Skin Care/Shaving

Here you will find articles and advice on skin care for men from some of the leading cosmetic professionals in the industry.

Michele Probst is a professional makeup artist and beauty expert whose many male clients pushed her into creating the Menaji line of skin care and grooming products for men. "They kept asking me what they could do on their own," she explains. "What could they use to cover a blemish or scratch. Well, there weren't any products out there made specifically for men. That's why I started Menaji Skincare.

Michele Probst, founder of the Menaji product line, is an internationally known make-up artist with fifteen years of experience in fashion photography, television, film and video. Some of the men she has made-up include: Tom Brokaw, Larry King, Kid Rock, Enrique Iglesias, Martin Sheen, and Jay Leno. She has specialized in making her celebrity male clients look good without looking made-up.

Menaji products have been developed in consultation with dermatologists and chemists to enhance the natural healing properties of men's skin. "Healthy skin looks best," Probst says. "So, put your best looking face forward with Menaji Skincare's all natural undetectable products."

Michele Probst
CEO & Founder - Menaji Skincare
Beauty Editor @ Best Magazine & Beststuff.com
Michele@menskincare.com
800-551-5067 ext.3

Think about it. What is the first thing people notice about you? It is your face, take it seriously.

Healthy skin is the most important element of a great looking face. It is not only easy to achieve, it's critical and you can do it for yourself. Put your best face forward Michele on her site lays out a 4 step plan.

Keep it clean

Men have approximately 20% oilier skin and significantly larger pores than women. Basically, this means you get dirtier. No matter what skin type you have, to clean your face every day. Deep cleansing is important. It keeps pores clear, skin healthy, and you looking good.

Because you spend a lot of time outside, environmental debris and pollutants are a factor in your skin's health. Toning helps keep your face clear and firm

Treat your skin

Depending on your skin type (oily, dry or combination) and the time of year, there are different products that treat and enhance your skin. Different treatments will have very different results. It is important to know your skin's needs.

Protect your skin

Healthy skin is young looking skin. There are preventative techniques that can promote the best skin possible and keep it looking its best longer. Remember that your skin is a mirror of your overall body health. Facial survival is the key.

Avoid over exposure to the sun.

Sun damage leads to hyper pigmentation (brown spots) which can develop into serious skin disease. Excessive exposure can also exaggerate and thicken fine lines. Use and SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin, especially on your face.

Stay in shape.

Exercise promotes capillary functioning which can decrease premature aging. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which keeps skin looking young.

Eat right.

Keep vitamins such as C and E in your diet regimen.

Everything in moderation.

Too much of anything is never a good idea. Stay away from excess alcohol, smoking, fatigue and stress. Not only can these factors lead to premature aging, they also decrease facial circulation making you look older. It is important to use products that are nutritious and healthy.

See the full tips and the Menaji products suggested at http://www.menaji.com

We are pleased to bring you excerpts from several articles and advice courtesy of Paula Begoun. You can see her site at http://www.cosmeticscop.com/about/about.asp

Paula Begoun's books, newsletters, and online publications are the leading source of valuable, straightforward skin-care and beauty information for consumers, helping them navigate around common misconceptions, outrageous cosmetics company claims, and exorbitant costs. Paula Begoun is the author and publisher of several other best-selling books and has sold more than 2.5 million books on the subject of skin care She is a nationally-recognized consumer expert on the cosmetics industry and has made repeat appearances on CNN, The Today Show, 20/20, Dateline NBC, ABC's Primetime, Oprah, and The View.

A regular speaker at dermatology and cosmetic surgery conferences, Paula is also a syndicated columnist with Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, and her weekly "Dear Paula" column appears in newspapers across the United States.

For more information about Paula Begoun and her books, visit www.CosmeticsCop.com.

How Skin Ages and Wrinkles

How the skin ages and wrinkles is a very complicated process that involves an almost limitless range of physiological occurrences. There isn't any one cause that can be addressed with a cosmetic to erase or minimize the inevitable, because the "aging" process itself is so complex and intricate. Skin, all by itself, ages in many identifiable ways. Adding one plant extract or a vitamin to the skin won't address what is needed to deal with the myriad issues for slowing down the aging process. A series of extrinsic factors (sun damage, pollution, free-radical damage, smoking) and intrinsic factors (genetically predetermined cell cessation, chronological aging, hormone depletion, immune suppression) all culminate in what we define as aged skin.

It isn't just oxygen depletion, free-radical damage, collagen destruction, reduced cell turnover, abnormal cell formation, decreased fat content, intercellular deficiency, genetically predetermined cell shutdown, hormone loss, and so on, that affect the way skin ages-it is a combination of all these things and more taking place.

For example, one notable characteristic of older skin versus younger skin is that younger skin has more fat cells in the dermis than older skin. That is one reason older skin looks more transparent and thinner than younger skin and why someone 30 pounds or more overweight tends to have fewer wrinkles. Furthermore, for some unknown reason, the skin keeps growing and expanding as we age, despite the fact that the supporting fat tissues of the lower layers of skin are decreasing. That is why the skin begins to sag: Too much skin is being produced, but there aren't enough bones (remember, bone also deteriorates with age) and fat to shore it up. Simultaneously, the facial muscles lose their shape and firmness, giving the face a drooping appearance.

Certain components of the skin also become depleted with age. The water-retaining and texture-enhancing elements in the intercellular structure such as ceramides, hyaluronic acids, polysaccharides, glycerin, and many others are exhausted and not replenished. The skin's support structures, collagen and elastin, deteriorate or are damaged. Older skin is also more subject to allergic reactions, sensitivities, and irritation than younger skin due to a weakening immune system.

On a deeper molecular level, the DNA and RNA genetic messages to the skin cell for reproduction slows down and the cells stop reproducing as abundantly or in the same way as they did when we were younger. This preprogrammed change makes cells become abnormally shaped, which further changes the texture of the skin and prevents the cells from retaining water. This is why older skin tends to be drier than younger skin. This change in the skin's DNA and RNA seems to happen for a variety of reasons: it is genetically predetermined, a result of sun damage, and a result of an inflammatory response from free-radical damage built up in the skin cells over a period of time (Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, April 2001, pages 327-335).

Men generally don't read my books or newsletters. One positive result of this lack of interest in the skin-care industry is that most men don't waste their money on unnecessary products for their skin. While this monetary savings is significant, it probably means most men don't use sunscreen on a consistent basis and leave their skin at risk for cancer, not to mention wrinkles. On another note, it also means that most men don't know what ingredients in their shaving products might be irritating and they end up with razor burn (which is usually product burn).

Shaving is the most typical start to a man's day, and it is the first area where they make mistakes. Most shaving creams and pre-shave products contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, menthol, mint, and camphor, as well as high levels of potassium or sodium hydroxide. These skin irritants make the hair follicle and skin swell, forcing the hair up and away from the skin, supposedly allowing for a closer shave. Unfortunately, the irritation and resulting swelling cause some of the hair to be hidden by the swollen follicle and skin. Note that sodium hydroxide is used at very low levels in many skin-care products to adjust the pH value. In these instances, it is not irritating to skin.

Additionally, the swollen skin makes it harder for the stubble to find its way back out. If the hair begins to grow (which it does almost immediately) before the swelling is reduced, the likelihood of ingrown hairs is increased.

Shaving with a razor abrades the skin-granted, not all that much, but enough to cause havoc when an aftershave lotion with irritating ingredients is splashed over that broken skin. Think of splashing aftershave on a cut or scrape on any other part of your body. Now, why would you want to do that to your face? Basic skin-care rule number one for both men and women: If the skin-care product you use burns, irritates, tingles, causes the skin to become inflamed, or hurts, don't use it.

What should men use to take care of their skin when they shave?

To start with, all men need a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, a gentle shave product (foam, cream, or gel), followed by a gentle, nonirritating aftershave or shaving lotion (which is actually just a masculine name for a gentle toner). When it comes to treating breakouts, preventing wrinkles, and addressing dry skin, the protocol is the same for men as it is for women (BHA, AHA, and disinfectant for blemishes, daily sun care with at least SPF 15 and effective UVA protection, and a good moisturizer to use when and where skin is dry).

What products should men use to take care of their skin? To start with, all men need a gentle, water-soluble cleanser; a gentle shaving product (such as Paula's Choice Close Comfort Shave Gel), followed by a gentle, non-irritating aftershave or shaving lotion (which for all intents and purposes are just masculine names for a gentle toner) or an alcohol-free topical anti-inflammatory product.

However, for men dealing with blemishes, milia, or blackheads, a well-formulated BHA product can be used over non-shaved areas, or over the entire face in the evening (assuming the man shaves in the morning). Men who shave do have an advantage, because shaving removes the top layer of dead skin cells, improving cell turnover. Yet it doesn't mean that men have to avoid the advantages of using a retinoid-like Retin-A or Renova-or that they should omit using a reliable sunscreen.

Courtesy Paula Beqoun

Within the Paula's Choice line, you can obtain cosmetics for men and valuable the skin-care routines recommended for men. You can find them at www.cosmeticcop.com

The following grooming guide

Grooming Guide / A.M - P.M regimen.

A.M regimen

Shower in warm (not hot) water with Invigorating Body Wash or citrus-scented glycerin Cleansing Bars. Lather a small amount of Face Wash in your palms and smooth it over your face and neck. Rinse thoroughly.

Hot water and harsh soaps dry out your skin. Dehydrated skin produces excess oil and blemishes.

A daily treatment of Protein Shampoo and Moisturizing Conditioner protects against scalp build-up caused by styling products, environmental pollutants, and toxins such a DHT.

The Perfect Shave

Before shaving, soak a clean washcloth in very warm water; apply the cloth to the beard for approx. 30 seconds. Steam helps to open the pores and soften the beard, making it easier to shave. For best results, use a badger hair shave brush to evenly disperse the shave cream. Leave Super Close Shave Formula on your beard for 30 seconds before shaving. Follow with a splash of cold water to close the pores of the skin, finish your ritual with an application of soothing After Shave Balm to seal the deal.

The general rule of thumb when shaving is to do so in the direction of the hair growth. While this may not offer the closest shave possible, it does provide the least amount of skin irritation, including razor burn and ingrown hairs.

"Razor Bumps" - For fast relief and prevention from outbreaks. - dab a pea-sized amount of Razor Bump Repair on the affected area.

Exposure to the sun's damaging UV rays is one of the leading causes of premature skin aging and also puts you at greater risk of developing skin cancer. Start your day off right by applying Super Shape SPF15 facial moisturizer (UVA / UVB protection).

P.M regimen

Before bed, cleanse face with warm water and Baxter Face Wash. Apply Herbal Mint Toner and follow with Enriched Night Cream AHA; to minimize fine lines and restore skin elasticity.

Eyes are the first areas of a man's face to show signs of aging. Under eye skin is extremely delicate. As you age, it gets thinner and more susceptible to wrinkles. Using your fingertip, apply small dabs of Under Eye complex to the soft tissue that surrounds the eye. Do not rub.

Treatments

One to three times per week after cleansing, gently work a small amount of exfoliating Skin Toner Facial Scrub onto your face, using small circular motions. Scrubs contain granules that gently buff away impurities and dead surface cells, stimulating skin renewal and revitalizing the complexion. Scrubs also serve as a great pre-shave treatment that lifts facial hair resulting in fewer ingrown hairs.

Men's oily skin responds best to a mask that's fortified with natural clay, which tightens, tones, and clarifies as it dissolves dead cells. Two to four times per month, steam your face over a bowl of hot water and then Apply a thin layer of clay mask on the face, let it dry (approximately 10 minutes), rinse off with warm water.

Facial scrubs and clay masks keep the pores of your skin clear of the material that forms blemishes and blackheads.

Never use facial scrub if you have moderate to severe acne. This process may aggravate the condition.

Skin care from the modelling world

We found this article on skin care very interesting.

Have you ever seen a couple together and thought, "He must be taking his mom out to lunch"-only to find that the couple is married? It's a fact: men's and women's skin age differently. Testosterone causes men to have thicker skin, which means that it tends to sag and wrinkle less and is a more effective barrier against environmental irritants and bacteria. Not only do women have thinner skin, but their oil glands produce slightly less oil than men's, which means they have less "natural" moisturizer. Men usually shave their faces, which exfoliates the dead cells and lessens the appearance of wrinkles. On the down side, for many men shaving is an abrasive experience and can account for the roughening of the skin along the jaw line and cheeks.

Regardless of the inherent advantages that men have when it comes to their skin, a daily skin care regime can work wonders to maintain a vigorous, youthful appearance (that testosterone doesn't last forever, guys). Skin care for men is remarkably similar to that for women. You will want to clean your skin every day, apply toner and moisturize your skin. And always use sun block, at least SPF 15.

Sun is damaging to the appearance and health of your skin, and even those of you who spend a total of five minutes in the sun per day-getting in and out of your car, for instance-will want to heed the following tips. Always use an SPF 15 sunscreen and apply it everywhere the sun's rays might touch you: ears, the back of your neck, and bald areas of your scalp. If you're sweating or swimming, apply it at least once an hour. Wear tightly-woven clothing to prevent the sun from penetrating the fabric and getting to your skin.

Sunburns

If that week-long beach volleyball tournament has left you with sun-reddened, throbbing, blistered skin, there are a few things you can do to lessen your discomfort. Apply aloe vera to burned areas to moisturize and promote healing; chamomile steeped in water can help to relieve the sting; calamine lotion will lessen the itching; cool compresses, baths, and showers will sooth your skin, and adding vinegar or cooked oatmeal to your bath water will reduce the sting. Starchy, liquefied raw potatoes applied directly to the sunburned areas will also lessen the pain, but make sure that you wait until the mixture dries completely before you rinse it off to reap the full benefits.

Acne

Acne is a problem for many men. Thick skin and active oil glands can cause everything from the occasional blemish to full-blown acne. Men's acne treatment is similar to women's, but the products tend to be a little more concentrated. Our Baking Soda Scrub recipe (below) is non-irritating and will sooth and gently exfoliate your skin. For other tips and recipes to treat acne, go to Acne Prone Skin Care.

Baking Soda Scrub

Wet your face with warm water. Apply 1 tbsp. baking soda to dampened skin, massaging gently but thoroughly all over the face (including behind the ears). Rinse carefully removing all the baking soda, and repeat the process. Dry your face, apply toner and sun block.

Information found at Jurgita Modeling Magazine www.jurgita.com

Menessentials are pleased to have adressed this issue with African male..see these new ethnic skin care products on their site.
"skin care for men of color"

By James Whittall
MenEssentials President
Published June 2002

Two months ago, we sponsored a promotion for three skin care sports kits. Contestants answered a few questions about our site - specifically, what they would do to improve it - and we automatically entered their names in the draw.

Of the several thousand entries we received, only a handful truly stood out from the others. One contestant asked for more nude photos of Sandra Bullock - a laudable suggestion, many guys would agree, but impractical for just about every reason you can imagine. Another recommended that we offer our products for free. (I'm a generous guy, but that's pushing it.) A third fellow complained that we didn't carry any lines for men of color.

This last one stuck with me, because I hadn't really thought of our collection as exclusive to one race over another. Looking at our site with fresh eyes, it became apparent that we didn't actually promote the concept of inclusion. And in many instances that's as good as ignoring an important market segment, altogether.

It's true that our collection is ideally suited for men of all ethnic origins. But guys with darker complexions have very specific skin care needs. It's time we discussed those in detail.

See their products at www.menessentials.com.

Sun Care

For obvious reasons, skin cancer rates are 20 times higher among Caucasians than among people with dark skin. However, as a man of color, that doesn't automatically mean you're exempt from sun damage.

On the contrary, without protection your skin will fry too. If you plan to spend any amount of time under the sun, slap on some SPF 15 sunscreen. Tightly woven fabrics are also a good defense against burning. Make sure your clothing is of appropriate density to resist those rays.

Ingrown Hair

Because of the coil-like structure of their hair, black men are particularly susceptible to excruciating ingrowns and razor bumps. This problem was widespread enough 20 years ago that the US military revised its personal hygiene codes, for the first time permitting African American soldiers to grow full beards rather than to shave.

Ingrown hairs in black men can often cause extreme pain, severe infection, and even scarring. They're also fairly tenacious little buggers, and harder to extract than ingrowns in men with straight hair and fairer complexions.

To successfully dislodge ingrown hairs, use a glycolic facial cleanser or polishing scrub before you shave. Also, you might have to get out the tweezers and extract them by hand. A good exfoliation with the cleanser or scrub should make that goal infinitely easier to achieve.

Dark Circles

Lots of guys have "dark circles" (crescents, actually) under their eyes. For Caucasians, dark circles are caused either by lack of sleep, allergies, or veins showing through the delicate skin that surrounds the orbital bone.

For many dark-skinned males, the root cause is superficial pigmentation. Treatments for this condition include laser resurfacing and blepharoplasty - under-eye surgery that removes fatty tissue and excess skin. (If you've read any of my other articles, then you already know what I think of cosmetic surgery.) Neither procedure removes pigmentation, but the smoother under-eye skin will make dark circles less noticeable.

There are also a variety of lightening creams to treat superficial pigmentation. Consult with a dermatologist before you invest in this option.

Less intrusive - and less expensive - treatments include men's foundation powder to even skin tone.

Look also for eye creams that contain shea butter - a substance made from the nut of the Mangifolia tree in Central Africa. Recently introduced as a cosmetic ingredient, shea butter is known to reduce skin discolorations, restore skin tone, and diminish fine lines.

Dry Skin

This is the bane of many people's existences, regardless of race. But dry skin can make black men appear ashen.

If you have dry skin and don't suffer from acne, try a top-quality moisturizer for your face and body. If you have dry skin that's complicated with acne, talk to a dermatologist.

Keloids

Sometimes confused with skin cancer, keloids are actually masses of scar tissue that can appear after a cut, sore, infection, or acne blemish heals. Black men get keloids with relative ease, because their skins contain significant amounts of dark pigmentation called melanin.

Unfortunately, there are no creams to lighten keloids or concealer cosmetics to hide them. Standard treatment for existing scars involves cortisone or interferon injections, cryosurgery, or laser resurfacing. But don't get your hopes up: surgery always involves a healing process, and this is precisely what causes keloids, in the first place.

For fresh cuts and abrasions, Brave Soldier Antiseptic Healing Ointment can significantly reduce the formation of keloids. But you must treat the wound when it occurs and not after a scab forms.

If you suspect keloids, see a dermatologist immediately. (In fact, you should see a doctor about any unusual skin discoloration). Early prevention is still the best treatment.

www.menessentials.com

http://www.treasuredlocks.com/index.html

The term "metrosexual" refers to a man who is not afraid to take care of his grooming needs. Metrosexuals are a growing percentage of the population. What we have found is that men are looking for quality products developed specifically for their needs. They want products that actually do what they say they are going to do. Ethnic men, in particular, want to know that the manufacturer of the product cares about their needs and understands their needs.

Beyond just the product itself, men want products that are packaged specifically for them. Men do not want a feminine looking bottle or jar sitting in their bathrooms. Metrosexual men want to take care of themselves. But, they do not want to feel feminine while they are doing it. Most men will not buy a product that is marketed to women or packaged for women no matter how effective it might be.

With our Ajuvén line of products we are meeting the needs of the ethnic metrosexual. This client does not want a mass produced product. He's looking for the best possible quality product and is willing to do the research to find it. By delivering our products via the Internet, we bring hand-crafted quality products to a broad market across the United States and around the world. Without this delivery mechanism, these types of products would not be available to the majority of men. They would only be available in specialty stores in major metropolitan areas. Men in places like Iowa and North Dakota would be just plain out of luck. Even in the specialty stores, product selection is usually limited to a few high priced items that happen to have the money to spend on fancy packaging and/or advertising.

There are three things we try to deliver to our clients. We view these as three components of a value equation. Some clients will buy based on one or two criteria. But, the truly discriminating man buys based on all three.

1.) Great service- we strive to provide quick, accurate order fulfillment. We answer questions for our client and we provide a wealth of information concerning our products and the industry. Particularly in the ethnic market, many of the people working in drug stores and grocery stores know little to nothing about the products on their shelves.

2.) Great products- we deliver only high quality products that are effective in doing what we advertise them to do. We will not sell cheap, watered down or ineffective products just to turn a dollar. The products on most grocery store shelves are not very effective.

3.) Value pricing- while we do not provide the lowest cost products available, we strive to provide a great ratio of quality to price. Quality costs more and the client who is willing to pay for quality is the client that will choose us. However, we do not expect clients to pay more just for a label or a fancy bottle.

The ethnic skin care market is growing. Ethnic people are no longer accepting that they have to mass-produced products that do not fit their needs. As people become more accustomed to choices in other areas of their lives, they are demanding those same choices in their personal care products. Via the Internet, niche producers, like Treasured Locks, are connected to those people who want the best for their particular needs.Treasured Locks, LLC is the parent company. We have three product lines of our own- Treasured Locks, HumiNature and Ajuvén. Treasured Locks was originally created to meet the hair care needs of African Americans. We quickly branched into skin care with our HumiNature line of products and then into men's skin and hair care with our Ajuvén line of products.

See all Treasured Locks products at http://www.treasuredlocks.com/index.html

Email us at info@menslooks.com if you would like to see any areas of skin care researched for you.

Dumb Luck or Marketing Genius?
StriVectin-SD® Signs Isaac Mizrahi as Spokesperson

“The stretch mark cream turned anti-wrinkle phenomenon™”
to feature fashion icon in new international advertising campaign

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – While most of the major cosmetic giants turn to aging Hollywood starlets to hawk their wrinkle creams, Klein-Becker has a fresh perspective… tapping a most unlikely spokesperson for its StriVectin-SD… the “Better than Botox®*? Stretch mark cream tuned anti-wrinkle phenomenon”… fashion icon and television personality, Isaac Mizrahi.

“Frankly, we didn’t turn to Isaac to sell StriVectin to women,” says Gina Gay of Klein-Becker. “Virtually every woman who knows anything about wrinkles already knows about StriVectin. It’s the #1 selling prestige skin cream in the entire world (including France, of all places). Instead, our goal was to reach men, the fastest growing segment of cosmeceutical buyers. Why did we choose Isaac? Well, like most everything we do, it was dumb luck. Our market research team stumbled on this unlikely fact… men trust Isaac just as much as women do; men actually like Isaac; and, men find Isaac engaging. That makes Isaac the perfect person to introduce StriVectin to men.”

The unexpected choice of Isaac Mizrahi as StriVectin spokesperson is just one of a series of “unexpecteds” that have turned StriVectin into cosmeceutical legend. For those of you who haven’t heard the remarkable StriVectin story, here it is…

The StriVectin Story
In a remarkable turn of events arguably one of the strangest in the history of cosmetics women across the country are putting a stretch-mark cream called StriVectin-SD on their face to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crows’ feet. And, if consumer sales are any indication of a product's effectiveness, StriVectin-SD is nothing short of a miracle. Women, as well as a growing number of “Boomer” men, are buying so much StriVectin-SD that finding a tube at your local cosmetic counter has become just about impossible. Did everyone go mad? Well...not really.

Although StriVectin-SD's® functional components were already backed by clinical trials documenting their ability to visibly reduce the appearance of existing stretch marks (prominent because of their depth, length, discoloration and texture)... the success of StriVectin-SD as an anti-wrinkle cream was “dumb luck,” said Ms. Gay.

“When we first handed out samples of the StriVectin™ formula to employees and customers as part of our market research, the sample tubes were simply marked ‘topical cream’ with the lot number underneath,” Ms. Gay explained. “As the samples were passed to friends and family, the message became a little muddled and some people used this ‘topical cream’ as a facial moisturizer. As we began to receive feedback from users, like ‘I look 10 years younger’ and ‘I can't even notice my crows’ feet’ we knew we had something more than America's most effective stretch-mark cream. The point was driven home as store owners began reporting that almost as many people were purchasing StriVectin as an anti-wrinkle cream as were buying it to reduce stretch marks.”

Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey, PhD, Klein-Becker's Director of Scientific Affairs, says, “Clearly, people were seeing results, but we didn't have a scientific explanation as to why this wrinkle-reduction was occurring. "Based on the incredibly positive reports from users and the Paris reports," Mowrey continues, "I started using StriVectin myself ... as an aftershave in the morning and before I go to bed at night. And let me tell you -- no one has ever accused me of being handsome, but now I'm happy to say that I look young and ugly rather than old and ugly. For me, that's a big improvement."

Dumb Luck Strikes Again!
Then, at a meeting of the 20th World Congress of Dermatology in Paris, France, a series of studies detailing the superior wrinkle-reducing properties of a patented oligo-peptide “called Pal-KTTKS” versus retinol, vitamin C, and placebo, on “photo-aged skin” was presented. “As luck would have it,” Dr. Mowrey states, “the anti-wrinkle oligo-peptide tested in the breakthrough clinical trials turned out to be a key ingredient in the StriVectin cream.”

In the trials, subjects applied the patented peptide solution to the crows' feet area on one side of the face, and a cream containing either retinol, vitamin C, or a placebo to the other side.

Subjects in the Pal-KTTKS/retinol study applied the cream once a day for 2 months and then twice a day for the next 2 months. Using special image analysis, the study's authors reported “significant improvement” in both the overall appearance of skin tone and wrinkles for those women using the peptide solution.

Better yet, at the 2-month halfway point, the peptide solution worked nearly 1.5 times faster than retinol “in measured parameters,” and without the inflammation retinol often causes in sensitive skin. As was expected, the results of the remaining studies confirmed that the Pal-KTTKS solution's effectiveness at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles far exceeded both vitamin C and placebo.

A smoother, younger complexion, with less irritation and faster results—all without expensive (and painful) peels, implants or injections.

Better than Retinol and Vitamin C, But Is StriVectin-SD Better than Botox®*?
Dr. Nathalie Chevreau, PhD, RD, Director of Women's Health at Salt Lake City based Basic Research®, exclusive distributor for Klein-Becker, explains, “Leading dermatologists agree that Botox is the preferred treatment for moderate to severe frown lines between the brow. But ever since it was discovered that StriVectin could reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crows' feet... the kind of fine lines, wrinkles and crows feet that can add 10-15 years to your appearance and which costly medical treatments often leave behind... skin-care professionals have been recommending, and using, StriVectin.”

In fact, researchers believe non-invasive alternatives are better, because, Dr. Chevreau continues, “Topical creams and gels offer gradual, continual results, while the effects of injections, facial peels, and dermabrasions are rougher on the skin and wear off.” In other words, StriVectin-SD™ helps give you a youthful, healthy, glowing complexion faster than retinol, far superior to vitamin C, and without irritation, needles, or surgery. Even better, many dermatologists and plastic surgeons recommend StriVectin in conjunction with cosmetic procedures, including Botox.

So, if you see someone applying an anti-stretch mark cream to their face, don't think they've gone off the deep end... they may be smarter than you think.

And Now… Isaac Mizrahi
If StriVectin’s streak of “dumb luck” continues, Isaac Mizrahi will be responsible for millions of men around the globe using “the stretch mark cream turned anti-wrinkle phenomenon… turned ‘anti-aging’ aftershave” on their face every morning.

About Isaac
Isaac Mizrahi is best known for his mass-market line of clothing and accessories for Target® as well as his daily talk show, “Isaac,” on the Style Network. The three-time Council of Fashion Designers of America award-winner also designs a couture collection which is exclusively sold at Bergdorf Goodman.®. He was the subject of the highly-acclaimed documentary “Unzipped.” In addition to his CDFA awards, Mizrahi’s costume designs have earned him a Drama Desk Award and an Emmy Nomination.
This fall finds Isaac facing exciting new projects with the launch of his new lifestyle magazine and companion website, Isaac’s Style Book, and the debut of his men’s ready-to-wear collection.

(*Botox® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.)

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.