REVIEW: Baxter Of California

It's time to throw out your guys' Irish Spring and Axe deodorant. Don't even ask, just toss it. But replace it with some luxe new goodies, that you might even be tempted to borrow. Most of guys I see for skincare at the office usually have come my way from their significant other; but they still want their own face products. I had picked up some really (realllyyyy) nice candles from Baxter at Saturday's Surf and had the chance to try some of their body and skincare recently. This line is old school having started in the late 60s, and now has an array of hair, body and skin products. The first thing you'll notice is the packaging in the happiest hues of blues and greens, which ooze cali vibes, and i can proudly display in my shower. Secondly, all the products I tried don't have that awful polo sport smell most lines geared towards men have. Most importantly, the following products I played around with had a nice array of ingredients; more details below! 

Daily Face Wash this is a gel, its fragrance free, has coconut derived cleansing agents so its not harsh, and a shot of aloe for soothing.

Under Eye Complex fragrance free with a light but hydrating texture, and in a tube (no messy jars). vitamins, ginkgo for reducing puffiness, and fatty acids for free radical protection. 

Oil Free Moisturizer lightweight texture, fragrance free, and won't leave you with a shiny face. vitamin a (the best!), vitamin e, and antioxidants like green tea. 

Body Wash a gel formula, but the jojoba and plant based cleansing agents make it hydrating. comes in three unisex scents, but i especially love the 'italian lime and pomegranite'

Deodorant it's probably wishful thinking but i truly feel mens deodorant (and shavers!) just work better. and i can get behind this fresh citrus smell, and that it's alcohol and aluminum free. 

The Candles oh the candles! these soy wax candles come in collections of three different scents per series. plus some special editions for saturdays surf and union made. i'm partial to any of the scents in the 'white wood' series with notes like bergamot and vetiver - so fresh so clean.

 

REVIEW: Creme de la Mer

Is it worth it? This is probably the one question I get asked the most about some "luxury" skin care lines. I put "luxury" in quotes because the idea that a face cream must be expensive to be effective is, simply put, a lie. Advertising and packaging play a huge role in how we look at a skin care product, and I'll be the first to admit that first impressions are extremely important; the smell of a cream, the feel, the sound the jar makes when you open it..

There are undoubtedly certain items you absolutely get what you pay for, but skin care does not have to be one of them. A product must comply with the FDA and list ingredients, so as they say, the proof is in the puddin'. Lets take a look at what is exactly in this $155/1oz cream. I'll highlight some of the ingredients that can be cause of concern, with a summary following the list.

The ingredients..

Seaweed (Algae) Extract: we don't know the exact types in here, as in a family that includes more than 20,000 different known species. A number of species have been used for good purposes, but some algae are also potential skin irritants. 

Mineral Oil: an emollient, nonirritating moisturizing ingredient derived from petroleum 

Petrolatum: emollient and anti-irritant (vaseline is pure petrolatum)

Glycerin: natural or synthetic, glycerin is a humectant, readily absorbs water from other sources

Isohexadecane: an emollient component of petroleum

Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Extract:  a known fragrance allergen that contains fragrance chemicals bergapten and limonene, both of which can cause what's known as a phototoxic reaction when applied to skin that's then exposed to sunlight. 

Microcrystalline Wax: highly refined wax derived from petroleum

Lanolin Alcohol: an emollient, thick substance derived from the sebaceous glands of sheep

Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil: an emollient non-fragrant plant oil that contains vitamin e and some minerals 

Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil: fragrant plant oil that is a potent skin irritant due to its chemical components

Magnesium Sulfate: a thickening agent commonly known as Epsom salt

Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed, an emollient non-fragrant plant oil that contains vitamin e and some minerals 

Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Seed Powder: a plant derived antioxidant

Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake: a non-fragrant , anti- inflammatory emollient plant oil, source of fatty acids skin can use, including linoleic acid

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Meal: a non-fragrant emollient plant oil 

Sodium Gluconate, Potassium Gluconate: referred to as chelating agents, these are ingredients that inactivate metallic ions to prevent the deterioration

Copper Gluconate: a mineral with antioixdant action

Calcium Gluconate: a mineral with anti-inflammatory properties

Magnesium Gluconate: a mineral with antibacterial properties

Zinc Gluconate: a mineral with anti-inflammatory action

Paraffin: a waxy, petroleum-based substance used as a thickener

Tocopheryl Succinate: vitamin e, an antioxidant

Niacin: aka vitamin B3 , a potent cell-communicating ingredient that offers multiple benefits for skin

Beta-Carotene: antioxidant 

Decyl Oleate: skin-conditioning agent derived from the esters of decyl alcohol and oleic acid

Aluminum Distearate: a aluminum salt derived thickener 

Octyldodecanol: a fatt alcohol based thickener 

Citric Acid: used to balance the pH of a product

Cyanocobalamin: a common form of  vitamin b12, but limited research it has any benefit when applied topically 

Magnesium Stearate: thickener 

Panthenol: alcohol form of vitamin B, a humectant

Limonene: a chemical constituent of many fragrant natural ingredients (citrus oils or pine trees or species of the mint family), can cause contact dermatitis 

Geraniol: an alcohol used for scent, common allergen

Linalool: Fragrant component of lavender and coriander that can be a potent skin irritant

Hydroxycitronellal: syntheic scent, common allergen

Citronellol: plant dervied, used for fragrance, common allergen

Benzyl Salicylate: an alcohol known to cause contact dermatitis

Citral: synthetic used for fragrance, known to cause contact dermatitis

Methylchloroisothiazolinone: a preservative also known as Kathon CG, common allergen

Fragrance: a blend of synthetic or fragrant plant oils that are often skin irritants

 

BOTTOM LINE: First, this is packaged in a jar, so the few antioxidants that are in this will become ineffective very quickly. Second, the claims in this mix of algae (that we aren't even sure of the exact types of used in this product) are a must have for skin are completely unsubstantiated. Third, there are way too many irritants that could be a problem for skin.  And lastly, the price is absurd for what your getting. This is easily a "skip don't splurge" product.

FIX IT: Dark Circles

Once you figure out the cause of dark circles, they become a little easier to effectively treat. The easiest way to do this is press on them gently. If they lighten up for a second , they are probably caused by little blood vessels showing up under the skin, where skin under the eye is thinner). If they don't, then it might be excess pigment, caused by sun exposure or even be hereditary. 

THE QUICK FIX  A under concealer should have good coverage, be easy to blend, and most importantly not crease. Always start with an eye cream or a under eye primer and let that soak in for at least a minute before applying concealer. Im always on the lookout for amazing formulas, heres my faves right now that have great coverage, contain good skincare ingredients, and have light diffusing properties :

THE LONG TERM With most things in life, I always recommend trying the easy way first. For little blood vessels, try a cream at night that contains a retinoid. Retinoids are proven to build collagen and thicken the skin, which can help make the veins and blood vessels less visible. Start out with an over the counter version like Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Triple Eye Correction Serum. Once that runs out, talk to your dermatologist about a prescription retinoid to use at night. Tretinoin cream in a .025% strength seems to be well tolerated around the eyes. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you can also try an over the counter antihistamine which can really help lessen the appearance of blood vessels. If you don't get enough improvement, a little medical intervention can help. Your dermatologist can do a few tiny injections of  a hyaluronic acid filler which would sit closer to the surface of the skin  and help cover the blood vessels. 

If your dealing with under eye circles that are pigment related (and not blood vessels), the easiest option is to lighten them with a brightening cream. Some ingredients to look for are licorice, kojic acid, and hydroqunione. My top picks are Kate Sommerville Spot Reducing Concetrate or Philosophy Miracle Worker Dark Spot Corrector.  These usually take about 4 weeks before you'll start seeing results. For more dramatic improvement, you can try a few laser treatments to remove the pigment. A few Clear and Brilliant or Fraxel treatments will erase any darkness over 3 to 5 treatments with little downtime. 

 

Lip Service

My earliest memory of makeup is buying a little tube of Cherry Chapstick. Girls at school weren't wearing makeup yet, so this was the next best thing. Soon after there was the discovery of Bonne Belle Lip Smackers. I had to collect every..single..flavor. They were so inexpensive that my mother gave in and my stash grew so much that my little friends would always ask if we could play with them when they came by. Gross! Anyway, twenty-something years later, and I am still hoarding lip products. Fortunately, nowadays there are much better formulas then those 99 cent waxy scented sticks..

There are more do's then don'ts when deciding on a really good lip moisturizer. Lips don't have the same oil glands like we have on the rest of our skin, which is why they are really susceptible to dryness. The only ingredients you want to avoid are alcohols, menthols, camphor, phenol, and anything in the spicy essential oil family (think peppermint, cinnamon, etc) Bottom line: avoid lip plumping products. That sting you feel when you apply is irritating, which leads to inflammation/swelling, and that is why you get the temporary plumped look. Excessive dryness and collagen breakdown just isn't worth the trade off! 

BEST BETS

Rosebud Salve Full of surgical grade petrolatum and cotton seed oil, this is truly a all purpose salve, and now finally comes in a squeeze tube.

Lucas Paw Paw When a product is over 100 years old and still talked about, its worth a look. My aussie pals turned me onto this multi purpose ointment which has fermented papaya. 

Fresh Lip Treatment A perfect blend of oils with some formulas having a hint of color, perfection!

Rodin Lip Balm Enriched with shea butter and totally sheer, this comes in an adorable ring or a square little compact. 

FIX IT: Puffy Eyes

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Besides that deliciously salty meal from Momofuku last night, theres tons of other attributes to why puffy eyes happen. A night of cocktails, fatigue, a good cry, seasonal allergies; basically you name it and it probably can cause fluid to build up under there. Great news: Theres some great quick fixes for your occasional puffiness! And then theres us unlucky few, where chronic puffy eyes is a constant issue. This is most likely due to genetics and the positioning of fat pads under the eye. The quick fixes below can help temporarily, but medical intervention is more of a long term solution for constant puffy eyes.

THE QUICK FIXES

Anything Cold! Stick a set of spoons in the fridge for a few minutes, and hold the smooth part under your eyes. Even better, use them to massage in eye cream. While your at it, keep your eye cream in the fridge too.

Brew some caffeinated green tea, or chamomile tea, then put the teabags in the fridge for a few minutes. Once they are cold, plop them on your eyes for a few minutes. 

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Try an eye mask designed for staying cold that you can always have handy. Ten minutes or less should do it. I like Therapearl's eye mask.

Cucumber slices, that old cliche, can work too. They are mostly water, but they have a natural anti-inflammatory soothing effect too. Keep them chilly before putting them on.

Diet: Salt (sodium/ processed foods) and alcohol cause water retention. Try lowering your intake of those that and see what happens. Drink plenty of water and try more anti-inflammatory foods. 

Sleep: Yes, you should be getting lots of it, but also keeping your head a little more elevated as opposed to sleeping flat will help fluid retention. 

Antihistamines: If you struggle with seasonal allergies, this can make a huge difference. Talk to your doctor or allergist about taking an antihistamine, or using special eye drops.



THE LONG TERM

Surgery: There is no right or wrong age to start thinking about cosmetic surgery, and I have seen them performed as early as mid-thirties. Having worked in a plastic surgery practice, the most common thread among patients is "I wish I would have done this sooner". The thought of surgery might sound absurd to some people, and thats ok! Its not for everyone. If you do want to research this route, you'll find its more affordable then you think (as far as surgical procedures go), an easy recovery, and your looking great in a few days. 

Injectable Fillers: For a less invasive approach, theres injectable treatments that can get strategically placed to help minimize chronic puffy eyes. Fillers like Juvederm or Restylane are clear, mushy substances made from hyaluronic acid  which we have in our own bodies. The injections are painless (your doc will put on a little numbing cream so you won't feel a thing), and even though you can get a little bruised for a few days, this type of treatment can last almost a year, sometimes longer. I've personally had this done numerous times with excellent results. This type of procedure can cost between $500 and $1200 depending on how much actual filler is used. Also to note, if you aren't thrilled with the results, you can have another injection to dissolve it.