Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty


Last week, G and I were at the CEW beauty awards and the line endorsed by Cindy Crawford, Meaningful Beauty was being featured. Being mesmerized by the informercial, we asked for the line to try out and review for The Gloss Box. We were sent the latest iteration of the skin care line (some reviews go all the way back to 2006, so this review is for the 2010 version of this product). 

To thine own self be true. 

SO I used it and I have an opinion and an outcome. Before you spend $29.95, know some facts, and know your skin. 

Quick note: In August of 2009, I had a facial that made me break out in a terrible case of acne (the woman used a too-heavy oil to moisturize my skin, and caused me to get thousands of little pimples all over my face). To help me heal, I got an Retin A-- but when I did that I RESEARCHED product compatibility. There are a lot of rules to using products which change your skin. 

Retin A, vitamin A and other retinoids (which are available even in over the counter products)-- although effective and clinically proven to help fight wrinkles, are also exfoliant accelerators. This means you cannot wax. You cannot be out in the sun without sunscreen (everyday even in the winter). You cannot use any other products which are exfoliants because your skin will become red, itchy, burn and flake off. For this reason, I always read the ingredient deck before I use a product on my skin, and cross reference it with my existing skin care regimen. 

Additionally, the molecules in certain oils will also clog your pores, because large molecules cannot be absorbed by our skin. Stay away from products that you leave on like night creams with mineral oil as an ingredient. Most people cannot handle these oils. You need to be cautious, and try and find out your skin type. Then you can figure out what will work for you because most products use the same ingredients!!

Perfect example: Clinque's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. I HATE this product because it makes me breakout, but it's been a best seller since it's debut. It's just not for me, because the mineral oil content will give me a case of the acnes (sic) in 2 weeks. G on the other hand, who has milky skin can handle a whole range of products on her skin because she has a very different skin type than mine. I know me. 

 Now on to Meaningful Beauty. 

Yes, I want to be Cindy Crawford, and always have since I got my first issue of Vogue and she was on the cover in some nautically themed outfit. The infomercial is so powerful, and from what I saw on the internet, this commercial has convinced a lot of people to buy the line. GOOD MARKETING. 

I did my homework, and I read the ingredient lists, and I read about other people's experiences with this product. I avoided the eye cream because a lot of people complained about getting redness, itching, flaking and burning. I proceeded with caution, but within 2 days, I was already getting compliments on my skin (from my biggest skin critics, my esti friends). 

The accompanying literature does tell you to take it easy with the skin care routine, i.e. use it every other day. So I haven't been using it day and night. Here's how I used the products, and my results. 

Cleanser:  I normally use Cetaphil, and I find this to be just as gentle. Word to the wise-- read the ingredients. There might be something in there you find unsavory (parabens!). However, it's ultra gentle and it gets off all my makeup. Would I buy it on it's own... No (because of the parabens). Only use it at night. 

Protect: The day cream- a light SPF 20 formulation, that leaves my skin feeling non greasy and light, but hydrated. Nice. Would I buy it on it's own... Maybe! It's a nice formulation that doesn't overcompensate with greasiness to make your skin feel hydrated. Only use it after the shower in the daytime. 

Decollete: I love that there are so many creams on the market right now for the decollete. It's my favorite part of my body, actually. This cream is light and is instantly absorbed. I test a lot of creams on my neck and chest when I don't want to put them on my face, and I generally don't have a reaction to them. So I would say this product is neutral? Hard to review when the results are going to remain to be seen over time... Would I buy this on it's own? Probably. Only use it at night.

RESTORE: LISTEN UP! For all the women who have complained that their skin is ripped off when waxing, that they have developed reactions to this line over time, this is going to be your culprit. I only used this cream once, because I could sense there was a familiar ingredient in this cream. I missed it the first time I skimmed the ingredient deck, but I found it on the second day. Yes, my skin was nice and soft when I woke up, but it also had the same texture after I use Retin A (which I only use every 2 days because it is such a powerful ingredient). This product contains Retinyl Palmitate, aka a Vitamin A derivative which turns to retinol when applied to the skin. Read above: Retinoids make your skin thinner, and they accelerate the exfoliation of your skin. We don't know the percentage used, but over time as retinol will turn into retinoic acid, your skin will become softer, but you may experience all the adverse effects of using a retinoid. You have been warned, please feel free to use the magical tool which is the internet to continue doing your research on products that contain retinoids. All I will say is that I feel good that I protected myself and my skin by doing my research. 

Eyes: I didn't use the eye cream on my eyes, but I did use it on my lips (lips are just as thin as the undereye area, but they exfoliate more rapidly and are overall a little stronger because the skin on them should always be turning over). This product is fine on my lips, but it does contain a lot of weird things I don't necessarily want to be ingesting... so I skip it. Sucks that you have to buy the kit if you can't handle retinoids or this eye cream. Mine is promotional so I feel less bad about skipping the product. 

However, if you can find out how to order the kit piecemeal, you have to have to have to get these 2 things:

Purify and the Glowing Serum. 

I love these 2 products! Purify is a mask. I instantly had smaller pores, and my skin really looked awesome after I used it. It's a light mask that gets tight and washes off easily. Don't ask what made it work, but I did feel 'soft focused' after I used it. Would I buy it on it's own? YES!

Glowing Serum: J'adore! This could be sold as a cosmeceutical. I don't know if it improves the skin per se, but it makes it LOOK amazing, tight, luminous and the compliments wouldn't stop. I actually keep it in my purse and put it on when I am going out right under my eyes and on my temples. There is some glow you get from it and it really does flatter the skin. And yes, I would buy it on it's own. 

Overall, I can understand people's frustrations being expressed online about Meaningful Beauty. For $30 though... it's a GOOD DEAL. Imagine if you only spent $30 on your beauty care every month. That would be amazing for me, because Buddha knows I've wasted so much time and money on products that are way more expensive (like just 1 product) that disappoint. Apparently, you can either buy 1 mask and 1 serum for $92, or get auto delivery every month for about $63 + S. &H. Hmm. If I was a rich girl na na na na na na na NA na na NA. Maybe I would. Or maybe if they were sold in stores, I would buy these 2 products... 

It's not a bad line though-- considering you're buying it off of TV. Take it for what it is. 

Honest-to-Gosh Kisses!
S. 







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