A few weeks ago, I was invited to a great afternoon among other beauty editors and beauty bloggers over lunch to talk about Olay’s new product launches!

The afternoon was made ever more enjoyable by the fact that we all met at the Jamie Kennedy restaurant located in the newly renovated Gardiner Museum.

International readers, if you do visit Toronto, you’ll want to make a stop at the Jamie Kennedy restaurant for lunch because the food is super delicious and the setting is so sleek. They have a patio that makes people watching a national sport. Trust me … you won’t be disappointed.

Obviously this afternoon wasn’t all about great food, we also had to talk about anti-aging skincare.

The mood was quite interesting at P & G because after quizzing a number of people working for the cosmetic giant about how the economy had affected their sales, I was told that consumers have flocked to P & G beauty products en masse (in great numbers) because consumers are now looking for anti-aging skincare that is more affordable that the $400 cream they might have been able to justify buying before the October 2008 market crash.

Again this morning, I got an industry report declaring that both Avon and Revlon (two other affordable skincare brands) have seen important decline in sales.

If you are trying to cut back on your beauty budget, then you’ll be excited about this new line of Olay products which are all quite reasonably priced.

Before I give you a list of products I’ve given Eleni and Daphne to review in the coming months, I wanted to point out that the special guest at the Olay lunch was dermatologist and frequent guest on the show Style by Jury Dr. Kucy Pon.

Dr. Pon did a presentation on the important of protecting the neck against sun damage (so many women forget to protect their neck and chest, aka décolleté area).

>>>> Here I am with Dr. Kucy Pon (I love that green on Dr. Pon!):

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Since there are so many great products to talk about with this new product launch, I wanted to give you a quick and dirty list, but I will let Eleni and Daphne’s reviews guide you better to determine which of the products Olay is launching you should consider buying for your anti-aging needs (let’s face it … winter is not that far for us living on the east coast)!

>>> Olay’s new anti-aging skincare products launching August 2009!

1) Olay Definity Neck & Chest Daily Restoration Treatment

2) Olay Regenerist SuperStructure Cream with SPF 25

3) Olay Sensitive Bar

4) Olay Purifying Mud Lathering Cleanser

5) Olay Quench Body Lotion Advanced Relief (fragrance-free with vitamin E & Vita-Niacin)

6) Olay Complete Ageless Rejuvenating Lathering Cleanser

7) Olay Complete Ageless Eye Brightening Cream

#8) Olay Complete Ageless Skin Renewing UV Lotion

>>> If you’ve had a chance of trying any of these products before we post the reviews, do come back and leave a comment to let us know what worked for you the best!

Yogurt is one of my all-time favourite snacks. One of the major highlights of any European trip for me is to actually eat as many different types of yogurts as I can get my hands on.

Europeans are big on yogurt and they’ll eat it either sweet or savoury.  In North America, most people are unaware that yogurt is an ancient healing remedy that goes back centuries.

Yogurt is excellent at helping out digestion and it’s also excellent at hydrating the skin.

It’s no wonder that Korres Natural Products have incorporated the benefits of yogurt, which is known for its ability to instantly soothe the skin by delivering increased moisture to the upper levels of the epidermis, in their cream and mask.

Korres Natural Products picked yogurt as their key ingredient because yogurt is a natural source of lactose, proteins, vitamins, and minerals … all of which will provide instant hydration and relief to dry and sensitive skin.

Korres Natural Products have been huge in Europe and they are now steadily getting a flock of North Americans lining up to buy their products. One of the reasons that might explain this huge success is the fact that it took Korres Natural Products over three years of meticulously formulating their skin care line in order to preserve the live cultures (naturally found in yogurt) as intact as possible. This ultra-soothing cream contains full-fat Greek yogurt and not a dehydrated or emulsified version of yogurt.

Two of the most popular products in the Korres line are the Korres Natural Products yogurt cream and the yogurt mask.

The Korres yogurt mask uses the power of active yogurt and watercress extract to instantly hydrate and comfort oily skin that feels dehydrated.

The Korres yogurt cream is a best-seller and a favourite among users to keep the skin well hydrated all year round!

You can also buy Korres Natural Products at Sephora stores. The cream (40 ml jar) retails for $36 CAD/$29 USD and the yogurt mask (40 ml jar) retails for $41 CAD/$27 USD.

The oxygen mask has also been featured in these magazines: In Style, Fitness, Parenting Magazine, Marie Claire and RedBook.

Bliss skincare is available to buy from Bliss spas which are located in New York (they have three there), Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco and London (U.K.). Alas, there are no spas in Canada yet and there are no beauty counters at department stores selling the brand, but luckily for us Sephora stores do carry the brand so it’s quite convenient to buy it locally!

The Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask comes in a cylindrical white plastic bottle. The bottle has a pump-action dispenser, which is very easy to use because it dispenses the product quickly when you press it … you won’t be fighting with your mask.

From what I could read on the Bliss site, the product contains three major active ingredients:

1) Sodium (Na) PCA: This is a fantastic humectant molecule that keeps your skin hydrated without ever getting greasy.

2) FluidO2^TM: This is a special ‘liquid ventilation’ system, to carry stable oxygen molecules and release them on your skin’s surface.

3) BV-OSC: this is a multi-active powerful form of vitamin C available to brighten the skin and help repair the affects of environmental damage.

On the Bliss site they give a more detailed explanation on the effects of the mask and the reasoning behind the whole “oxygen” thing:

“What is it? A flash-action mask that delivers a shot of oxygen and detoxifiers, a dose of a powerhouse form of vitamin C, a smattering of anti-free radicals and a moisture fix to instantly spiff up your skin when you find it looking a little ‘low’ life.

Why? Studies show that as we age, the natural oxygen levels circulating in our facial skin decline, and along with them, goes the energy needed to keep our cells functioning like the cells on a ‘fresh’ face. More oxygen (and vitamin C, and hydration) means more energy for all of the biochemical processes required by your body to keep your skin functioning like it’s ‘young’.”

Here’s something worth taking note of:

Since 1996, Bliss Spas have given over 75,000 Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Treatment facials!

Did I like the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask?

I found the product really revitalized my skin and brought a lot of moisture to my skin. With the type of winter we’ve had this year … you can NEVER have too much moisture to protect your skin.

The only remotely negative thing I’d have to say about the mask is the fact that it’s runny and it won’t stay in place like a clay mask would.

Other than that, I quite enjoyed it. I used it in the morning as a way to boost my skin and make it glow more.

It’s simple to use and it has a rather lovely scent. The foam effect is fun and I found that it tingled a bit … which made me laugh!

Did I see any results?

My skin feels well hydrated after using Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask and the little bubbles are quite fun.

Would I buy it? Yes, I would

Would I replace my current body lotion? I’ve added to my mix because it’s a quick mask when I’m rushing in the morning.

OVERALL REVIEW:

4-star16

There are other cheaper masks on the market, but you want to make sure that you buy a product that is effective or else you won’t end up saving money. It will be like throwing your money out the window!

In a recession, it’s important that you stretch your dollars as much as you can and that means (in my humble opinion) that you need to make sure you buy products that deliver!

Where can you buy the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask?

1) In the U.S., you can also buy the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask in the US at Sephora.com stores and at one of the many Bliss Spas. It retails for $52 USD.

2) In Canada, you can buy the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask at Sephora.com Canada stores and it retails for $55 CAD.

3) In the U.K., you can buy the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask at Sephora.com, the Bliss London Spa and at counters in upmarket department stores (mainly Harvey Nichols and Selfridges). It retails for £39.

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask online (for international readers):

You can easily find the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask online on hsn.com and on at Sephora.com, blissworld.com and blisslondon.co.uk!

Here’s the mask in action on this hsn.com video that I found on You Tube (it’s quite a long video at 9:54, but if you watch the first few minutes, you’ll be able to get the gist of it):

I had hesitated for a very long time in getting a microdermabrasion because I had heard that it left your skin very red and I was very worried that the redness would turn into hyperpigmentation.

When you decide to spend half of your life learning about products and cosmetic treatments that help you age better, you’ve got to explore every facet of the industry and that includes treatments you’ve never tried before.

I went to Kristen Ma for my microdermabrasion because Pure and Simple Spa offered an alternative for sensitive skins.

The Pure and Simple spa offered an all natural sea salt microdermabrasion instead of the conventional microdermabrasion for a couple of reasons: first Kristen found that the sea salt microdermabrasion didn’t cause inflammation and the sea salt in an all natural product that follows the overall philosophy of their spa. Conventional microdermabrasion treatments use zinc oxide or aluminum oxide crystals, which are obviously not natural products and tend to leave the skin fairly red after a treatment.

The sea salt microdermabrasion treatment at Pure and Simple Spa lasted for about 90 minutes. The microdermabrasion session itself lasted about 20 minutes or so and the rest of the treatment consisted of deep massage with a nourishing oil (because microdermabrasion will leave your skin feeling dry), followed by a rejuvenating face mask.

I was expecting my face to be red after my treatment and since I had dinner plans that night, I had already told my friends that I’d be walking in with a red face, but to my surprise my face was not red at all.

The real results of a microdermabrasion come a few days if not one week after the treatment. I remember looking at my skin one week later and thinking: wow my skin is flawless.
The sea salt microdermabrasion treatment is ideal for my sensitive skin and it’s an ideal way to help me deal with my dark spots.

According to Kristen, you’ll need to maintain a regimen of one treatment every six weeks or so and in many cases you can replace your traditional facial appointment with a microdermabrasion or your can also indulge in a luxury session that includes the microdermabrasion and a traditional facial (with extractions).

If you’re looking into microdermabrasion to solve obvious facial scars and flaws, you’ll need to consider at least six treatments initial treatments followed by maintenance appointments.

Most medical spas and many traditional spas offer microdermabrasion treatments, but very few offer a sea salt alternative that’s all natural. You’ll be able to find more information on Pure and Simple Spas if one of their three spas are located near you, if not, you’ll want to enquire in your area to find a spa that offers the treatment. The best place to start if to find spas that are leaning more towards selling natural and organic products.