L'Oreal Sublime Sun Face Lotion Review

I was looking to buy L'Oreal Sublime Sun Foaming Lotion Sunscreen with broad spectrum SPF 50+ sun protection after reading about it in Glamour.

However the store was out, so I picked up L'Oreal Sublime Sun Liquid Silk Face Lotion instead. I'm glad I did!

Both products are oil-free and provide very high broad spectrum sun protection. I'll look for the foam again next time I shop for skin care products.

I'd like to try the foam-type of application for the body. (Questions: Does the foam drip and run? Does it accumulate on the spray nozzle like a lot of foams? etc.)

Sublime Sun Liquid Silk truly goes on like silk. It's a very thin white lotion, so you need very little for complete coverage. Liquid Silk sinks in instantly. No wait required before applying makeup.

Sublime Sun Liquid Silk is water- and sweat-resistant. It retains SPF after 80 minutes of activity in the water. Impressive.

Finally, the formula contains antioxidants (Vitamin E and White Grapeseed) to add to its free radical protective power.

It bears repeating that protection from free radical damage, especially from the sun, is the most basic, most important thing you can do to protect skin from the visible signs of aging and from skin cancer. Truly, sun protection should start the day you are born.

With that in mind, I'm pleased to tell you that L'Oreal is donating $1 (up to $250,000) to the Melanoma Research Alliance for each bottle of Sublime Sun purchased this year. I'm proud to have contributed and plan to do so again.

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (15%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (5%), Oxybenzone (6%)

Inactive Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, PEG 30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Nylon 12, PEG 8 Laurate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dodecene, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Poloxamer 407, Tocopherol, Lauryl PEG/PPG 18/18 Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Isostearyl Alcohol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Poly C10 30 Alkyl Acrylate

Are the Terms BB and CC Cream Being Abused?

Are the BB and CC cream designations being abused? Absolutely.

The terms BB and CC are being used by a lot of brands to signify multi-functionality, while others are using it to tap into the media buzz around the product.

At the same time, we still find a lot to love about the legitimate entries to the alphabet parade of multi-functional skin creams.

June Harper's Bazaar notes, "You would never wear foundation to the beach … Still, the ability to hide imperfections is appealing. BB and CC creams offer the ideal solution, providing coverage, skin treatment, and UV protection.

Garnier's BB Cream Skin Renew Miracle for Combination to Oily Skin controls shine. Shiseido's Perfect Hydrating BB Cream adds moisture. Clinique's CC Cream enhances radiance."

I recently discovered another advantage to BB creams.

When I started using Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer/sunscreen/sunless tanner, - which I love for summer! - I found that my usual foundation is several shades too fair to blend in.

However my Garnier Skin Perfector BB Cream still works great because of the way a good BB cream adjusts to the color of your skin.

Garnier Skin Perfector adapted beautifully as my sunless tan darkened. Read my Review of Garnier Skin Perfector BB Cream.

Meanwhile, according to Irina Barbalova, Global Head of Beauty and Personal Care research at Euromonitor, the industry needs to take note of the overuse of multifunctionality and BB labeling, as it can lead to the dilution of the original concept of the products, and as a result cause more consumer confusion.

Are you confused by the many products calling themselves BB or CC creams? If yes, please keep following Ageless Beauty for the lowdown.

L'Oreal Youth Code Review

I've considered buying a Youth Code product or two since it was first introduced. The ad copy is just that enticing. The science-based inferences of Youth Code ads appeal to me.

However, every time I picked up a jar of a Youth Code treatment product and took yet another look at the list of ingredients, I concluded there's really nothing special there. I finally decided to just go ahead and review the purported science to see if I could figure out what all the buzz is about.

I should note that L'Oreal has toned down its claims for Youth Code under significant pressure from regulatory groups. Today the L'Oreal website says only this about the Day/Night Moisturizer (as an example):

"This potent daily moisturizer boosts skin's natural powers of regeneration so it regains the qualities of young skin – skin looks rested, smoother and youthfully luminous. Signs of stress, fatigue and aging are visibly diminished. This unique, luxurious formula leaves a light, velvety smooth finish. Apply in the morning to illuminate* skin tone. Apply in the evening for overnight recovery. *After 1 week of use based on consumer evaluation."

Go elsewhere on the internet or look through magazines and you'll still find the claims for L'Oreal's patented Pro-GenTM Technology which is supposed to help your skin reset its genetic code to behave in a more youthful manner.

A good bit of information can be gleaned from the dismissal of Consumer Complaints Regarding L'Oreal Youth Code Ads made to the UK consumer Advertising Watchdog Authority in 2010.

The UK advertising review board's "cosmetics consultant noted that the product contained the ingredient Bifidobacteria (Pro-Gen technology), which was selected for Youth Code due to its demonstrated positive effect on the expression of the KRT6b gene (Keratin Gene)."

The complaints were dismissed because L'Oreal simply stated that it had done 10 years of research on its Pro-Gen Technology. Readers only inferred that Pro-Gen Technology had unlocked the genetic code for more youthful skin.

As for Bifidobacteria, we know it's a gut friendly bacteria as well as a topical antioxidant. In Youth Code day/night moisturizer, it's found as Bifida Ferment Lysate about halfway down the ingredient list after a high concentration of drying alcohol (Denatured Alcohol) and some very skin-friendly silicone-based ingredients.

This product is a very run-of-the-mill moisturizer. We can't expect much benefit from the Bifida Ferment Lysate antioxidant even if it were capable of unlocking your skin's genetic code. Jar packaging will allow the ingredient to oxidize quickly once the jar is unsealed and exposed to air. The oxidizing alcohol is another big negative.

My hesitation to buy Youth Code treatment products appears to have been justified.

Youth Code Day/Night Cream Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Syntheicwax, Peg 10 Dimethicone/Peg 10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin 3 Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Nylon 12, Limonene, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Carbonate, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysilicone 8, Tocopheryl, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethenol, Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate.

Shopping for Eye Shadow Crayons for Ageless Beauties

After trying Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow crayon and giving it a lukewarm review, I went in search of better eye shadow crayons for Ageless Beauties.

Eye shadow crayons are a wonderful tool for applying shadow to thin delicate eyelids, especially when the skin becomes a bit crepey.

Powdered eye shadows definitely don't work well on wrinkled or crepey eyelids. The powder settles into creases as the day wears on. Even worse, flakes of powder easily drift into sensitive eyes when you're applying the powder.

I purchased Milani Shadow Eyez in Champagne Toast at the drugstore and Sephora Jumbo Eye Crayons in Beige Glitter and Taupe Shimmer at - where else - Sephora.

Neutrogena doesn't lay down enough color to use alone. It adds nice shimmer layered over another eye shadow.

Both the Milani and Sephora shadow crayons provide more intense color; Sephora a bit more so than Milani.

Sephora has an excellent selection of colors suitable for Ageless Beauties. Milani has only two, maybe three if you can wear a deeper brown.

Both Milani and Sephora crayons promise 12-hour wear; and they deliver.

I'm ready to give up my longtime favorite Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows. Shadow crayons are definitely a neater, more sanitary, and less wasteful way to apply eye shadow.

I'm happy with Milani and Sephora eye shadow crayons; but I'm not through searching. Have you found any better?

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate Recovery Boosting Treatment Review

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate Recovery Boosting Treatment was recommended by several respondents for our updated Top Ten Skin Anti-Aging Products list. It didn't make the cut. Here's why.

Boosting Treatment is designed to alternate with Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex when your skin needs an extra boost. Use the boosting formula 3 or 4 times a year for three weeks and then return to the synchronized version.

Why? According to Lauder, "Advanced Night Repair Concentrate [Boosting Treatment] is formulated with 5 times the concentration of the patented recovery complex found in the Advanced Night Repair serum you use every night." Such an increase in concentration might justify the extra $40 an ounce; but I just don't see it.

Comparing the two formulas, what I see in Lauder Boosting Treatment is:

• A far superior antioxidant cocktail including only a couple of antioxidants which are found in Lauder Synchronized Recovery Complex;

• No Tripeptide-32 (Copper peptide), in fact no peptides at all.

This is not a more powerful version of Recovery Complex; it's a more powerful antioxidant product. Period. Is it worth the extra $40?

In my opinion, you'd do more for your skin at a better price with peptide and antioxidant-packed Estee Lauder Perfectionist CP+R Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum, which is now included in the Ageless Beauty Top Ten.

Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycerin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Bran) Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Selaginella Tamariscina (Spike Moss) Extract, Cola Nitida (Kola) Nut Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Citri Reticulate Peel Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Juice Extract, Cholesterol, Sea Whip Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Micrococcus Lysate, Caffeine, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Sodium RNA, Pantethine, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Yeast Extract, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Linolenic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Lauryldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Potassium Sulfate, Cyclodextrin, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Simethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel, Titanium Dioxide