The Eyes Have It!

Melissa Pallex

Today I'm going to focus on the eyes and some of the tough problems we encounter with them. I field a LOT of questions about the eyes (I think it's because this is the first area most of us notice ourselves aging), and I've chosen the most-asked questions to discuss below. I've also got some specific product recommendations offered by Spa-Tea-Da that I think do a phenomenal job of tackling those problems. I understand that it can be somewhat overwhelming to choose the correct eye care products to address your specific needs - the vast array of products out there is dizzying! Even the selection Spa-Tea-Da offers from BeautiControl is extensive. Rest assured...the number of options is not designed to make things more difficult! We simply have choices to meet our needs! My job is to help you understand how to choose the correct products for your needs.

First question...

Q: What do I really need for my age?

A: First of all, everyone needs an eye cream…EVERYONE! This part is easy:

• If you are under the age of 30, you primarily need an eye cream product that moisturizes and protects, to help prevent the development on lines and wrinkles around the eye area. Eye X Cel is the eye cream for you.

• If you are between the ages of 30 & 40, you need an eye cream that is formulated to both protect and repair, with moderate moisturizing properties. The prescription this time? Regeneration Gold Eye Repair Cream.

• If you are over the age of 40, you have special needs. Not only do you need extra moisture around the eye areas, you need ingredients that help repair the appearance of damage…lines and wrinkles, and ingredients that help to dramatically improve the tone and elasticity of the skin. Platinum Regeneration Advanced Eye Repair Cream is the product for you.

Another product that I really like is Time to Go Time Capsules. Time Capsules contain a potent strength of retinol, a Vitamin A derivative that penetrates to the lower layers of the epidermis to help stimulate the rate that new skin cells are produced. So, while your Regeneration eye repair products work from the outside-in, Time to Go Time Capsules work from the inside-out to help create a "sandwich" effect that dramatically repairs the appearance of damage.

Now, this is important…while I'd love to see everyone use and benefit from the Time Capsules, this is a very aggressive product (note: most potent retinols are aggressive, regardless of brand) and every person will have to experiment with this treatment to determine the skin’s level of tolerance. Some people will be able to wear it every night, with no problems while others may experience some redness or initial dryness (common with retinol) after using this product for several consecutive days. If you start to feel your skin become tender, red or slightly irritated with any retinol use, stop using for a few days until your skin calms. You can resume the use of this product after you determine the frequency of use that is best for you. Also, this DOES NOT replace the use of an eye cream. This treatment is used WITH an eye cream...your eye cream has its own function to add moisture and protect the skin. Use retinols like the Time Capsules at night, after your Regeneration repair product and before your eye cream.

Q: What do I do for dark under eye circles?

A: There are many causes of dark circles, making them very difficult to treat. Because the skin around the eye is so thin, the capillaries are easily damaged. This damage causes blood to seep into the surrounding area. The hemoglobin oxidizes and turns dark in color, enhancing the appearance of dark circles.

There are 3 products that I recommend to help address this concern:

• Platinum Regeneration Eye Cream contains Haloxyl, the latest technology in treating the appearance of dark circles. One component of Haloxyl, N-hydroxysuccinimide, binds to the iron in hemoglobin, making it soluble for elimination. Another component, chrysin, works by eliminating the by-product of hemoglobin degradation. Haloxyl also contains a blend of peptides that reinforce the firmness and tone of the eye area for a more youthful appearance. Platinum Regeneration Eye Cream also contains Vitamin K, which plays a key role in blood clotting, and Licorice Extract, which naturally brightens the skin. Microcirculation and capillary permeability also play a key role in reducing the leakage of hemoglobin. Platinum Regeneration Eye Cream contains Eyeliss, which addresses these issues, as well as the problem of puffiness. Eyeliss is a combination of three active molecules that work synergistically help to decrease capillary permeability, encourage lymphatic circulation, improve firmness and elasticity and help decrease inflammatory phenomena.

• Time to Go Time Capsules are also great to help with this problem. This product will stimulate new cell production with retinol and help improve dark circles with Vitamin K.

• Platinum Regneneration Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Patches. This is one of our newest products that can be used to help with a multitude of problems around the eyes, including dark circles. This product is not a long term repair product, but produces dramatic immediate results and will offer continued relief for dark circles and puffiness when used regularly.

What makes these patches so special? Well, for years, companies have labored to get ingredients into the skin. It’s been a real battle, because skin is designed to keep things out! It’s our natural barrier against germs and environmental factors.

Now, thanks to BeautiControl technology, they've introduced a new concept in anti-aging — the patch delivery system. Like drug patches, they deliver a concentrated dose of ingredients over a period of time. BC's scientists have found that the patch is one of the best way to deliver certain key ingredients.

You see, skin cells are very influenced by their environment, and patches create the ideal environment for absorption and hydration. The Rejuvating Eye Patches are amazing problem solvers that turn back the clock, as well as soothe, refresh and revitalize tired eyes. They deliver a powerful time-released dosage of advanced ingredients that plump lines and wrinkles...diminish dark circles...dramatically improve skin firmness...and deflate those under eye bags that happen due to heredity, allergies, late nights, etc.

What I love about this new treatment is that you can spa yourself anytime whether or not you are relaxing. Most people think spa-ing yourself means taking 30 minutes in the tub with a face mask and eye pads. But, honestly, how often do we do that? These babies are a spa treatment for real life! Of course, you can always use them relaxing in the tub, but most of us will use them while life is happening...while you’re checking e-mail, chasing the kids around, making dinner, even driving to work! This is a true spa on the go. You can spa and de-age at the same time and the results are unbelievable!

Q: What do I do for sagging or loss of firmness above my lid area?

A: This one I take very seriously. This is not yet one of my own personal demons, but trust me, I've searched to find the very best solution possible so we can all avoid the knife!

A good rule of thumb is this…the area from your brow to the crease of your eye is still part of your face….use the same products on that area of the face as you would on other parts. BC's Regeneration face and neck serums and eye creams, as well as their Cell Block-C products contain ingredients called "peptides". Peptides are designed to penetrate to the lower levels of the epidermis to help improve elasticity, this improving the resiliency of the skin.

Another great product for this is your Sculptique Facial Contour Cream. This product contains peptides, as well as other ingredients to help improve the tone of the skin.

Here is a key point to remember...one of the key reasons that we experience loss of firmness and crepey skin in this area, besides genetics, is sun exposure. Years of sun exposure on this typically unprotected, yet delicate skin, can cause it to age more rapidly than other part of the face or body. Always make sure you are using a protective and preventative product like BeautiControl's Cell Block-C AM to help protect this delicate skin from both UV and oxidative damage.

Q: What products can be applied to the eyelids?

A: This is one of the questions that I answer most frequently. Any eye creams can be applied from the brow to the crease of the eye. You don’t want to put products directly on the eyelid for fear of getting product into the eyes. The movement of the eyes will pull the product onto the lids, helping to moisturize and condition.

Q: What do I use to help relax the expression lines and help soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles?

A: This is a category of products that has gained much attention since the discovery of Botox(TM) as an age defying skin treatment. Several years ago, physicians discovered that by injecting minute amounts of a poison into the wrinkles that you could numb the muscles of select areas on the face to relax the appearance of lines and wrinkles for several months at a time. This is GREAT if you don’t mind that somewhat frozen look that your skin gets after treatment. Trust me...I know about this personally, as I received Botox injections for over a year to treat a neurological condition affecting my eyes. Even with a highly trained neurologist doing my injections I still had one round of injections that left me with a droopy left eye for almost 6 weeks! I even had to go on a job interview looking rather odd with my droopy eye, but that's another story... At any rate, Botox injections can be painful, they can have odd and embarassing side effects, and they only last for about 3 months. Oh, and did I mention the expense that's not picked up by insurance (unless you have a medical condition that requires this treatment as I did)?

I'm pleased to say that you don't have to go through what I have. BeautiControl has just developed (and introduced just two weeks ago!) the best cosmetic alternative to this expensive, painful and questionably dangerous procedure – TFF...Regeneration Tight, Firm & Fill.
This revolutionary anti-aging formula delivers immediate and long-term results with the triple-action performance of a patent-pending peptide complex. TFF's triple-action complex reduces the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles, helps create an optimal environment for the skin to naturally produce collagen and stimulates the epidermis to reinforce the dermal-epidermal junction. Skin will look and feel tighter, firmer and smoother.

Regeneration Tight, Firm & Fill is so revolutionary, so amazing...I have so much to share about it, that I'll be devoting a future blog post entirely to TFF.

Q: What do I use to help immediately plump and fill lines and wrinkles?

A: This is yet another category of products that has gained much attention in the past few years. Another popular procedure inspired by vanity is the injection of an ingredient called Restylane into the lines and wrinkles to immediately plump the skin, eliminating its visible appearance. Restylane is an alternative to collagen injections that were made popular in the 80’s. Restylane is comprised of hyaluronic acid, a natural moisturizer that is produced by our own bodies. This ingredient has also been used as injections into joints in hopes to avoid joint replacement procedures.

Again, to avoid this painful and costly procedure, we have perfected the cosmetic application of hyaluronic acid with Regeneration Tight, Firm & Fill. One of TFF's key ingredients are the Hyaluronic Filling Spheres (TM) that immediately help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles! The dehydrated hyaluronic acid spheres penetrate the epidermis, where they begin to absorb moisture causing them to expand in size. This expansion acts like a dermal filler to fill in lines and wrinkles.

Another product that has shown superior results for immediately plumping and toning the skin around the eyes are is the Platinum Regeneration Regjuvenating Eye Treatment Patches. These are little miracle workers and will offer temporary results in excess of 24 hours.

Q: What can be used to help reduce puffiness under the eyes?

A: Puffiness is caused by two separate issues - fluid retention due to lack of rest or allergies and lack of firmness. I suggest two different formulas that address puffiness under the eyes:

• Eye X Cel, is a moisturizing eye cream that is meant to offer skin moisturization, and antioxidant protection. While it has green tea to help with fluid retention, as well as squalene, algae extract, and locust bean extract to aid in skin firmness, the main purpose is not to address "bags".

• Platinum Regeneration Eye Patches. We already know that these are great for dark circles, immediately plumping lines and wrinkles, but we have to add reducing puffiness to its list of benefits, making this one of our most comprehensive quick fix products in our skin care line.