Somme Institute Molecular Dispersion Therapy 5 Regimen

These days, many womens' skin seems to be suffering an identity crisis--oily yet dry, breakouts overlapping with wrinkles--you get the picture.

The Somme Institute has developed an advanced regimen to address these concerns along with sun damage and uneven skin tone and texture.

Powered by Molecular Dispersion Technology 5 (MDT5), a cocktail of vitamins A, C, E, D, B3 and B5 that penetrate the inner skin layers, this complete regimen brings the thoroughness of a spa treatment to your bathroom. This potent mix of vitamins has been specially formulated so as not to oxidize or lose its potency when exposed to air or light.

The Somme regimen includes Nourishing Cleanser, Transport Pads, Serum, A-Bomb, Eye and Double Defense Day Moisture.

The cleanser works best when used to prep the skin for the regimen and makeup has been removed beforehand. The pads are saturated with tingle-inducing alpha and beta hydroxy acids to power through dull skin cells and unclog pores. The non-greasy, quick-absorbing serum is bursting with Vitamin C--a crucial ingredient for erasing sun damage and evening skin tone. Key ingredients Vitamin A and E in the A-Bomb speed cell turnover to keep skin looking new and healthy. Smooth on a drop of the wonderfully rich eye cream to ward off circles, lines and darkness. Hydrate skin and protect it from future damage with the day moisturizer, which combines anti-oxidants with SPF 30+.

This program helped keep my skin clear of breakouts, lightened discoloration from blemishes and the eye cream kept any fine lines from creeping up on me. For those with more mature skin, working to combat aging skin and sun damage, I think these power-packed products would be most beneficial.

Jergens Natural Glow Express

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and that means pools across the nation are about to open. There will be cookouts and poolside parties a plenty, and that means tank tops, jean skirts and bikinis (queue screeching horror music).

Thankfully, Jergens Natural Glow Express helps ease the anxiety of dealing with limbs, mid sections and backsides that haven't seen the sun since Labor Day.

This self-tanning lotion gives a touch of color after just one use, and after a few days, skin looks like it's been sun French-kissed. The beautiful, brown color looks like an even, natural tan.

The cream rubs in easily, never shows up streaky and is completely free of the tell-tale self-tanner reek (unlike its predecessor, Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer, which works well, but stinks to high heaven). In fact, this cream actually smells good--it has a slightly coconuty, beachy smell.

Plus, it's enriched with Mango Butter and Vitamin E, so skin feels hydrated and supple.

As with all self-tanners, use sparingly on the elbows, knees and ankles, and wash your hands after use. But, be sure to apply a touch of lotion on the backs of your hands and rub them together, so that there won't be a line of demarcation between wrists and hands (don't forget to fade color down onto the tops of your feet, either).

SkinMedica Environmental Defense Sunscreen SPF 30+

Last month, I told you how I was loving SkinMedica Dermal Repair, chock full of ultra-nourishing ingredients. Well, there is another superstar in the SkinMedica line: SkinMedica Environmental Defense Sunscreen SPF 30+.

With all the awareness these days about sun damage, 30 is the new 15 when it comes to a minimum SPF, so this scores big for the SPF 30. Plus, it's odorless (yes, it's completely absent of any sunscreen smell!), non-greasy and absorbs easily into the skin.

But beyond the sunscreen benefits, it offers skin much more. Green Tea Extract, Caffeine and Vitamin E provide powerful antioxidant protection, combating skin-damaging free radicals. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the most hydrating ingredients out there, and makes this sunscreen an awesome moisturizer. Ceramide 3 mimics skin lipids to rebuild the skin's lipid barrier and increase skin's ability to retain hydration, which also contributes to soft, healthy skin.

But what really puts this sunscreen over the top? It functions as a makeup primer! Somehow this sunscreen, which isn't even intended to be a makeup primer, outshines all of the actual makeup primers on the market! It controls oil and makes my makeup stay perfectly intact all day long--no touch-ups required.

The formula is a pearlescent white, which also gives skin a beautiful, illuminated effect. And now I've officially died and gone to heaven.

Bliss Superbalm Lip Conditioner with SPF 15

Bitter, waxy chap sticks, be gone! Bliss Superbalm Lip Conditioner with SPF 15 is smooth, sweet and super-softening.

Pucker conditioning agents mango, cocoa butter and vitamin E sink into lips to deeply hydrate. SPF 15 protects lips from damaging sun rays, and a tiny dose of salicylic acid wards-off flakes. The potent vanilla scent is just like a tasty vanilla ice cream cone. Yum.

I like to coat my lips with Superbalm before hitting the sack. When I wake in the am, my lips are primed for whatever lip stains or pale lipsticks the day may bring--without the risk of looking rough and flaky.

SkinMedica Dermal Repair Cream

Maybe it's befitting that the SkinMedica Dermal Repair Cream jar looks sort of like a UFO, because the list of futuristic-like ingredients makes this cream out of this world!

Dermal Repair is formulated to help skin repair itself through hydration, antioxidants and protection against environmental factors. It also reduces hyperpigmentation from sun damage and age spots.

While this is dubbed an anti-aging cream, it still works wonders for skin that isn't necessarily showing signs of aging yet. (I'm all about prevention!) Since I've started using this as my night cream, my skin has taken on more of a glow and reached a state of equilibrium. Plumped and softened, my skin does look more youthful. Hydrated, but not oily, my skin has reached a Utopian state. The cream is not the slightest bit greasy--skin drinks it right up--and it hasn't dared clog a pore.

So what's in this dream cream? The short answer is hyaluronic acid (which holds up to 40 times its weight in water--talk about hydration!) and antioxidants. For the long answer, check out the website for a nice break-down and explanation of the ingredients.

La Mer The Cleansing Foam

Believe the hype--La Mer The Cleansing Foam really is that good. Every wash is like enveloping your face in a silky cloud, leaving skin immaculately clean and conditioned.

Skin goes from stressed to its best with this miracle potion. Key ingredients sea algae fibers, magnetized tourmaline, deconstructed waters and pearl powder work in synergy to provide the most thorough yet gentle cleansing.

After just one wash, my pores were deep-cleaned and appeared less obvious. The after-glow was notable, and continued use has balanced and nourished my skin.

A nickel-sized amount is all it takes to lather your face into oblivion (the foam is so incredibly rich it's like a foam party for your face!), so this cleanser goes the distance.

Neutrogena Illuminating Foamy Cream Cleanser

When I saw the ad for Neutrogena Illuminating Foamy Cream Cleanser, I trekked to three different CVS's before I found it in stock. "Illuminating," "foamy" and "cream" have got to be three of my favorite words, and it sounded like cleanser heaven.

Fortified with minerals like Zinc, Copper and Magnesium and extracts from Sugar, Lemon and Orange, this oil-free cleanser softens and brightens the skin. A low concentration of microbeads work to gently polish the skin.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say my face looks illuminated after a wash, it is soft, clean and smooth. The luxurious white cleanser looks just like melted marshmallows and lathers richly to gently dissolve makeup and oil.

J.R. Watkins Apothecary Lemon Cream Shea Butter Hand Repair Moisturizer

I've got one serious sweet tooth--I'm talking grocery store style sheet cake coated with a two-inch barrier of icing, topped with gobs of frosting-fashioned roses. Yup. One whiff of J.R. Watkins Apothecary Lemon Cream Shea Butter Hand Repair Moisturizer and you'll understand why it's a dream-come-true for a frosting fiend like me.

The lemon scent smells more like something home-baked than factory-made, and is reason enough to use this product. It could fail to deliver one iota of moisture, and I'd probably still use it.

But deliver it does. The ultra-rich Shea and Cocoa butter formula softens hands beyond belief. Throw in the macadamia nut, avocado, apricot kernel, jojoba and coconut oils, and you can kiss any chance of dry hands goodbye.

While this product absorbs almost completely, it still feels a bit concentrated for daytime use. I prefer to slather it on at night, drift off to sleep with visions of petit fours dancing in my head, and awake to super-soft mits.

ReVive Masques Des Yeux

A good night's sleep only goes so far for keeping eye wrinkles and bags at bay--but ReVive Masques Des Yeux picks up where the Sandman leaves off.

This weekly cream eye mask is formulated with probiotics to promote cellular respiration and metabolism and to banish puffiness. Hyaluronic Filling Spheres plump and firm the skin by delivering intense hydration and boosting collagen production.

After a sleepover session with this mask, I awake to find my eye area looking smooth, taut and dewy. Fine lines are plumped into oblivion, and I can't get enough of how deeply hydrated the area feels in the a.m.

This may call for some emergency naps!

Thymes Red Cherie Hand Wash and Hand Lotion

For as many times as hands get washed during the day, why not take the opportunity to do ditch the Dial and do a little pampering?

The new Thymes Red Cherie Collection is infused with Pomegranate, Red Cherries, Passion Flower and Jasmine, and a splash of Asian Lychee and fruity Musk. I've got the hand wash and hand lotion.

The hand wash lathers nicely and rinses clean without a trace of tightness. The light, hydrating lotion absorbs completely, leaving hands silky-soft. These products are scented softly enough not to interfere with your Eau de Parfum or prevent your beau from partaking in a little pampering, too!

Both products are enriched with Vitamin E to moisturize, and antioxidant cherry and Passion Flower extracts to soothe and protect .

The cherry-blossom packaging is modern and chic, and especially befitting of any Washington, DC girl!

Fresh Appleseed Resurfacing Kit

A fabulous girlfriend of mine recently gave me the Appleseed Resurfacing Kit by Fresh, and I think I owe her a fruit basket now!

The three-step kit includes an activator, peel and soother. The activator loosens dead skin cells and preps the face for the peel. The peel, a blend of glycolic acid and citrus Alpha Hydroxy Acids, removes dead and damaged skin cells while delivering antioxidants, vitamin C and fatty acids to the skin. The soother hydrates the skin with its time-release ceramides, hyaluronic spheres and lipid restoration protein.

In just under 10 minutes, the whole process can be completed. This kit leaves my face looking fresh and bright. I think the results would be even more impressive for someone who doesn't use AHAs on regular basis like I do. I love how I can feel the peel step tingling enough to know it's working, but it's not so intense that I'm worried I'll end up burning off my face. The soother step makes my skin feel super conditioned. The directions recommend following up the soother step with a moisturizer, but my face feels hydrated enough from the final step. I skip my usual night treatment and just sleep with the soother on so as not to irritate my skin.

This peel can be used 1-2 times per week, or in other words, an apple peel a week keeps the dermatologist away!

Be Fine Gentle Cleanser

I'd been curious about the Be Fine products for a while now, but had yet to act because they seemed overpriced. When a $10 coupon good for any Be Fine product popped up on my CVS Extra Care Card Coupons, the offer became too good to pass up. I picked up the Be Fine Gentle Cleanser, and let's just say if I'd paid full price ($15.99 for a mere 3.4 fl. oz.) I would have been sorely disapointed.

The packaging is a disaster---each pump only yields the tinest amount of product, so it takes a ridiculous amount of pumps before there's enough cleanser dispensed to actually clean the face. The actual product itself is only mediocre. It barely lathers and doesn't feel like it really did anything. Peppermint Oil and Peppermint leaf extract give a nice mintiness, but it could be kicked up a notch. Sugar cane extract is added to moisturize, but if anything, my face felt somewhat tight after cleansing.

This cleanser also contains Oat Bran Extract to soothe skin, Rice Bran Proteins to protect collagen and Rice Bran Oil to nourish the skin.

Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Complex

The more I experience the Amore Pacific line, the more I love it. In two words, it's innovative and effective.

The Moisture Bound Refreshing Complex is an oil-free moisturizer, designed to absorb excess oil and deliver a healthy dose of minerals to increase skin's resilience. This lightweight lotion hydrated my face and absorbed completely and instantly. It kept the oil in check for hours and my skin soft.

The most incredible thing about this product? It's water-free! That's right, it uses Stabilized Bamboo Sap instead of water to boost skin's strength. The brag-worthy ingredient list includes Ginger Root and Matsutake Mushroom to enhance the complexion, an Aqua-Sponge Complex to hydrate, Water Lily Extract for its astringent properties and Green Tea Leaf Extract to anti-oxidize.

Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub

Scrubs buff and brighten the face, and even though I wash daily with a glycolic acid cleanser, I still use scrubs on a regular basis too. Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub came up in last night's rotation and while it's a solid product, it's lacking that wow-factor.

Finely ground Corn Cob Meal polish the skin, while Mallow, Ivy and Aloe Vera soothe the skin and Arnica and Cucumber extracts cool. The scent is a little strange, but it does gently refine the skin's surface without irritating or stripping the skin.

Dermalogica does provide a great tip in the directions though: mixing the scrub with cleanser for a milder experience. This technique would tone down any scrub and allow you to calibrate the level of exfoliation.

The Aspirin Mask

Gee, these days you can't buy much for a dollar, not even a pack of gum. But here's an awesome beauty treatment that you can do again and again, for just one dollar!

It's the Aspirin Mask and it will make your face look so bright, tight and smooth! To make the mask, simply dissolve 5* uncoated aspirin tablets in a tiny drop of water, and then mix it into a paste. Add a teaspoon of honey, blend and apply the mixture to your face. Leave the mask on for 15-30 minutes, rinse with warm water, and pat dry.

This miracle mask clears pores and dissolves dull skin cells. The secret behind its power is the fact that aspirin is made out of acetylsalicylic acid, a derivative of the popular pimple-fighter salicylic acid. Be sure to use uncoated aspirin, so that the tablets will dissolve easily. CVS sells a bottle of 120 generic tablets for $.99.

*Adjust the strength of the mask based on your skin sensitivity. I only used 4 for my first attempt, but my skin is not sensitive, so I've upped it to 7. Start out conservatively to determine what your skin can tolerate. Also, this is a medicine so use it carefully. If you use a large number of tablets, you may start to feel slightly sick, and please do not use this mask if you are pregnant or nursing!

MAC Studio Moisture Cream

Every year, at the first threat of frost, my skin rebels against Summer's end with a bout of dry patches. This time around, I was armed with MAC Studio Moisture Cream, and now there's no going back!

I'll admit I was a little leery at first. I mean, a moisturizer that bypasses the word "lotion" and goes straight to declaring itself a "cream?" But although this moisturizer is very hydrating, it doesn't make me greasy! It really nourishes my skin and makes my skin look replenished and supple. A pea-sized amount is all it takes to hydrate the entire face. In fact, it makes my skin so silky that I've been skipping primer and going straight to the foundation. My foundation goes on so smoothly and evenly and doesn't slide off during the day.

This moisturizer is like the ultimate skincare smoothie, blended with passion fruit, spinach leaf, green tea, algae, wheat germ and coconut.

Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser

What do I look for in a cleanser? Something that will lift away every last trace of foundation but won't strip the skin. Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser does just that.

A tiny amount of this fragrance-free cleanser froths up into an ample amount to cover your face in whipped goodness. The creamy, silky texture feels terrific and dissolves my Double Wear in no time flat. Even though this product is not recommended for use around the eyes, I have gently massaged it over my eye area (keeping them shut of course!), with not the slightest bit of irritation. While it doesn't completely get rid of my eye makeup, it does a decent job, and I dare say if you wore light eye makeup, this cleanser could handle it.

Clinique recommends this cleanser for those with combination or oily skin. My skin is pretty much combination, and this leaves my skin feeling neither greasy nor dry--just healthy and clean.

While this cleanser isn't revolutionary, it is a great basic cleanser that does its job and is enjoyable to use. This would be a nice pick for those who like to keep their skincare simple or those with allergies.

Ponds Clean Sweep Cleansing and Makeup Removing Towlettes

Everywhere you turn these days, it seems like it's "wipes, wipes, wipes!" I resisted at first, but now I've taken to the idea--for preliminary cleansing purposes only.* I like to use the wipes as a preamble to my beloved M.D. Forte Cleanser (I've upgraded to III now and it's heaven!) so that it can really reach my skin without having to dissolve a barrier of makeup.

My initial foray into the world of wipes began with Pond's Clean Sweep Cleansing and Makeup Removing Towelettes. But, although I'm going to stick with using wipes for my preliminary cleansing, it won't be Ponds. My only gripe is that these towelettes aren't moist enough, so you can forget about trying to dissolve mascara and eyeliner. The wipes did do a sufficient job of cleansing off the rest of my makeup, and afterwards my face didn't feel filmy or irritated.

These towelettes are pretreated with Chamomile, Green Tea, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Ginseng Extract.

*Maybe I'm old school, but for a truly thorough cleansing, I don't think there's any substitute for cleanser rinsed with several splashes of water!

Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque

Mud masks are one tried and true, old school beauty treatment. This Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame of mud masks.

After spending 15 minutes with this English Clay-based mask slathered all over my face (hey, it's super cheap!), my pores are visibly clearer and significantly shrunken; my face feels ultra smooth, and it glows! Despite the deep cleansing, my face doesn't feel dried-out afterwards. The strong rose scent isn't my favorite, but it's not totally offensive either.

All-in-all, this is a great mask that does what it promises. All hail Queen Helene!

Bliss Steep Clean

Bliss Steep Clean supposedly has a cult following among Bliss fans. Well, here is one Bliss fan who isn't jumping on the bandwagon.

This non-hardening mask is purported to dissolve blackheads and remove dead cells and dark spots. It works by digesting dead skin cells with microencapsulated enzymatic exfoliators. In addition, sebum secretion is supposed to be slowed, and botanicals are supposed to brighten the skin.

Unfortunately, no such wonders were experienced by me. Also, the goopy formula must be mixed prior to its application, which I'm not too keen on. Once applied, the mask does feel nice and it smells great, but when it comes to blackheads, I need a mask that means business, not just pleasure!