NEOSTRATA... an introduction

First of all... GAH! It's been 2 weeks! Sorry you guys, life just got in the way. Plus I've been attending various schools and trying various new products... but there's really no excuse, I have a list as long as my arm of products I've ALREADY reviewed and just need to get up here. So - I apologize.

Today I want to talk about NEOSTRATA. Yes, I realize it's a brand, not a single product. But I want to talk to you about it, because there's something in the line for EVERYONE. And pretty much everyone should be using SOMETHING from the line to address their skin concerns.

I love NEOSTRATA. L-O-V-E absolutely LOVE it. For starters, they're Canadian (yay), but not that it matters when you consider that EVERYTHING they make is backed up by scientific studies. The kind of scientific studies that are done by an independent third party. The kind of scientific studies that are double-blind (which means neither the administrator or test subject know what they are using).

NeoStrata is famous for it's use of AHAs, specifically Glycolic Acid and Gluconolactone. Essentially what both AHAs do is dissolve the bond between dead skin cells. What is the benefit to this? Well, when you use a manual exfoliator (any kind of scrub) you run the risk of exfoliating unevenly, exfoliating too much (or not enough), or literally cutting yourself (which happens almost 100% of the time when you use a scrub that is naturally based, like walnut shell-based, etc).

Glycolic acid is amazing because at the concentrations found in NeoStrata's products, they speed up cell renewal. Therefore your skin sheds faster. The beauty in this is that because your skin cells are sloughing off faster, new skin gets pushed up more quickly. This flattens your skin, so acne-scars and wrinkles will soften. Their Skin Renewal Peel Solution is 10% Gluconolactone and 10% Glycolic Acid. I am literally on my 5th bottle of this stuff (I've been using it for about 3 years now, and let me tell you - my skin looks better now than it did 5 years ago).

Gluconolactone is amazing because not only does it facilitate a gentle peel, it also hydrates.

I think pretty much everyone, except those with crazy rosacea, can benefit from the Skin Renewal Peel Solution. It brightens your skin tone, firms up your skin (while Glycolic Acids thin out the skin on top, they encourage collagen production, thereby thickening the lower layers of skin, giving your plumper, softer, thicker skin), eliminates wrinkles and softens acne scars, and prevents break-outs (by eliminating surface dead skin cells which can clog pores, leading to pimples).

They also have an acne line... their toner for acne prone skin is 8% glycolic acid, which is PERFECT for a once-a-day application after cleansing and before moisturizing. I've sold this to MANY customers who have reported fantastic results after just a week or so of once-a-day application.

They have a 10% Glycolic Acid body moisturizer. Perfect for anyone who waxes or is prone to ingrown hairs on their legs.

They also have a spectacular line of anti-aging products, which I'll have to review for your seperately.

In the meantime, RUN to Shoppers Drug Mart to get yourself a bottle of their Skin Renewal Peel Solution. It's $73, but at under $1 per peel, it's well worth the results... one peel at the Doctor's office (or medispa) will set you back AT LEAST $100, and leave you hiding at home with an inflamed face for 3 or 4 days. But using this peel 3 times a week for one month gives you THE SAME RESULTS as a Dr's strength peel with ZERO downtime... Just make sure you use a good physical sunscreen and wear a hat as AHAs can leave your skin more sensitive to the sun.