Happy Tuesday!
I am sooo happy to start the week with a giveaway winner and a new giveaway for you guys! :)
First off though, let me introduce you to an amazing skincare brand that I feel everyone should have the chance to try:
Stages of Beauty was created by Jasmina Aganovic who has a degree in Chemical & Biological Engineering from MIT. Passionate about skincare, she saw that few brands actually catered to all of our skin's anti-aging needs throughout life.
Recognizing that age is the most important determinant of our skin's needs, she began researching the topic in depth, hoping to better understand which products would be best suited for her skin.
After discovering all of the biological changes that happen to skin as we age (way beyond fine lines and wrinkles!), she realized how important it is for skincare products to accommodate all the changing needs of a woman's skin, especially as she ages. Unable to find a product that catered to all of those needs, she decided to develop her own.
With this goal in mind, she created STAGES of BEAUTY: the first comprehensive line of anti-aging skincare products that are specifically formulated to meet all the needs of our skin at every (st)age.
Stages of Beauty offers a range of skincare products especially formulated for different ages and stages:
Radiance in your 20s -- Repair environmental damage and even the skin tone
In our 20s, our skin is besieged by free radical damage (from our hectic lifestyles, sun-worshipping, and so much more). Twenty-something women need skincare ingredients like antioxidants to repair skin and protect it against future damage and premature wrinkles.
Harmony in your 30s -- Promote natural exfoliation of skin cells and help boost collagen and elastin
In our 30s, we see our first fine lines and wrinkles, collagen and elastin decrease, and skin tone becomes duller and more uneven. Skincare ingredients must address the fact that our skin regeneration now takes twice as long!
Elegance in your 40s -- Skin plumping and soothing
In our 40s, we face a new foe: thinning skin. Skin in its 40s demands ingredients to improve elasticity, tone, and firmness as well as ingredients to target signs of photo-aging and sun sensitivity.
Grace in your 50s+ -- Increase skin immunity and hydration
In our 50s and beyond, our skin experiences a rapid decline in surface immunity while the natural moisture barrier degrades, leading to thinner and drier skin. Skincare ingredients must be hydrating, firming, and reinforcing to battle the effects of our bodies’ changing hormones!
How amazing, right?! I love how each product line focuses on working on different skin issues that come with our respective ages.
After I read about all of that, I definitely wanted in! Fortunately, Kristine from Stages of Beauty sent me the Radiance Treatment Cream to try and review.
The Radiance Treatment Cream is specifically formulated for the complete anti-aging care of a woman in her Twenties. Our formula serves as your 24/7 lightweight damage control, with skin-protecting antioxidants and monks pepper berry to help prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Amino acids work with plant stem cells and Reservatrol to provide DNA protection, while marine plant extracts soothe the skin.
The key ingredients of the Radiance Treatment Cream are Reservatrol, Apple Stem Cell Botanical Extract, and Sea Botanicals and Amino Acids.
First thing I gotta say, their packaging is awesome: A+!
You can see from the photo above that their boxes are environmentally friendly and they use minimal packaging. And how amazing is that note on the upper flap?! I was really smiling as I was reading that. :)
Their shipping is relatively fast -- I got mine within 6 days.
You can be sure that your products will not arrive broken, spilled, or all shaken up because, as you can see, it's pretty snug in there. ;)
And not only is it snug, but the bottle is also nestled inside this cool carton cylinder. Inside, you will find a slip of hard paper with directions -- which also helps keep the bottle steady.
How cute is that butterfly?!
I love the sleek design of the bottle -- you can totally tell the quality just from the feel of it.
Okay, on to the review:
I've never been much of a skincare advocate until I turned 20 last year (and quite honestly, until I started blogging). Now I really understand how important it is to take care of our skin -- wash, toner, moisturizer!
I am now experimenting with and open to trying different brands, and I must admit that with the myriad skincare brands available to us, it can get overwhelming. So, when I received the email from Stages of Beauty, I was really really happy.
The cream is light-weight. Not greasy at all. Skin absorbs it quickly.
It doesn't have a specific scent -- not citrusy or flowery. Just regular cream.
When I started using it, I had a couple of breakouts -- I guess I can attribute that to my skin adjusting to a new moisturizer. It eventually went away, like most pimples. I still do get the occasional zit here and there, but it's nothing too unmanageable.
The Radiance Treatment Cream makes my skin soft and smooth. There is a definite glow and radiance too. :)
I've also noticed that the faint lines on my face that I used to obsess over have now lightened up, if not disappeared all together.
Of course, you must remember that for a product to take full effect, you must use it continuously for weeks. For best results, the Radiance Treatment Cream must be used as directed for at least 8 to 12 weeks.
Now, the price... it may be a bit too steep:
$52.99 (30mL)
$74.99 (50mL)
But, it doesn't hurt to invest on our skin, right?
I am almost done with my second bottle. ;P
Have you tried any products from Stages of Beauty? Is this a brand you would think of trying?
If you want to try Stages of Beauty, but aren't quite sure about it, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial -- check out http://www.mystagesofbeauty.com/ for more details.
Or perhaps, you might be the lucky winner of one Stages of Beauty product?
Let's get on to the giveaway:
Mandatory entries:
1. Follow What Mimi Writes via GFC (+1)
2. Follow WhatMimiWrites on Twitter (+1)
3. Follow StagesofBeauty on Twitter (+1)
Extra entries:
- Like Stages of Beauty on Facebook (+2)
- Write something on their wall about your "stage" (+5)
- Tweet about this giveaway, linking to both @WhatMimiWrites and @StagesofBeauty (+2)
- Mention this giveaway somewhere on your blog, and let me know (+3)
Yay for a total of 15 entries! :D
Write separate comments for each entry. Or if you choose to put them all in one comment, please clearly list how many entries you have.
Also, please include your email address and what stage you are in on at least one of your entries.
This giveaway will end on October 22nd at 11:59pm PST.
Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
Good luck! :D
