Solvaderm: Juvabrite Age Spot and Pigment Brightening Complex #Review #Juvabrite

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Solvaderm, is on my list of companies that I welcome to review any product they make or recently released. Why? They work. It’s that simple when it comes to getting listed in my book of companies I enjoy products from. So many and especially in the beauty industry just do not deliver on their claims. Solvaderm does not over hype the claims attached to their products and the ingredients in their skin care lines always support what they are intended to do. I then use the products and I have never been deceived when it came to how they performed because what is listed, is what is included. You may not see Solvaderm being pushed via television ads or flooding magazines with glossy pictures on thick paper stock, however thhey prefer to depend on honest word-of-mouth marketing. I have never been pushed or guided in what to even write when it came to reviewing. It’s literally here’s a bottle and please write an honest review. That’s brave but Solvaderm can be because so far their skin care products are really some of my favorite to to use.

I was sent recently two products to review by Solvaderm and this review will be breaking down the Juvabrite Brightening Complex they included.

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What is Juvabrite?
If you suffer from pigmentation alterations that are caused by age spots, sun damage, acne, or just uneven skin tone, Juvabrite is a product you should consider. I have areas on my face that suffer from such and this is usually caused by an acne breakout. I get a breakout once a month and because it’s hormones induced, there is also limits to the options I have considered. Yes, I can take pills that may aid with this and have but I’m the type of girl that seeks solutions that at least give me good and acceptable results when it comes to percentages. Pills reduced my acne flair up by 25%, and no I won’t take a product that fails me 75% of the time, so I resorted to treating the issue topically. I go for products that will even out my skin’s complexion and will address the problem areas, so a product like Juvabrite fits my needs.

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Ingredients (as listed on the website): Seaweed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Purified Water, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Primula Veris (Primula) Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris (Lady’s Mantle) Extract, Veronica Officinalis (Speedwell Herb) Extract, Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Extract, Achillea Millefollium (Yarrow) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.Seaweed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Purified Water, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Primula Veris (Primula) Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris (Lady’s Mantle) Extract, Veronica Officinalis (Speedwell Herb) Extract, Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Extract, Achillea Millefollium (Yarrow) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.

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Seaweed Extract and Hyaluronic acid is listed first in Juvabrite’s ingredients. Seaweeds and Algae are in the same class of family and are ingredients that are full of nutrients and some have cleansing properties, and this is why you sometimes see it listed in things from diet pills to beauty aids. The ability to purge out toxins and the renewal of the surface (i,e, skin). This regeneration is what a company that adds seaweed/kelp to their products wants the user to experience. That “flip-over” process aids the skin’s ability to produce a new layer that may appear less flawed than the layer before. Think exfoliation and the skin’s ability to purge what it suffers from (scarring). Scars and discoloration tend to experience a lightening effect when this process occurs and of course for example when you start drinking more water, the more you continuously use a product like Juvabrite, the results reflect better with time. I have covered anti-inflammatory properties in the past and amino acids, antioxidants, and again these are properties associated with kelp and seaweeds. You will even notice people refer to such as “anti-aging” because using these ingredients help strengthen and protect the skin’s areas that may have no discoloration at the moment, and help prevent or even lessen the effect if it occurs in the future (i,e. blemishes, sun damage, ect.). Hyaluronic acid I have covered many times in the past too and what makes this agent so widely used, is it’s ability to retain moisture. It’s molecular structure allows more water to be held against the surface it’s applied to. You know how flour expands and absorbs at a much greater rate to the point that what you initially used is never how the final product looks. Think cakes and how the batter expands, well it’s the same idea with Hyaluronic acid. A little goes a long way and a few grams result into liters of fluid being held.

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Retail Price Point: $69.99 for a ounce bottle of Juvabrite and the bottle has a nice pump dispenser, which keeps the product clean and less exposed to air and bacteria.

Verdict:
I used the Juvabrite Age Spot and Pigment Brightening complex for 3 weeks. My time span when it comes to usage was limited because I am always testing out new products and will only use one product in a category at a time. I don’t like to blend products because that blends the results! I strictly restricted my use to the Juvabrite complex and used no other brightening system. What I love about Juvabrite, it can be used in spot application. This means if you have acne marks or an area that is experiencing dark spots, you can address just that zone. Yes, the user can control and address their skin’s problem areas as they desire. Love that! I literally picked one spot and awarded it to Juvabrite. It was a pimple mark that I picked at (not proud of that part) and I won at picking at it, but it won back by leaving a brownish colored mark. It was light enough to be covered by foundation but the moment I washed my face…..I’m still here is what I heard. Within 2 weeks, the brown mark became a lighter brown mark and if I moved my face in the light, it began to only be seen slightly in certain angles. By week 3, the mark was gone and reduced by 75% in being able to be visibly noticeable and became one of those things that I knew was once there but no one else could see. The solution is light in texture and because as I mentioned above a little goes a long way due to the ingredients used to make Juvabrite, you are talking about only applying a thin layer. You can apply the product to your entire face and I did this once to twice a week to even out my skin’s tone (color). I then went back to spot treating. I am happy with the results and the ease of use of twice a day. Juvabrite fits into my everyday skin regimen and it’s effective by positively changing my skin’s appearance.

Connect with Solvaderm and their skincare solutions at:

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Solvaderm.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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EnvyDerm: Eyelash Enhancement and Conditioning Volume Mascara #EnvyDermEyes #Review

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Like many of us girls, the one thing we change next to nail polish more often, is our mascara. There is always a new formula, wand, volume promising, to even seasonal colors that just capture our eye. I have been guilty of telling myself that my mascara is reaching the 3-month mark of expiration, so it’s for a good cause and eye health that I should buy this new revolutionary tube that has been advertised so much (that I know the commercial). I have been burned by drugstore to fancy store and boutique-ish brands; so many tubes have been unkindly thrown into the trash. In my mind, the mascara science world should not be as complicated as the foundation universe. We want separation, a formula that does not flake or smear but creates nice smooth strokes that add volume. None of us want to look like a raccoon or if we do, it shall be a smoky eyed one and done on purpose! I finally grew so tired that I am guilty of buying mini sample sets filled with different brands in hopes of finding “the one” that will end this hunting game. I find it but then get the surprise that the formula changes to quick by aging in the tube before I even get 1/4 way down, or it’s temperamental and only wants cold weather and once the seasons changes, it betrays me!

In comes EnvyDerm, a cosmetic company that advertises their lines as “high performance”. They not only promise a good cosmetic look, but also deliver nourishment to lashes. So, it’s a multi-tasker formula that already went over and beyond what I expected or even dared to imagine. I just wanted my mascara to give me a faux perfect look but with time and regular use, my lashes may grow and make the look actually belong to me versus just lights and magic!

EnvyDerm enhances your lashes by making them look better, longer, and strengthening. Their patent serum boosts and repairs, plus it also promotes length and thicker lashes. The Lash Enhancement & Conditioning serum contains Hydrolyzed Keratin and Peptides, which help nourish and encourage positive results!

Ingredients (as listed on their site):
Formulated without: Prostaglandin, Parabens, Synthethic fragrance, Sulfates, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMOS, Tricolosan, Mineral Oils, Animal products.

PURIFIED WATER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, MYRISTOYL PENTAPEPTIDE-17, CERA ALBA (Beeswax), COPERNICIA CERIFERA (Carnauba) Wax, SUCROSE ACETATE ISOBUTYRATE , STEARIC ACID, GLYCERYL STEARATE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, VP/EICOSENE COPOLYMER, ADIPIC ACID/ DIETHYLENE GLYCOL/GLYCERIN CROSSPOLYMER, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (Candellia) WAX, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, MEDICAGO SATIVA ( Alfalfa) EXTRACT, ARNICA MONTANA (Arnica) FLOWER EXTRACT, MEL (Honey) EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (Chamomille) FLOWER EXTRACT, ALGAE EXTRACT, SODIUM HYALURONATE, HYDROLYZED KERATIN, HYDROLYZED (MARINE) COLLAGEN, MYRISTORYL HEXAPEPTIDE-16, DIMETHICONE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, PHENOXYETHANOL, TRITICUM VULGARE (Wheat) GERM OIL, ORGANIC SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (Jojoba) SEED OIL, ORGANIC ARGANIA SPINOSA (Argan) EXTRACT OIL, ALLANTOIN, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (Vitamin E), PANTHENOL (Vitamin B5), HYDROLYZED GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS, URTICA DIOICA (Nettle) Extract, MICA. May contain: Iron Oxides (Cl 77492, Cl 77491, Cl 77499).

The ingredients almost reads like a list you find in a good moisturizer but this is about feeding your lashes versus your skin! I was happy so far with what I was seeing and reading.

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Ease of Application: The tube is a nice size and you get a generous 0.27 fluid ounces, Easy to open and the brush on the wand does separate and apply a fluid and even coat to my lashes. The directions are simple, you apply one coat and within one minute’s time, apply one more coat or more if desired. The product does build up nicely and you don’t get that “spider look” we fear when applying additional coats. I’m a 2.5 coats girl when it comes to application. One coat to cover and a second for volume, .5 to get corners and any places that need extra attention. My only negative is that the applicator (not the wand stick portion) tends to “boing” a bit and is not as solid and fixed in one place. The brush is soft and pliable, almost like soft rubber. I don’t like that bounce back but after three uses, I expected that slight movement and was able to learn to adjust around it. I attribute this to being kinder on lashes and it’s just a learning curve. The hourglass shape and bristles make up for this shortcoming alone!

Retail Price Point: $27.00 on Amazon and $29.00 via the site (with free domestic shipping)

Results: I was using coconut oil at night to condition my lashes and I saw in 1 month’s time, my lashes tended to never fall (shed) or break, they just remained healthy and even stronger with time and this was just using one oil. EnvyDerm uses Moroccan Argan oil, vitamins, amino acids and just a more suitable and nourishing formula. I stopped the coconut oil use to see how EnvyDerm could pick-up.

  • Nourishing- The product does help when it comes to overall lash health. My lashes were soft and not dehydrated after removing the mascara.
  • Appearance- I was happy with how the brush flared my lashes and separated, plus I did get what I would call a medium rating when it comes to volume. I seek medium volume because that makes the mascara perfect for day or night. I don’t want to look like I have feather dusters for lashes no matter what trends say. The color was a nice pigmented black, which looked beautiful but also highlighted the eye area nicely. My eyes looked open and I look awake even with 5 hours of sleep!
  • Endurance- I never touch my face and much less my eye area due to my fears of bacteria and messing up my make-up. Right now, even though it’s Fall, I’m in Southern California so I get all that the weather has to offer and even windy days. It was hot, humid, cold, to even some rain when I used the product. On normal days, I experienced zero flaking or smudging. If it was above 90 degrees, I did get some smudging and stopped applying the product to the lower lashes. Wet days, again some smudging and slight flaking that tended to occur when I entered a store that was blasting the heater (after about 7.5 hours of wear). I gave it an 8 out of 10 when it came to handling the roller-coaster ride of temperatures we get in California.

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Overall, I was happy that my lashes did not feel heavy and weighed down by the product. EnvyDerm’s formula nourished and I did see what I call great “lash health”. I did not have to do anything but wear my mascara in the day and throughout the afternoon to keep up with the results I was getting from my coconut oil treatments. I still had to curl before applying because it was my way to insure I was getting the look I wanted but because the formula is light, you can get away without curling and get some minor lift but never compared to what a lash curler can do. I trim my lashes as it is (I know sounds odd) because if I don’t, my lashes hit my sunglasses and that bothers me. I did not experience growth but because they remained healthy, they did look fuller (thicker) and felt super soft when the mascara was off.

This is after wearing the EnvyDerm mascara for 8 hours and no issues with flaking or smudges.

This is after wearing the EnvyDerm mascara for 8 hours and no issues with flaking or smudges.

Compared to my list of mascaras that I am currently using and with Benefit’s They’re Real mascara being my 10 at the moment, I give this one an 8. The one thing it has over most mascaras, is that the product promotes longer and thicker lashes with their serum. I also use Tarte’s Gifted with Amazonian Clay and that was a 7 for me. I use Lancome’s Hypnose Doll lashes and that is a favorite when it comes to brush shape and formula, and this one I rate an 8…..the same as EnvyDerm but Lancome’s is $0.50 cents more in cost and minus the benefits.

See what EnvyDerm has to offer and start 2015 with prettier lashes at:

I received the above product(s) free of charge from EnvyDerm.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Swaggable: Alive Reef Safe Sunscreen from Sea Kind #Review

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Sea Kind makes several products for the face and body, from sunscreens to bath salts. I received a tube of the Alive Reef Safe Sunscreen and liked that the product is advertised as being 100% natural. It’s a good start for my skin and especially with this summer being in the pool a little more than usual. The formula provides 20% Zinc Oxide and is broad-spectrum, protecting your skin from UVA/UVB rays. The tube came with zero information when it came to contents and oddly the product had no marker when it came to SPF. I know! A sunscreen tube that does not reflect the coverage of SPF was a first for me but this is why we have google 🙂

I seek and I find that Sea Kind makes only one sunscreen formula and it comes in SPF 30. You won’t see the number in the description on the product’s page and ready for ordering, but if you put your mouse over the bottle’s image….viola!

  • Naturally Derived Ingredients (from the website):
    ZINC OXIDE 20%, PURIFIED WATER, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, COCONUT OIL, CAPRIC CAPRYLIC TRIGLYCERIDES, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, CASTOR OIL, POLYGLYCEROL-10 LAURATE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, SUNFLOWER OIL, JOJOBA OIL, TOCOPHEROLS, ACOPHYLLUM NODOSUM. HYALURONIC ACID, IRON OXIDES, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYL HEXYL GLYCERIN, PROPRIETARY BLEND OF FRUIT, HERB AND FLOWER ESSENTIAL OILS COMPLYING WITH THE ISO 9235 NATURAL STANDARD.

NO OXYBENZONE. NO PARABENS, PHTHALATES OR SULFATES. NO SYNTHETIC COLORS, DYES OR FRAGRANCE. NON-GMO, CRUELTY FREE

  • Price Point: $24.95 and again you have to put your mouse over the bottle’s image to see that it’s for a bottle that supplies 3.0 fluid ounces.

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Results:

Being a Southern California native, I have tried mostly every brand and formula readily available. I look for a product that does not clog my pores, is long lasting and simply works. I always found the first two features present but working on my fair skin was always the issue. I can start tanning rather quickly with SPF 50 on me but not all are created equal. Looking lobster red is not cute no matter the bikini you just bought and let’s not get into how bad it is health wise and much less how it feels that evening and the following days. I was weary of trusting a SPF 30 product to protect me enough. I have even given up on being tint/oily free and found peace having a white film as long as I could swim and stroll without looking like a sea creature but I decided to test this out. You will notice the “Non-Nano” on the bottle and this means the product will not absorb into your skin. As stated on the site, “The 200 namometer size particles avoids the risk of absorption in the body caused by smaller nano particles”. The formula also says water resistant and I used the every 80 minutes rule when it came to reapplication because again this was not stated on the product or site.

Verdict:

I can state that the product is light, leaves a slight oil shimmer but not even close to calling it oily. It just looks like you applied a light lotion and my face remained protected with zero clogs or blemishes, so zero penalties for trying not to burn. I tanned but no redness so protection was there and this was being in the pool and surviving 3 tidal waves that my wonderful Husband claims 2 were pure accident but since I had already assigned blame, the third one was “just because” he was already getting the evil eye from me.

Final Verdict:

I like the product and wish I could have tried it longer but my test tube really satisfied 2 face applications. I like the formula and it’s claims. Being 100% natural is rare and working is rarer for me. I just leave it in your hands when it comes to paying almost $25 for 3.0 ounces. My application was light on the second reapply, and that equated to using .33 fluid ounces for 160 minutes of pool time and just on my face. I would purchase this to be seriously blemish and irritant free on the face but can’t suggest taking the plunge for total body application unless you don’t see the sun much and can make the tube stretch.

Checkout the entire line of Face and Body Products from Sea Kind:

  • On-line– http://sea-kind.com/sea-kind-ultra-sunscreen
  • Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/pages/SEA-KIND/424252987638160
  • Twitter– https://twitter.com/SeaKind
  • Google+– https://plus.google.com/106139072276040110862/about
  • Pinterest– http://www.pinterest.com/seakindpinteres/

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Swaggable and Sea Kind. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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