Prevage City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF50 Hydrating Shield

Years ago, I started using Prevage MD, a product that is no longer on the market. I was stunned by how well it improved everything about my skin. Prevage MD was, as I understood it, the super version of regular Prevage, and who wouldn't want to use the best?

Then I was disappointed in 2009 to learn that the maker had decided to improve the formula. Unrelated story: I'll never forget a certain improvement that was made to a face cream I had used for a few years (Paula's Choice). It was for seriously dry and sensitive skin, and it worked really well. Paula decided to put retinol in it. I called the company and complained. "Don't you, the experts, know that retinol can do serious damage to sensitive skin?" The representative basically told me I was "misinformed." I guess that meant my dermatologist was misinformed about my skin too. After suffering through losing a skin treatment that had really worked for me, I was petrified when I learned that Prevage MD would be "improved," meaning replaced with regular Prevage with a lesser percentage of its active ingredient. I stopped using it. If you want to read about that story, go here.

Anyhow, Elizabeth Arden, the maker of Prevage (although not its original maker), has released a new version of Prevage that caught my eye: Prevage City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF50 Hydrating Shield ($68), a multipurpose product that really appealed to me. Before I tell you more about it, I'll share some of Elizabeth Arden's press about Prevage skin care.

Reverse the face of time, now! Scientists have proven that environmental threats are the leading cause of aging skin. Exposure to smoke, pollution, and sun can cause free radicals, leaving skin dry and uneven in tone, and increasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. That's why the scientists at Elizabeth Arden developed Prevage, the leading solution to the #1 cause of signs of aging.

These groundbreaking treatments leverage the brand’s scientific research and over a decade of leading innovation within the environmental protection category. The power of Prevage comes from Idebenone, the single most powerful antioxidant. By protecting the skin from oxidative stress, Idebenone not only shields the skin from future environmental effects, but also helps support the skin’s natural repair process and restore a youthful appearance. The look of lines, wrinkles, age spots, and sun damage are diminished as the look of firmness is improved with continuous use of Prevage.

The brand’s exclusive Idebenone Ester Technology is an advanced delivery system that fuses Idebenone with a skin compatible ester to provide a time-release reservoir of Idebenone, targeted where and when it’s most needed. This delivery system allows for a more effective and gentle use of Idebenone, even on those with sensitive skin. Idebenone has been tested under the rigorous Environmental Protection Factor TM 3 protocol, which uses a multifaceted approach to measure the power of an ingredient’s topical antioxidant performance.

EPF assesses how much protection you'll get against environmental aggressors such as stress, pollution, and smoking (God forbid) — all of which accelerate the signs of aging. When tested, Idebenone scores an EPF rating of 95 out of 100. In fact, Idebenone was proven to be more effective than the six other leading antioxidants.

The Prevage portfolio of products is large. I don't have time here to tell you about all of them, and I don't have or use all of them. I'm smitten with the newest City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF50 Hydrating Shield. I purchased mine from Nordstrom.

City Smart provides all of the wonderful features of other Prevage products, but also protects the skin with an SPF of 50. It is lightweight; you'd never know that it's so laden with sunblock.

It offers superior anti-aging technology. It’s in our DNA. Every day, in cities all over the world, the environment - from UV rays to pollution and smoke - is visibly aging your skin; in fact, 80% of all signs of skin aging are due to the environment. I'd guess genetics comes in second.

City Smart is a DNA Enzyme Complex, an anti-ollution protective agent, and an antioxidant broad spectrum SPF 50 Hydrating Shield - all in one. It's the first-of-its-kind skin shield to combine pollution and UV protection with Arden's DNA Enzyme Complex to strengthen the skin. It provides sheer, hydrating, invisible protection to help the skin look younger, longer. Truth!

• City Smart screens out skin-dulling pollutants and 98% of UVB rays.
• It visibly improves the skin’s condition in many ways.
• Plus it's formulated with a powerful antioxidant blend to maintain optimal skin health even in the most heavily polluted environments.

Although new, it has already won a "Best Face Sunscreen 2016 award from Health.

You can find the ingredients here. Key among them are Idebenone (When compared to antioxidants in face products, Idebenone in Prevage surpasses alpha lipoic acid, kinetin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and ubiquinone in environmental protection against oxidative stress), Green Tea, Thiotaine, Ferulic Acid, and L-Carnosine, all included to neutralize free radical damage.

Enough of that scientific stuff for now. City Smart is a lovely product. It is yellow, as its predecessors were, but it does not leave the skin yellow. I could swear, though, that the pigment in the product evens out my skin tone just a tad. That's a superb "side effect." It applies easily, quickly, and evenly, and it absorbs quickly, leaving my skin look radiant and even-toned. I really can't tell it's there after I apply it. As a rule, I apply my moisturizer over it, although I believe those with oily skin will not need additional moisture. I'm just so dry!

I love the fact that my skin treatment provides a high level of sun protection, without any of the usual effects of sunscreen: tackiness, whitewash, heaviness, and other undesirable qualities. It does this through zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. If you don't react well to those physical sunblocks, this may not be the sunscreen for you.

Otherwise, I highly recommend you try it. Give it a test of a few months, and I'll bet that your skin will improve in tone, texture, hydration, and appearance. One nice thing? It's relatively inexpensive. You won't have to lay out a fortune to find out whether it works for you.

I'm excited again about Prevage. It's nice to find skin care that meets its promises. You can find Prevage City Smart and its sister products at Elizabeth Arden's Web site and Elizabeth Arden counters. There's a special promotion this week at Elizabeth Arden counters (Macy's) and the Web site. Good time to try.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Arden

Prevage "Improvements" Announced

I get anxious when something I love is about to be discontinued or "enhanced." When I learned that Armani's Hydra Glow foundation was disappearing, Loyd scoured the country for 10 of them, giving me about a two-year reprieve that I'm still enjoying. Now, I'm worried about Elizabeth Arden's announcement that the company is giving Prevage a "facelift."

Today, WWD ran a story on the plans for Prevage. They sound good, but... I'll never forget a certain improvement that was made to a face cream I had used for a few years. It was for seriously dry and sensitive skin, and it worked really well. The maker, who shall go unnamed, decided to put Retinol in it. I even called the company and complained. "Don't you, the experts, know that Retinol can do serious damage to sensitive skin?" The representative basically told me I was "misinformed." I guess that meant my dermatologist was misinformed about my skin too.

So, with both anticipation and trepidation, I await the new, improved Prevage. Here's the scoop from WWD.

In mid-December through February, the newly formulated products will hit the counters. Elizabeth Park, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and General Manager of Elizabeth Arden U.S. told WWD, “This new formula represents a new generation of research, which allows the potent antioxidant idebenone to create enhanced protective, preventative, and corrective benefits. We’ve also discovered a way to buffer idebenone and deliver it in a way which is tolerated by even very sensitive skin. We are committed to staying in the forefront of technology of cosmeceuticals. We want to take it to the next level so we can always be the benchmark for the cosmeceutical field, which we pioneered with Prevage.” OK, I have to admit that sounds good. I know that other women with sensitive skin have had adverse reactions to Prevage.

“The new serum’s formula contains a blend of potent ingredients that can tackle the different types of free radicals to provide a higher level of protection,” added Vargas. “The specific antioxidants — thiotaine, bamboo isoflavones, Liprochroman 6, and a blend of green, yellow, and white tea — were chosen to support idebenone in the new formula, working as the first line of antioxidant defense and neutralizing different types of free radical activity. This allows idebenone to help prevent free radical activity and correct the visible effects of existing damage.” Hmm, multiple antioxidants; that sounds good too.

Also key is a new delivery system which pairs idebenone with a skin-compatible ester, providing a time-release reservoir of idebenone for the skin to use as needed, Vargas said. “This was inspired by studies showing how the body effectively stores vitamins and molecules by attaching them to a lipid. Our skin care researchers applied this research to the idebenone molecule found in the new serum to help create a reserve of idebenone to use when and where it’s is needed most. This allows for more efficient use of idebenone and has been shown to be more gentle and effective even on those with sensitive skin.”

In addition, WWD reported that Lys-lastine V was added to complement idebenone in an attempt to maintain skin’s look of elasticity. “The combination supports skin’s natural proteins, including elastin and collagen, to help skin look firmer, more toned and younger,” said Robin Mason, Vice President, Global Skin Care Marketing for Elizabeth Arden.

The serum is intended to treat fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and discolorations, as well as minimize redness and the appearance of sun damage. Prevage MD (1% idebenone rather than the .5% available in "regular" Prevage) and Prevage Eye (newer) have made a world of difference to my skin! I have been using Prevage MD for years, and I don't know if it will be reformulated along with the regular Prevage, which is more easily located. I suspect it will be. So, in the interests of being prepared, I'll be ordering a year's supply tonight.

Of course I'll enthusiastically try the new serum (face and eye), but I'll have my back-up plan in place.

Photo and interviews courtesy of WWD

Elizabeth Arden to Introduce New Prevage Day Cream

According to WWD's July 24, 2009 issue, Elizabeth Arden will be introducing a moisturizing day cream in October ($125). I can't wait!

The Prevage Day will merge the Prevage anti-aging Idebenone; a new ingredient, Thiotaine; UVA/UVB protection; EPF (environmental protective factor) protection; and shea butter and other advanced moisturizing ingredients. Sounds fully loaded!

Here's what WWD had to say about the EPF..."The new product features a 95 EPF rating. The metric measures things like sunburn cell protection, lipid oxidation, and DNA damage."

Thiotaine is a potent lab-formulated replication of a botanical amino acid shown to promote skin energy and block the activation of two enzymes that degrade collagen and elastin and destroy the skin's supporting structure, leading to wrinkle formation. It's currently available in some niche products like Remergent DNA Repair Formula ($94.99), available at Amazon.

By all accounts, this new day cream will be a potent and effective anti-aging product.

Photo courtesy of WWD.