Update & Horsetail Extract Butter

I turned 56 years as of early December.  This is a photo I took of myself around that time.  Actually I have a little make-up on my face, which is a rare thing for me. 

Here is how I looked a month before that, in early November.  I just had blush on my cheeks, and some lipgloss.

I've been using some cream on my skin which is made with the horsetail herb - one of the best wild herbs that is highly beneficial for the skin.  The product I purchased is made by Crafter's Choice and is called Horsetail Butter Blend.  The company makes batches only when you order it, so it is fresh.  It has a vegetable oil base so has no mineral oil in it.    The product has a pleasant natural scent, no chemicals added, and it lasts a long time. 

The description of the product is:

"Proprietary blend that contains horsetail extract which is thought to contain the building blocks needed for collagen and elastin synthesis in the skin. Also thought to help rebuild and regenerate damaged skin cells."

and

"Contains Horsetail Extract, believed to contain the building blocks needed for collagen and elastin synthesis in the skin. Also thought to help rebuild and regenerate damaged skin cells. Contains Sweet Almond Oil, a natural moisturizer that is thought to relieve (among other things) itching. All Natural."

The company has many other butter blends.

Here is the link to the horsetail blend butter and other butters at their wesbite:

Crafters Choice 

 

With a Smirk

With lotion 5/25/11

Me 5/25/11

5/25/11 with lotion

Face Today without Lotion

Face 5/25/11 without lotion, just after removing clay facial mask.

My Face Today 5/25/11

Heres what I look like 5/25/11.  The redness from the clay masque has subsided. I applied the lotion.

Side Profile of Face

Side profile of face 5/25/11.

Side of Nec k

Side of neck 5/25/11.  I just removed a clay facial masque so skin is reddened.

Wrinkles by side of mouth & side of chin

Wrinkles by side of mouth and side of chin 5/25/11

Mouth

Mouth area 5/25/11

Forehead Lines

Forehead lines 5/25/11. I just rinsed off a clay facial masque so my skin is reddened.

Between Eyebrows

I believe the crinkles between my eyebrows are improving; this photo was taken 5/25/11.

Chin

Here is my chin today May 18th, 2011.

Photo of my chin taken May 6th - 14 days ago, with lotion on. I don't notice an improvement yet in this area.  
I must remember that noticable results aren't to be expected until one has applied this lotion faithfully twice daily for 30 days - at that time, I hope it will reduce appearance of facial wrinkles by up to 50%.  I'll post updated photos in about 1 week so stay tuned!

Better color in cheeks

Side of my cheek and mouth taken today May 18th.

Photo taken May 6th - 14 days ago.  My skin appears to have more color today than before; perhaps the lotion is stimulating the blood vessels and tissues beneath the surface layer of skin. 

Mouth & Lips

Here is what my lips, area around mouth and area above chin look like today on May 18th.

This photo was taken May 6th -- 14 days ago, with lotion on.  It appears to me that the depth of the wrinkles don't look as deep or pronounced.  Also the wrinkles above the top lip don't look as pronounced.

Side of Cheek

This is the side of my cheek today.

Here is the same view on May 6th.

Crowsfeet Wrinkles by Eyes

Here are what the crowsfeet wrinkles by my eyes look like today.

This photo was taken with lotion on May 6th -- 12 days ago.
I don't notice any improvement yet in this area.

Forehead & Between my Eyebrows

Here is what my forehead and area between my eyebrows look like this evening, without makeup or lotion applied after just washing my face.


It appears to me that the wrinkles between my eyebrows don't appear as deep as they were a few weeks ago.  

Here was my forehead on May 6th -- 12 days ago. I had lotion applied, which I think may not give a true impression of the wrinkles so from now on I will take photos of just my plain face with nothing applied to it.  It appears to me that the forehead wrinkles don't appear as deep as they first appeared.

Update - new photos 5/16/11

 

These photos I took of my face with my webcam 5/16/11.

Webcam photos aren't as clear as camera photos but wanted to show an update of how I look now.

Happy to report applying the lotion to my face, ears and neck 3 times a day results in no stinging sensation to the skin, no irritations to the skin (no redness, rash, etc.).  

Happy to report the lotion keeps my face moisturized, the skin supple and is not taut - stiff or dry - but keeps my skin flexible and soft and luxuriously moisturized, without having excessive shine. 

My face appears soft but does not look artificially moisturized.

The lotion adds no extra or unusual color to my skin but blends in perfectly with it's natural color.

As far as the appearance of facial wrinkles goes, I haven't noticed improvement yet, but its only been about a week since I began to use it, and reports say it takes 30 days of applying it daily before the appearance of wrinkles may be reduced as much as 50 percent.

I am so happy with the moisturizing effects of this lotion -- you never feel like your face is tight during the day, even working in an office with dry air, even hiking outdoors this weekend in the dry mountain air -- that I think I want to use this lotion the rest of my life.  I have never been so happy with a facial lotion.

I hope this lotion slows the chances of my developing a "turtle neck" -- a highly wrinkled neck.  So many older women cover their necks with scarves, etc. because their necks are wrinkled badly.

I am also trying to drink more water now that the weather is warming up.  I don't drink enough water in winter months, which doesn't help with wrinkles.  One must hydrate both externally AND internally to help keep skin vibrant.

Stay tuned for more updates soon...

The Face Experiment

As a woman 54 years of age, my face has begun to develop some wrinkles.

 

Age 15

Also, as a teen and in my late thirties, I developed bad acne and have some facial scars from it.


I moved from a very humid climate - Louisiana to a very dry climate - Wyoming.  After three years of living in Wyoming, the desert-like air appears to have a mummifying effect on one's skin, to my horror!


Never pampered my skin -- worked outdoors and only began using sunscreen 13 years ago.  I tried some mild at-home dermabrasion techniques and other stuff that didn't improve my skin.


Finally, recently I did research on making one's own lotions and creaes.  Surprisingly, consumers in America are able to order ingredients online with the click of a computer mouse.


So I clicked and today received the ingredients I needed to make my own stuff.  However, upon further research earlier, I learned I could simply add the ingredients I ordered to commercially produced lotions and creams, rather than creating them from scratch.


So why re-invent the wheel, I thought.  Therefore here is the lotion I created tonight:

Lotion base:  One 16.9 ounce bottle of Nivea Body Skin Firming Moisturizer cream with Q10 Plus and Moisturizers.


I love this lotion and have found it to be the most emollient that does not dry up on your skin.  It spreads thinly and lasts a long time.  The Q10 ingredient is the key to it's superiority over other lotions I've tried.  Yes, the lotion does contain some Mineral Oil.  But it also contains Glycerin and some other worthy emollients.  It is nearly scent-free and blends well with one's facial skin, a transparent barrier to keep moisture in and keeps skin from drying out.  I am able to tolerate it on my face as well as body and recommend it for people with sensitive skin.  The product claims "Noticeably firmer and visibly tighter skin".


Well I never paid attention that aspect of it's effects.  However, it is dermatologically tested and helps make skin younger looking.  The special ingredients I ordered online that I added to this lotion are:

1)  Coenzyme Q10.  Yes, the same stuff that is the best ingredient in the base lotion mentioned above!  If it works, why not add more of it to the lotion?  Most products you buy only have a tiny fraction of the effective ingredients in them.  I made this super Q10 lotion.  This is a "Vitamin-like molecule obtained from plant material.  Its encapsulated in liposomes (phospholipid emulsion) to maintain activity, enhance skin penetration and potency.  It is a potent anti-oxidant with effective anti-aging and anti-wrinkle properties and reinforces collagen and elastin production of connective tissue, a potent moisturizer (liposomes penetrate skin deeply and prevent water loss).
 

2) Dehydrated (powdered) Aloe Vera 200x.  This is the stuff inside Aloe Vera plant leaves, concentrated 200 times!  It is an off-white fine powder and contains amino acids, enzymes, hormones and minerals.


It is:  "A potent moisturizer, regenerating and healing (penetrates the skin, stimulating the immune system and increasing blood circulation), has anti-inflammatory effects, anti-aging effects (increases collagen synthesis and skin elasticity).

3)  Snake Peptide!  Yes!  This is an anti-wrinkle active compound based on a synthetic tri-peptide that mimics the effect of Waglerin 1, found in the venom of the Malaysian Temple Viper!  The peptide reduces the contraction frequency of muscle cells on the face, thereby decreasing expression lines.  After using it twice daily for 28 days, wrinkles in tests were reduced by 50 percent!  This is a clear liquid with no odor. 


I removed lotion from bottle, added these 3 ingredients (didn't use all the aloe vera powder because it is a large jar) and mixed well, then placed new lotion back into bottle and had some extra to put in another bottle.


All of the 3 ingredients I added to the lotion require refrigeration to maintain potency.


Therefore, I am refrigerating the lotion and remaining aloe vera powder to ensure they remain potent and powerful.


Yes, this is powerful stuff!  I put it on my face several hours ago and my face is still moisturized and feels wonderful!  It does not sting or burn.  However, I did get a smudge of lotion on my upper lip and it made it a little numb -- hmmm... - the snake venom surely is working!


I am posting photos I took today with the lotion applied on my face, and will update this blog over the next month with newer photos to show if there are positive results.


If it works, then it was well worth the money I spent.  It will be much cheaper than paying for 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz bottles of expensive anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams on the market.


And if it fails - well, at least it was fun making my own stuff and at least I'd made a valiant attempt to improve my appearance, without blowing a bunch of money on Botox treatments, Plastic Surgery, etc.!

p.s. I purchased the Aloe Vera Powder, Q10 and Snake Peptide at this website.  They will mail you a free comprehensive hard copy catalogue if you request one.  Their website also offers articles and recipes to make your own lotions and creams:

MakingCosmetics.com