When I tell people that I use Olay, the most common reaction is disbelief — A drug store product?!?!
That is a phrase my Uncle used to say and now I am hearing it from my husband all the time. It is so true, because I will buy anything that promises youth or health! It just has to say it will make my skin glow or melt away lines, and then I am sold. Any product that comes to market claiming that it can reverse time is a win, and I am guilty of spending quite a large sum of money in pursuit of eternal youth. I am sure I am not the only one! This industry is raking it in!
Night cream is essential for my dry skin. For the last 30 years, I can honestly say I have tried more than 30 brands of cream. Being Asian with sensitive skin, Shiseido and SKII were my initial brands. K-beauty was not as well known 30 years ago. In my 20’s, my skin was not able to tolerate brands like Lancôme, Estée Lauder or Chanel. In my early 40's, a dermatologist friend told me Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream is the best skin cream. I was skeptical at first, but coming from a dermatologist, I tried it. My skin became slightly sensitive on the second or third day of use. After continual usage, my skin feels smooth, soft, plump and re-energized, like new!
Once in a while, I would try other brands, thinking that if I paid $200-600 for the cream, it must do something magical. Other friends would also tell me their amazing results with their favorite brands and, of course, I had to try them too! With the popularity of K-beauty, I have also tried products from Innis-Free to Amore Pacific. While there are other products from these lines that I love, I find myself going back to the Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting cream as my night cream. Now that Olay Regenerist came up with the Retinol 24 cream, which I am also using, the Micro-sculpting cream became my day-time cream.
Retinoid Best Practices
Retinoid, which is topical Vitamin A, commonly known as Retin A, is well known for the treatment of wrinkles. It is a prescription treatment for acne, but it is often used off label for erasing fine lines. (Please discuss with your healthcare provider and do not ask for a prescription without a consultation.) Retinoid increases collagen production, evens skin tones and smooths out the texture of the skin. However, it is also not very well tolerated. The skin usually becomes red, irritated, and often peels. One must stay away from the sun when using retinoid. Retinol, the non-prescription version of topical vitamin A, is less potent than retinoid. It is slightly less effective but much better tolerated, so most anti-aging skin care products contain Retinol. Of course, nothing is better than prescription strength products! On the other hand, retinoids have to be applied daily for a long period of time to have its anti-aging effect, so retinol that causes less irritation to the skin is better suited for long term use.
Olay Retinol 24 has retinol and retinyl propionate in addition to niacinamide (vitamin B). Retinyl propionate is another Vitamin A derivative, which may be more active than retinol. Sunscreen and avoiding direct sunlight is the most important thing to remember when using any products with Retin A. The Micro-sculpting cream does not contain retinol. The two main active ingredients are sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) and niacinamide. Topical niacinamide is also used for treating acne and has anti-inflammatory effect. Hyaluronic acid is another key ingredient for skin care, which I’ll be writing more about it in my next entry. Make sure to subscribe by entering your email on the right!
I cannot stop myself from looking and trying anything that reportedly defy aging. What I have learned from this is - “Pricier does not mean better.” The most expensive product may not be the best (at least in my case)!
Olay Regenerist - the dynamic duo
I am using oil of Olay for more than twenty years and strongly agree Dr Wu recommendations and I will continue to use it
ReplyDeleteThanks