Skin Care News

StriVectin-SD - Product Review

Posted on August 19, 2009 with No Comments

Botox injections are all the rage nowadays when it comes to temporarily removing wrinkles and leaving your face a lot less wrinkly and more “youthful-looking” than before, all the jokes about how downright creepy a deadened, frozen face looks aside. However, aside from this Botox injection trend, there’s also another way of achieving a more youthful, less wrinkly you—and it’s a lot less of an unnatural process to boot. We’re talking about the top-recommended Strivectin-SD, of course.

StriVectin-SD Stretch Mark Cream

Now, the concept of the stretch mark cream is hardly as innovative or new as Botox, but there’s a good reason why Strivectin-SD is so popular anyway. In fact, it’s not that much of a “stretch” to say that this product is among the best-selling and most famous topical stretch marks products next to skin resurfacing. Hundreds of vendors have published lists that have the Strivectin-SD as a consistent, high-level performer.

Then again, lists are one thing, and trying out the cream for yourself is another thing entirely. Is it worth the hype it’s receiving? The ever-growing stretchmarks cream market is inundated with all sorts of creams, ointments, liniments, cleansers, and whatnot, so you have to take even the top ten lists of merchants with a grain of salt. The proof, after all, is in the pudding, and the actual conclusion lies within the Strivectin-SD’s stretch mark solution, scar reducing ability itself.

Moreover, the constant comparisons to this cream and resurfacing are partly induced by the company itself. The product’s slogan is actually, “Strivectin-SD: Better Than Botox”. It takes a lot of moxie to claim such a thing, but it inevitably leaves consumers suspicious and more than a little skeptical. For people who’ve tried out the Botox procedure and staunchly support it, they’d probably take personal offense at the gall of alleging that a comparatively cheap anti-aging cream applied daily is more effective and impressive than a $500 or so cosmetic treatment.

As a note, this particular product from StriVectin was orginally designed as a treatment for reducing and diminishing stretch marks.  Interestingly, women noticed that it tightened the skin where it was applied and wrinkles disappeared.  So, as chance would have it, women began using it as a “wrinkle cream”.  As a follow-on, StriVectin introduced a new product (Eye Cream) with a few less-harsh ingredients specifically for wrinkles.  Thus our review may seem a bit confusing.  Effectively we’re evaluating its (their) success at both - wrinkles and stretch marks.

Checking out Strivectin-SD reveals first and foremost that, no, it’s not superior to Botox or isn’t even the next best thing to Botox. To be true, it’s just about as effective as any other anti-wrinkle cream currently available in the market.

On the other hand, it’s quite potent and it’s undoubtedly among the better anti-aging topical agents available right now. It’s particularly effective against fine lines and early onset wrinkles. Using this as daily maintenance on your face will at the very least help you age gracefully, if not look ten years younger in the long run.

The verdict? The product is worth recommending, but it is definitely overrated and very expensive compared to other products that contain essentially the same ingredients and provide similar results - both as a stretch mark cream or wrinkle cream. It gets 7.88 out of 10 stars, with points mostly taken from its expense and the fact there are very worthy competitors - on both fronts.

Adding Services for Increased Spa Traffic

Posted on August 5, 2009 with No Comments

Increasing revenue and traffic for spas and MedSpas can be done several ways.  One, open new locations, increase marketing efforts, or adding new services or products.

For many spas, opening new stores or locations may be part of a long-range growth plan, yet may not be suitable while operating in a down economy when spa treatments are viewed as either a luxury or discretionary.

Marketing efforts can be categorized as advertising or direct sales.  Advertising can come in many forms.  Direct mail, email campaigns, joint marketin efforts with related products or services, TV or radio.  Many spas I have seen are flying banners outside their locations (local laws permitting), putting up billboards, and putting advertisements or discount inserts in papers, local news, press releases, or handing out discount or “specials” to customers and guests coming through the spa.

Increasing marketing efforts or expanding services is your best ROI when the economy has slowed.  Massage Therapy, Botox or anti-wrinkle procedures, facials, and vein therapy can be supplemented with several ideas.

Another opportunity is making available additional services or products inside the store. 

Selling in-expensive consumable products can help boost sales, improve traffic, and get consumers coming back.  Spider vein creams can be excellent ancillary products following sclerotherapy or laser therapy.  For pregnant women or those who have had children, a preventive or repairing stretch mark cream can help aid recovery and prevent scarring.  And while injections can help smooth wrinkles and puff lips, anti wrinkle creams and serums help neck wrinkles, crow’s feet, and puffiness or dark circles under the eyes.

These products are designed to supplement and enhance procedures and improve weekly or monthly revenue.  Choosing products that are expensive with luxurious packaging and “rock star” name brands may work against you.  While they may certainly enhance the image of your spa (and to many that is important), high-priced skin care products have been shown to be great initial purchases, but lack the consumable “punch” needed for return purchases.

Dermory ST Breast Enhancement Cream

Posted on May 21, 2009 with 8 Comments

Coincidentally, we had on our agenda to do a review of Dermory ST - a breast enhancement cream that was introduced last year…and, well, one of our staff was watching The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on FOX and saw the product feateured earlier in the week.

It was discussed along with other enhancement and enlargement products - inserts and a breats pump developed to stretch the skin.  It was featured as an investigation segment showing women optins for enlargement and augmentation without resorting to implants or cosmetic or plastic surgery.  Dermory ST - as reviewed on the program - was formulated to firm sagging and drooping breasts resulting from childbirth, nursing, weight loss or from natural aging.

If you’re unfamiliar with Dermory ST, it is the first (I believe) to use Bio-Bustyl, a polypeptide developed by Croda specifically for enhancing the bust.  Their clinical studies show a substantial improvement in firmness, cell respiration and reduction in skin fatigue.  Bio-Bustyl is also shown to improve collagen synthesis and development and sparks natural hormonal activity to assist “plumping” and firming breast tissue - getting a “perky” and enlargement benefit.

Additionally, it uses several ingredients common to anti-aging skin care - Matrixyl, Hyaluronic Acid and Ale Vera.  One of the more unique charateristics besides Bio-Bustyl is Dermory uses Emu Oil as a “carrier oil”.

While many may be indifferent to using carrier oils, a barrier to effectiveness of natural breast enhancement creams has been their ability to 1) provide adequate efficacy and 2) penetrate the dermal structure deep-enough to do any good.  Emu Oil is transdermal and a natural moisturizer…in affect, carries the active ingredients into the subcutaneous layers increasing firmness.

To summarize feedback from customers and staff, Dermory ST is the only breast enhancement cream using Bio Bustyl, Emu Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Matrixyl and Aloe.  Results are often seen in 7-10 days, but some of the ingredients - Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe - show benefits almost immediately.  It firms and tighten the breast skin removing and smoothing wrinkles, dryness or roughness and is designed to reduce sagging (point down?!) caused and often experienced after pregnancy or losing weight.  It’s ingredients work well for chest wrinkles also.

Efficacy of Argireline® in Wrinkle Creams

Posted on April 20, 2009 with No Comments

In the past several years Argireline® has become a key ingredient in wrinkle creams - providing non-surgical & treatment alternatives to products such as Botulinum Toxin A (BOTOX) or similar agents and peptides.

Manufactured by CenterChem, Inc, Argireline® has been shown effective at reducing wrinkle depth up to 17%  within 15 days using a maximum 10% dosage.  It attenuates muscle contraction, relaxing the muscle and smoothing expression lines, while helping prevent formation of lines and wrinkles.

The Argireline® information PDF further explains its use in 3-10% dosages for skin products targeting removal of wrinkles around the eyes and forehead caused by natural aging and repeated facial movements and expression.  It offers superior efficacy as an anti-wrinkle compound.

The inhibition of glutamate release at mM concentrations is a clear indicator of the potent anti-expression wrinkle activity of this hexapeptide.  CenterChem

Argireline can be found in anti-wrinkle creams and serums in product lines such as Principal Secret, Anti Wrinkle 55, and in Freeze 24/7.