Youthful Essence

Overview

The principle claim of the Youthful Essence line of skin care products is that it will reproduce the microdermabraision treatments that you might get at a high-end spa in your home. Product spokeswoman and soap opera queen Susan Lucci swears by Youthful Essence, but does her endorsement really mean much? After all, You don't have to look very far on Google to find a good number of references to the plastic surgery that Susan has had over the years. The patented cream is designed to yield noticeable results on it's own, although it can also be used in conjunction with other skin care products. However, if these other products contain ingredients like Retinol that are known to cause hyper-sensitivity in skin, they are not recommended for use with Youthful Essence. Furthermore, the product does not seem to contain any technologically advanced, cutting-edge active ingredients. Matrixyl 3000, for example, is a much newer patented active ingredient that accelerates collagen synthesis (the skin's own natural "anti-aging" compound), as well as stimulating synthesis of hyaluronic acid and fibronectin, two other key naturally occurring compounds in youthful skin.

When you purchase Youthful Essence, you get a 60-day supply of Resurfacing cream and a sponge applicator that is used to evenly apply the Youthful Essence cream to your face. The entire Youthful Essence treatment is designed to vigorously scrub away the layer of dead skin on your face, revealing a fresh new layer and also stimulating it. For first time users, this can be a confusing and difficult application process, especially if you are doing it to yourself. If you've ever gotten a spa microdermabrasion treatment, you know that your face will be red and sensitive for hours or even a full day following the treatment and you may not want to schedule any social engagements. The same can be true of using Youthful Essence, and it may not be a good skin care treatment for you if you've got highly sensitive skin.

Product Details

The Aluminum Oxide crystals that make up the backbone of the Youthful Essence skin treatment are formulated from the natural and common element aluminum. But the cream itself only makes up one part of the treatment. The full Youthful Essence microdermabrasion kit also comes with a resurfacing tool, which is a small vibrating scrubber that works the cream into your skin. After applying the cream with the provided applicator sponge, use medium pressure with the resurfacing tool to work the crystals into your skin. Unfortunately, some user reports indicate that this tool is quite fragile and breaks easily, rendering the whole skin care system ineffective.

Other active ingredients in the Youthful Essence vitamin-enriched resurfacing cream are: Aluminum Oxide (Micronized Crystals), Purified Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Lecithin, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Bran Extract, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Beta Carotene, Methyl paraben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, Fragrance (Parfum).

The Good

• Official website offers 60 day money back guarantee.
• Official website offers your choice of free gift at checkout.

The Bad

• May irritate sensitive skin.
• Product does not contain any ingredient that stimulates the skin to produce increased collagen, the skin's own natural "anti-aging" compound.
• We have to wonder how much of the consumer price goes to innovative product development versus compensation for a celebrity spokesperson like Susan Lucci.
• Product contains several artificial colors and fragrances.
• Application can be extremely difficult.
• Face may appear raw and red for up to 24 hours following treatment.

The Bottom Line

If you have experienced microdermabrasion in a spa, you have an idea of the fundamental concept of this product. However, Youthful Essence will probably be most effective at improving skin texture and color, and will do little to combat or prevent wrinkles. While the idea of turning your bathroom into a high end spa may sound novel at first, the reality can be messy and painful. Ultimately, there's a reason that people hire professionals to perform microdermabrasion, and buying Youthful Essence could give you first hand experience as to why. Unless you have your heart set on a home microdermabrasion product, we'd recommend a simpler topical cream for fighting wrinkles.