Product review by Christine V., www.emakemeup.com, May 1, 2004.

There are so few benefits that come with age but one of them is the right to whine about getting older. But there are limits...Here is the formula.

After 30, you can now spend up to 10% of your conversations whining about age. After 40, you get to whine 20% of the time and so on.

This month I turn 50. Not sad about it, not glad about it, but I will claim my full whining rights. I am now up to 30% of my conversations can legally be age-related whining. Which for you, gentle makeup readers, means I will probably mention my advanced years in every review I write. So you have been warned.

I will now whine about facial lines.

The good news is that many of us appear younger than past generations. Advances in medical care, sunscreen and MAKEUP, have given us our youthful appearance. This is a good thing.

But those air brushed pictures in magazine advertisements still give me pause to check out my skin carefully…neurotically.

Smile lines are okay. Worry lines are not okay.

Skin with a clear refined finish is good. Large pores and dull skin are bad.

Enter microdermabrasion. This new phenom is designed to 'sand' off the years. Make no mistake, this is cosmaceutical sand paper designed to smooth skin. I have been watching the various products come out with much interest. Some come with appliances to do the sanding. Personally, I preferred a cream without an appliance. I just think that the appliance may damage skin and I would rather use my hands. Plus I would have to make room for one more gadget. Might displace some of my makeup stash. So no gadgets for me.

Then one of my chums at another board, mentions a product called EpidermX, a natural microdermabrasion cream.

The darling Wendy, posts before and after pictures with decreased lines in her forehead and some generally beautiful looking skin.

This was what I was waiting for; A real person with real lines in her face to use the product and show the results. Granted Wendy is now selling this stuff, but after I saw how well it did for her, I can't blame her for becoming a one-woman promotion department. I got my jar a couple weeks ago. I have used it faithfully about 3 - 4 times per week. You rub it on damp skin paying extra attention to the 'bad spots'. You are supposed to feel the skin coming off. I never could. But I use the Sage system which has cleansing grains in it. As a result, I suspicion that my facial skin doesn't have much of a layer of dead little Christine cells.

But what I did have were: an " 1 1 " between my eyebrows, nose to edge of mouth lines or waterfalls and some evidence of crow's feet starting to appear, especially on the 'driving' side of my face. I had taken an oath to my Baby Boomer birth certificate to fight every facial line with all of my being and Visa card.

Much to my chagrin, I could see lots of sun damage on my neck and chest! I hate the look of that poor OLD dead skin. These areas have not benefited from the daily Sage regime. So I took the Epidermx and the microdermabrasion cloth (Waves to Marcia) into the shower with me and start sanding down those poor abused areas. Talk about feeling the dead cells ball up and slough off! I could feel a layer of dead skin coming off. I came out of the shower with a rather red neck and chest and was a little worried that I had overdone it combining the cream and the micro derma brasion cloth. so I applied several drops of the Camellia oil as Wendy recommended. My skin felt immediately soothed.

First, here is the info and ingredients in Epidermx™.

Epidermx™ microdermabrasion pro-treatment contains pure, fused, medical grade Corundum Crystal and is: filler free, paraben free, palmitate free, phenoxyethanol free, paraffin free, propylene glycol free, mineral oil free, formaldehyde free, myristate free, SLS and ALS free, and artificial color and fragrance free.

What are the ingredients in Epidermx™ microdermabrasion pro-treatment??

Purified aqueous extract of: Matricaria Rucutita (Chamomile Flowers), Sambucus Canadensis (Elder Flower), Rosa Canina (Rose Hips), Equiseteum Arvense (Spring Horsetail Grass), and Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), medical grade Aluminum Oxide - Corundum Crystal), Behentrimonium Methylsulfate (derived from Canola oil), Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Acohol, Glycol Stearate (all natural plant sources), Rosa aff. Rubligiaosa (Rose Hip Seed Oil), Carthamus Tinctorus (Safflower Oil), Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed Oil), Mangifera Indica (Mango Butter), Essential oils of : Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit), Lavendula Augustifolia (Lavender),Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Octanoic Acid/Serenoa Repens (Saw Palmetto), Xanthan Gum, Hydroxymethylglycinate.

On the website there is information about using this product on blemished skin, acne and rosacea. My recommendation is proceed with caution. In my younger days, I made blemishes worse by scrubbing them relentlessly. So I would contact Wendy and request more information.

The lovely Wendy also recommended Camellia oil which I bought. She recommended using the oil after doing the Epidermx™.

So what is Camellia Oil? The low down follows….

Silkia® Camellia oil is a different type of oil. Silkia® camellia oil is derived from the seeds of camellias, a kind of evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and rose-like flowers. It is obtained by mechanical (cold) pressing of the camellia seeds, followed by advanced scientific refining processes including degreasing, deodorizing and filtering to produce a 100% safe, pure natural oil free from preservatives, odor and solvent residues. It is the most penetrative oil. It is composed mainly of Oleic acid (almost 82%), a mono-unsaturated Oemga-3 fatty acid and other essential fatty acids such as Omega-6 Linoleic acid. Its Oleic acid composition is the highest among all natural oils. Studies of Oleic and other fatty acids have proven that they are an excellent emollient, and a remarkable natural agent for the retention and enhancement of skin moisture.

The oil is incredibly light. You can use it on hair as well as skin. Just use a few drops on hair and scalp.

Three weeks have gone by. Well, my face has gotten the benefit of both the Epidermx and the Camellia oil. My skin is smoother, firmer and definitely younger looking. I caught a glimpse of myself as I was running out of a restaurant bathroom last week. I was shocked. My skin had an incredible glow and smoothness. Could this be the lighting? Could I be mistaken? (No, I hadn't had any wine!) The pores on my cheeks, the largest ones on my face, definitely look smaller. The " 1 1" between my brows isn't as deep. Even my hubby noticed that. The 'waterfalls' are also less noticeable. If I had to quantify the improvement, I would say about 30% improvement in two weeks. I don't know if each week I will see as much improvement, but I am willing to keep 'sanding away'.

My neck and chest have made about a 50% improvement. There was lots of room for improvement there! I can do that area once a week and just keep it moisturized with the Camellia Oil to keep the skin looking great.

I finish 'my facial treatment' by blotting skin and putting a couple drops of Camellia oil on my hand and dabbing around my eyes, cheeks forehead and a couple more drops for my neck. My newly 'sanded' skin seems to drink this stuff up. In the morning I wake to very baby soft, smooth skin.

I give this new cosmaceutical cream 5 flowers. Home microdermabrasion has arrived at an affordable price with some impressive results.

There are 3 types of "peptides" in the market, including the KTTP found in "Strivectin" and in "Regenerist", the "growth factors" found in Skin Medica's "TNS Recovery Serum" or "Replenix", and the AH3 Hexapeptide (Argireline) found in the Janson-Beckett products. Of those 3, the most effective "Botox®" effect in the SNAP neuro-muscular complex is delivered by Argireline®, and the 10% concentration found in the Janson-Beckett products, is the highest effective concentration recommended. Results are seen within days and definitely within 30 days. You'll notice the difference within days of not using these products (which confirms that it really does work).

What really impressed me about these 3 products was the masterful combination of ingredients which mutually enhance the final result. The Peptide Facial Skin Prep contains Trace Minerals which enhances cellular energy and response, allowing the following products to penetrate and react more effectively. The Alphaderma CE™ lotion contains an amazing combination of humectants, anti-oxidants, muscle tighteners and "Botox®" effect ingredients. The hydrolyzed collagen and the Elastin concentrate, are specially formulated to penetrate better than other formulations, thus providing an excellent moisturizing effect. The Argireline® effect combined with the muscle tightening benefit of DMAE, allows the face to feel firmer and simultaneously have less contraction and wrinkling of the crows feet and forehead regions. Alpha Lipoic Acid is well known to be the most potent anti-oxidant (comparable to green tea) and when combined with Vitamin C Ester, provides protection against free-radicals that constantly damage our skin while enhancing our natural collagen production. We all want our under eye area to be less puffy and firmer, and the Okusil Eye Serum immediately provides those benefits much better that many other products that I have tried from many cosmetic and cosmeceutical lines.

Some of my patients have added eye moisturizers to this system, and others have added "retinoid" creams in areas where they have larger pores or acne scars. These Janson-Beckett products do provide UV-B and UV-A protection, but some patients have added a Z-Cote (micronized zinc oxide) sun block over them in the morning.

Make sure you let the Skin prep dry out well before you apply the Alphaderma CE™ and the Okusil. I am sure you will love these products, and you'll see what happens to your skin when you run out of these....you'll want them back into your "regimen" as soon as possible.

Dr. Peter Rullan
Dermatology Institute
256 Landis Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
www.drrullan.com

Dr. Peter Rullan M.D. Credentials

• Medical Director, Dermatology Institute- in private practice for over 21 years
• 3rd Generation physician, with 11 others in his family
• Dermatology Residency: University of California, Irvine, 1983
• Past President of the:
  • San Diego Dermatology Society
  • San Diego Dermatologic Surgical Society
  • Rotary Club of Chula Vista
• Board Member, California Academy of Cosmetic Surgery
• Keynote Speaker or Faculty at Conventions of the:
  • California Academy of Cosmetic Surgery - Nov. 2001-2003
  • American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery - Jan 2004
  • Mexican Society of Dermatologic Surgery - March 2004
  • Brazilian Society of Dermatologic Cosmetic Surgery- July 2004
  • ASDS Botox and Filler Workshop-Beverly Hills, CA- September 2004
  • American Society of Dermatolgic Surgery- Oct. 2004

Guest Faculty at:

• San Diego Naval Hospital, Dept of Dermatology
• University of California, Irvine, Dept. of Dermatology
• University of Puerto Rico, Dept. of Dermatology
• University of California, San Diego, Dept. of Dermatology

Publications

• Arch. of Dermatology, 1983. “The effect of cyclosporine on murine allergic contact dermatitis”
  (1st article on the use of this non-steroidal medication to stop autoimmune skin conditions)
• J. of Cosmetic Surgery, Dec. 2004 - “The 2-day phenol chemabrasion technique for deep wrinkles and acne scars”
  (innovative chemical peel using non-secret formulas to correct very challenging cosmetic problems)
• J. of Facial Plastic Surgery,  Dec 2004 - “My Personal Experience with Artecoll”
  (I was one of the 8 leading investigators for an FDA-study in the use of a permanent filler for wrinkles)

Recognitions