Overview
Intaglio Skin products were developed in 1994 and are distributed around the world. According to Intaglio Skin, their products use only pharmaceutical grade ingredients. Intaglio Skin has two main lines: one focused on skin resurfacing and reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, and one focused on replenishing, revitalizing and restoring essential nutrients. Most of the Intaglio Skin formulations appear to be based around the active ingredient Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) or Salicylic Acid, which is a beta hyrdoxy acid. We’ll discuss these ingredients in more depth below.
Customers cannot purchase Intaglio products from the company’s website and the company does not explain where one might purchase them. It is possible they may only be purchased through a dermatologist. In the question and answer section, the company states that the average Intaglio customer uses 5.5 of their products and they recommend this. Having to use that many products to achieve the skin care results you are looking for may make the Intaglio line less appealing to some.
Product Details
There is very little detail provided by the Intaglio company on their website. There is a short description of the product’s benefits and active ingredients, but there does not appear to be a full ingredient list available nor are there even pictures of the products. Not being able to review a full ingredient list is problematic, especially for those with skin sensitivities and allergies. For example, parabens are cosmetic preservatives used in some skin care products that are known allergens. The second reason that not being able to see a full ingredient list is troublesome is that the consumer cannot assess the quality of the ingredients or determine whether the Intaglio products might contain low-quality “fillers”.
Many of the Intaglio formulations are based on alpha hydroxy acid, or AHA. AHA is used in some skin care formulations as a chemical peel to strip away some of the top layers of the skin to reveal healthier ones underneath. Many people are sensitive to AHA which can trigger skin allergies or make skin photo sensitive. If you have never used an AHA product before, you may wish to exercise caution before you know for certain how the products will react with your skin. The effectiveness of the Intaglio formulations is unknown. The company does not provide any references to clinical studies supporting the results claimed. Although AHA may be effective at stripping away dead skin, it is generally not known for its ability to reduce wrinkles. Without more information from the company about how the ingredient is useful in that task, it is difficult to assess the company’s claims.
The Good
- Contains AHA, which may be effective at removing dead layers of skin.
- Many different formulations.
The Bad
- May be difficult to purchase.
- No full list of ingredients available.
- Recommended use of several products increases the cost.
- Products may not contain clinically-proven ingredients like Matrixyl 3000 or Argiriline.
The Bottom Line
There are many effective skin care products on the market today that have scientific proof behind them to show that they work against wrinkles and other signs of aging skin, like sagging and dryness. The best of these products contain active ingredients such as collagen to replenish the skin or hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate. Peptides like Matrixyl 3000 and Argiriline can reduce wrinkles and stimulate the body’s natural collagen production. There is no indication that the Intaglio line contains any of these ingredients. The fact that the company recommends that you purchase so many of its products suggests that Intaglio products may not be as useful in the anti-aging fight. You may wish to look for a single skin care product that has been proven to do what it claims and backs it up with a money-back guarantee.
