins from Pseudoalteromonas ferment extract (repair damage), a seaweed algae extract (Ahnfeltia concinna) that also triggers repair, Centella asiatica (stimulates wound healing, collagen synthesis, vascular repair), and the essential blend of antioxidants (Vit A, C, and E).
  • This is a thick, gel serum applied with a dropper. It can be layered with most of the other iS Clinical serums. If you use iS Clinical, my favorite eye treatment combination is: iS Clinical C Eye Serum, then Youth Serum, then Youth Eye Complex. It’s fantastic.

Meg 21 Smooth Radiance Face Treatment

  • This cream presents a different approach from most other wrinkle creams. The Supplamine ingredient stops the glycation of collagen. Glycation is a process that damages and deforms collagen, which weakens skin. It’s a prevention strategy. I like having Supplamine in my anti-aging ingredient arsenal, along with the more common Vitamin C, tretinoin/retinol, and peptides.
  • Another benefit of this cream is its anti-inflammatory nature. Blocking glycation also hinders inflammation. So this cream helps when you have skin issues arising from inflammation.
  • The cream is rich though, so it is not suitable for oily or acne-prone/oily skin. If you have mature or dry skin, you will find this cream very moisturizing. See this article for a full review on Meg 21.

 

 

Circadia Cyto-Comm Serum Communication

  • This hydrating gel serum takes a more preventive approach to firming. The ingredients in here are sophisticated cell communicators working at a cellular level to boost collagen production and repair.
  • One of them, DermCom (from Crocus chrysanthus bulb extract), stimulates growth factors and improves epidermal communication.
  • Progeline (F3acetyl Tripeptide-2) reduces progerin (a biomarker for cellular aging, causes telomere damage), is an MMP and elastase inhibitor (so reduces the destruction of collagen and elastin), and contracts collagen (to reduce the appearance of sagging).
  • Cyto-Comm also has Vitamin C, an anti-glycation ingredient (DermalRx LuShield), and a blend of amino acids.
  • I apply Cyto-Comm on my forehead and jowls. This serum is easy to layer with other products. Whenever I need an extra boost of moisture in a problem area, I reach for this instead of a basic hydrating serum. It gives me an age-fighting cocktail with the added bonus of hydration.

Lira Clinical Bio Lift Creme

  • I love this lifting and firming cream (and the Lira Clinical line in general). The cream has an advanced peptide complex and blend of 4 stem cell extracts. It is moisturizing without being heavy, with an elegant, medium-light texture that feels great to me. It’s better for normal to dry skin types.
  • I apply this only on my jowls simply because I don’t need it anywhere else and have many other moisturizers. Why waste this treatment on an area that doesn’t really need it? But if I didn’t have any other cream, it would be great all over my face. In fact, another good place to put this cream is on the browbone (right below the eyebrows, above the eyelids). The browbone area droops later, leading to the look of drooping eyes.

 

 

Revision Skincare Firming Night Treatment

  • This is a peptide-rich firming cream for normal to dry skin types. It is the richest one in the line, though compared to other lines, this is really not rich at all. Some might consider it medium-weight. It is meant for drier skin types, but not for dry skin with breakouts.
  • The firming peptides are Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 (SYN-COLL) and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7. The hydrators are hyaluronic acid, shea butter, barley extract, and sandalwood extract.

Revision Skincare DEJ Face Cream

  • This is Revision’s newest face cream. There are 2 peptides – Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 (Matrixyl synthe’6) and Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2 (a biomimetic peptide that compensates for the factors leading to lack of firmness). Plus a copper complex that firms, free radical inhibitors (Vit C in the form  of THDA, CoQ10, rosemary, goji fruit), and a ceramide blend that moisturizes and strengthens the skin barrier.
  • I love the way it applies. If you have used DEJ Eye Cream, this face cream is much less thick than the eye cream. It’s a nice complement to the Vitamin C 30% Lotion, which I use underneath this cream.

 

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