Opinion Queen

After watching the Dr Oz segment on the Murad Firm & Tone Dietary Supplement Pack (click here for the recap in case you missed it: Dr Oz Murad Firm & Tone), my inbox filled with questions about the Murad Supplements.  Do they really work? Have you tried them?  Luckily, the lovely people at Murad gave me the opportunity to review the Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements!

Murad Firm and Tone Review

First, lets start with what Murad promises with their Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements.  On the box it says “Patented scientifically based complex supports skin strength by encouraging the appearance of firmer skin by up to 78% in eight weeks and by helping to improve the visual texture of stretch marks by up to 47% in eight weeks.”  Each box contains 28 days worth of supplements, so I cannot tell you what would happen if I took the Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements for eight weeks.  However, if 28 days is any indication – this kit rocks!  Every day you have two packets of supplements to take – a daytime packet and a nighttime packet.  The daytime supplements include one multivitamin, two connective support complex pills, two essential fatty acid pills, and one cell energizer.  The nighttime supplements include another multivitamin, two more connective support complex pills, one essential fatty acid pill, and one more cell energizer.  So the only real difference between your daytime and nighttime supplements is that you take one more essential fatty acid in the morning.  What do all of these pills do?  Here is the scoop:

Murad Multivitamin

The multivitamin has the vitamins that you need everyday as well as trace minerals, all of which are optimized for healthy skin.

Murad Connective Support Complex

The Connective Support Complex is supposed to smooth out your skin and increase the elasticity of your skin, which is great for helping your skin to age gracefully.

Murad Essential Fatty Acids

Dr Oz is always talking about the importance of fatty acids for your skin’s health, so I was thrilled to see that Murad included this in their supplement pack.

Murad Cell Energizer

The Cell Energizer protects your skin from cell damage while simultaneously increasing the amount of cellular energy made by your skin’s cells.

I was all set to type up all of the ingredients and the exact percentage of each vitamin and supplement in the Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements, but then I noticed that all of this information is neatly presented and available on Murad’s Website here.

Murad Supplements Review: End Results

Now for what everyone really wants to know – so, did they actually do anything?  Do they really get rid of cellulite and stretch marks?  I was surprised, because even in the first week I could already notice a difference in my skin – not so much with respect to cellulite or stretch marks, but my skin looked healthier and really glowed.  I even got compliments from strangers at the grocery store – I kid you not!  I noticed that my skin broke out less during the first week as well.  The results only got more impressive as I used the Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements, and by the 28th day I was so sad to be out of these wonderful supplements!  My guess is that if you take these for the full eight weeks, which means two boxes of Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements, your cellulite will be barely noticeable and the texture and appearance of your stretch marks will completely shock you.  As for me, I totally plan on using Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements again in the future, but for now, I am waiting to hopefully have a baby!  And so the search begins for supplements, creams, lotions, and potions that help to prevent stretch marks in the first place when you are pregnant.  Any suggestions, ladies?

For more information about Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplements, please visit Murad’s website here!

My name is Diana, and I am a face mask addict… haha ok so maybe they do not have a support group like AA for beauty product addicts, but if they did, my husband would turn me in!  After hearing some women on the train talking about this fabulous face mask called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, I purchased it as soon as I got home.  I only wish I had found it here first because it costs less and you get twice the amount… but my smaller container is going to last a long time anyway.  So what caught my attention from the conversation I overheard on the train?  One lady said that after applying the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay she could literally feel her skin and face pulsating, and after she washed it off, her skin was completely smooth and a couple of small pimples that were forming got sucked out.  I have heard lots of claims and had plenty of experience with face masks that leave your skin dramatically smoother, softer and clearer… however, a face mask that you could actually feel working physically because your skin pulsates?  Now THAT is intriguing!

As you can see from the packaging, Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay claims to be the “World’s Most Powerful Facial” and is made of 100% natural Calcium Bentonite Clay for deep pore cleansing.  But it is the back of the container that sounds even more fascinating… big red letters say “Feel Your Face Pulsate!” (just like the lady on the train said!)… but there are even more uses for Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay apparently.  “Facials, acne, bodywraps, clay baths, foot soaks, chilled clay for  knee packs and insect bites” are just a few of the things that the back of the container say it can be used for.

I was not sure what I would see when I opened the container of Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, but as you can see in the photo above, it is a fine clay powder.  The great thing about getting the face mask in powder form is that it won’t dry out after you open it and you will get a fresh face mask every time you mix one up (as opposed to face masks that you buy already made and that sit on the shelf for who knows how long until you buy it and use it up).

The directions said to mix equal parts of the clay powder with either water or raw apple cider vinegar.  I absolutely LOVE using Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar when I make my own homemade beauty treatments, so I of course opted for this over water.  It is important to note that you should use raw apple cider vinegar, especially ones where the package say “with the mother” on them like  Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar because that is what adds all the extra nutrients that is so great for you skin.  The only downside of using apple cider vinegar in the face mask instead of water is that water makes a more mild smelling face mask, but since when do people really care about what a face mask smells like anyway.

As soon as you mix together the clay powder and the apple cider vinegar, you will start to see little bubbles forming in the face mask.  This is when I started to get excited!  A bubbling potion for a face mask? It has got to be amazing!  Clearly I made a larger portion than just one face mask, but I wanted for you to be able to see the bubbling action and the exact creamy consistency you should look for.

Next, you apply the face mask between 1/4″ and 1/2″ thick.  Then you wait for the magic to happen.  The package says to wait 5-10 minutes for delicate skin or 15-20 minutes for normal skin.  I kept it on for as long as I could, which was about 30 minutes.  I slowly felt my face pulling, tightening and pulsating… just like the package and the lady said!  But when I rinsed off the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, I was not expecting to find a bright red face.  So my first reaction was “oh my gosh, I must be having an allergic reaction?!?” but then I went back to the package and read the last line which said “Slight redness of the skin is normal and will disappear in about 30 minutes.” Phew, what a relief!

As a testament of my love for my readers, I am even showing you quite an unflattering photo of me right after I took off the face mask. You can see the normal skin color under my eyes where there was no face mask, and then the bright red skin from the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay.  Sure enough, the redness went away within 30 minutes and I was left with soft skin… and a few pimples that I had on my face definitely had already decreased in size just from this one treatment.  Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is definitely a keeper!

One of my friends was absolutely raving about MyChelle’s The Perfect C Serum since the day that she picked it up.  She said it made her skin feel plump and that it really minimized her fine lines and wrinkles.  My first reaction was that $40 for .5 ounces of a concentrated serum of Vitamin C would have to be amazing to make it worthwhile.  As the week went on though, and I started to notice my friend’s skin glowing, I decided I should stop resisting the temptation and just go ahead and buy it.

As you can see in the photo above, the bottle really is itty bitty. MyChelle C Serum says that it is an active antioxidant treatment with 17% L-ascorbic acid.  It is free of phthalates, parabens, propylene, glycol, ureas, EDTA, fragrance and artificial colors.  The claim is that it supports healthy collagen production, strengthens your skin’s immune function and promotes healing of the skin.  How does the C Serum do this?  Well the antioxidants are supposed to eliminate free radicals and the L-ascorbic acid and glucoasamine should boost your skin’s production of healthy collagen.

Claims always sound magnificient, but how does MyChelle C Serum actually work in practice?  My overall experience was marvelous.  My regimen was to wash my face at night, apply 2-3 pumps of the C Serum, wait 5-10 minutes, and then apply my usual night-time moisturizer.  After using the C Serum every night for two weeks, I could definitely see changes in my skin.  My skin brokeout far less, and any minor pimples that I got healed very quickly.  The fine lines around my mouth (what I call “smile wrinkles”) and by the corners of my eyes were definitely becoming less apparent.

My experience with MyChelle’s C Serum was not all fun and games though.  The first time I used it, I did not wash my hands right after applying the serum.  You can see the orange-ish color of the serum, before applying it to my face, in the palm of my hand above.  The next morning I woke up with a bright orange palm.  I ran to the mirror and noticed that my face also had a strange orange-ish tint to it.  This may have something to do with the fact that I have very fair skin, but I was not at all pleased when I first saw this.  But much to my relief, the orange stain washed off of my hand and face fairly easily.  I would be pleased if MyChelle came out with a clear formula though.  My only other complaint about this product is the odor, which neither my husband nor I find pleasant, though I suppose this is the trade-off for getting an all natural product without added perfumes.  Overall, these two complaints are greatly outweighed by the results I saw from using this product, so two thumbs up from me!

Where to Find MyChelle C Serum:

Where to Buy: You can buy Mychelle’s The Perfect C Serum and read lots of other people’s reviews of the product through this link: MyChelle The Perfect C Serum

Supracor Spacells Facial Sponges have provided a new solution to the question, what do you use to wash your face? Not what product, face wash, lotion, cleanser or foam do you use… but do you wash your face with your hands? A washcloth? This can make all the difference! If you use your hands, the dirt and oils from your fingers can actually clog your pores. If you use a washcloth, you run the risk of breakouts from bacteria that love to grow in washcloths. Supracor Spacells Facial Sponges are antibacterial (so no risk of bacteria growing on it), the special texture gently exfoliates your skin (your face will be super soft!), and there is even a more “coarse” side for using in the shower to exfoliate rough skin spots (like your elbows, knees… I even love to use it on my back and chest to keep my skin acne free!).

After hearing so many wonderful things about Carley’s Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment, especially from some friends who have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome), I placed an order pronto.  There are two strengths; the original Clear and Smooth Acne Treatment and the Clear and Smooth Industrial Strength Formula for Teen Acne.  Not sure which to go with (even though I am not a teenager, my acne can be BAD), I ordered one of each.  I could not resist and I also ordered a Day Time Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin and an Exotic Butter Moisturizer for at night.

My order arrived and I was super excited.  I ran to the bathroom to shower right away!  The way you use this product is very unique.  You are supposed to wash your face with Carley’s Clear & Smooth Acne wash, wait 60 seconds, rinse it off, and then lather your skin with their bar of natural soap, and rinse again.  The idea here is that the benzoyl peroxide gets washed off so that your skin won’t get as dried out as with other products (which is crucial, because if you skin gets too dry, then it will just produce more oil to compensate, and your face will break out even worse!)… another plus of this method is that your towels, washcloths, and clothing do not get bleached from benzoyl peroxide.  However, I found that the best method for me was this:

How to Use Carley’s Clear & Smooth:

1.  Wash your face with Carley’s bar of natural soap to remove makeup and your top layer of dirt and grime (Carley’s gives you one free huge bar of natural soap for each product you purchase).
2.  Rinse your face completely.
3.  Wash your face with Carley’s Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment.
4.  Scrub in a circular motion so that the walnut shell powder really exfoliates and the other ingredients soak into your skin.
5.  I let Carley’s Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment sit on my skin for a few minutes and then rinse well (I usually shave my legs during this time!)
6.  Wash your face again with Carley’s bar of natural soap to remove the benzoyl peroxide.

The results were fabulous!  My skin was super soft and my acne seemed to be healing even after just a few days.  As with any acne product, you do have to use it for a few weeks before you can really decide if it is working for you or not.  I found that Carley’s Day Time Moisturizer was fantastic for keeping my skin moisturized without breaking me out.  Their moisturizer is made up of all kinds of wonderful natural ingredients like jojoba oil, babassu, sunflower oil, and evening primrose oil.  Carley’s night time Exotic Butter Moisturizer I did not love as much, which really shocked me because of all the great things I heard about it.  I think that unfortunately it made my skin break out, even though its made of all natural ingredients like jojoba oil, mango butter, kukui nut oil, macadamia nut oil, shea butter, hemp seed oil and apricot kernel oil.  However, I did find that Carley’s night time moisturizer was a great deep moisturizing treatment for my hair.  I distributed a few TB of Carley’s night time moisturizer in my hair, popped on a shower cap, and let it soak in for several hours (while I watched Julie and Julia, fabulous movie!), then I showered and had the most soft hair!  I prefer Carley’s day time moisturizer bottle, because it has a pump and so you get less dirt, dust and contamination into the moisturizer when you use it, than with the tub that Carley’s night time moisturizer comes in… and something seemingly so small, can make all the difference for sensitive, acne prone skin.  Of everything I tried from Carley’s product line, I think the only product I will be repurchasing is the Carley’s Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment, which has really cleared up my skin!