What You Should Know About This Product

CelaBright is a topical cream that is designed to brighten the appearance of skin. It can help in a number of ways, by improving areas that have been affected by hyperpigmentation, age spots, moles, freckles or simply darker due to genetics. The CelaBright product, which is manufactured by AMA Laboratories, is presented on an attractive website which is user-friendly and very informative. Unlike some comparable products, CelaBright has been extensively clinically tested and there is a chart shown on the website which shows how it favourably compares with other skin lighteners on the market.

CelaBright is only available via the internet or in spas, not in retail stores. Unfortunately no money back guarantees are offered on the product, nor are free samples. However, there are certain discounts available on larger orders and one bottle of the product (1 oz) costs $49.95.

Ingredients contained In This Product

Deionized Water – Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera Gel) Juice – C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate – Bis-Vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer – Glycerin – Glyceryl Stearate – PEG-100 Stearate – Ethoxydiglycol – a-Arbutin – PEG-12 Dimethicone – Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides – Stearic Acid – Phyllanthus – Emblica Fruite Extract – Saxifrage Sarmentosa Extract – Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract – Morus Bombycis Root Extract – Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract – Disodium EDTA – Agaricus Bisporus (Mushroom) Betaglucan – Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C0 – Salicylic Acid – Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract – Carbomer – Triethanolamine – Silica – Titanium Dioxide – iron Oxides – Xanthan Gum 0 Polysorbate-20 – Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) – Retinyl Palmitae (Vitamin A) – Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract – Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruite Extract – Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract – Methylisothiazolinone – DMDM Hydantoin

Product Features

The ingredients in CelaBright are safe to use on all areas of the body and will not affect sensitive skins adversely. While the full ingredient list is shown on the site only the active ingredients are explained, the primary substance being Alpha Arbutin, a commonly used skin brightener. Other ingredients in the formula are the anti-oxidant Licorice, Salicylic acid, to treat acne and thicken the skin, Saxifraga Sarmentosa, an anti-inflammatory, and Tetrahexyldecyl, a substance that is a form of Vitamin C.

Application instructions vary depending on the severity of the problem, but the general guideline is that the cream should be applied twice a day.

Advantages

• CelaBright has been clinically tested
• The CelaBright website is informative
• Key ingredients are explained
• The formula does not contain Hydroquinone
• It can be used on all body areas

Disadvantages

• No money back guarantees are offered
• There are no customer testimonials
• No free samples are offered
• Manufacturer contact information is limited
• CelaBright is not available in retail stores

Conclusion

CelaBright certainly appears to be one of the more reputable skin lighteners on the market. It is more affordable than some lightening brands and it also has the advantage of having been extensively clinically tested. Despite the fact that there is no money back guarantee, the fact that there is proof of its lightening abilities makes CelaBright a recommended brand.

Lumnaskin is a product that is manufactured by the reputable Dermagevity company. They also produce a large range of make-up and skin care brands, all of which are showcased on their professionally-designed and easy to use website. Lumnaskin is specifically designed to brighten tired and dull skin, decrease age spots and hyper-pigmentation while also moisturizing and firming the surface. There is a good amount of information provided for Lumnaskin that includes the causes of a blotchy or dull complexion, details about the manufacturer and the science behind the development of the products.

Lumnaskin can be purchased directly from the website at a cost of $44.99 per bottle. No free samples are offered but special package deals are provided such as a ‘buy 3 get 1 free’ special. All Dermagevity products have a 30-day money back guarantee and the company accepts both used and unopened goods.

Lumnaskin Product Description

All ingredients are listed for Lumnaskin and the key active ingredients are explained in detail. Some have been clinically tested in independent trials and the results are shown on the product information page. There are a number of lightening ingredients contained in the Lumnaskin formula including Biowhite Serum which gently brightens the complexion and Gigawhite, a Swiss plant extract that helps stop melanin production by inhibiting the enzyme Tyrosinase. Hyaluronic acid is responsible for attracting and binding water molecules for increased moiturization and Grape seed extract is beneficial in the cellular repair system.

Lumnaskin is to be applied 1-2 times per day and can be worn alone or under other skincare products or make-up.

Lumnaskin Advantage

• Lumnaskin is affordable
• Dermagevity is a reputable company
• All ingredients are listed
• Customer Before and After photos are shown
• Lumnaskin contains UV protection
• Some ingredients have been clinically tested

Lumnaskin–Drawbacks

• No free samples are offered
• Lumnaskin may not be suitable for all skin types

Lumnaskin- The Bottomline

Lumnaskin is a good product for anyone who suffers from dark skin patches, whether they are due to aging or genetics. It is appreciated that the product is offered at a reasonable cost and that all the key ingredients are explained. Lumnaskin should be safe to use even on sensitive skin but on the off chance that there is a problem, consumers can take advantage of the money back guarantee.

Where To Find It

Best Deals and Pricing Available at Lumnaskin.com

4Voo is a Canadian made range of skin care products that are designed especially for men. The products, which are endorsed both by celebrities and skin care professionals, are featured on the stylish and well-designed official website which is very informative. Sections include tips on choosing the right product for the individual’s skin type – help that most men would need – plus details of the different packages that the company offers. Products in the range include standard cleansers and moisturizers, skin exfoliants and after-shave balm.

All 4Voo products can be purchased from the website via a secure ordering page and there is a full 30 day money back guarantee on each sale. Also, full company contact details are provided for the manufacturer.

4Voo -The Product Description

Among the many 4Voo products are standard skin care items that most men would need to use on a daily basis, including the basic cleanser, Facial Balanced cleanser, and the Maximum Renewal Moisturizer, a product that has won industry awards. Information for each product shows what the beneficial effects of the formula are and full ingredient list.

The Cleanser uses all natural ingredients such as vitamins A, E and B3, Chamomile and Aloe Vera – which both have a soothing effect on the skin – Algae and silk. This latter ingredient has water-retaining properties that help keep the skin hydrated from the inside out. In addition to cleansing excess oils from the skin, the cleanser also adds vital anti-oxidants to slow the aging process. The 4Voo moisturizer also contains the silk which is blended with multi-peptides to stimulate skin cell renewal and again, ward off signs of aging. The manufacturer of 4Voo claims that the moisturizer can actually rival cosmetic procedures such as Botox injections. Priced at $39.00 and $69.00 respectively, both products are more expensive than many other rival brands.

Strengths of 4Voo

• Ingredients are listed in full
• The products have a 30-day money back guarantee
• Products are endorsed by dermatologists
• Some ingredients are clinically tested
• The website is comprehensive and informative
• All company contact information is provided

Weaknesses of 4Voo

• There are no customer testimonials on the site
• 4Voo products are more expensive than most
• No free samples are available
• Clinical studies are not provided

4Voo- The Bottom Line

4Voo is a good range of skin care products, although it is a tough sell getting most men to actually spend the time and money looking after their skin. It would probably be more attractive to men if the products were less expensive and if free samples were offered so they could ‘test drive’ the products for themselves before purchasing.

Roopamrit is a topical gel sold by WWS SkyShop. It is intended to help make skin fairer and more radiant. The site also claims it can help with pimples, wrinkles, and dark under-eye circles.

Roopamrit – Product Description

Roopamrit is made by WWS SkyShop. Plenty of information is provided about the company, which sells a wide range of herbal health and beauty products. Two other products are sold on the site: a treatment for baldness and a stone to guard against evil spirits.

The product is a “fairness gel” that supposedly works by reducing melanin, which is the pigment responsible for skin color. While the site does expose all Roopamrit ingredients and their concentrations, it does not make clear how they are able to alter the amount of pigment in a person’s skin. There is literally no supporting information of any kind to back this statement up.

Roopamrit can be applied to the entire body. It is much more difficult to use than other cosmetic products. Users must mix Roopamrit with tomato juice and leave it on for half an hour. Sunscreen must be worn after using Roopamrit, and cosmetics should not be used.

Roopamrit Advantages

• Good for numerous skin problems
• Suitable for the entire body
• Complete list of ingredients

Roopamrit Drawbacks

• Difficult to use
• Users should not wear cosmetics
• Lack of supporting information

Roopamrit – The Bottom Line

Roopamrit does not contain risky hydroquinone or mercury, so it is unlikely to have any side effects or cause permanent damage to skin. Using the product may also improve the look of skin. The question of whether Roopamrit can make skin lighter, however, is not adequately addressed by the information on the site.

MEDliten is a topical gel made by Doctors Associates RX. It is used to lighten skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots such as freckles, sunspots, and scars.

MEDliten – Product Description

MEDliten has an eye-catching home page showing a before and after photo, testimonials, and a chart titled “Effective Ingredients Promoting Skin Lightening” that compares the key ingredients in MEDliten with hydroquinone and beta arbutin. The main ingredients in MEDliten – alpha arbutin and kojic acid – are depicted as much more effective. MEDliten does not contain harmful ingredients such as hydroquinone, steroids, or mercury. It can be applied to many areas of the body and is safe for use on sensitive skin.

There are numerous downsides to this product. First, there is no guarantee. Second, it can take months to see results. The range given on the site is 8 to 12 weeks. Cost is something that should also be mentioned. A one-ounce bottle is $49.99, which will typically last between 3 to 4 weeks. If users plan to lighten numerous areas, it may not even last that long. The manufacturer’s name is not provided until the order page, and the Doctor’s Associates RX site does not offer much concrete info about the company.

MEDliten Advantages

• Testimonials
• No harmful chemicals
• Suitable for sensitive skin

MEDliten Drawbacks

• No guarantee
• Can take months to achieve results
• Costly

MEDliten – The Bottom Line

Overall, the MEDliten site does not adequately explain how its key ingredients actually work. Furthermore, since users are advised to apply sunscreen after use and exfoliate stubborn areas, it is impossible to tell whether any lightening of the skin can be attributed to these practices or the product itself.

Lightenex is a line of six products manufactured by PharmaClinix. It is designed to lighten areas of hyperpigmentation such as melasma patches, freckles, and age spots.

Lightenex – Product Description

Lightenex is the brand name for six skin lightening products, which include two creams, a body lotion, and a face mask, wash, and toner. It lightens skin by inhibiting the production of melanin. It can be used on the entire body, including intimate areas.

There are no potentially harmful substances in Lightenex, and the ingredients in each Lightenex product are listed on the site. Also accompanying each product description is a summary of clinical findings. These definitely support claims made about Lightenex. For instance, in a study on the Lightenex cream, 79% of participants found that their skin was 26% lighter. Users also noticed that their skin was smoother and firmer.

The 100% money back guarantee comes with some troubling conditions. First, individuals must purchase all products in the Lightenex range. Prices range from £19.99 to £49.99, so the total cost will be substantial. Additionally, the products must be returned within seven days. The problem with this is that it can take up to six months to see results. Ongoing use is recommended.

Lightenex Advantages

• Suitable for the entire body
• No chemical ingredients
• Summaries of clinical findings provided

Lightenex Drawbacks

• Takes a significant amount of time to see results
• Must purchase complete program for guarantee
• Ongoing use recommended

Lightenex – The Bottom Line

The effectiveness of Lightenex is supported by clinical studies. It is developed especially for darker skin tones. Overall, it appears that those willing to make the financial investment necessary to purchase the Lightenex line can expect to see noticeable results.

Jolen Cream is a topical product used to lighten dark hair on the face, body, and arms. It is manufactured by the well-known beauty product company Jolen.

Jolen Cream – Product Description

Jolen Cream consists of a cream bleach and an activator. Users must mix these two products together in specified ratios and then use a spatula to apply them to the skin. The blend should be left on for 10-15 minutes. Obviously, using Jolen Cream requires more effort and time than many other beauty products.

Jolen is a huge name. The company also makes cold cream, moisturizer, face wash, and other products, all of which are widely available in retail stores.

One downside of Jolen Cream is that it can cause irritation. Users are advised to do a patch test first to see whether the cream will cause redness or inflammation. For people with sensitive skin, Jolen also makes a milder formula that contains soothing aloe vera. It appears that Jolen Cream is for hair lightening only, so any increases in fairness mentioned on the site will merely be a result of lighter hair, not whiter skin.

Jolen Cream Advantages

• Well-known name
• Available in a mild formula
• Widely available

Jolen Cream Drawbacks

• Potential to cause irritation
• Labor-intensive and time-consuming to use
• Appears to be for hair lightening only

Jolen Cream – The Bottom Line

Jolen Cream appears to be an effective way to bleach unwanted body hair and make it less noticeable. Although the site says it can make skin fairer, there is no information on this site or others to suggest it is an effective skin lightening agent.

Fair and Lovely is the brand name of a line of face creams made by Levercare. It is designed to offer gentle lightening and protect skin from sun damage.

Fair and Lovely – Product Description

The Fair and Lovely site is very basic, consisting of a products page that displays the packaging for their four formulations and a set of frequently asked questions. The main ingredients in Fair and Lovely are vitamin B3 and sunscreens. Figuring out exactly how Fair and Lovely is supposed to work is somewhat difficult. One statement suggests that vitamin B3 can gently lighten skin. Several others imply the product will only address skin darkening related to sun exposure. If that is the case, a good sunscreen could probably offer the same benefits.

Fair and Lovely does not contain any harmful chemicals such as hydroquinone or mercury, and none of the ingredients are animal-based. The product was first available in India in 1978. No guarantees are offered. Skin will revert back to its normal tone within just a couple of weeks once users stop applying Fair and Lovely, and it is not designed to address hyperpigmentation.

Fair and Lovely Advantages

• No harmful chemicals
• No animal-based ingredients
• Product has been sold for decades

Fair and Lovely Drawbacks

• Results last only a few weeks after use is discontinued
• Does not address hyperpigmentation
• No guarantees

Fair and Lovely – The Bottom Line

The makers of Fair and Lovely don’t promise any dramatic whitening results, and it seems that much of the benefit is derived from the UVA and UVB sunscreens that are part of the product. It may help protect skin from sun damage, but won’t address issues such as freckles or melasma.

Fade Out is a line of creams designed to address hyperpigmentation and make skin appear lighter and more even. Fade Out is a brand of the UK-based company Vivalis.

Fade Out – Product Description

Like most skin brightening products, Fade Out claims to lighten freckles, sun spots, and other areas of hyperpigmentation by blocking melanin. One of the first things individuals will notice when they visit the Fade Out site is the statement “clinically proven.” This is always a good sign, but the link to the clinical results leads to a page that cannot be found. There are no testimonials, no before and after photos, and no guarantees.

Fade Out is available in a number of formulations to address specific skin care issues aside from hyperpigmentation. There is a night cream, an SPF 15 cream, an anti-wrinkle formulation, and a basic moisturizing cream. The product can be applied to the face and body. Fade Out is made with natural ingredients, including mulberry and licorice. The site claims these are potent tyrosinase inhibitors, but offers no data to back up this statement. Hyperpigmentation will return if individuals stop using Fade Out. Prices are not provided on the site.

Fade Out Advantages

• Available in four formulations
• Natural ingredients
• Suitable for the face and body

Fade Out Drawbacks

• Clinical findings unavailable
• No mention of a guarantee
• Must be used indefinitely to maintain results

Fade Out – The Bottom Line

It is very unfortunate that the link to the clinical findings showing Fade Out can deliver results in just four weeks is not working. Without this information, there is really nothing on the site to support product claims.

Derma White is a line of skin care products and makeup by Clinique. The products can help fade dark spots, even out skin tone, and make skin appear brighter.

Derma White – Product Description

The Clinique name is known the world over. The manufacturer has been in business since 1968, and sells products for almost every skin care issue. Like all of Clinique’s offerings, the Derma White line is allergy tested and fragrance free. Clinique products are also known for their high cost, and Derma White products are no exception. The Derma White soap is $200, while six vials of anti-aging brightening serum cost a whopping $820. There are no guarantees.

One advantage of the Derma White line is that it is very comprehensive. There are soaps and products designed especially for the face, hands, and eye area. Powders, foundations, and concealers comprise the Derma White makeup line.

All products have an individual page outlining their main benefits and usage instructions. Aside from fading discolored areas, Derma White can also exfoliate skin, protect it from sun damage, and make skin smoother and more radiant. A major downside is that there are no clinical findings, scientific studies, or testimonials on the Clinique site to support the claims about Derma White.

Derma White Advantages

• Variety of products to target specific areas and issues
• Trusted name
• Fragrance free

Derma White Drawbacks

• No guarantees
• Extremely expensive
• No clinical findings or testimonials

Derma White – The Bottom Line

Overall, there is a shortage of evidence to back up the proposed benefits of the Derma White line. Individuals may want to explore other skin brightening options before shelling out hundreds for a product that may not deliver the desired results.

Cosmelan is a two-part skin lightening system made by Mesoestetic USA Laboratories. It is used to treat hyperpigmentation caused by melasma, sun exposure, PIH, and chloasma.

Cosmelan – Product Description

Cosmelan can treat many types of hyperpigmentation by halting the production of melanin. According to a skin care clinic offering Cosmelan treatment, the product accomplishes this by blocking the enzyme tyrosinase, an essential building block in the production of melanin. According to locations that offer the treatment, it is very effective. One site states that blemishes improve by 95% in the vast majority of cases in just one week. The before and after photos found online are indeed quite dramatic.

While the Cosmelan maintenance cream (Cosmelan 2) is applied at home, the initial treatment (Cosmelan 1) is a mask that is for professional use only. Locations offering this treatment state that flaking and reddening will occur over the three to four days following application. The cost of the Cosmelan system is not provided on the manufacturer’s site. According to one source, however, spas offering this treatment often charge between $500 and $1000. The manufacturer is a well-established company that offers a variety of skincare products for professional and at-home use.

Cosmelan Advantages

• Treats many types of hyperpigmentation
• Highly effective
• Manufacturer with experience producing skin care products

Cosmelan Drawbacks

• Flaking and reddening
• Cosmelan 1 not available for purchase by the public
• Unknown cost

Cosmelan – The Bottom Line

Cosmelan is a high-end product that appears to be capable of delivering remarkable results. The main disadvantage is that the first part of the treatment must be done by a professional, so not everybody will have access to Cosmelan.

Amelan is a topical product used for skin depigmentation and beautification. It appears to be made by a Dr. Krulig.

Amelan – Product Description

Amelan can help improve the look of skin that has been damaged through sun exposure. It can also address hyperpigmentation issues such as melasma and lentigo. The site claims melasma spots will disappear and skin will be rejuvenated in just 8 to 14 days, and that the product’s effectiveness is between 99 and 100 percent. Users do not need to avoid going out into the sun. The most compelling part of the site is the photos. Results are visible and, in some cases, remarkable.

While much of the information does seem to be scientifically sound, it may be a bit too complex for the lay person. For instance, there is a flow chart to illustrate how Amelan blocks tyrosinase and oxidation, but this will mean little to most people. The site is hard to navigate. Users can’t choose which information to view, but must scroll through a series of slides. There is no info about the maker. The link to “Dr. Krulig’s Resume” leads to a page that cannot be found. It is not clear how much Amelan costs or how customers can purchase it.

Amelan Advantages

• Fast results
• Will not produce photo sensitivity
• Dramatic before and after photos

Amelan Drawbacks

• Website difficult to navigate
• Complex information
• No ordering info

Amelan – The Bottom Line

If the photos presented on the site are any indication, this is a product that can deliver amazing results. With a website that is not very user-friendly and no information about how to order, however, it’s questionable whether the site will convert many curious individuals into Amelan users.

ActiFade is a topical product designed to help lighten areas of hyper-pigmentation on the body and face. The name of the manufacturer appears to be the same as the product.

ActiFade – Product Description

ActiFade comes in a formulation for the body and one designed especially for the face. It is used to gradually lighten freckles, sunspots, and melasma spots. Using ActiFade is easy. The cream is applied twice a day to dark areas and the concealer is applied 15 to 20 minutes later.

The home page of the site displays a dramatic before and after photo. In the first photo there is a hand and arm with numerous age spots, and in the second these dark areas have completely disappeared. It is important, however, to read the fine print at the bottom. It states that the images do not accurately reflect actual results.

Individuals should be aware that ActiFade contains the controversial ingredient hydroquinone. It can cause mild skin irritation, and should not be used by anyone under the age of 12.

ActiFade Advantages

• Addresses numerous hyperpigmentation issues
• Face and body formulations
• Easy to use

ActiFade Drawbacks

• Contains hydroquinone
• Potential for irritation
• Misleading before and after photo

ActiFade – The Bottom Line

The main concern related to ActiFade is that it does contain hydroquinone. While it is a known inhibitor of melanin, the substance has been banned as an ingredient in skin lightening products in several countries because of its potential risks. Individuals should thoroughly research this substance to make an informed decision about whether ActiFade is the right choice for them.

Adding the cool, calm and natural environment of the Iceland glaciers to the heart of New York is Skyn ICELAND LLC. Founded by Sarah Kugelman who was inspired to develop pure products that were the antithesis of stress established her company in 2003 with the understanding that skin isn’t immune to the ills caused by urban and suburban stressors. It is Skyn ICELAND’s desire to “promote a stress-free life full of balance, beauty and wellness”. Believing that beauty and health are akin to youthfulness, the brand targets breakouts, the bags stressed-out eyes carry and dull facial terrain. With a pure mission against stress, the company’s operations are free of environmentally harmful packaging and do not test products on animals.

Pounding the Internet pavement with its message, SkynIceland.com encompasses a white backdrop with blue and fuchsia accents. In this soothing, low key environment, visitors leisurely browse the company information page, learn about the harmful impact of stress on the skin, read about stress management, peruse products and discover Skyn’s connection to Iceland. The product pages are simply insightful through their detailing of symptoms, solutions and instructions. These pages also reveal the brand’s unique angle. The “Natural by Design” feature describes the ingredient concept of pure contents which also means the lack of parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, petroleum, formaldehyde and paraffin that are often included in less rigid formulas. The other unique characteristic of this brand is its Biospheric complex. Keeping with the benefits of Iceland, it is based on three of nature’s four elements: earth, air and water. It breaks down as follows:

• Air-Oxygen encapsulated in liposomes which energize the cells, Butterfly Bush and Thyme extracts that relieve and battle environmental stressors reflect the air.
• Earth-Arctic Cloudberry Seed and Red Cranberry Seed oil provides essential fatty acids, while antioxidants and Vitamin E compounds represent the soil.
• Water-While no hydrating product is complete without attracting it or using it, Iceland’s glacial water revitalizes with the Icelandic herb Angelica Archangelica and a host of minerals.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum – Product Description

Designed to soothe, stabilize, fortify and nourish skin, Skyn ICELAND uses natural Icelandic elements which host a variety of products that can equate to a full skincare line or treat specific skin ailments. One of Skyn ICELAND’s latest offerings is Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum. In a simple symptom and solution format, the Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum product page explains how it puts aging on the defensive through Adaptogen Technology. Priced at $65, Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum restores the bright, stress-less look of youthfulness halting the age-advancing effects of stress-related skin damage that results in dull complexion, wrinkles, fine lines and age spots. Contained in Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum is Siberian Ginseng, Maral and Arctic Root, Kombucha, Retinol and Reishi mushroom extracts among others.

Being a new product, third-party reviews were few; however the one floating in cyberspace so far earned Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum a near perfect rating.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum – Advantage

• Skyn ICELAND products are exceedingly more natural and environmentally responsible than most products.
• Product reviews are minimal but Internet buzz is positive.
• Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum brings the best of ICELAND to combat aging.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum – Drawbacks

• Being new, there are few reviews of Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum
• The website lacks clinical research and results photos.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum – The Bottom Line

Without clinical research and result photos, Skyn ICELAND Arctic Brightening Serum is proving to be too new to judge based on buyer experience, however, its ingredients and initial Internet feedback is supportive.

Establishing its roots as a pharmacy four years after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Shiseido Pharmacy was the first westernized pharmacy in Ginza, Japan. Even to the point of offering Japan its first soda fountain, the founding head pharmacist, Arinobu Fukuhara sought to bring the benefits of western pharmaceuticals to Japan when herbal remedies were still more widely accepted. Incorporating a heavy research and development orientation in the production of cosmetics and personal care products, the Shiseido Pharmacy grew to become one of Japan’s oldest sustaining companies due to its dedication to five management principles which are quality first, coexistence and co-prosperity, respect for customers, corporate stability, and sincerity in business transactions. This philosophy led to a store chain network, customer loyalty programs and worldwide expansion.

Demonstrating its Asian style in its Internet presence and product styling shows Shiseido Company’s pride in its two-century-old emergence as a lasting skincare and cosmeceutical company. First in white and pink with a simple menu bar on the left side, Shiseido.co.jp/e/ introduces its skincare, makeup, fragrance, body care, sun protection, and products for men. A simple flash box showcases the brands main product feature, while links to the Shiseido store, investor relations, downloads, and new offerings are highlighted down below. The very last footer directs customers to the US and European versions of the site, contact and site map as well as the terms of use and privacy policies. Selecting the US site, Sca.Shiseido.com has more of a fashion magazine appeal In black, pink and white with distinct cosmetic images leading visitors to the news and events, award winners, products, foundation tutorials, skincare, looks by season, beauty behind the scenes, and purchase locators as well as a FAQ and email registration on the left. Just above the flashing product feature, the website provides a search tool, in-depth company information, a point of contact, link to employment and an account sign-in.

Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum – Product Description

The US product page provides a listing of brands by treatment, makeup and fragrance. The treatment line includes skincare, sun protection and body care among others.

Shiseido’s White Lucent brand counteracts the muddled blotchiness of skin as it ages. Its technology works to defeat the elements that plague the face with dull, spotted, rough skin. While not all the brand’s products are available in every country, Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum is formulated with a Super Spot Deacti-complex which seeks dark spots and dullness to respond to the malfunction in the skin’s organic communication process. Despite the $118 price tag there were an abundance of positive reviews, however, a full product list beyond mention of the Deacti-Complex and a vague reference to the use of Vitamin C was missing. Additionally, Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum appears to be out of stock and restricted to major department store retail availability.

Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum – Advantage

• Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum attacks the effects of aging skin tone on three fronts.
• The company website offers an extensive history of the company’s origins.
• Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum has earned a vast amount of positive reviews.

Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum – Drawbacks

• Shiseido’s various websites dedicated to similar information was a little disorienting.
• Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum may be too costly for some.
• An ingredient list for Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum was non-existent.

Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum – The Bottom Line

While the exoticness of Shiseido is very appealing as is its industry history, the mystery surrounding how Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum achieves results is unbecoming at $118 per tube.

Founded in 2002, Revitol Natural Skin Care, a natural skincare distributor and member of the Natural Products Association, has become a trusted name in the health and beauty industry known for their dedication to the development of “safe and effective products that help people supplement their lives.” Take the innovation of nutritional science and coupling it with the best ingredients the world has to offer, Revitol strives to honor its mission “To deliver the highest quality health and beauty products with the best value to our customers”.

Exhibiting its roots in safe skincare, the website boasts a green and flesh colored landscape, with lotus flowers and a fresh face of a green-eyed beauty. Underneath the banner line which consists of a link to the About Us, FAQs, Contact pages and the shopping cart, sits two boxes. The first on the left contains our simple beauty and the menu bar leading visitors to anti-aging products, acne treatments, cellulite solutions, stretch mark prevention, hair removal products, Revitol Skin Brightener Cream and a skin exfoliator product pages. On the right showcases Revitol’s anti-aging kit, while down below the site reflects images of its main products and a 90-day money back guarantee. The site ends with the usual business term links.

Revitol Skin Brightener Cream – Product Description

Providing products that attack the skin’s specific problems, Revitol’s products don’t appear to compete with any exist basic skincare regimen. Proclaiming itself as an herbal alternative to gaining bright, even skin toned, Revitol Skin Brightener Cream is the answer to the hormonal and the environmental toll aging puts the skin through. Safe and natural, Revitol Skin Brightener Cream uses plant-based ingredients, natural moisturizing agents and vitamins to lessen the appearance of freckles, liver spots, and hyperpigmentation. More specifically, Revitol Skin Brightener Cream includes Arbutin, Lumiskin, Shea Butter, Allantoin, Evening Primrose oil, Grapefruit Seed extract and Vitamin A, C and E.

Priced at $29.95 for the two ounce jar with options for bulk purchase discounts, reviews for Revitol Skin Brightener Cream were nearly non-existent with the abundance of affiliate pages cluttering the Internet site; however, message board comments were positive.

Revitol Skin Brightener Cream – Advantage

• Revitol Skin Brightener Cream is a natural skin-lightening alternative.
• Reviews and message board comments were generally positive for Revitol Skin Brightener Cream.
• Revitol Skin Brightener Cream is reasonably priced and offers bulk purchase discounts.
• Revitol manufactures products that target the skin problems aging causes.

Revitol Skin Brightener Cream – Drawbacks

• In existence for 6 years, Revitol doesn’t possess long industry standing.
• No research data exists to support claims of effectiveness for Revitol Skin Brightener Cream.
• Revitol doesn’t offer a full skincare line.

Revitol Skin Brightener Cream – The Bottom Line

Tackling the various problems aging causes for the skin, Revitol is geared toward providing a natural avenue in which skin health does not have to be a product of its environment. Only in existence for six years and with little research data and testimonials to support the brand, this product may require a wait-and-see approach. However, for those seeking to find the next big thing in natural skin repair, the $29.95 Revitol Skin Brightener Cream isn’t a terrible price to pay for experimentation.

Prescriptives, one of several Estee Lauder cosmetic brands, was founded in 1979. It’s niche centered on a customizable exact color-blending palette matches cosmetics to each client’s unique color. Prescriptives sought to enhance the beauty of every woman regardless of skin tone or ethnic origin. Its product line includes foundations, color make-up and anti-aging lotions with sunscreen. Skincare with a cosmetic feel was added to broaden the brand’s offerings.

The Prescriptives.com website is clean with an easy to navigate dual menu bar. In addition to make-up, the Prescriptives product line includes skincare, and fragrances. The skincare line in particular includes cleansers, tonics, moisturizers, eye treatments, problem solvers, resurfacers as well as self-tanning products. The site, which offers live chats with product analysts, provides informative product pages, which include product photos, additional product upsells, benefits and application directions as well as product sizes and prices.

For clients who would like to see the products in person, the website provides a store locator as well as a customer service page for additional questions.

Prescriptives Vibrant-C – Product Description

Prescriptives developed a skin brightening line called Vibrant-C Skin Brightening consisting of a facial lotion, a facial cream and an eye cream to combat discoloration and the signs of aging. Among the skin brightening moisturizers, is the Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer. The difference between the lotion and the cream is not specific other than the choice between a jar and a bottle with a pump dispenser.

The website boasts of this product’s ability to hide your age with advanced micro-optic luminizers, which brighten the skin, boosts clarity, and improves translucence while evening skin tone. The description lists Vitamin C as a key ingredient, which is suggested to play a part in reducing age spots and other discolorations. Unfortunately, no other ingredients are reveals and the meaning “advanced micro-optic luminizers” remains a mystery. At a cost of $46 for a 1.7 oz jar, the cream is said to be dermatologist-tested and non-acnegenic, which suggests the product was tested by a dermatologist and was proven not to cause breakouts.

Aside from a few fashion magazine articles, testimonials and reviews were hard to come by for this product.

Prescriptives Vibrant-C – Advantage

• Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer benefits from the reputation of Estee Lauder.
• The few testimonials available for this product were positive.
• The product is dermatologist testing and non-acnegenic.
• Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer is available from a variety of retailers both online and off.

Prescriptives Vibrant-C – Drawbacks

• The Prescriptives website does not reveal the list of ingredients for the Vibrant-C Skin Brightening product.
• Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer does not have many user testimonials or reviews.
• Prescriptives does not provide a Vibrant-C Skin Brightening product for each phase of the skincare regimen.

Prescriptives Vibrant-C – The Bottom Line

Being associated with a company that has over 60 years of experience in the cosmetic industry, Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Cream Moisturizer has an impressive pedigree. Unfortunately, the Prescriptives website relies heavily on that association to sell product instead of providing clinical information to support its claims. With very few testimonials and clinical information, prospective customers may have to rely on the parent company’s reputation as well as trial and error to determine the value of this product.

BioMedic, the developer and distributor of Philosophy Inc products began in 1990 and progressed to medical skincare leadership status. With the foundation built by Cristina Carlino, the launch of Philosophy Inc occurred in 1996. Philosophy’s founder, Carlino, a Phoenix, Arizona resident who sought to provide quality skincare to those not in need of medical supervision, thereby closing the quality gap between physician-based skincare and what was available in the retail sector.

With Hindu inspired messages denoted with key words and phrases such as Philosophy Purity or Philosophy Save Me on every product, Carlino strives to not only create sense of beauty and confidence on her customers’ outsides, but she also seeks to enlighten them to reach for their full potential every day. Thanks to the brand’s success as well as the powerful technology underwriting it, BioMedic was sold to cosmetic giant L’Oreal sometime in 2005.

In black and white with aqua and blue accents, Philosophy.com promotes its many offerings in skincare, fragrance, bath & body, makeup and hair care. In addition to these categories, the top menu bar also provides links to new products, a gift center and its charity-based products. Showing what tastes good also smells good on the skin, Philosophy’s many products come in delectable scents almost tempting enough to eat. The website offers sweepstakes, charity opportunities, corporate details as well as exclusive offers. Lower and upper menu bars provide text links to the customer accounts, bestsellers, business policies, authorized retail providers, events, a newsletter and the shopping cart. More interactive than most, Philosophy has QVC spots and social networking pages on MySpace and FaceBook.

Philosophy Save Me – Product Description

One click on a product category leads to a shopping list divided by collection, skincare concern and solution. Within the Discoloration or Anti-Aging sections, Philosophy offers three products, Philosophy Save Me, Turbo Booster C Powder and A Pigment of Your Imagination.

Designed for mature skin, Philosophy Save Me restores and repairs the skin that suffers from environmental and age-induced wrinkles, fine lines and clogged pores. Using high-octane antioxidants, Retinol, peptides, Vitamin C, Safflower oil, Wheat Protein and Butylene Glycol among a variety of other ingredients, Philosophy Save Me brightens the skin, accelerates cell renewal, and boosts the skin’s internal support structures to restoring skin to a more firm, smooth and youthful version of itself.

Priced at $60 for an ounce, Philosophy Save Me received product reviews which landed on both ends of the rating spectrum. Those that fell in the product’s demographic did appear to appreciate it more than some younger rogue customers who purchased it despite it being geared toward more mature skin.

Philosophy Save Me – Advantage

• The majority of reviews for Philosophy Save Me were positive.
• Philosophy Save Me is multifunctional in its ability to brighten, restore, firm and smooth the skin.
• Not relying on any one ingredient, Philosophy Save Me recaptures youth with a host of peptides, retinol, and various antioxidants.

Philosophy Save Me – Drawbacks

• The Philosophy website doesn’t provide research data or results photos.
• Philosophy Save Me may be too rich for some as a number of clients reported minor breakouts.
• Philosophy Save Me is not preventative as it is geared toward mature skin.

Philosophy Save Me – The Bottom Line

Known for its rich scents and textures as well as its words of encouragement, Philosophy Inc has formed a skincare religion that causes its clients to feel as good using it as it is good for them. Filling the gap between physician-supervised skincare and the low-grade drugstore variety, Philosophy Save Me allows customers to take recapturing their youth under their own power.

Rendered in 1990 from the vision of Cristina Carlino, a Phoenix, Arizona resident who sought to provide quality skincare to those not in need of medical supervision, is BioMedic, the developer and distributor of Philosophy Inc. With the foundation built, Philosophy Inc. launched in 1996 to close the gap between physician-based skincare and what was available in the retail sector. With Eastern-inspired messages denoted with key words and phrases such as Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination or Save Me on every product, Carlino creates a sense of beauty and confidence on her customers’ outsides and seeks to enlighten them to reach their full potential on the inside. As a result of the brand’s success and the powerful technology underwriting it, BioMedic was sold to cosmetic giant L’Oreal in 2005.

Presented in black and white with aqua and blue accents, Philosophy.com promotes its many offerings in skincare, fragrance, bath & body, makeup, and hair care. Additionally, the top menu bar also provides links to new products, a gift center and its charity-based products. Showing what tastes good also smells good on the skin, Philosophy’s many products come in delectable scents almost tempting enough to eat. The website offers sweepstakes, charity opportunities, corporate details as well as exclusive offers. Lower and upper menu bars provide text links to the customer accounts, bestsellers, business policies, authorized retail providers, events, a newsletter and the shopping cart. More interactive than most, Philosophy has QVC spots and social networking pages on MySpace and FaceBook.

Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination – Product Description

Hidden under cover, one click on a product category leads to a shopping list divided by collection, skincare concern and solution. Within the Discoloration or Sun Protection sections, Philosophy offers Hope in a Jar, When Hope is Not Enough, Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination, two sizes of Shelter sunscreen and Kiss Me.

Not just a sunscreen, Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination with an SPF of 18 is a sunblock that carries Kojic Acid, Mulberry Root, Castor Oil and Glycerin Glycol among a host of other scientific sounding ingredients to brighten and protect the skin. Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination was designed for skin that is uneven, ravaged with dark spots and downtrodden due to excessive sun damage. At a cost of $30 for a two once bottle, it also includes Arbutin to counteract melanin production.

While nearly all third-party reviews raved about Philosophy products in general, reviews for Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination generally fell to both extremes on the rating scale. Many felt it worked but was too thick and did cause breakouts for some. Others felt it was a good sunscreen but didn’t do much for evening the skin tone.

Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination – Advantage

• Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination comes from a long line of widely acclaimed products.
• Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination generally received favorable reviews.
• Not relying on any one ingredient, Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination fades discoloration with a host of botanicals and Arbutin-known for reducing melanin production.

Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination – Drawbacks

• The Philosophy website doesn’t provide research data or results photos.
• Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination may be too rich for some as a few users reported breakouts.

Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination – The Bottom Line

Sporting rich textures and words of encouragement, Philosophy Inc has formed a skincare cult following that causes its clients to feel as good using its products as it is good for them. Protecting the skin from the sun’s damage, Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination may be a great topper to any anti-hyperpigmentation regimen.

Born out of the desire to know more about the organic science that restored his acne cyst-ravaged face to its former glory, Danish-born Ole Henriksen pursued an education in skincare and cosmetic chemistry after his travels to Jakarta resulted in abolishing his own skincare issues thanks to a knowledgeable aesthetician. Successfully educated, Ole Henriksen landed in Los Angeles where his spas served regular residents and the Hollywood elite alike for nearly 30 years. Thanks to the successful spa, Ole Henriksen, as recent as 2004 began offering his popular skincare products to the retail public, building on his promise to produce simple, effective and safe skincare for all skin types. Now the flawless skin of the movie and reality show stars can be obtained outside of the spa.

In purple shades that bleed into blue and various color blocks for its feature products,OleHenriksen.com matches the rainbow colors of its product labels. The top banner line simply consists of text links to the shopping cart, customer accounts, the contact page, retail locator, the company profile, popular products, skincare, spa offerings, media mentions and events. Down the left is an extensive product list providing care for every part of the body. The central section of the page showcases the monthly product specials, kits and Ole Henriksen’s Home Shopping Network appearances.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – Product Description

Within Ole Henriksen’s skincare line, the founder details the six principles of his system:

• Simplicity – Less is best with skincare as overtreatment can counteract intent.
• Renewal – Effectiveness rests in consistency of high concentrations of antioxidants and acids to even skin tone and restore smoothness and firmness.
• Stimulation – texturized products such as scrubs and water-soluble cleansers result in clean, glowing and refined skins with contracted pores.
• Hydration – moisture restores radiance and softness while protecting against harmful environmental offenders.
• Pampering – balance the skin with luxuriant textures and aromas for a truly pleasurable experience.
• Cruelty-free – environmental responsibility in skincare ensures there will be more of what is needed to achieve the desired results.

Within Ole Henriksen’s seven-day skincare program, a handful of products are offered to restore and maintain the skin’s natural beauty. Included in that mix, Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation is formulated to fade hyperpigmentation such as freckles, age spots and sun damage without harsh chemicals. Living up to its name Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation is a sheer cream that re-texturizes and protects against free radicals as it fades the discolored damage that has previously occurred. At $45, the 1.7 ounce jar of Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation includes Ester C, Beta Hydroxy and fruit acids, Kojic Extract, Vitamin E, Chamomile and Sandalwood among other botanicals.

Nine out of ten third-party reviews rated Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation a perfect ten.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – Advantage

• OleHenriksen.com nicely details the key ingredients of Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation as well as the benefits of each ingredient.
• Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation received an overwhelming high number of perfect ratings from third-party users.
• Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation re-texurizes and protects against free radicals as well as battling the skin’s hyperpigmentation issues.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – Drawbacks

• OleHenriksen.com doesn’t offer specific research results for its Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation.
• Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation was not easily categorized on the website as there was not an anti-aging or hyperpigmentation link.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – The Bottom Line

Many products carry the name of its creator making it hard to discern the true skincare authorities. However, Ole Henriksen’s story, his select ingredients and simple skincare philosophy go far to endorse Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation.

Many claim to be pioneers in the research discovery behind the industry-accepted use of alpha hydroxy acids for skincare, but dermatopharmacologist Dr. Ruey Yu and dermatologist Dr. Eugene Scott may have the supporting documentation to support their claims as the team co-authored the first published scientific paper detailing the positive benefits of AHAs for skin not just in terms of dryness but in damaged and aging skin as well. In 1988 the Princeton, New Jersey-based NeoStrata Company emerged solely on the research of the two doctors. Being a developer as well as a marketer for advanced dermatological skincare products, NeoStrata has since advanced the field again with their exploration of the benefits of polyhydroxy and lactobionic acids-compounds that work like alpha hydroxy acids without the infamous irritation. With over 100 AHA-related patents and technologies and a surging licensing business, NeoStrata has its own product brands including NeoStrata, Exuviance, CoverBlend and NeoCeuticals.

In mint green, blue and white with three spheres featuring water-labeled USA, flasks-labeled Corporate and the planet-labeled international, Neostrata.com symbolizes the basis for its company philosophy. The home page also offers account based entry for physicians in order to access the NeoStrata MD Online Store. The spheres uniquely allow for navigation based on interest. The International sphere leads visitors to NeoStrata products, country based-products and the company’s technologies. The USA sphere directs visitors to the online shopping, the NeoStrata company profile, the brand information pages and the retail and physician locator tools. Lastly the Corporate sphere provides links to the brands, the company information, clinical studies, the patents and licensing, the company founders, employment, the facility locations and its contact page.

NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA – Product Description

Within NeoStrata’s NeoCeuticals brand, five categories are detailed to target specific skincare concerns, specifically acne, hyperpigmentation, hair & scalp, dry skin and nails and feet. While the brand website does host a PHA/AHA Skin Brightening Gel, it doesn’t appear to be the same as the NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA.

NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA, labeled as out of stock on most third-party sites, is described as treatment for the lightening of discolored skin such as freckles, age and liver spots as well as hormonal-based uneven skin tones. At $38, NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA is designed for sensitive skin due to the use of polyhydroxy rather than alpha hydroxy acids. The gel also uses 2% Hydroquinone.

Third-party reviews were highly supportive. Only one commenter indicated a strong reaction which was probably due to the 2% hydroquinone contained in the NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA. It is highly possible that the skin brightener version indicated on the corporate site is a replacement for the lightening gel.

NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA – Advantage

• NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA is designed as a skin lightening alternative for sensitive skin.
• NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA has received mostly positive reviews.
• NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA is based on 30 years of breakthrough alpha and poly hydroxy acid research.

NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA – Drawbacks

• Labeled as unavailable at third party retails and absent from the corporate page, the status of NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA is uncertain.
• Touted as safe for sensitive skin, due to the use of polyhydroxy instead of alpha hydroxy acid may still be too harsh for some because of the use of 2% Hydroquinone.

NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA – The Bottom Line

The research-based emergence of NeoStrata lends plenty of credibility to NeoStrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel PHA, making it worth the exploration into its status and that of its potential reincarnations.

Among the first to bottle his dermatological and dermatopathological experience, Dr. Howard Murad formed Murad Inc. in 1989 out of his thriving practice in El Segundo, California. As a board-certified dermatologist, trained pharmacist and an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at UCLA, Dr. Murad commands a list of nearly 50,000 patients. This vast experience has led Dr. Murad to witness nearly every pathological skin manifestation in existence, knowledge he drew from to decipher home skincare products patients require.

With 17 patents and a skincare line that reaches some 33 countries via the web, salons, spas and various retail outlets, Dr. Murad is recognized as a trailblazer in the doctor-produced skincare segment of the industry. A series of books and countless articles have earned Dr. Murad clinical authority status.

Murad.com’s gray and white backdrop with various colorful accents and product shots comfortably bolsters the corporate tagline, “Where skincare meets healthcare”. Site navigation is facilitated through a series of horizontal menu bars. The first directs returning clients to their personal accounts, the shopping cart and the contact pages. Within the banner, links to the product directory and search tool are provided. What follows is product links divided by skincare issue such as Genetic, Environmental or Hormonal Aging, Acne, Sun Protection, Rosacea, normal or combination skin, cellulite and men’s shaving concerns. For further product targeting, the site offers text links to skincare recommendations, cleansers, treatments, moisturizers, supplements, eye care, and 3 step-regimen programs. The feature blocks promote sweepstakes, product specific offers, bestsellers and order related offers. Lastly, text links to a tips newsletter and Murad’s various subsidiaries are listed.

Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel – Product Description

Murad’s products like Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel work within a 3-step process or work alone. Step one provides a variety of cleansers, step two addresses specific skincare issues while the last step finishes off the regimen by supporting the skin’s moisture barrier.

Made to join an existing skincare regimen or function as step two of Murad’s 3-step process is an array of products formulated to treat and repair the skin’s problem areas. With over 22 products in this category including dietary supplements, serums and creams, Murad’s Treatment category covers elastin and collagen breakdown, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, wrinkles, acne and the eyes’ dark circles.

When treating hyperpigmentation, Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel is a patented formula of Glycolic Acid, 2% Hydroquinone and a proprietary performance complex that tracks the face’s age spots, freckles and uneven skin tone restoring the skin to its proper brightness. At $58 for one fluid ounce, Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel also incorporates Licorice and Allantoin to counteract aging’s power to inflame the skin.

With reviews spanning the globe from Iraq to California, Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel has the brand support and recognition of its creator. Unfortunately, those reviews for Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel are just as varied as the origins of the reviewers.

Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel Advantage

• Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel is built on the extensive dermatological and pharmaceutical expertise of Dr. Murad.
• Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel has earned a wealth of positive reviews.

Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel – Drawbacks

• The site doesn’t provide clinical research to support Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel.

Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel – The Bottom Line

While the lack of research results would hinder the sale of such products as Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel, the world renowned reputation and expertise of Dr. Murad as a clinical skincare leader lends credibility that many are willing to judge for themselves.

Beyond the initial Internet presence that emerged in 2006, not much is noted about Civant Skincare, the manufacturer of Meladerm. Located in Illinois, Civant bases the development of their skincare on safety and effectiveness. The research team took four years of research study to develop skincare products that effectively impact dark circles, sun damage, age spots, freckles, scars and hyperpigmentation. Believing that “you shouldn’t have to worry about what’s in your skin care products”, Civant researchers, chemists and pharmacists avoid the use of low-grade and often dangerous ingredients. To that end as the forerunner in the creation of safe skincare offerings, Civant also educates web visitors about the dangers linked to several popular ingredients used in skin lightening creams such as Hydroquinone, mercury, steroids and other bleaching elements.

Revealing its roots in safe skincare, the website boasts a green and flesh colored landscape, with lotus flowers and the fresh face of a green-eyed beauty. Underneath the banner line sits two boxes. The first on the left contains our simple beauty and the menu bar leading visitors to the products, the research, the testimonials, the FAQs and the contact pages. The one on the right showcases Meladerm, Civant’s breakthrough answer to hyperpigmentation. Down below the site addresses the movement behind the development of Meladerm, a mailing list form, a banner announcing the company’s 2005 Beauty with Science award and a link to the company’s code of ethics. Last, links to the company’s latest research and latest corporate happenings are also listed. The page’s footer addresses some of the same links as the top menu bar with the addition of linking and affiliate programs plus the terms of business.

Meladerm – Product Description

Showing that technology is not to be had by the product contents alone, the product pages provide a link to Civant’s airless dispensing technology. While not a new phenomenon the piston and vacuum based technology is generally too costly for products at retail. The benefit is in preventing sun and air that can prematurely diminish a product’s effectiveness overtime. The products this packaging is protecting includes an entire line of Meladerm skincare items, including a pigment reducing complex, pigment reducing complex, antioxidant facial cleanser, purifying facial toner, eye complex, a five-piece kit, a four-piece kit, a microdermabrasion cloth, a moisturizer, and an anti-aging complex.

Priced at $49.99 for 1.7 ounce cream jar or $79.99 for 3.4 ounces, Meladerm Pigment Reducing Complex reduces the look of dark spots, liver and sun spots, freckles, sun damage, Melasma, acne scars, old scars, birthmarks, and uneven skin complexion on and beyond the face with such ingredients as Alpha Arbutin, Vitamin B3, Mulberry, Bearberry, Licorice, Lemon Juice, Embilica, Kojic, Lactic and Glycolic Acids. The Meladerm product page offers links to ingredient research, effectiveness graphs, as well as clinical study articles proclaiming the dangers of hydroquinone and informational link partners.

The long overwhelming list of site-based testimonials aside, third-party reviews were fair. Most noted that it could take as little as two weeks or as much as two months to see any result.

Meladerm – Advantage

• Meladerm doesn’t use harsh bleaching ingredients.
• Meladerm uses packaging that protects the product’s effectiveness.
• Civant.com is an excellent informational resource.

Meladerm – Drawbacks

• Meladerm isn’t as fast-acting as other products on the market.
• Information regarding the company’s origin isn’t readily available.

Meladerm – The Bottom Line

Using every phase of the skincare regimen to combat hyperpigmentation and uneven skin, Meladerm safely returns youth to the skin. Using the most advanced technology inside as well as outside the package, Meladerm may be worth the wait required for flawless skin.

La Roche Posay, a company focusing on skin types and the powerful mineral potency of its French water source, provides a skincare line that addresses six individual characteristics.

They are defined as follows

• Redermic, representing skin with deep wrinkles and sagginess,
• Effaclar, denoting oily and acne-prone skin,
• Toleriane, describing sensitive and intolerant skin,
• Rosaliac skin, which is reactive and redness-prone,
• Hydraphase for dehydrated skin,
• and Active C, similar to Redermic skin, consisting of lines and wrinkles.

La Roche Posay, which has a unique relationship with over 30,000 dermatologists, recommends that skin types are best determined by consultation. The products, based on the unique concept of Thermal Spring water, are rich in selenium and other antioxidants derived from a source deep within a small French village in the Vienne region. This water and its mineral components are safe from environmental pollutants, resulting in soothing and softening effects with anti-inflammatory properties. The company’s unique formula is capable of treating acne, rosacea, psoriasis, scars and burns.

Mela-D – Product Description

The company offers some products solely through a physician while others are available for retail sale. The website, La Roche-Posay.us lacks extensive company information but provides easy content navigation by skin type or category based on the product’s purpose.

Products developed to heal and soften skin are listed within the Correct/Moisturize category. Specifically to address discoloration or dark spots, La Roche Posay offers several choices. Mela-D Skin Lightening Lotion, which belongs to the aging skin section of the product line, is only available for purchase through a physician. The website’s product page provides a search tool to find a doctor in your area and describes the product’s benefits, purpose, ingredients and directions for adult and child use.

The lotion, which contains sunscreen, gradually fades discoloration using a triple action formula that lightens, exfoliates and protects while it refines pores and moisturizes the skin. The website lists the key ingredients and their main contribution to the product’s overall effectiveness.
While the website did not reflect any customer testimonials, the majority found through third-party websites offered positive feedback.

Mela-D Advantage

• The La Roche Posay website is clinical-looking and easy to navigate.
• The website provides membership registration, a clinical resource center and informational videos.
• The Mela-D Skin Lightening Lotion consists of a triple-action formula that lightens, exfoliates and protects.
• The product contains the mineral benefits of its unique thermal spring water formulation.

Mela-D – Drawbacks

• The website does not provide a full list of ingredients for their products.
• On the website, availability of Mela-D Skin Lightening Lotion is restricted to physicians only, but is available for retail purchase on third-party sites with a strong recommendation for a dermatological consultation.
• To get a full history of the company and the basis for its products, information had to be obtained from Anthelios.com, one of the company’s other product sites.

Mela-D – The Bottom Line

La Roche Posay’s Mela-D Skin Lightening Lotion capitalizes on the mineral-rich benefits of thermal spring water to improve the skin’s health and texture while including ingredients designed to lighten, exfoliate and protect the face. While the company provides products online, this skin lightening lotion is available only through a physician’s supervision unless obtained online through a third party. Several online testimonials not linked to La Roche Posay’s website suggest the lotion is effective however, not enough information is available to provide a statistical measure of the results. With the product descriptions and the clinical resource center, La Roche Posay provides everything necessary to make an informed decision.

Derived from a pharmaceutical brand designed to bring the best medicine has to offer into existence, founder and pharmacist Gavin Herbert expanded his Los Angeles chain of drug stores to develop as well as deliver cutting edge pharmaceuticals including nasal drops and eye drops in the 1950s. Allergan grew to encompass a global $3 billion multi-specialty health care company lasting well over fifty years. Adapting the mission of “Our pursuit Life’s potential”, Allergan shares its medical dermatological breakthroughs with Tazorac and Botox, but little else is mentioned regarding its affiliation with specific skincare brands until the specific brands are researched.

Such is the case with MD Forte. Clearly listed at the bottom of MDForte.com, the brand promotes its trademark ownership with Allergan, Inc. Dividing its web content between patients and physicians, the brand’s design to be dispensed under a doctor’s supervision is clear. The purity of the white and gold website is held up with minimal use of color and the glistening faces of random models. The site opens with a welcome message and links to the products, the new offerings, product recommendation information, an authorized physician locator, manufacturer information, a FAQs page and corporate media mentions. On the left the gold, blue and purple blocks direct visitors to purchase the regular products, the core brand and the advanced Vivite brand. Product information is also delineated by purpose such as cleanse, renew, hydrate, protect, and special care.

MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque – Product Description

With a stronghold in comprehensive alpha-hydroxy acid skincare, MD Forte delivers the impact of sugar cane-based glycolic acid to rid the face of the dullness produced by layers of unwanted dead skin cells. For more sensitive types, MD Forte does offer non-alpha-hydroxy based skincare. In the MD Forte’s Renew category, the Skin Rejuvenation brand offers three glycolic levels within its cleansers, lotions, rejuvenation lotions and gels.

In targeting problem skin, MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque packs 1% concentration of salicylic acid to clear away the problems created by skin that no longer sheds dead skin cells like it use to. The result is smoother more refined and hydrated skin. Not a one-trick masque, MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque also contains its own specially formulated 10% Glycolic Compound, a intricate blend of ph-balanced Glycolic Acid and Ammonium Glycolate as well as Vitamin A and E to protect the new skin cells destined to emerge.

Priced at $36 for MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque, product reviews were highly favorable boasting perfect or near perfect ratings.

MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra – Masque Advantage

• Even reviewers who were not highly impressed with MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque gave the product near perfect ratings.
• MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque capitalizes on the benefits of sugar cane-based hydroxy-acids to restore the skin’s texture and appearance.
• MD Forte carries the impressive backing of a highly regarded medical pharmaceutical brand in Allergan.

MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque – Drawbacks

• While the effects of alpha-hydroxy acids are common knowledge, little research results are provided for MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque.
• The prestigious brand is designed to be used under a physician’s supervision.

MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque – The Bottom Line

While there are many alpha hydroxy acid products on the market boasting the benefits of glycolic acid for refinishing the skin and sloughing off unwanted layers of dead skin cells, few offer the intensive concentration levels provided by MD Forte products. Offering a hydrating masque that replenishes moisture as it resurfaces the face to its natural pre-existence; MD Forte Skin Rejuvenation Hydra-Masque is reasonable and highly effective as demonstrated through high reviews from numerous demanding and skeptical users.

Maybelline New York VolumeXLSeduction Lip gloss plumps your lips up to 30% with ten shades to choose from. Maybelline New York represents cutting edge cool urban like feel that represents the New York energy and style. They have evolved from a small family business to the number one cosmetic brand worldwide.

Maybelline New York – Product Description

Maybelline New York VolumeXLSeduction Lip plumpers come in a choice of 10 different shades. You will notice a tingling effect with application which lets you know the active amplifiers are working. VolumeXLSeduction can be worn alone or over your favorite lip color. Included in the formula are concentrated drops of shine that show off your plumped lips.

Maybelline New York Advantage

• The cost is under $10.00.
• The VolumeXLSeduction does not have a tacky feel.

Maybelline New York – Drawbacks

• You may experience an extensive tingling sensation or an itch, like numbing which you should discontinue use.
• Not for chapped, damaged, or sensitive skin or lips.
• You may get a reaction around your mouth if you are sensitive.
• The tingling may last for around 10 minutes.
• It is hard to keep in stock and you may have trouble getting the color you want.
• They make no explanation what in the formula is causing the stinging, burning sensation.
• There is no ingredient list available.
• There is no cutting edge technology or scientific research mentioned.

Maybelline New York – The Bottom Line

Maybelline is a name that you know and trust that started small and has evolved to be one of the most recognized makeup companies worldwide. Their products are in demand in the retail stores, endorsed by celebrity in commercials, and used by models all over the globe.
VolumeXLSeduction Lip is just one product by Maybelline to plump the look of your lips. However, they do not mention not one ingredient in the formulation. Not even the one that tingles, or burns in some cases. The advertisement is simply a picture of the lip plumper and the ten color choices and a small description. Not all people buy products just because of the familiar name. Some need or would like to know what the lip plumper consists of and how it physically works before buying it. They may need to avoid a certain ingredient that they are allergic to so they could not buy it on line without knowing that first.

As far as the product working, there are no clinical trials mentioned, or research. One concern is the tingling that they mention will occur with application. Tingling usually means it is working. However, in some cases it continued to burn for 10 minutes almost numbing, without any real size change afterwards. Some got a red line around the mouth with irritation on the chin for a week. Maybe because tingling is a common sensation for this lip plumper product, there should be a suggestion from the manufacturer to do a patch test on the forearm or a tiny amount on your lips, before trying completely on the lips.

Adapting the healing and soothing properties of aloe, Astral Brand’s Aloette Cosmetics, the manufacturer of Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum, was formed in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia. Sitting among Forbes Magazine’s “America’s Top 200 Small Companies”, Aloette’s success hinges on providing concentrated aloe-based prestigious skincare and cosmetics at the best value.

Aloette’s focus consists of “bringing out the inner beauty in every woman through enhancing her outer beauty” plays on the concept that how we function in the world is linked to how we feel about ourselves. With that influence Aloette empowers the notion with its self-starting, motivated franchisees and beauty consultants who personify the entrepreneurial spirit that first compelled Aloette’s original franchisees and owners, Christie and Bob Cohen to build the $25 million brand. With such media presence as Toronto’s The Shopping Network and the Shop At Home Network in the US in addition to infomercials, Aloette garners an international base to help spread its products and its message.

Aloette.com, set with a white backdrop and a gray and mint color scheme, immediately showcases the breadth of its product offers. No area of the body is ignored with links down the left leading to skincare, makeup, bath & body and product collections. Across the top, customers are directed to the franchise locator, new products, bestsellers, customer service, the e-newsletter, super sales and the beloved clearance items. Above that Aloette discretely boasts its international appeal with US and Canadian flags plus English and French translation options. Also available are links to the company profile and contact pages as well as the shopping cart. The center of the page takes advantage of no better endorsement than the fresh face of the company’s CEO, Christie Cohen who offers details about her Aloette beginnings and the current featured product. Also offered are numerous product text links and links to the company’s franchise opportunity and product specials.

Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum – Product Description

Among Aloette’s massive product line exists a full skincare line offering anti-aging products, cleansers & toners, exfoliators, moisturizers, and acne treatments. Within the anti-aging category, Aloette offers a smorgasbord of creams, serums, masques and one cleanser, all of which are designed to refine, purify, de-wrinkle, firm, lift, and protect the skin.

Aloette’s solution to aging’s hyperpigmented assault on the skin is Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum. Concocted to increase the luminosity in dull, rough skin Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum aids in balancing uneven skin tone with “plant-derived, non-irritating ingredients” such as Aloe Leaf Juice, Daisy and Cucumber extracts, Alpha-Arbutin, Black Tea Ferment, Glycerin and a proprietary blend of peptides.

Boasting to be significantly less irritating than other brightening products at a cost of $69.95, reviews for Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum received mostly favorable reviews.

Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum – Advantage

• Aloette’s Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum uses a high aloe and peptide concentration to fade and brighten the effects of hyperpigmentation.
• Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum is produced by Aloette, a 30-year old company recognized for its natural beauty supporting products and business franchises.
• Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum earns high third-party feedback.

Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum – Drawbacks

• For a non-designer brand,Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum is a little pricey.
• Boasting results in as little as 14 days, many users reported having to wait up to two months.
• No clinical research data or results photos are contained on the Aloette website.

Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum – The Bottom Line

Thirty years of experience and positioned as one of Forbes’ top 200, Aloette appears to be a staple in the natural skincare arena earning support for its Lumitone HP Pro Brightening Serum.

With roots originating from ancient homeopathic remedies of Athens, Greece Korres Natural Products established its first homeopathic pharmacy in 1996 with the focus of using its vast scientific resources to create highly beneficial and safety-oriented products which have evolved to include hair care, make-up, sun care, and herbal preparations. Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum builds on the vast botanicals offered in Greek flora unique to such areas as the Aegean Islands and the Crete to positively impact the face and body.

Beyond Korres.com’s chalkboard and product correlation with repetition exercises designed to emphasis the importance of H2O and hydration, the website distributes a uniquely Greek organic vibe with tiny text navigation tools and large herb and plant snapshots arranged in a series of columns and squares. Offering a deep explanation of the company’s origin and the details of its most unique ingredients, Korres’ product line covers the face, body, men’s care, young skincare, hair, sun protection, color, natural medicine, pharmaceuticals, Greek botanicals, bath & home as well as product kits.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum – Product Description

Within the Korres Face category, product offerings cover cleansing, moisturizing, brightening, anti–aging, de-wrinkle, firming and eye care. Under moisturizing and brightening, the site digs further to reveal the Wild Rose brand containing products that address normal and dry skin and the Sugar Crystal brand that addresses normal to combination skin. The Korres Wild Rose brand provides a mask, oil, cream and the Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum.

A highly concentrated liquid concoction that contains Baobab-tree polysaccharides, proteins, Rose oil, Vitamin C, Ginseng, Quince and Grape Seed extract, Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum immediately firms and smoothes fine lines while repairing discoloration and dullness as well as decreasing the depth and length of wrinkles. Free of mineral oil, silicone and other preservatives at a cost of $38,Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum is generally available through authorized retailers. Third-party feedback ran the length of the rating scale with high praise, complaints of bothersome scents and ineffectiveness. One commenter appreciated the reasonable price compared to other products that are introducing higher-priced products in shrinking packages.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum Advantage

• Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum is reasonably priced for an organic product.
• Most reviewers viewed Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum favorably.
• Korres incorporates the most uniquely Greek influences in the crafting of its product contents.
• The Korres website provided in-depth company and ingredient information.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum – Drawbacks

• No purchase of Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum or any other Korres products can be completed at the Korres website.
• The rose scent was overpowering for some and other complained about moisturizing effects too potent for normal skin.
• The ingredients for Wild Rose Brightening Serum, while highly natural, don’t seem as exceptional as the rest of the website suggests.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum – The Bottom Line

With strong connections to ancient Greece and the unique flora found there, Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum holds the hope of flawless porcelain and plaster characteristics for the skin often associated with the region. It is easy to get lost in the wonder of the region but the majority of ingredients contained in Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum don’t appear to stand out from other brighteners on the market. What does set it apart is the healthy list of preservative exclusions. Reasonably priced and supported by moderately high reviews, the possibility of recreating the look of Greek goddesses at home with Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum may be worth the effort.

Proving altruism can be profitable, California-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International’s business model attempts to restore a sense of normalcy to those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Epileptic seizures and the side effects of chemotherapy. Founded in 1994, the company seeks to restore healthy normalcy to the skin as well. The pharmaceutical manufacturer makes over 350 prescription and over-the-counter drugs to treat a host of neurological, dermatological and infectious diseases. Through its research into several countries the company accomplishes meaningful improvement in the lives of its patients.

As one of Valeant’s popular dermatological brands, Kinerase restores the skin’s youthfulness without the invasive effects of common cosmetic procedures. It boasts of a gentle and effective skincare line that scientifically improves roughness, skin tone and sun damage. Kinetin, which is derived from the blue anemone flower, is the same plant extract that keeps a plant’s leaves from drying out and visibly improves sun-damaged skin and provides moisture retention.

The Kinerase.com website which highlights the celebrity endorsement of Friends actor Courtney Cox carries its reliance on the beneficial extracts of the blue anemone flower through the site’s blue and white color scheme. The clear navigation directs visitors to the company’s profile, the science behind the brand and the recommended skincare regimens. The Science page accessed from the About Kinerase tab reveals the company’s two main brands and clinical research results of their use. Not limited to the needs of the face, the website also offers links to supplements and sunscreens.

Kinerase Brightening Face Serum – Product Description

A host to over 30 products of which nearly half require purchase from a dermatologist including Kinerase Brightening Face Serum, the brand is designed to work together as a full skincare line. Among the offerings are items that target specific facial concerns including two major lines that focus on core care and professional therapy.

Part of the anti-aging category is the Kinerase Brightening Anti-Aging System. Within this $140 anti-aging program is a Kinerase Brightening Face Serum and a concentrated spot treatment. The Kinerase Brightening Face Serum is formulated with opulent Pearl Extract which increases the skin’s luminosity while the potion’s Brightening Complex is scientifically concocted with seven organic ingredients that work as a team to further brighten the skin for an increased even tone. The highly effective Kinerase Brightening Face Serum also fades discoloration and dark spots with Kinetin, White Tea, Lactic Acid, amino acids and Algae-Mugwart Extract.

Third-party buzz for Kinerase Brightening Face Serum incorporated both those who were extremely happy with the results despite the cost while others expressed severe dissatisfaction at paying such a high cost for something that for them was highly ineffective. The number of negative reviews was nearly as high as the positive ones.

Kinerase Brightening Face Serum Advantage

• Kinerase offers a full skincare line.
• Kinerase Brightening Face Serum is part of an anti-aging spot treatment program.
• Kinerase Brightening Face Serum uses the blue anemone-derived Kinetin to bolster its effectiveness.
• Kinerase Brightening Face Serum can be purchased without dermatological supervision.

Kinerase Brightening Face Serum – Drawbacks

• Kinerase Brightening Face Serum is expensive.
• Product reviews for Kinerase Brightening Face Serum were too mixed to prove beneficial.
• The website doesn’t offer clinical research information or results photos to back its claims.

Kinerase Brightening Face Serum – The Bottom Line

With nearly half of its products requiring purchase from a dermatologist, viewing Valeant’s Kinerase skincare line as legitimate is not difficult. However, known as being partly responsible for returning actor Courtney Cox to her twenties well beyond her chronological age, a better performance from Kinerase Brightening Face Serum was expected than what was delivered to the general public.

H2O Plus, established in 1989, set out to produce the first water-based skincare product derived from seawater and dermatological technology to combat the effects of urban living. The skincare line is designed to enhance hydration, rejuvenation and appearance while protecting the skin from the pore-clogging side effects of other products. With the lead in developing, manufacturing and marketing its prestigiously branded products, H2O touts its unique blend of “water plus” naturally nutrient sea ingredients for helping clients attain and maintain healthy and youthful looking skin.
At first glance, the H2O Plus.com website’s use of poetic sea imagery to express the benefits of its product lacks concrete information. Beautifully designed, the site only provides snippets of the company’s origin, while creating a very organized tour of its expansive product line. The products, available in spas, beauty supply stores and online, are carefully categorized according to use. The product pages list a photo, a brief description including the price and size, plus additional tabs revealing product benefits, usage, ingredients, and reviews.

Unlike other sites, H2O Plus lists a variety of reviews. The company, which boasts of environmentally responsible products and packaging materials, shows actual reviews that both sing its product praises and suggests room for improvement.

H2O+ Waterwhite – Product Description

In April of 2002, H2O Plus introduced its Waterwhite Brightening line, which was designed to lighten, brighten and protect the skin’s youthfulness. H2O Plus’ explained the use of a technologically advanced formula of high performance ingredients, which were scientifically proven to assist in lightening the skin’s complexion. It is also believed to enhance clarity and evenness by eliminating skin spots and discoloration known to be caused by aging and sun damage. The complex ingredient formula includes Vitamin C, live yeast cell derivatives and Marine algae. Ranging in price from $22.50 to $45, the entire line covers every step of a client’s skincare regime.

In particular, H2O Plus’ Waterwhite Brightening Night Cream is a nightly repair cream designed to brighten the skin’s complexion, reduce unevenness, and improve texture by releasing its benefits throughout the night. The company claims the product’s uniqueness is in its ability to take advantage of skin cell’s heightened receptivity during resting hours. While this product is listed in H2O’s April 2002 press release archives and on its Canadian price list, it is not displayed in the website’s product pages. This night cream does appear to be available through a few third-party online retailers.

H2O+ Waterwhite Advantage

• H2O’s website was easy to navigate with plenty of general product information.
• The company is environmentally responsible and its products are natural.
• For the products available, the company showed reviews with varying opinions.

H2O+ Waterwhite – Drawbacks

• H2O’s Waterwhite Brightening Night Cream isn’t readily available through their website.
• Specific company information was scarce.
• The website didn’t reveal any clinical testing information regarding its products.

H2O+ Waterwhite – The Bottom Line

H2O’s business and product formula derived from water-based skincare and the benefits of sea minerals seem popular, however, its website was more sales- oriented than information-rich. It was difficult to determine the effectiveness of their products beyond the varied reviews. In addition, information regarding H2O Plus’ Waterwhite Brightening Night Cream was not easily available for in depth research or purchase. A client interested in this product could base a decision solely on the information available for other products in the same line or search for specific reviews at third-party retailers such as the Skin Store.com or Amazon.com. The absence of this product from the company product pages suggests that it may not be a top seller.

The seed for a 20-year dermatological career that would produce several books, numerous professional papers and in-depth research studies took root with a passion for skincare that ignited during a leukemia research and treatment project at New York’s Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Fredric Brandt sought to develop a skincare line that combined dermatological science with the use of vitamins and eastern botanicals. His mission is based on allowing clients to “take the doctor home with you”. With biodegradable packaging containing highly effective product achieved without animal testing, the line’s purpose is to repair and prevent skin damage while increasing health and beauty.

The Dr Brandt Skincare.com website has the classic black and white fashion color scheme with neon pink accents. With a menu bar across the top and down the left and right sides, information about Dr. Brandt and his products are easy to find.

The website’s product pages are a wealth of information including a product photo, price, and key ingredients. Instead of testimonials, the site references magazine articles that are product specific. In addition to instructions, benefits, and doctor’s tips, the option for more in-depth ingredient information and add-on recommendations is also available. Dr. Brandt’s website attempts to provide much of the information needed to make a purposeful buying decision.

Dr. Brandt Laser Lightening – Product Description

Within the skin condition category, Dr. Brandt hosts a full line dedicated to skin discoloration and hyper pigmentation. Ranging from $45 to $110, this skincare line provides a product for every step required for optimal skin maintenance.

As the line’s bestseller, Dr. Brandt’s Laser Lightning Serum at a cost of $110, effectively targets UV damage and reverses the markers of photo aging. It is designed to fade freckles, even skin tone as well as minimize the appearance of dark spots. The serum inhibits melanin production through its anti-aging melablocking system.

Instructed for use day and night, the product may cause dryness despite the absence of hydroquinone, a popular melanin inhibitor known for drying the skin. Other than magazine reviews, no testimonials exist on the Dr. Brandt website. However, an overwhelming majority of third-party reviews were positive.

Dr. Brandt Laser Lightening Advantage

• The Dr. Brandt Skincare website shows in-depth product pages with a full ingredient listing and glossary.
• The lightning serum appears to be a bestseller both on the website and through third-party retailers.
• Dr. Brandt’s hyper pigmentation skincare category offers a full line of products to maximize results.
• The lightning serum uses melanin-blocking technology without the use of hydroquinone, which is often very drying for the skin.

Dr. Brandt Laser Lightening – Drawbacks

• Dr. Brandt’s price for his Laser Lightning Serum may be cost prohibitive for some.
• The media recommendation provided on the product page just suggests the product for use and doesn’t provide any clinical evidence or testimonials to support the suggestion.
• Much like a woman’s age, the timeline for the development of Dr. Brandt skincare is a closely held secret.

Dr. Brandt Laser Lightening – The Bottom Line

Fashion magazine endorsements aside, Dr. Brandt does possess a variety of credentials that support his ability to develop an effective skincare line. The website’s use of in-depth product information as well as a definition of terms eases a potential customer’s skepticism. While the product price points do diminish the possibility of impulse purchases, Dr. Brandt does provide a 60-day return policy. Dr. Brandt’s Lightning Serum appears to be a popular antidote to hyperpigmentation; however, as with most of these type products, measurable results are difficult without reference to the starting point of the discoloration being treated.

When the name Dior comes to mind, one thinks of luxurious fabrics and Hollywood starlets, but like many of the other fashion moguls, the house of Christian Dior also contains a skincare line. Building a name in French designs after the Second World War, it wasn’t until nearly 30 years after Dior’s death in 1957 that Dior launched Capture, the company’s first anti-aging based skincare brand. Bringing the same attention to detail and luxury that is synonymous with Dior is an entire skincare line addressing anti-aging, general skincare, cleansers, bodycare, hydration, high-end skincare, sun protection and men’s skincare.

As artsy as Dior was himself, the Dior.com website is a beauty to behold but light on function. More detailed is the international version at Dior.com/pcd/International which maintains access to the brand’s entire skincare line. In simple white with black fonts, the Dior website offers entrance into the world of skincare and fragrance. Text links shadow the top menu bar leading visitors to gender-targeted fragrance, makeup, skincare, the full catalogue, shopping and the Christian Dior club. On the left displays the feature product while the right holds specific navigation to the popular products, the business of Dior, trends and extras. Down below are links to the terms of business as well as access to the world of Dior fashion, accessories and media.

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum – Product Description

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum, the eye treatment, the night restorative, the multi-perfection crème and the night time peel.

Marketed as the “Superstar Treatment” and Dior’s first skincare offering that targets all signs of aging while preserving the look and texture of youthful skin, Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum promises to deliver a “velvety skin finish” in its ability to visibly correct wrinkles, saggy rough skin, dullness and enlarged pores. Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum transforms the face with Alpha-Longoza and Centuline Complex, polymers, silicone oil and wheat proteins.

While there’s reference to e-shopping on the site, a click on the shopping button delivers an authorized retail locator tool. Priced between $114 to $185 at discount and high-end online retailers, Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum receives strong raves from online consumers.

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum – Advantage

• Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum is boosted by the enduring reputation of the anti-aging Capture brand.
• Reviews for Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum are strong.
• Dior goes into great detail to explain the uniqueness of its Alpha-Longoza and Centuline Complex delivered in Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum.

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum – Drawbacks

• The various Dior sites are not very intuitive.
• The cost of Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum may be prohibitive for many.
• Purchase of Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum, while implied on the Dior site, emphasis seems to be placed on third-party authorized retailers.

Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum – The Bottom Line

While icon status in the fashion world does not automatically translate to the skincare industry, many fashion moguls have transferred their couture success to skincare with little difficult–Dior is no exception. Applying the same need for luxury fabrics to luxury skincare ingredients, Dior’s been helping women reverse aging with its Capture brand for 30 years. It’s no wonder Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Correction Serum is earning strong support despite the opulent price tag.

Resulting due to the evolution of a physician’s 25-year career focused on improving the skin’s health and appearance for New York City’s residents is Doctor’s Dermatological Formula (DDF) which was established in 1995.Dr. Howard Sobel sought to combine aesthetic medical technology with cosmetic skincare. With the influences of nutritional, dermatological and biochemical expertise, DDF demonstrated that impressive results were attainable with a medically designed, over-the-counter skincare line. As a result, DDF’s mission evolved to include the motto, “Cleanse. Protect. Treat.” With that in mind, DDF created a full retail-based skincare line devoted to treating skin issues usually restricted to the dermatologist’s chair, such as preventative and restorative anti-aging, acne, hyperpigmentation, sun protection and a host of skin conditions.

Much like most cosmeceutical websites, DDFSkincare.com wastes no time introducing its aging and problem skin niche to visitors in a colorful yet modest color scheme. With a tagline “From Promises to Results”, the website’s main menu bar allows shopping by skin issue which includes Anti-Aging Restorative, Anti-Aging Preventative, Acne, Sensitive Allergic, Hyperpigmentation, and Sun Protection. The three boxes that occupy the webpage’s center include feature products, issues and events. Below that reside customer favorites within the four DDF categories of Cleanse, Protect, Treat and Rxtra. The product pages are informationally-anorexic, only containing a brief description, the price and a list of both active and inactive ingredients.

DDF Fade Gel – Product Description

Supporting the hyperpigmentation category within the Treat segment of DDF’s motto is a host of products designed to relieve the discoloration that plagues the appearance of skin as it ages. DDF Fading Gel being among them, the DDFSkincare.com website provides an array of other offers targeting the emergence of brown spots which affect the appearance of skin due to age, lack of sun protection, medication and hormone changes to name a few.

Containing 2% Hydroquinone, a well-known ingredient for challenging age spots, DDF Fade Gel effectively lightens hyperpigmentation, fades age spots and evens the skin’s complexion with additional ingredients such as Glycolic, Kojic, Salicylic and Azelaic Acids. At $52 per half ounce bottle, DDF Fade Gel has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews which matched my own past experience. I used an earlier version a few years back with really positive results. The only reason I stopped is I felt it was a little drying and based on what I read about the Hydroquinone, the earlier version of DDF Fade Gel packaged in a brown tinted bottle was not conducive to maximizing Hydroquinone’s shelf life. It is encouraging to see that the newest version of DDF Fade Gel is a solid colored bottle that blocks out light.

DDF Fade Gel Advantage

• DDF Fade Gelhas received highly favorable reviews.
• DDF Fade Gel has been repackaged to support the shelf life of Hydroquinone, one of its most effective ingredients.
• DDF products were derived from the 25-year experience of a well-respected New York dermatologic cosmetic surgeon.

DDF Fade Gel – Drawbacks

• Hydroquinone, which is contained in DDF Fade Gel, may be extremely drying for some skin types.
• The website fails to provide research data or result photos.

DDF Fade Gel – The Bottom Line

Twenty-five years of dermatological experience and a highly effective and potent champion ingredient in the battle against hyperpigmentation come together in DDF Fade Gel. A great product was made better with the swapping of the shelf-life inhibiting brown tinted bottle for a more effectiveness-lengthening solid bottle. High third-party reviews and my own experience make recommending this product an easy endorsement to make.

Doctor’s Dermatologic Formula (DDF), established in 1995, is the evolution of a physician’s 25-year career focused on improving the skin’s health and appearance for New York City’s residents. Dr. Howard Sobel sought to combine aesthetic medical technology with cosmetic skincare. With the influences of nutritional, dermatological and biochemical expertise, DDF demonstrated that impressive results were attainable with a medically designed, over-the-counter skincare line. As a result, DDF’s mission evolved to include the motto, “Cleanse. Protect. Treat.” With that in mind, DDF created a full retail-based skincare line devoted to treating skin issues usually restricted to the doctor’s examination room, such as preventative and restorative anti-aging, acne, hyperpigmentation, sun protection and a host of skin conditions.

DDF – Product Description

Addressing the treatment portion of DDF’s motto is a host of products designed to relieve many skin ailments. Among them, the DDFskincare.com website offers a host of products targeting hyperpigmentation or dark spots which affect the appearance of skin due to age, lack of sun protection, medication, and hormone changes to name a few. The products geared toward treating discoloration, with prices ranging between $32 and $70, cover every step of your typical skincare regime including cleansing, direct spot-treatment and moisturizing.

In particular, DDF Intensive Holistic Lightener is .5 ounces of holistic ingredients formulated to fade age spots and visibly reduce facial discoloration. The website, nicely organized in terms aligned with the company’s motto, indicates the price, description, ingredients and the status of the product. It also indicates that the Intensive Holistic Lightener, mid-priced at $50, consists of six holistic ingredients. Besides water, aloe and licorice root extracts, are three other less easily identified leaf extracts. Included with these six herbal or holistic ingredients are your usual skincare contents used to create the appropriate product consistency, promote absorption and maintain hydration. Missing from this product is hydroquinone. It is a harsh ingredient if used in large concentrations, but is common in most skin lightening products to inhibit melanin production or lighten skin color. DDF uses grain-based azelaic acid as its substitute.

While the home page simply lists customer favorites, actual testimonials are absent from the website. Testimonials found online ranged from ineffective to amazing results. Many felt that the consistency was too thick and that it worked better as an acne treatment.

DDF Advantage

• DDF products were derived from the experience of a well-respected New York dermatologic cosmetic surgeon with over 25 years of experience.
• The site is clear and organized, relying on the products and their ingredients for promotion instead of questionable testimonials.
• DDF offers medically formulated products to treat many skin problems with the convenience of retail availability.
• DDF’s Intensive Holistic Lightener treats discoloration without harsh chemicals.

DDF – Drawbacks

• The website fails to educate visitors on the purpose for its product ingredients.
• While most of the lightener’s feedback appeared to be positive, it is hard to measure effectiveness due to the lack of information regarding the severity of the hyper pigmentation involved.

DDF – The Bottom Line

Doctor’s Dermatologic Formula, based on years of successful, award-winning experience, incorporates nutrition, biochemistry and dermatologic technology to provide medicinal strength treatment of various skin ailments and aging prevention with the ease of commercial access. While the Intensive Holistic Lightener uses organic ingredients to treat hyperpigmentation, it is difficult to determine its effectiveness prior to purchase. Additionally, DDF does not clearly define the purpose for the organic materials selected. The company’s Intensive Holistic Lightener may be worth trying for those searching for a less irritating method to treating mild skin discolorations.

A sister brand to Astral Brand’s Aloette, CosMedix shares in its rich 30-year experience in the skincare industry. Based in Georgia, CosMedix is a leader in clinical aesthetics providing high performance products to assist skincare professionals in altering the physiology of a patient’s skin with an array of products ranging from non-wounding antioxidant peels to dietary supplements. CosMedix’s focus is “to empower consumers and the aesthetician with the strongest, purest and most effective skin care products possible.” Knowing that having the right ingredients is not enough, CosMedix employs chiral technology which is described with an analogy of how a pair of gloves with the same parts generally cannot be used interchangeably to either the right or left hand. Much like glove pairs that are mirror images of our hands, the right molecules must be correctly appropriated to the biological task in order to arrive at the desired result with little to no side effects. This explanation is active in CosMedix’s use of pure ingredients.

White and black with minor color accents, CosMedix.com takes purity to the web in introducing its brand. The top banner allows for browsing by product with additional links to the science behind the brand, a spa and clinic locator and a training and events page. Down the left, CosMedix divides product offers according to what it can do for the skin which includes skin nutrition, correct, stimulate, repair, protect, peel and body revolution. The feature product is centrally located with the latest news and upcoming shows and webinars provided underneath. Text links in the footer direct visitors to the contact and privacy pages plus the other Astral brands.

CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum – Product Description

Assigned to the Correct & Stimulate category is a host of products designed to promote the skin’s natural healing process by providing support to the skin’s barrier or in combating inflammation. Not a full skincare line, the products are serums, masks, treatments and preparatory products.
Answering to aging’s attack on the clarity of skin tone, CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum combines licorice and mulberry to lighten and brighten dull blotchy skin. Using the same chiral correction technology, CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum blocks melanin production and boosts cell turnover while preventing inflammation. With no means of purchase available on the website, CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum also contains Green Tea Extract, L-Arbutin, L-Lactic and Azelaic Acids, Willow Herb instead of the usual harsh bleaching ingredients.

With very few online retail providers and even fewer reviews, CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum appears to be predominantly available through dermatological and aesthetician spas and clinics. One popular consumer site gave it a perfect score and indicated it generally costs $44. Of course, it was available for purchase through Ebay.

CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum Advantage

• CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum has the support of a company generally focused on providing skincare products to skincare professionals.
• CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum uses a variety of natural non-irritating ingredients.
• The one review found for CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum was a perfect 10.

CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum – Drawbacks

• CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum is generally only available for purchase through a skincare professional.
• The number of product reviews for CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum was minimal.
• The CosMedix website lacked clinical research, results photos and testimonials.

CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum – The Bottomline

Holding fast to its professional skincare roots, CosMedix.com is generally an information-only site providing no means of purchase other than directing visitors to a spa or clinic. While strong support from the dermatological and aesthetic industries breeds much confidence more clinical research and user feedback would have created stronger support for CosMedix Lightning Fading Serum.

Boosting integrity in the skincare industry, New York-based Cosmedicine Companies, Inc was developed in 2004 as the antithesis to cosmetic business as usual. Instead of misleading taglines and erroneous claims, Cosmedicine appeals to the industry segment that desires truth in salesmanship and effective products. “Cosmedicine is committed to developing topical skin care products that truthfully and reliably deliver as promised.” Unlike other cosmeceutical brands, Cosmedicine doesn’t rely on the miraculous effects of one ingredient or technology to deliver the promise of healthy skin. Instead the company incorporates a variety of vitamins, proteins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids that work together to the skin’s benefit.

A multichannel brand, first on the Home Shopping Network and then on the Internet, Cosmedicine.com holds counter to the flashy or cutesy web presence often common in the cosmetic Internet industry. The blue and white backdrop with rotating product images relies on the face of its offerings instead of models and actors to push their products. Just as direct are the website’s navigation tools, taking visitors to company profile, FAQs, testing, healthy skin tutorial, media mention and contact pages. The menu bar down the left offers categories by regimen, skin and product type. Most impressive is the “Testing” tab which offers both qualitative and quantitative research results per product. The “Healthy Skin” tab is light on education, only providing a survey and answer to the inquiry regarding sunscreen.

Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum – Product Description

In a full skincare line focused on skin type, Cosmedicine brings truth to every aspect of skincare. Product types include cleansers, moisturizers, oil-controlling products, eye treatments, serums, exfoliators, tints, sunscreens and specialty products.

Offered in a day or night formulation, is an organic concoction of 44 highly interactive, high octane ingredients including antioxidants, vitamins, peptides and natural extracts. Cosmedicine MegaDose Skin Fortifying Serum for day and Cosmedicine Mega Dose PM Skin Fortifying Serum for night are the ultimate form of aging prevention with the ability to combat age-advancing daily environmental stressors, fade hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles while stimulating collagen and elastin production to smooth, firm and soften the skin. Priced at $85, Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum specifically contains Pomegranate Extract, Vitamin C, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Retinol, which differs from its daytime companion.

The cyberbuzz on Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum was scarce possibly resulting from some confusion with its daytime version. One commonality among reviews good and bad for the Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum dealt with the smell; most everyone commented on it. Comments ranged from “peculiar” to flat out putrid. Some couldn’t properly rate it because they couldn’t get past the smell while others felt the smell supported the product’s credibility because the emphasis for Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum was on effectiveness, not aesthetics. Smell aside, reviews were generally favorable.

Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum Advantage

• Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum contains Retinol to impact signs of aging.
• Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum earns nearly perfect reviews despite its smell.

Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum – Drawbacks

• Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum may be prohibitive for some at $85 an ounce.
• Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum carries an odor many found extremely offensive.
• Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum was often confused with its daytime counterpart.

Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum – The Bottomline

Cosmedicine Companies may have taking its integrity oath too far in the formulation of Cosmedicine MegaDose PM Skin Fortifying Serum Many found the odor too foul to truly consider the product’s effectiveness. Those with higher determination or more dull nasal perceptions found it to be highly effective.

The word association between Clarins Paris and clarity isn’t a coincidence as the brand officially launched in 1954, unveiling its “creation and professional application of the 100% pure plant extract oils”. Founder Jacques Courtin-Clarins opened his first beauty institute to provide women personalized beauty treatment and guidance. The desire for natural personalized cosmetics and skincare became apparent as Clarins reached the US in 1981and claimed a spot on the Stock Exchange in 1984. Over the next 20 years Clarins expanded to include fragrance, a men’s skincare line and an organic cosmetic brand.

In white, gray and cosmetic red, the US.Clarins.com website promotes a web presence that is none too subtle. The top banner includes links to the shopping bag, the company profile, the spas, stores and beauty advice. Below that customers can visit the new products, face, body, well-being, sun care, makeup, fragrance and Clarins for men categories. The website boasts the company’s feature products, while the right menu bar provides personalized tools, offers, the philosophy of Clarins and a search bar. Down below Clarins takes care of the business terms.

The Clarins site goes into great detail explaining the scientific use of pure plant extracts, the method of extraction, the evolution of the company’s product advancement and its commitment to environmental responsibility. The site even contains a herbarium or herb index defining A to Z, all the herbs and botanicals as well as their beneficial effects in skincare.

Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program – Product Description

Within Clarins’ Brightening category, the company carefully delineates its eight offerings into masks, peels, spot maintenance, SPF lotions, toners and a night cream in addition to Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program.

For periodic maintenance, a jumpstart to recapturing youth or just when youth restoration has a deadline, Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program recaptures firm, bright and young skin in twenty-one days. The program kit contains three 0.2 ounce bottles of Age-Control Concentrate and three 0.2 ounce bottles of Brightening Concentrate. The two-step process priced at $148, uses Glistin to propel the skin regeneration process, Lotus Root to return dull skin back to a younger glistening version of itself and Alistin to pump up sagging skin.

Third-party reviews for Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program were glowing. Only a few balked at the price or complained about the treatment not lasting the full 21-days.

Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program Advantage

• Clarins banks on the benefits of pure extract oils.
• Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program delivers more youthful glowing skin within 21 days.
• While the Clarins website doesn’t offer product specific research results, it does deliver the
• research process that is the foundation for its products.

Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program – Drawbacks

• Reviews for Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program were positive but not abundant.
• A full ingredient list for Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program was not provided.
• Some reviewers complained that not all the components of Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program lasted the length of time advertised to acquire full results.

Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program – The Bottom Line

Neatly packaged with individual bottles for each of the three weeks in which the two-step process is designed to deliver results, Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program promises to restore the face’s characteristics of youth in just 21 days. Nearly 55 years of adapting pure plant extracts to skincare and strong reviews makes Clarins Intensive Age-Control Brightening Program a clear contender for periodic maintenance for aging skin.

Taking the old adage “Waste not; Want not.” to heart, Caudalie Paris was born after a grape harvest when Parisian Professor of the Pharmacy Faculty of Bordeaux, Professor Vercauteren informed Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas that the grape seeds they often discarded during the harvest were invaluable to preserving the skin. Due to the polyphenols they contain, grape seeds provide much the same protection from free radical damage as the grape pulp does inside of the body. That conversation became the catalyst from which Caudalie Paris was ignited in September 1995 and the power of grapes seeds became the basis of the company’s first three product offerings. Now the company offers 35 products including Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum through five subsidiaries in the US, UK, Germany, Italy and Belgium.

In a minimalist black backdrop with accents of pink, Caudalie.com first directs visitors to its offerings based on language and country of origin. What unfolds is three simple blocks on the right pointing to product information, the company’s spas and the company’s profile and research. On the left the basis for Caudalie’s research is represented in a feature product brush swiftly scratching the surface to reveal a fresh and youthful face surrounded in grape spheres. The caption reads, “A burst of radiance, from the touch of a brush”. A click pass the opening pages leads visitors to a green and white page covered with grape imagery and interesting page length tabs that direct navigation to the world of Caudalie Paris, the skincare products, the Vinotherapie Spas and the connection between the company and its clients. Underneath, a product locator, contact, press, legal and employment pages are provided along with the typical terms of business disclosures.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum – Product Description

The product pages facilitate navigation by need or by Vinotherapie regimen. In the Radiance/Anti-dark spot category, the company offers Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum for correcting the complexion, Vinoperfect, Day Perfecting Cream and Vinoperfect, Night Correcting Cream.

Free of harsh chemical preservatives, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum clarifies the skin’s complexion by increasing luminosity and moisture. At $79 per one ounce bottle, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum olive, mint, caraway and galbanum with the company’s patented Viniferine or grapevine sap which contains elements that govern melanin production, fights free radicals and improves melanin distribution.

While third-party reviews were plentiful, those who didn’t rate Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum well complained of an itchiness and redness that occurred after use. In all, over half of the respondents stated that they would use it again drawing the conclusion that although all reviews weren’t glowing, a fair amount of users were satisfied with Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum – Advantage

• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum adapts the benefit of grapes and its seeds to improve the skin’s vitality.
• Reviews are mostly favorable for Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.
• Caudalie.com effectively details the company research, its patented skincare contributions and its company origins.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum – Drawbacks

• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum can cause irritation and redness as described by some reviewers.
• Website navigation was a little confusion sometimes leading to dead pages.
• At $79 per one ounce bottle, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum can seem costly and taking advantage of the autoship program didn’t provide for any discounts.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum – The Bottom Line

Caudalie France has a unique way of applying the spirit of wine and grapes to skincare. The science and the reviews suggest what’s great in our glass can be good for our skin as well.Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum may be just what the skin needs to recapture the luminous buzz of youth.