My Top 10 Favourite Products: The Top 10 Award

I have mixed feelings about blogging awards. I feel like a bit of a dork proclaiming that I have 'won' an award but then they are always a lot of fun to participate in. When Moxie from Moxie Reviews told me she had nominated me for the Top 10 award, at first I wasn't sure what to do. Do I just ignore it? Do I do it? The rules of the Top 10 award are that you link back to the person who nominated you, then you list your Top 10 favourite products and nominate 10 other bloggers who will then list their top 10 favourite products. As I love talking about products, and I also love sharing link love I decided that the Top 10 award would be fun...so here I go!

Firstly, thanks to Moxie from Moxie Reviews for nominating me. Moxie reviews organic and natural makeup, cosmetics and hair products from companies that do not test on animals. Her reviews are refreshingly honest and well worth checking out.

My Top 10 Favourite Products (at this point in time...ask me in a month and the list may be very different!). If I have previously reviewed these products then I have included the link to the article if you would like more details.


1. BIOeffect EGF Serum

I have read the about the science behind this serum and it really blows me away. On paper the serum should work. EGF is a growth factor that stimulates skin cells to divide and multiply, thereby filling out fine lines. Independent clinical trials have shown that it does in fact work - after 30 days there was a clear reduction in wrinkles. I have been trialling this myself for about 4 weeks and have definitely noticed a reduction in lines on my forehead. So far the lines around my eyes have not budged but they might actually be sleep deprivation lines (I have a toddler!). My skin is definitely looking more hydrated as well.

2. Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel

I have been using this product on and off fr the last 10 years. I love it, although I might be hitting the age where I need to move on to the Purely Age Defying Serum. This is a really light gel serum that smells amazing - kind of herbal, kind of floral. I tend to use it of an evening and find that my skin looks so hydrated in the morning. It really seems to make my skin happy! 

 

3. Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

This creates magic for my complexion. It really gives the illusion that my complexion is flawless. It also works at reducing pigmentation - I have seen a slight reduction in my pigmented patches. There is no longer such a stark line between the pigmented and non pigmented skin. But for me, it is the evening effect the light diffusing particles have on my skin tone that I love the most.

4. MAC Paint Pot

Somehow, the MAC Paint Pot craze had completely passed me by. It wasn't until I was reading a forum and saw a makeup artist recommending that the MAC Bare Study Paint Pot be used as a primer, that the Paint Pots entered my radar. So, when I got the opportunity to go to the Estee Lauder staff store, this was on the top of my purchase list. I didn't manage to get Bare Study, instead I got Vintage Selection. This one looks a bit darker than Bare Study but is still quite light on the eye. It is very shimmery, which I LOVE. It goes on so creamy and soft then dries to become the perfect canvas to apply eyeshadow over.

5. Penhaligon's Ellenisia Perfume

I love florals and this is one of the most gorgeous perfumes I have ever smelt. It is rose with white flowers (gardenia and jasmine) and then a bit of a musky dry down. It makes me feel so feminine and happy when I wear it and I have never found another perfume that is even remotely similar - it is very unique.

6. Rodial Glamoxy Snake Mask

I used to think that peel off masks were kind of crap. This mask completely changed my opinion. It brightened my skin and left it glowing. It also yanked out the blackheads on my nose. This is now my go to mask to use before I go out.

7. Jurlique Rosewater Balancng Mist

I don't do toners - don't really see the point of them. I make the exception for this mist. It is heavenly. Smells exactly like a field of red roses. It is very calming and hydrating for my skin plus it is incredibly calming for my phsyche as well. As I inhale this mist I feel a sense of serenity descend over me. Amazing stuff!


8. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme

This is another product in which the science really blew me away. This creme contains the Youth Molecule which slows down cell turnover. The theory is if you can slow down cell divisions and turnover you can prolong how long your skin looks young for. The creme felt luxurious to use, it sunk straight into my skin and really left it looking amazing.

9. Nivea Light Feel Daily Face Veil

This is a cheapie (its only $10.99) but a beauty. It is a really light sunscreen. It absorbs straight in, is non greasy and is a real pleasure to wear. This makes wearing sunscreen easy. I keep a bottle in my handbag, one in the bathroom, I had one on my desk at work so I was always protected.


10. Estée Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint Moisturiser

I wear this moisturiser in combination with the Idealist Even Skintoneskintone so the effect is extremely complimentary. I don't really like to wear foundation and so have found that this is an excellent compomise. You really can't tell that I am wearing it - it just looks like I have perfect skin!

Bloggers The following bloggers are incredibly passionate about what they write about, whether that be skincare, makeup, haircare or eyeshadow. I have nominated them because I am busting to know what their top 10 favourite products are. If you haven't discovered these blogs yet, I really urge you to go and have a look! Bloggers, if you have already done one of these awards before, please post the link to your Top 10 post in the comments below.

1. Yeah, yeah, ragger, ragger...
2. Makeup and Macaroons
3. The Beauty of Red Roses
4. Keeping up with me
5. Ritualeyes
6. 1000fragrances
7. The Best Beauty Blog
8. Things I Love
9. Me, my best and I
10. All the pretty faces

If I haven't tagged you but you would love to participate, then please tag yourself and mention in the comments that you are doing the Top 10 award for the rest of us to come and check out!

Have you entered my latest BIOeffect giveaway? Here's the link if you haven't checked it out yet.

Who wants to win a bottle of BIOeffect EGF Serum?

Exciting news everyone, BIOeffect has now officially launched in Australia. The BIOeffect EGF serum is creating a huge storm world wide. It was first launched in Iceland last year (as it is made by the Icelandic company Sif Cosmetics) and within 6 months of the release it is estimated that 1 in 5 Icelandic women over the age of 30 have purchased the serum. When it was released in France, the serum sold out in the first week at the famous concept store in Paris, Colette. Now, we can finally get it here in Australia and I believe that it will be launching in the US shortly.

The serum is highly scientific, and based on reviews around the world, it really appears to work. I have been using it for a week now and my angry line down the middle of my forehead is already seeming less angry. I will post a review once I have been using it for a month or so.

If you want to purchase the serum, it is available from the BIOeffect Australia website or if you are looking for updates or reviews on the product then you can either like their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.

So, who is now busting to try the serum? Well, to celebrate the launch, the wonderful people behind BIOeffect Australia, Melanie and Kym, have agreed to sponsor a giveaway of some amazing BIOeffect products. First prize will be one full sized bottle of the amazing BIOeffect serum. This bottle alone is worth $180.00!! In addition there will be two runners up prizes of a 3ml travel sized bottle of the serum. These are worth $40.00 each!

Entering the competition is simple. All you need to do is have a read of my article, The science behind the BIOeffect EGF Serum explained, and make a comment on that article about what excites you the most about the serum. Are you like me and are blown away by the science? Is it the fact that independent clinical trials are proving that the serum works? Or is there something else that has grabbed you? Please tell me.

Once you have done that, come back here and let me know that you have commented on the science article (make sure that you comment on both the science post and this one for your entry to be valid. If you have previously commented there is no need to do so again, just let me know below). You also need to either follow me by email or GFC so please tell me how you are following me and what your GFC nickname is.

So, to enter:
1. Read this article and tell me what most excites you about the EGF serum.
2. Post below telling me how you are following me (GFC or Email)

Simple! This competition is open to entrants world wide. There will only be one entry per person as I get too confused with multi-entry comps! Entries close at 8.00pm Australia Eastern Standard Time on Sunday August 14th. International followers, remember that we are ahead of you so get your entries in early! The winner will be draw using random.org and announced on my blog within a couple of days of being drawn.

The following are not compulsory for you to enter but if you had a spare sec I'd love it if you:

Followed me and BIOeffect Australia on Twitter retweeted about this comp, something like: Guess what!!! Thanks to @Bioeffect_AU @skretchs has a bottle of the amazing BIOeffect EGF serum to giveaway!!! http://t.co/rX0k1Wp

Followed me on Bloglovin.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

The science behind the BIOeffect EGF Serum explained.

One product that is causing a huge amount of buzz in the beauty industry is BIOeffect EGF Serum. If you haven’t heard of the BIOeffect EGF Serum it’s because it is yet to launch in Australia (launch date is 22nd July). In fact, I only heard about it through Ling from The Best Beauty Blog when she was chatting about it on Twitter. She got me intrigued so I contacted the company for more info, and let me tell you, I have been completely and utterly blown away by what I have found out.

This is an incredibly scientific product. It is based on research that won a Nobel prize. This is pretty serious stuff – they don’t give out Nobel prizes the way we give out Blogging awards – only the most outstanding scientific discoveries receive a Nobel prize. The following post is not going to be a review, I have not been lucky enough to try this serum (yet!), but Ling has done a brilliant review on her Blog so check that out. Instead I am going to try and explain the science behind this amazing serum.

About BIOeffect EGF Serum It is produced by Sif Cosmetics, an Icelandic company. The active ingredient is EGF or Epidermal Growth Factor, which I will explain in more detail below. In fact, the serum only contains nine ingredients – literally only what is necessary to ‘maintain and stimulate the natural function of the EGF cellular activator’ and nothing else. 

 

According to the company, BIOeffect EGF Serum works by activating certain biological processes within the cell. It stimulates the skin’s own renewal process to improve the overall appearance and texture. It contains EGF cellular activator that supports the renewal of skin cells. The serum leaves you with a healthier and fresher appearance and moisturises, while at the same time it inhibits signs of skin ageing.

What is Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)?  Cells in the body send messages to each other via the release of chemicals called cytokines. If a cell needs something done it releases a cytokine. Other cells have receptors that recognise these cytokines and when they come in contact with them it is their signal to spring into action. The cytokine EGF is the body’s chemical message to grow more skin cells and it is mostly released during wound healing. When you cut yourself, for example, the body realises that there is a gaping big hole that needs filling, so releases EGF. This tells the skin cells that they need to start multiplying to fill the hole. All cells in the skin have receptors for EGF – that is the epidermal cells that make up the surface of the skin, as well as the fibroblasts and collagen cells that give the skin its firmness and elasticity (check out this post if you need a refresher on the structure of the skin). When these cells come into contact with EGF it is their signal to start dividing and multiplying. EGF is also regularly released by the body to help maintain the renewal of healthy skin cells.

EGF is actually quite a big molecule. It doesn’t enter cells but rather binds with their receptors to give them the message to multiply. There were concerns that it would be ineffective in a topical agent, such as a moisturiser or serum, as it was thought that the EGF molecules would be too big to penetrate the skin. A lot of products contain ingredients that are too large to penetrate the skin – collagen is a classic example. Becuase these molecules are too big to penetrate the skin they just remain on the surface and are thus completely ineffective. However, studies have found that it EGF can penetrate the skin to reach the target cells by four different routes: through sweat glands, down hair follicles, it can squeeze though narrow junctions between cells and it can also enter bit micro lesions in the skin (ie flaking due to dryness or  scratches on the skin). What this means is that if applied topically, like in the BIOeffect EGF Serum, the EGF is able to penetrate the skin and reach the target cells to give them the message to divide and multiply.

The Efficacy Research  BIOeffects sent me a scientific paper that outlined the research that has been conducted into the efficacy of BIOeffect EGF Serum. Two studies were conducted by the company themselves and the third by an independant researcher - Dr. Ronald Moy who is the President of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Company Study 1: Participant Opinion This study involved 109 volunteers assessing whether the BIOeffect EGF Serum improved the appearance and texture of their skin. This is a typical type of study conducted by the beauty industry (you know the type – you always hear companies spurting out claims like ‘72% of women tested thought that their skin looked more radiant’). I don’t overly respect these types of studies as they are just too subjective. I know when I am reviewing a product I pay much more attention to my routine and go to a lot more effort. Plus, I am always desperate for it to work so I examine my skin more closely and will usually think that it does look more radiant – but maybe it always looks like that and I just haven’t studied it so closely? Anyway, the results of this study were that over 95% of participants saw an improvement and thought that BIOeffect EGF Serum was beneficial to their skin.

Company Study 2: Instrument analysis I have a lot more respect for how this component of the study was conducted as the result were collected on a skin analysis machine, the Soft Plus Skin Analysing System. This was also a double blind placebo controlled study. What this means is that participants received either the BIOeffect EGF Serum or a similar placebo serum that was only missing the EGF – they weren’t told whether they were in the study or placebo group. The researchers were also blinded as to which participant got which serum. That way there could be no potential biases. Parameters tested in the study included skin elasticity, hydration and image assessments of wrinkles.

During the study, hydration in the skin of participants using the BIOeffect EGF Serum increased by up to 30%, and these participants also saw a greater increase in hydration that the placebo participants. Skin elasticity also significantly increased in the BIOeffect EGF Serum group compared with the control group and there was a clear decrease in facial wrinkles in the the BIOeffect EGF Serum group.

Independant Study This research is still in the preliminary stages and is ongoing but so far it is looking really promising. Dr. Ronald Moy’s team recruited females between the ages of 30-60 to be involved in the clinical trial of the serum. The study is also a double blind placebo controlled study, like I described above, and the participants are using the control or placebo serum for 3 months. Results will be tested using the VISIA™ Digital Skin Analysis instrument. As the study is ongoing, I was only given access to one set of results and these show that after 30 days there is already a clear reduction in wrinkles and fine lines in participants using the BIOeffect EGF Serum and this is even more marked at 90 days. The full study will be published in a peer reviewed journal, hopefully later in the year, so I will update once the study is out but I have to say that these initial results really excite me. I guess what I am most impressed by is the fact that the serum is standing up to the rigors of an independent clinical trial and really seems to be producing positive results.

So, will it work? Without having tried it myself I can’t personally say whether or not it works; however, the research conducted is very positive. The theory behind the serum is very sound, so on paper it should work. I guess only time will tell whether it does.

Where to buy? BIOeffect EGF Serum cost $AU180 and can be purchased from their website -  www.bioeffect.com.au. The company are also in negotiations for it to be stocked in a major department store along with some day spas. I will update once this has been confirmed.

Want to be one of the first in Australia to try it? After reading this I bet you are all busting to try this amazing sounding serum – I know I was after reading the research. Well, I have some pretty exciting news for you! I can reveal that this is another sample that will be included in Lust Have It’s first box! So, if you haven’t ordered your first box yet, it’s about time you did – you can order your first box here.

Ok, I have attempted to explain the research in layman’s terms as best as I could. If anything wasn’t clear, please post your question in the comments section and I will endeavour to answer it better.

So, who wants to try this wonder serum?

UPDATE: Who wants to win a bottle of this amazing serum?? Check out my competition on how you can win.

All opinions stated in this blog are my own. I have no affiliation with BIOeffect or Lust Have It and received no remuneration for my comments.

Update on Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme

Ok, so as I mentioned in my first blog on Ultimate Youth Creme I contacted Estee Lauder (Australia) to try and get some info as to why it was discontinued and if there was a replacement product. I got the following reply:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in Estée Lauder.

Whenever a product or shade is discontinued, it is not done capriciously or without taking into account many important factors.  Decisions to discontinue a product are made in response to consumer preferences and purchasing patterns throughout the country.  Sometimes, a product is discontinued to make room in the line for a more technologically advanced formula.
For information about the Re-Nutriv product range, please visit www.esteelauder.com.au where you will find an entire section dedicated to this skin care range.
We trust that the above addresses your concern. We hope you will look to Estée Lauder for all your beauty and fragrance needs.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.

Unfortunately, that doesn't really tell me anything at all so I am now going to email the US arm of the company to see if they can provide any more info. Stay tuned!