Posts Tagged ‘collagen’

Lip Plumpers- How Do You Choose?!

Why just gloss when you can (maybe) plump as well?

The debate continues as to whether plumpers work or not. When I asked the ladies on Twitter, the general response seemed to be that they were skeptical, turned off by tingling or stickiness, or boyfriends had vetoed the practice.  There were a few kindred spirits that still have a love for “active” lip products. I remain faithful.

We carry quite a few plumping options including Jane Iredale JustKissed Lip Plumper and Fusion Beauty’s award winning Lip Fusion.

The way most lip plumpers are designed to work is by slightly irritating the delicate skin on the lips. The most common ingredients are cinnamon, peppermint, ginger, peppers. This increases blood flow to the area resulting in a slight puffiness. The other option is to use peptides, which are absorbed into the skin and help to improve collagen production, improving the overall pout.

JI’s Just Kissed uses the peptide technology. It’s more subtle and gentler than others, with just a very slight tingle. But overtime there will be a slight increase. The formula hydrates with Vitamin E.

If you want an immediate and more dramatic look, then Lip Fusion is the way to go. This particular plumper has won numerous awards and is all over the place. The difference is that it uses Micro Injected Marine Collagen. What does this mean? I have no idea.

Kidding.

As far as any education or research I’ve seen, collagen applied to any part of the body does absolutely nothing.

At all.

It doesn’t matter how much you paid for it.

The reason being that the chains of amino acids that the proteins are made up of are too large to be absorbed by the skin. That’s why peptides work. They are shorter chains, can be absorbed and stimulate the skin to make it’s own collagen.

Lip Fusion uses new technology that dehydrates the molecule (is that a thing?) which then makes it small enough to absorbed. When in the epidermis it rehydrates with the body’s own moisture and swells, cause a slight plumping action. Fancy. It could also be that collagen applied directly to skin is known to cause irritation. In either scenario, there will be a small amount of swelling.

I have yet to come across anything that backs this new technology up. HOWEVER, I am an enormous lip gloss fanatic. I have piles of them. Gobs of them. I don’t know specifically what it is that I love about Lip Fusion. That’s a lie. I know exactly what I love about this stuff. Here’s a list:

1)The gorgeous, deep-yet-somehow-sheer shades in an awe inspiring selection. You know, colors with depth and complexity that represent you as an individual…through gloss.

2)The slight sparkle that delights my inner raven

3)The light lemon taste and scent

4)It’s not sticky! But still manages to stay on for a long time.

5)The super chic packaging. I love the shiny, reflective cap. It doubles as a mirror!

6)The limited edition ones that come with a crystal studded cap! CRYSTALS! (There’s that raven again)

7)Big tube. This could be a pro or con. But I usually motor through glosses and these last a long time.

I do find a slight amount of plumping, or as some people describe it, an awareness of the lips which just makes you feel sexier. Sometimes, depending on the color, it almost feels numbing. Which I don’t understand. Whether or not it actually does plump/tingle/numb has become irrelevant for me. I now collect these things like mad. They are absolutely the prettiest gloss colors I’ve ever seen.

So if you’re looking for a subtle, natural plump that develops over time, Jane Iredale Just Kissed is the way to go. If you want the drama and a stunning array of colors then it’s all about the Lip Fusion. (I may or may not have some of each)

What a wonderful dilemma!

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

Skeyndor: A classic skin care line that is apparently charming as well

There are a lot of skin care lines available. Maybe too many. It can make it difficult to find quality ones amidst the avalanche of promised miracles, para-medical, organic, and cheap drug store products; why exactly do they have to introduce a new product every two weeks if the previous ones were breakthroughs as well?

We’ve found here at Spa Boutique that a line that mysteriously tends to go unnoticed is Skeyndor. Well, we’ll have that no longer! Skeyndor comes from Spain and for the last 40 years has worked hard to become a product that focuses on results and innovation. They have an absolutely unbelievable range of products, but it’s still easy to find ones for individual concerns.

They do a couple of things particularly well. For one, they’ve gotten Skeyndor Man almost perfect. It’s simple, smells great, and works. Exactly how I like my men. There are a lot of positive, manly responses when it comes to this line.

The Vitamin C line is absolutely gorgeous. It will help to stimulate collagen production and provide clarity and radiance. Who doesn’t love that? Plus it has a scrumptious orange scent.

New to the line is the Aquatherm Collection. It focuses on sensitive skin, using natural spring water to help protect against environmental factors and calm irritations. The Aquatherm Thermal Concentrate Water is fantastic. It’s a revitalizing and hydrating spray that both Deigh-Anna and I use during the mid-afternoon slump. The cool blast is so refreshing. Our skin is all dewy after! Plus the Wake-Up factor is a bonus.

As I write this I realize I could keep going on and on about this line. They provide professionals with wonderful technical books and really take pride in their line, referring to their philosophy as “elegant” and “charming”. This made me smile. For professional skin care the price is excellent, and you get a lot of variety to play around with.

 

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!