An IPL Journey with the Remington i-LIGHT (Part 23 Review)

Observations

(Session XI)

Immediately:

The skin is a bit warm and dry as it has been lately. I'm positive it's the cold weather taking a toll.

The Next Day:

Skin looks and feels completely normal. Nothing nothworthy.

Three Days Later:

Wow! This is the smoothest my skin has felt since starting the whole process. I'm not hairless by any means, but it's nice to be able to see results, especially when I compare it to my other leg that hasn't recieved any IPL.

All photos (c) Little Luxuries 2013.

An IPL Journey with the Remington i-LIGHT (Part 22 Review)

As I begin my eleventh session, I feel like Remington has brought me halfway to where I want to be in the hair removal process. As I noted in my last i-Light post, my leg is relatively hair free. I do find some lingering hairs here and there, but it is nothing too obvious. The skin is relatively smooth, even when you run a hand over the skin. There is the softest and faintest tickle of stubble. Again, nothing overtly bothersome. I can see tiny pinpricks of light black hair right underneath the top of the skin. It is nothing blatantly obvious if you aren't looking for it.

The underarm and leg sessions go like clockwork. There is nothing special to report about my underarm. It is smooth and as hairless as can be. I do see pinpricks of hair underneath the skin here too, but I haven't seen any real growth here since my fourth session. The Remington is doing its job keeping the hair growth at bay.

My leg is almost hair free on one side (the side that doesn't require awkward bending) but still peppered with hairs here and there on the side that requires me to bend myself into uncomfortable positions in order for me to position the handset correctly. The rubber band stings on my lower leg have gradually decreased. It's not entirely gone, but I feel it less and less with each passing session.

The most bothersome part of the entire process is now the cleaning of the handset. The amount of burnt hair I find on it always varies after sessions. Sometimes, there's barely anything. Sometimes, there's tons of hair soot. Today, there was a ton of hair soot. It takes me longer to clean the handset than it does to complete an underarm and leg session!

All photos (c) Little Luxuries 2013.

REN: Bio Retinoid Anti-Aging Concentrate Review

As I searched for retinol products on the market, two products caught my eye. The first was Peter Thomas Roth's Retinol Fusion AM/PM. The second was REN's Bio Retinoid Anti-Aging Concentrate. At the time, it was still new on the market so there were little to no reviews about it. I liked what it promised though - all the benefits of retinol without the aftereffects of redness and peeling skin.

What it is:
A complex of naturally derived ingredients that combat the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections for visibly younger skin.

What it is formulated to do:
This synergistic complex of pure, potent, 100 percent naturally derived vitamin A, pro-vitamin A, and retinoid analogue combat the appearance of wrinkles, imperfections, and age spots. The complexion appears brighter, toned, and healthy without the effects of synthetic retinol.

Peter Thomas Roth: Retinol Fusion AM Moisturizer SPF 30 Review

In conjunction with my Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM, I use Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion AM Moisturizer in the morning. This promises the same effect as the Retinol Fusion PM, but with the added benefit of moisturization and SPF. I used both AM and PM to optimize my retinol benefits throughout the day.

What it is:
A daytime hydrator that fights wrinkles and guards against UVA/UVB rays.

What it is formulated to do:
This multi-action daily essential features a potent concentration of time-released retinol to encourage skin's renewal process and maximize efficacy with minimal irritation. With regular use, this moisturizer improves texture, evens skintone, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and visibly reduces pore size. This formula also features antioxidants that fight free-radical damage.

Peter Thomas Roth: Retinol Fusion PM Review

One of the things I really loved using as a teenager was my retin-a acne medication. It cleared away my acne like nothing else and smoothed my skin out. My doctor also jokingly warned me not to share my prescription with my mother. It also had anti-aging benefits he told me. Not that I would need it just yet. I always remembered that little bit of advice. So when it was time for me to look for anti-wrinkle skin care, I immediately thought of retin-a.

Unfortunately for me, retin-a is not an item sold over the counter. The cosmetic version of retin-a is retinol. It is much less potent, but still claims to have much of the same anti-aging properties of retin-a. One of the most well know cosmetic retinol items on the market is Peter Thomas Roth's Retinol Fusion PM serum. 

What it is:
A potent retinol serum that delivers skin-renewing benefits via optimally concentrated encapsulated retinol for maximum results with minimal irritation.

What it is formulated to do:
This technologically advanced combination of encapsulated retinol, and vitamins C and E, encourages the skin's renewal process with prime efficacy. It helps improve skintone and texture, assists in collagen production, and reduces lines and wrinkles to create a vibrantly youthful and healthy complexion. A dose of moisture minimizes redness and irritation, and mitigates the retinol's drying effects.

Josie Maran Argan Oil Review

While reading up on potentially moisturizing eye creams and eye treatments, I read several comments from various sites recommending argan oil for the undereye area. I have a bottle of it for those intensely dry skin days, but never thought about using it for my orbital eye area. The idea of putting any kind of oil around my eyes instinctively repel me. These are echoes of leftover skincare education about how any kind of oil on the face is always bad. However, I know from experience that oil for the skin as a cleanser or moisturizer can do wonders. So why couldn't argan oil help with restoring moisture to the eye area? Especially since argan oil contains vitamin e and fatty acids.

What it is:
A lightweight oil that can be used as a daily moisturizer or treatment for skin, hair, and nails.

What it does:
This 100% Pure Argan Oil is a legendary oil that's rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, and grown organically in Morocco. With its multitasking benefits, Argan Oil can be used for many areas including hydrating and nourishing skin, as a daily moisturizer, skin treatment, treating spilt ends, and softening cuticles. It's gentle enough to use on all skin types and is believed to help with skin conditions including acne. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe.

Clinique All About Eyes Rich Review

Le Métier de Beauté's Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo made me realize what I'm looking for isn't primarily anti-aging properties in my eye care, but moisturization. Keeping the eye area hydrated prevents the onset of fine lines and reduces the appearance of dark circles (more moisture means better blood circulation around the eyes). With that in mind, I decided to pay more attention to eye creams that promise more hydration to the skin around the eyes.

Clinique's All About Eyes Rich captured my attention because it is supposed to be exactly like All About Eyes but with extra moisturization for the eye area. All About Eyes has been my eye cream staple for years, so I looked forward to trying out the Rich version. It might be all that I need for my newly aging undereye area.

Moisture-rich eye cream diminishes the look of undereye circles, shadows, fine lines-instantly and over time. De-puffs, calms with botanicals. Helps boost natural collagen production. Strengthens skin's moisture barrier against common irritants. Ophthalmologist Tested.

An IPL Journey with the Remington i-LIGHT (Part 21 Review)

Observations

(Session X)

Immediately:

Warming sensation where the handset was applied. Slight discomfort in areas that had active hair growth. Skin looks dry afterwards. No sootiness left behind, but I can see some singed hairs here and there.

The Next Day:

The leg feels nice and smooth. The skin looks kind of dry. There is not much else to be noted. 

Three Days Later:

Very very small and slow hair growth? Can't feel anything yet, but can see tiny spots of black on the leg.

 
All photos (c) Little Luxuries 2013.
 

An IPL Journey with the Remington i-LIGHT (Part 20 Review)

My tenth session! Two whole months of continuous IPL. I admit I didn't always manage to keep it to strictly one week intervals. When I got busy or too tired, I skipped the day I was supposed to restart my session and used my IPL machine the next day instead. Overall, I always managed to do one session a week.

My underarm is virtually smooth with the exception of a short hair here and there. I am not seeing or feeling any new hair growth. I am truly amazed at how well it worked on this part of my body. The only way I will be able to tell if there will be any future growth on my underarm is to stop using the i-LIGHT completely.

Looking at my leg, I can honestly say that it is mostly hair free. Running my hand over the skin, I can tell I have new growth. Very fine. Very subtle. It is soft, not coarse or prickly. I can see my leg remaining this way if I continue my weekly Remington sessions. If I stop now, it is definitely not permanent. The question is if the hair with remain the same or be finer than before. I often wished I never started shaving my legs so my leg hair would still be super soft and fine. (No one ever listens to their mother about this.) Even if IPL doesn't permanently remove hair, maybe it can turn back the clock.

Le Métier de Beauté: Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo Review

One of the hottest eye care items on the market at the moment is Le Métier de Beauté's Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo. It was recently release in January 2013. Le Métier de Beauté drummed up a bunch of publicity about their new eye mask online. Many bloggers have raved about the performance of their new eye mask.

Until I read the reviews from other websites, I really had no interest whatsoever in Le Métier de Beauté. They are primarily a cosmetics brand. I have heard of their makeup line being fan favorites, but since I am more a skin care junkie than a makeup junkie, I haven't paid much attention to them. I also admit to being skeptical of a makeup company producing skin care. However, the rave reviews and before & after photos of the Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo effects piqued my interest, especially in light of my eye care journey.

I picked up Le Métier de Beauté's Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo during the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event. That's when I learned that this eye mask is already high in demand. It instantly sold out at my location. I ran home with my purchase and waited for a convenient day to test it out.