Happy Friday, everyone, hope you’re all ready for the weekend! As mentioned in other posts, I don’t get weekends off, but I’m consoled by the fact that I’ve got some great new products I’ve been testing.
I was pleased to partner with Pure Radiance by Dr. Sears to tell you all about a lovely product called Restore, with Instant Volume and Lift Liposome Technology. This product was created to give the look of dermal fillers without injections (Pure Radiance, n.d.). As you already may well know, I’m all for any kind of antiaging product, especially with well-researched ingredients.
Pure Radiance Restore is purported to help maintain skin elasticity, enhance the skin’s barrier, plump the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and revive texture and tone. So, what makes Restore different from other products? Instead of harsh, synthetic chemicals, the ingredients in Restore work just like nature. Pure Radiance products follow the natural processes that your body goes through to protect and refresh the skin (Pure Radiance, n.d.).
Pure Radiance Restore contains liposomes, which the company compares to “empty shells that merge with your skin cell wall to deliver nutrients directly inside your skin cells. This way the nutrients aren’t blocked by the tough outer defenses of your dermis and can go where they’re needed” (Pure Radiance, n.d.).
Other ingredients include organic shea butter, which is full of natural vitamins and fatty acids to nourish and moisturize; bright madonna lily compounds even out the skin’s color; white and green tea extracts help preserve collagen and provide antioxidant protection; and hyaluronic acid plumps the skin to enhance volume and elasticity, restoring youthful freshness (Pure Radiance, n.d.).
I like the idea of liposomes being used to help deliver the ingredients to skin. This makes sense, as our skin contains natural lipids- similar to how oil won’t mix with water, but oil will mix with oil. This will help ensure better penetration, and that the skin can actually use the ingredients.
I should note, though, that I’m unsure of the molecule size of a star ingredient- hyaluronic acid. The reason dermal fillers, most of them being stable, cross-linked hyaluronic acid, are injected is because the molecule size is too large to penetrate the skin on its own. However, scientists have managed to reduce the hyaluronic acid molecule to a nano size (5 nm), enabling it to cross the skin barrier (Jegasothy, Zabolotniaia & Bielfeldt, 2014).
Even if the hyaluronic acid in Pure Radiance Restore is not small enough to penetrate the skin, it still serves as a stellar ingredient. As it can hold many, many, many times its own weight in water, it can act as an excellent hydrator on the surface.
There is something to watch for with hyaluronic acid, though. Since it’s a humectant, it draws moisture to itself- this means that if you’re in a dry environment, it would pull moisture from your skin instead of to it. So, beware of brands marketing 100% hyaluronic acid products. But, Pure Radiance has formulated Restore with quality moisturizers, so the hyaluronic acid will pull moisture from the ingredients rather than your body, and benefit your skin.
Pure Radiance Restore is housed in a convenient, sanitary pump-style bottle. It’s easy to dispense as much or as little as I need. I do wish the bottle was opaque to prevent light exposure, but the pump does keep it from getting contaminated by bacteria or air. So, no repeatedly dipping your fingers into a jar!
The consistency of the formula itself is kind of like a cross between a serum and a lotion- it’s very light, easy to spread, and is readily absorbed. I have oily/combination skin, and had no problems, even with the shea butter. It has the slightest bit of stickiness at first, but once it absorbs (which is quickly), it leaves more of a silky feeling. Oh yeah, and for those of you who are sensitive to fragrance, it has no discernible scent!
I don’t have any deep wrinkles or lines yet, thanks to taking care of my skin. But, I do have a very fine line underneath my right eye. No one else can see it, but I can, and it bothers me. High quality skincare plumps my skin enough to where this all but disappears. The longer this line stays “gone,” the more I like a product. After using Pure Radiance Restore, the line was nearly invisible almost all day long, so I know the product was doing its job.
Overall, I’m very happy with this product. It wears well layered with other skincare products, and under makeup. But, the best part is that it lasted so long for me. With the ingredients used, the results will also be cumulative and work even better over time. Check it out at mypureradiance.com.
Sources:
Jegasothy, S., Zabolotniaia, V. & Bielfeldt, S. (2014). Efficacy of a new topical nano-hyaluronic acid in humans. Journal of Aesthetic Dermatology, 7(3). Retrieved April 20, 2017, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Pure Radiance (n.d.). Restore. Product brochure.
*Sponsored review
