Product Review - IS Clinical Hydra Cool Serum

Ah, the Oscars.  The dresses!  The jewels!  A whole lot of improbably perfect skin!!  Whenever I have my ladies over for an Oscar party, there tends to be a suspicious number of guests spending an even more suspicious amount of time in the bathroom, said time accompanied by incriminating clanking and rustling of the contents of my medicine cabinet.  The stars tell all on the red carpet about who made their dresses, who lent them their jewels, even which stylist put the whole look together.  But the facialist who rushed to solve a last minute zit issue, soothe a flareup of rosacea or eczema, intervene in a defcon-five level crisis of hangover face?  Nooooooo.  Not a word.  You're supposed to think that 1) they're born that way 2) what makeup and 3) by the way they never work out and eat burgers every day.

Anyway, enough of that.  I was super excited when I had the opportunity to try out a selection of IS Clinical's range.  Why?  Ummm.....I like the nice blue color that they use for some of their packaging.  Joking.  In truth, I had heard raves about a number of items, and my dermatologist asked me to check out the brand.  (Really.)

Normally, I give anything new at least six weeks to gauge the effect.  In this case, I'm making an exception.  Hydra Cool Serum is a high-powered hydrator, and produced instant results.  In the dead of winter, with a broken humidifier, that's impressive.  By 'instant results' I mean that I woke up the next morning with skin that felt comfortable, rather than a size too small.  Not only that, but this serum is excellent for irritated skin, caused by acne, KP, wind or sunburn (hello, ski season), rosacea, or the random mauling that I gave myself with my hairbrush.  Over time, consistent use may even reduce scars, inhibit mild acne, and reduce risk of hyperpigmentation.

Bonus:  (and going back to that Oscar reference, which you probably thought had nothing to do with anything) it can be mixed with foundation, making it a bit more sheer, and a lot more dewy.  So you too can look like you were born with incredibly fabulous skin, while actually doing something to get that fabulous skin.



PACKAGING:  Glass bottle with a pump.  PLUS.  This is a serum, meaning fluid, so a pump makes sense, as it isn't thick enough to dry out in the nozzle and clog, but not so fluid as to necessitate a dropper.  Don't drop the bottle in your sink!

TEXTURE:  Almost liquid, transparent greenish in color.  Two pumps should cover the entire face and neck.  PLUS.

USAGE:  Use as the last step at night, or second to last if you're REALLY dry (meaning under a moisturizing cream or balm), under sunscreen during the day, and mixed with foundation to fabulize and add an extra hit of skincare benefits at the same time.  When mixing with foundation, go very easy!  We're going for 'dew' not 'oil slicked puddle' here.

MIRACLE INGREDIENTS:  Hyaluronic Acid, a powerful humectant (in English, that means that it sucks water from the environment and binds it to itself, plumping and hydrating the surrounding tissue);  Vitamin B5 (hey, its a vitamin, that's good, right?  Plus, it too is a mega-hydrator, and helps with cellular metabolism);  Mysterious Mushroom Extract (I am going to refrain from a mega-tangent about mushrooms and all of their powers, but suffice it to say that this is a natural anti-microbial, and a source of kojic acid, which inhibits melanin production);  Centella Asiatica (anti-oxidant, with circulation-boosting potential, thus the possibility of reducing minor scars over time.)

Love it.  This stuff is an absolute keeper, and will be with me on all ski trips and flights from now on. 

Snow Day

Maybe its because I'm from the Midwest, but I love a snow day.  Not because I still go sledding or drive my mother so crazy that she hides in the basement with a beer, but because it forces me to control my control-freak over-active-type-A tendencies and just hang around my apartment.  Which is a great opportunity to give myself a facial.

Disclaimer:  I've never had a spa facial, so no comments about how Bliss or whoever does a facial.  I've worked this routine out based on years of practice on myself, my mother, my sisters, and my entire dorm floor. 

Start with clean skin, and then exfoliate.  Use a scrub, a gommage, an enzymatic mask, or a mild peel.  (Heavy stress on 'mild' for that last one.)  Personally, I like an enzymatic mask for a facial, I feel like I'm accomplishing something.  If you're a regular retinol or glycolic acid user, make sure you read the labels and don't leave a peel or enzymatic mask on too long, particularly if you haven't taken any time off from retinol in a while.

Next, identify your issues, and pick step two.  Blackheads?  Periodic break-outs?  Nothing really beats a clay-type mask.  If you have combination skin, you can even just use it on your t-zone.  Tip:  steam between steps one and two if you have blackheads.  DON'T use boiling water, DO tent with a towel, and I love to throw fresh rosemary and mint into the water bath.  Stay under there for a few minutes, no more.  When done, leave your skin damp, and pile on the clay.  Downside of most clay-type masks is that they can take a long-ass time to dry.  But then again, who cares?  Its a snow day!  You've got Netflix, you've got a DVR! 

Step three (or two and a half, depending on your skin type) should probably be a firming mask, with an eye treatment done at the same time.  Don't forget your neck and the underside of your chin and jaw!  If you're a fan of electrocurrent or infrared, use these gadgets during this step.

Finally, finish with a hydrating mask, remove with a damp washcloth after ten minutes, moisturize, and then....go back to your Thai takeout.  Because its a snow day.