NeoStrata: Exuviance SkinRise Bionic Tonic #Review #SkinRiseBionicTonic

Exuviance is back!!!

This little gem is a little different from the ordinary, as it comes in pad form. This not only makes it easier to apply but one less item you need to purchase, cotton pads. I have used tonics and toners that come in bottle form, but other than a peel that used the same method of application, this is a new item for me. At first I must admit that I was a little hesitant to add one more item to my beauty routine. I figured I have abandoned this in the past, so why add it back again? BUT, I trust the Exuviance brand and figured I see what the SkinRise Bionic Tonic is all about.

The SkinRise Bionic Tonic is described as having anti-aging ingredients, so this already differs from the “waters” I applied in the past. Before these beauty products were just to correct the pH on your skin but with Exuviance, you get much more:

• Gluconolactone
• Glucoheptonolactone
• Lactobionic Acid
• Pro Vitamins A, C, and E
• Cucumber Extract
• Eucalyptus Extract
• Green Tea Extract

The first ingredients sound familiar because they are. Gluconolactone/Glucoheptonolactone are derived from Gluconic acid. This acid helps with conditioning of your skin and that means you will see softer skin and that is because the molecules trap water. Moisture remains on the surface longer and that means the product you are using will be more effective.  The tonic’s properties will remain on the surface (being absorbed) for a longer duration, just feeding and softening the surface of your skin. Lactobionic Acid, falls under the same family and is another antioxidant. NeoStrata, the parent company of Exuviance has a patent on PHAs (i.e. Polyhydroxy Acid) and this is considered an anti-wrinkle ingredient.  The PHAs are highly regarded in the industry because they has less side effects and are gentler. You not only reap the benefits but you are less likely to experience irritation from the ingredients (acids). The SkinRise Bionic tonic goes a step further by adding vitamins, which offer more antioxidant rich qualities and then comes Cucumber and Eucalyptus extracts. This is not only re-freshening to the skin but it opens the pores, stimulates the skin and gives a user that “awakening feel/look” in the morning. It’s kinder than splashing cold water…trust me! The Green Extract, is an ingredient that has anti-inflammatory properties and again more antioxidant properties. Green Tea, can help slow down the process of collagen break down and may help with stopping and/or slowing down the damage caused by free radicals. Okay, so this is not the usual little toner in a bottle to just make me look awake in the morning, it has clinically proven powers but of course this is just some of the key ingredients to the SkinRise Bionic Tonic from Exuviance.

Ingredients (as listed on the website):
Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Glucoheptonolactone, Glycerin, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Algae Extract, Lactobionic Acid, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Arginine, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Retinyl (Vitamin A) Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Camellia Oleifera (Japanese Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum (Fragrance), CI 42090 (Blue 1).

Application: You simply wash your face and once your face is dry, you just take one pad an apply the tonic to your entire face. Softly massage any remaining tonic (liquid) into the skin until absorbed, and you then simply follow your beauty regimen. I used it only once a day in the A.M. and then used my serums, moisturizer and sunscreen after.

Retail Price Point: A jar with 36 pads is $45.00 via NeoStrata and on Amazon sells for $32.53 (with Prime Shipping) and is sold by Exuviance. Ulta, has the same price point as Exuviance does, but offers a gift with purchase (valid until 1/23), which is FREE deluxe samples of Bionic Oxygen Facial and Super Retinol Concentrate with any Exuviance purchase.

 

Verdict:

I did not hold high hopes or even much change would take place from adding the SkinRise Bionic Tonic to my beauty routine.  On the first week of using, I noticed my face looked clearer in both from acne but my complexion had a healthy shine.  You know how they say sometimes just washing your face is not enough…….I get now why they say that.  The tonic does not strip my face in that I feel like dried up plaster after application, my skin remains soft and supple.  I continue to use the pads and I am really liking how they balance my skin where my serums and moisturizers just glide on better.  Almost like a light exfoliation!  I am using a new foundation (thank you Sanat) and that even applies more even on my skin.  They say moisturizing is key and even though this is a tonic, stop thinking toners from the past.  You know how we welcome serums now but before they just felt like water on our skin?  That is the bionic difference.  This is a form of pre-moisturizer.  The SkinRise Bionic Tonic preps my skin so I get the most out of the products I use and achieve a better complexion with time.  I noticed my fine lines plump out better, so yeah I have been looking better!  The price tag represents over a month’s worth of supply and now that I have seen how much more moisture my skin can hold and how it looks when it does, it’s sort of hard to let go of that.  There is no burning or getting a red face from this product and if it means I even have to cut the pads in half on the months I used up my beauty allowance a little early, so be it because I don’t want to be without the SkinRise Bionic Tonic.  Yes, this how attached I am to this jar!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Neostrata/Exuviance.  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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HouseParty/Chatterbox: Mary Kay Acne System, Clear Proof Kit #Review

I’m at that stage where I pick my battles with my skin. I am not surrendering but realize that some days I fight acne and blemishes, while other days it’s the aging battle. If I fight my battle too hard, I end up with dry and flaky skin, and so far I have not read that flaky lizard skin is the 2014 Fall look. I have tried several OTC brands to even “Spa” and boutique lines. Some work great at the start and then fail, or some just congest my skin from the beginning that I give-up after enduring the “break-out period” while my skin is suppose to adjust to the failed product.

Mary Kay came out with a simple system that surprised me. First, they state that you will see clearer skin in about 7 days. This was based on a 12-week independent clinical trial. Secondly, it does not break the bank. The total kit retails for $45.00. Yes! The entire set and you are ready to go. Want to test the products out, try “The Go Set” that gives deluxe (smaller) sizes for just $20.00. Seems so doable but does it work?

This review will also include my Husband’s results because he is also part guinea-pig like me and I tend to talk (and talk) him into trying stuff with me. He won’t allow a full spa treatment but he is all for annihilating blemishes with me. Maybe the couple that kills pimples together, stays together 🙂

 

Clear Proof Clarifying Gel (4.5 oz.) Face Wash:

• Retails for: $16.00

First off the bat, the wash is a clear colored gel that is rated medium when it comes to thickness/texture. The lather is not so much at first “wetness” but once I add a little more by dabbing my fingers in the water, it does start to build a light foam. I find it dries out quick, so keep distributing and adding water as you go. The scent was a little surprising at first……okay, it does not smell great but I also don’t want fragrances adding to my clogged skin. It smells organic and by this I mean sort of like greenery (plants). Not great but it does deliver 2% Salicylic acid and my face feels clean, not stripped after I wash. My Husband was surprised by the scent and his remark was somewhat of a groan and then continued to go forward and use it. Hey, it smells better than some of my “at home” concoctions!

 

Clear Proof Blemish Control Toner (5 oz.):

• Retails for: $15.00

I have used toners before and then stop after being tired of the burn and redness that amounts to zero benefits most times. I used the toner and yes it stings slightly if you have a pimple you popped even though you know better but it does feel re-freshening and leaves you with a nice clean surface. Not over drying that you feel someone stretched your skin tight. Once you look at the cotton ball then you will realize the need for it. I also do feel it balances my pH nicely and leaves a nice matte but natural finish. The product also Contains 2% salicylic acid to fight oil or whatever tries to haunt me with more pimples. My Husband’s take was, “ewwww”, to what was left behind on the cotton ball and I am happy to report he finally learned how to fill the cotton ball dispenser all on his own, versus leaving it empty and asking if we are out of them 🙂

 

Clear Proof Acne Treatment Gel (1 oz.):

• Retails for: $10.00

The one that fight’s the best fight. A light gel that just fades but not just when it comes to color like with other gels/creams, it fades into the skin like Houdini! I can apply make-up and you can’t notice or feel where the gel was applied. I am fighting pimples incognito and you will be happy with this treatment’s ninja skills. It works, prevents, and also I find it lightens up any previous marks you have from acne. Almost accelerated the “cure time” so much, that my thin scab (from picking) was gone in 6 days. This was a scab I got before from a pimple that had it’s own ninja skills and decided to poke but never show it’s face! I tried popping and it just would not participate but now it’s just a memory in my head and not on my face. My Husband likes it because being a guy, you don’t exactly depend on make-up, so he likes that it prevents any blemishes from even taking place. At 5% Benzoyl Peroxide the product is not so low it does not perform well or so high that it peels and dries your face out.

 

Clear Proof Oil-Free Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin (3 oz.):

• Retails for: $18.00

I have more moisturizers than I wish to count but the dilemma is always there, do I lather up and break-out or just skip (mostly light pats) and then go to make-up? Solution for me, I mixed this moisturizer with my foundation and got the best application and when I washed my face, no pimples! I was left with a light finish that lasted all day and I love how my skin looks. The surface is smooth and not too matte that I look like I’m getting an early start on Halloween or not too greasy, that I shine brighter than the sun! Perfection. My Husband’s take on the moisturizer……well, he would have to had to stick around because he heard anything lotion-y and he bails. What is it with guys thinking every moisturizer means greasy? On day three I was able to hunt and capture him to convince him to just dab his forehead. He claimed his skin was going to suffocate but I can report the man still sports a forehead, so no skin was lost.

Key Ingredients (as listed from the site):

Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are both recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. dermatologists as effective acne-fighting ingredients. So what makes them different?

• Salicylic acid acts like an exfoliant to promote the easy removal of dead skin cells. As such, it helps keep pores unclogged and reduce the buildup of P. acnes bacteria.
• Benzoyl peroxide (BPO), on the other hand, is an oxygen-releasing ingredient that kills bacteria. P. acnes bacteria flourish when there’s a lack of oxygen, like in a clogged pore. By creating an oxygen-rich environment, BPO can help reduce the number of P. acnes bacteria that can cause lesions to form. It also can help in dissolving the buildup of dead skin cells.

 

I (we) was very happy and have continued to use the kit.  The “must-haves” would be the toner and the treatment gel for me.  Those two really make the difference but because they all work in unison towards fighting those nasty blemishes that appear at the worst time (like anytime they are welcomed but you know what I mean), I would purchase all 4 as a kit for the best value.  I did see Mary Kay has a “Pore-Purifying Serum” that is part of the Clear Proof line.  I hope to try that in the future too!

 

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• #ClearProofPack

 

 

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Mary Kay via ChatterBox, a HouseParty division.  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.