Update - L'dara Anti-Aging Serum

I have been using the L'dara Anti-Aging Serum for over a month now and thought there was no better time to do an update ...

I am still loving the serum and have been appling it to my face and neck twice a day - morning and night.  Looking in the mirror, I really didn't notice a lot of difference in my skin - it just seemed smoother and clearer ... That was until I took my "after" picture.  Before I started on my new L'dara regime, I took my obligatory "before" picture and as I wanted to update you all on my progress, I took my "after" picture this morning.  I will let you be the judge (excuse the bare face but I wanted you to get the true picture).

I think it's working for me, and am excited to see what the next few months bring ... thank you L'dara!!!  Here's to aging gracefully and without wrinkles =)

If you'd like to try L'dara Anti-Aging Serum, both marketing partners and preferred customers pay the same price.... $108 plus provincial taxes here in Canada, and both programs offer a free bottle your next month when you refer 3 people through your personalized web site. 

First Impressions - New Anti-Aging Skin Care Serum

After the fiasco with Optimera by Nerium, I was a little hesitant to try another much hyped anti-aging product, however, I am really anxious to get started on a regime that will help my aging skin and have not yet found anything worth buying in the retail market.

I had recently seen L'dara Serum - another anti-aging skin care serum - being advertised all over Facebook, and decided to contact one of the reps to see if I could get a sample prior to purchasing a whole bottle (I learned my lesson and will never buy another face cream/serum without trying a sample first).  The rep I contacted was more than happy to send a sample, and in less than a week, my sample had arrived.

The first night I tried the serum, I was a bit apprehensive but upon opening the sample, I was pleasantly surprised to find it had a nice scent (hardly noticeable, very light floral scent) and is a clear serum with a gel like texture. It goes on velvety and the skin is not sticky or oily.  So far so good.

Upon waking the next morning I was prepared for a reaction, however, am definitely happy to report that there was no itching, no redness, no irritation at all.  WHOO HOO ...

Now, L'dara is recommended for both day and night use, but because I had such a small sample, I only used the product at night before bed.  The sample lasted me about 4 days, and after those 4 days, I did notice my face seemed brighter and my skin smoother, so I decided to bite the bullet an purchase a full bottle.

Upon contacting the rep, she mentioned the product ships from a small distributor in Calgary, express post. Both marketing partners and preferred customers pay the same price.... $108 plus provincial taxes and both programs offer a free bottle your next month when you refer 3 people through your personalized web site.  OK ... off I went to order ...

I will keep you all posted on my progress ...

Optimera by Nerium Update

In my previous post I had reported that I thought I may have had a reaction from the new face cream I was trying - Optimera by Nerium.

I had used the product 2 nights in a row, waking up the each morning with an itchy face (the second morning was worse than the first), so as an experiment, decided not to use the Optimera the third night to see how my face felt the next morning.

I am happy to announce that upon waking, my face was not at all itchy ... YAY ... to check to see if there was indeed something in the Optimera that caused my face to itch, I decided to apply the cream again the 4th night ... and yep, you guessed it, upon waking the next morning, my face was again itchy.

So, I contacted my friend to find out how to return the Optimera and get my money back as there was no way I was throwing away the $92 I paid for a product that I had a reaction to.  She advised that if a customer is dissatisfied with any product for any reason, the product may be returned in its original packaging, within thirty (30) days of the purchase, for a refund of the purchase price.  I would have to contact Nerium though to get a return number and would be required to pay the return shipping on the product.  I did that and sent the product back yesterday.

I will keep you posted on how long it takes to get my $$ back ...

First Impression - Optimera from Nerium International

I have been wanting to find a good anti-aging cream for some time now and recently a friend became a brand partner with Nerium International.  Nerium's Optimera creams just launched in Canada a few months ago, and after hearing the glowing reviews I decided to give the cream a try.

Optimera Night Cream costs $125 and must be purchased directly through a Nerium consultant or online. The company offers customers who subscribe to its replenishment program a discounted price of $92 per month.    Shipping is $11.50

Optimera is one of the most interesting anti aging brands. They have taken a toxic plant (oleander leaf extract) and turned it into an anti aging cream. While there is little in the way of clinical studies or other scientific proof, there certainly is some merit to the Nerium product.

The first thing I noticed is it has a different smell to it - it's not bad, but it's really not all that pleasant. The smell reminds me of compost or wet leaves... I personally hate it. I don't like perfumed smells but I sure as hell don't like smelling like my garden either.

The instructions say to apply 4 to 5 pumps of the night cream on a damp face.  I started with 2 pumps and found that the amount from those 2 pumps was sufficient for my face.  The second thing I noticed is the cream really doesn't absorb into the skin, it seems to set up similar to a mask on top of your skin.

The next morning when I woke, my face seemed a bit itchy.  The instructions say that "Sometimes, using a new product or a new mix of products can cause a temporary reaction. It’s important to remember that your skin must have time to become accustomed to a product in order to determine how it will interact long-term. If you experience minor irritation, we suggest giving yourself time to adjust to the new product. We recommend allowing at least two to three weeks as an adjustment and purging period."   I do know and understand that your skin takes some time to adjust to a new product so didn't give the itching another thought.

After cleansing my face the next evening, I again applied only 2 pumps to my face and went to bed. Upon waking this morning my face was even itchier than the previous morning ... not good.  I began to think that I may be allergic to one of the ingredients and pulled up the instruction sheet and saw on another part of the instruction sheet it says "Should any minor irritation such as redness, itching, or breakouts occur or persist, discontinue using the product and seek medical advice."  Hmmmm

Further the instructions say "Should a reaction occur, such as a breakout, redness, or itching, it is important to determine the cause. It is not always the new product; it could be how the new product is interacting with other products you’re using." ... I don't use any other creams on my face and my cleanser is one I have been using (Purity by Philosophy) so I doubt it's an interaction. I also have trouble with creams containing any sort of sunscreen and when using those types of cream my face also gets itchy, however, it was nothing like the itch I am experiencing from the Optimera. I did end up having to take 2 Benedryl to help combat the itching.

I am not going to use the Optimera tonight and see how my skin feels in the morning.