iS Clinical YOUTH EYE COMPLEX

After several months of testing, I can proclaim iS Clinical's YOUTH EYE COMPLEX ($148) a definite keeper among the hundreds (probably thousands) of treatment products for the skin around our eyes. iS Clinical is an INNOVATIVE SKINCARE product. INNOVATIVE SKINCARE was developed by physicians, pharmacologists, and other medical and scientific professionals to bring effective, clinically validated skin care to the market.

YOUTH EYE COMPLEX uses "intelligent proteins" to combat the signs of aging at a cellular level. The proteins are called intelligent because they are clinically proven to target damaged cells and regenerate the skin, strengthening the dermal structure and encouraging the formation of collagen and elastin. Powerful peptides, key growth factors, and potent antioxidants are among the ingredients in the mix to rapidly reduce wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles and keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and protected all day long.

Here's a photo of improvement shown on iS Clinical's Web site. Photos like this always leave me suspect. For one thing, I can't tell if the subject is smiling in one picture, but not the other. I can see a difference in eye makeup, with the before photo showing a much heavier application of a brown crease color, which can be aging. I could be totally snarky and suggest that the folks at iS Clinical airbrushed the 12-day photo, but I won't because I've used YOUTH EYE COMPLEX, and I've seen its results on my own skin. So have physicians and aestheticians.

Here is the bullet-point summary of what you can expect from YOUTH EYE COMPLEX.

• Rapidly smoothes, hydrates, and reduces under-eye wrinkles
• Reduces puffiness and dark circles
• Improves skin hydration, firmness, and elasticity
• Strengthens and thickens the delicate skin around the eyes
• Offers immediate and long-term results

I like the creamy, lightweight feel of YOUTH EYE COMPLEX. To me, it feels like a milky serum. It absorbs almost instantly, leaving me with obvious hydration. I sometimes forget to apply an eye cream over it (something I would normally do over a serum) because the skin around my eyes feels moist "to my mind" and looks moist to my eyes. I use it morning and night, and I plan to keep it in my eye treatment rotation.

As you might expect from such a hydrating product, it contains sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid (HA) spheres. HA is nature's sponge. It's also filled with moisturizing ingredients, such as glycerin, dimethicone, and urea. Even more exciting, it has a cocktail of peptides, proteins, growth factors, and other state-of-the-art skin-care ingredients. It was clearly designed to work quickly and for the long haul.

What amazed me is that it contains retinyl palmitate. The rep had assured me it didn't before I started to use some samples he had provided. Retinyl palmitate usually turns me into a red hot mess, but I've never had an adverse reaction from YOUTH EYE COMPLEX. It's a good thing. I would have hunted him down if I had developed red, scaly eyelids. I use YOUTH EYE COMPLEX "over and under," but I don't use it below the crease on my eyelids.

It doesn't take much product for me to completely cover the skin around my eyes, and even though the container appears to be small, I've been using it for months (with one interruption to test another). I like the fact that the container is "packed" with product.

I like every iS Clinical product I've tried. To find out more about them, you can visit the INNOVATIVE SKINCARE Web site. Make sure to read about the science and the skin conditions that interest you.

INNOVATIVE SKINCARE is sold primarily at the practices of cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists, but the products are also available online. After I tried samples of the YOUTH EYE COMPLEX, provided by the company, I purchased more from SkinCareRx, a Best Things in Beauty advertiser. You can find a complete list of sources at this link.

Photo courtesy of INNOVATIVE SKIN CARE

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser ($48) has an extraordinary story. Have you ever thought about how women serving in the military take care of their skin and basic beauty needs when they are at war? I hadn't given it much thought. Then I found out about the story behind INNOVATIVE SKINCARE's iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser.

Life for women in the military can be rough; simple luxuries easily slip away. Third Infantry Division soldier Linda Lee said, "..You shouldn't have to feel dirty, like you can't cleanse your face whenever you'd like." Soldiers don't always have access to water for bathing, so Lee wrote INNOVATIVE SKINCARE requesting a solution.

"It was the most unusual request we've had, yet also very exciting," said founder and COO Alec Call. INNOVATIVE SKINCARE had been supporting Stars and Stripes, a group that provides celebrity entertainment tours to boost morale among military members. CEO Bryan Johns added, "We very much believe in supporting our troops." Call and Johns were excited after hearing from Linda Lee. "It was a new way we could give back to our men and women serving in the military."

After significant research, they were able to launch iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser, a rich botanical-based cream cleanser that removes makeup and doesn't need water to be rinsed away. INNOVATIVE SKINCARE presented Lee with the first tube off the production line, and Glow Medspa and Beauty Boutique pampered her with a facial and a makeover.

iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser isn't just for troops serving abroad. It's for all of us who want a gentle cleanser that removes makeup effectively without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. Here are some of its features.

• Deep cleans skin and pores without drying
• Thorough, but gentle, eye makeup removal
• Can be wiped off or rinsed with water
• Completely non-irritating to the eyes and skin
• Leaves a silky-smooth finish
• Prepares skin for makeup application
• Compatible with all skin types

I have been using iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser since early August when I felt privileged to receive a tube from INNOVATIVE SKINCARE. I love it! It's creamy and rich, and I only need a pea-sized dab in my palm to cleanse my face and neck. I do rinse it off, but not thoroughly. When I leave a film of this wonderful product on my face, I feel extra-hydrated. Plus, there's no reason to remove it completely. The ingredients are good for our skin. Safflower seed oil, glycerin, squalane, coconut oil, and algae extract ahnfeltia concinna (antixoidant and emollient) combine with other ingredients to pamper the skin.

Both young and old can use iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser. It's equally loved by those who suffer from oily skin and those of us who are dry. I find that pretty amazing. Even the tube is well-designed, with a twist cap that turns to dispense the product. It sits on its cap securely, meaning I don't knock it over in my relatively small bathroom.

I've been using two other INNOVATIVE SKINCARE products, which I adore. I'll be featuring those soon. I like the company, and I like its products. To find out more about them, you can visit the Web site. Make sure to read about the science and the skin conditions that interest you.

INNOVATIVE SKINCARE is sold primarily at the practices of cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists, but the products are also available online. After I tried samples of the YOUTH Complex eye and face serums, provided by the company, I purchased more from SkinCareRx, a Best Things in Beauty advertiser. You can find a complete list of sources at this link.

Photo courtesy of INNOVATIVE SKINCARE