Product Review: Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Tone Correcting Concentrated Serum Night

Find out more about the production from Neutrogena's website.

This product claims to fight the look of stubborn dark spots and discoloration to uncover more even-toned, younger-looking skin.  This product has essential soy, retinol|SA, and pure vitamin C to smooth out texture, smooth out wrinkles, reduce the look of dark spots, and revitalize your complexion.  

Let's review claim-by-claim.

Smoothing out texture
I don't notice a difference to the texture of my skin.

Smoothing out wrinkles
Nope.  I still have my fine/deepening lines, and worse, I've got more now than when I first starting using this product a couple months ago. 

Reducing the look of dark spots
For the first month that I used this, I did notice a slight reduction in dark spots.  But that was then, this is now.  If I don't have any makeup on and I take a picture of myself, I can see the age/sun spots in the photos so clearly!  I thought they were supposed to be reduced in darkness or size!

Revitalizing complexion
I get better results with SK-II, Envie de Neuf, and my own orange peel brightening mask.  I don't think this product is playing a major role in my skincare.

This product isn't working for me anymore.  I don't think I will repurchase this.  The only good thing it does for me now is that it's a convenient "light moisturizer" I can take on the plane without getting hassled by the TSA.

I won't be repurchasing this product again.  I like Neutrogena's brand overall, but I'm not too thrilled with this product's performance.

--
Kusanagi

Smile On!

Leave a message to contact me.

Product Review: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends

Sheer highlighting blush in "Healthy 26"

For more product information, please see product info.

This sheer highlighting blush claims to provide the following benefits:

1.  Sheer, illuminating, healthy color with subtle highlights

2.  Shades blend together to work on multiple skin tones

3.  Multi-vitamins and botanical conditioners soften and smooth skin

The product also includes a travel-friendly blush brush.

Let's go over this claim by claim.

Sheer factor:  

The first few times I applied this blush I couldn't really tell that I was wearing any.  And when I did, I was sad to realize that I went a little heavy handed on one cheek and light handed on the other cheek.  Yes, this is a sheer blush, but the color and intensity can be built up.  I don't really see the purpose in a sheer blush since blushes are meant to be seen, which makes me believe that I am actually using more product to get a color that I like.  I'm not a person who likes obviously blushes cheeks, so I don't think I'm going overboard with color.

Illuminating factor:

Only one of the 4 colors in this palette has some shimmer to it, but it can be overlooked by the other shades that are somewhat less shimmery and more matte.  In terms of overall effect, I don't see any noticeable shimmer.  I like to my makeup to be multifunctional so this product also works as my eyeshadow.  The lightest color also does not work as a highlighter or illuminator of any sort.  

Healthy color with subtle highlights factor:

Healthy color?  YES!!  I bought this particular palette because it looked the peachiest of the set.  And I am very pleased with the healthy peachy color that I'm getting from this.  I love the fact that when I look at myself throughout the day, this blush also has bronzy undertones to it.  So yes, throughout the day one can look incredibly healthy and full of vigor!  When I use this on my eyes, I can mix and match any two colors so that my eyelids don't look exactly the same as my cheeks and I have subtle color all over the parts of my face that need color.  With regards to the subtle highlights, SUBTLE is the operative word.  I cannot see highlights in this product at all.

Shades blend together to work on multiple skintones factor:

Well, the shades to blend well together, and they also work well as duos and single shades.  Seeing as how I'm devoid of female friends and my skin is the only skin I see, I can't say anything about it working on multiple skintones.  (It's so sad but it's true that I haven't seen a girlfriend face to face in a year now...)  However, considering that this is a very buildable blush, I could definitely imagine that this would be able to work on multiple skintones.

Softening and smoothing skin factor:

I do notice that my skin does feel smooth to the touch, but I'm not sure if the multivitamins or botanical conditioners are at work.  Take this claim with a grain of salt unless there has been a clinical study.  I do know that makeup nowadays is more advanced, so this could easily be true.  However, I am working on my skincare regimen, so I don't know if advanced makeup is making my skin soft, or if my skincare regimen is doing it, or what.  

Brush factor:

This brush is convenient and can be used when you have nothing else.  But please be aware that this brush is not very good quality.  The brush actually feels like nylon threads.  Their stiffness really gouges out the product and makes it super powdery. 

Other comments:

I'm in a phase of makeup when I want to be minimalist again.  So I'm trying to find the best uses for my makeup.  Now, regarding this product, I love that it is mosaic style, so I get multiple colors to use to my pleasure.  The only bad thing is that if I continue to get a mosaic blush that I can use for my eyes, my eyes will forever be peachy or pinky (?).  Not a bad thing, just one downside to my preference for multifunctional stuff.

I'm also finding that I'm terrible at applying blush with a brush because my application is so uneven.  I can't get the size of the blushed area right, meaning that one cheek has more blushed area than the other. Nor can I get the amount of product right, meaning that one cheek is more pigmented than the other.  Egads!  Same thing with eyeshadows.  So I have learned that my hands and fingers are the best tools possible.  I apply this blush to my cheeks, eyes and lips with my fingers (must wash and clean between applications to avoid germs).  It works great for me.

I have used this product in conjunction with vaseline for my lips.  The combination is great.  My face looks pretty healthy color-wise and (lol) color coordinated.  A note about this blush as a lip color.  Because it is powder, it goes on matte over whatever lip conditioner I'm using.  It is also sheer.  The problem with applying the conditioner first and then the powder over it is that the powder is drying and your lips will start to look dried as well.  However, if you apply the powder to your slightly conditioned lips and then go over with more lip conditioner, you can get a nice color enhancement to your natural lip color.  

My Rating:

I give this a 4/5.  But it is important to know what you are rating it for based on your own priorities.  For me, my priority is color.  Since this product gives me just the right color that I want, I love it!!  I just wish that the highlighting shade had a little bit a shimmer to it.  I don't want the entire palette to be shimmery.

That's all folks!

(Oh, yeah, the color doesn't look as dirty as it does in my picture.  It's the glare and reflection from my window to the plastic cover of the product's package.)

Product Review: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55

For more information on this product, please visit the Neutrogena website here.  

This product is stabilized with Helioplex to provide superior balanced broad-spectrum protection against skin-aging UVA and burning UVB rays.  It is combined with Dry Touch technology for an ultra-light, non-shiny finish.  It is sweatproof, waterproof, and resists rubbing off.  It is non-comedogenic and is oil-free and PABA free.  This can be used on the face and body.

I bought this product in May because I was essentially tired of the DDF mattifying moisturizer with SPF 15, and I wanted some more protection on my face.

My first impressions of this product are the following:

1.  SPF 55 that protects against UVA and UVB rays is GREAT!  I wish all skincare product that say "day moisturizer" have the option for such high SPF for optimal protection, especially in regions where the sun seems too close to Earth for comfort.  It's been hovering around 100 degrees here for the past 2-3 months, and August is supposed to be even hotter!

2.  The smell of this product is not the best for me.  It says it has a light pleasant smell, which is true, but it also has that undertone of sunblock smell.  I don't think there is a way to get around it if it is a sunblock.

3.  This comes out of the tube with almost a cream consistency.  This fluid does not have the consistency of anything remotely liquid, it keeps its form after being squeezed out of the tube.  Therefore blending it into your skin is not easy.  I have to use force to rub this in so that all the product is evenly distributed, which means there is a lot of tugging on my face and neck - not good, not good a'tall.

4.  This product DOES absorb into your skin and dry to a powdery consistency.  Or if not powdery, it does not leave your face sticky or greasy.  However, this does not leave my face non-shiny.  I think it's just the texture of my skin that is very light-reflective.  But to achieve this smooth, non-sticky result, it really depends on the amount of sunblock you use.  If you use too much your skin will feel a little sticky.  If you use too little you have a much tougher time of blending it in but your skin will feel smooth.

5.  This product says its dermatologist recommended, but we already know that this statement isn't regulated in the United States, and that ONE dermatologist is enough to qualify for the statement "dermatologist recommended."  Use what works for your skin!!!

6.  This product says it is gentle enough for sensitive skin.  This is where my opinion of this product is at make-or-break.  I used it for a few days before Mr. P and his mom came to visit in May.  I didn't have a problem with this until the second day of Mr. P's visit.  When I put this product on, as I did the previous day and the days prior, this product started stinging the skin around my eyes.  Specifically, the skin on my right temple, upper right cheek, and outer corner of my right eye.  I thought that maybe I had scrubbed too hard with my St. Ives microderm abrasion, but it wouldn't make sense that it didn't sting the previous morning.  In June, I started noticing a dry patch where the stinging had taken place.  I must be an idiot because I did not stop using the product, but I did put much less product in that area.  I supplemented with bareMinerals foundation which have SPF 15.

I have since purchased an Olay day moisturizer with SPF 15 formulated for sensitive skin and that seems to take care of some of the stinging.  Yesterday, I tried the Neutrogena Dry-Touch Sunblock again, and my eyes started watering from the stinging in the same spot.  Now when I look closely at the skin on the outer corner of my right eye and on my upper cheek, I can see small little bumps, like the skin is thickening.  It is causing me great concern!

So, my review of the product ends here.  It is great because it gives me peace of mind that my skin is being protected from harmful UVA/UVB rays, but my skin is having some sort of reaction to it.