Hope is hopeful:
I’ve been reading recently about Revaleskin. There’s lots of “buzz” around the Coffeeberry it uses. It seems too good to be true. Is it?
The Left Brain brews up this reply:
What’s up with Revaleskin and Coffeeberry?
Revaleskin is a skin care line from Stiefel Laboratories that contains coffeeberry, a new ingredient from VDF Futureceuticals. Coffeeberry is their registered name for the fruit of coffee trees – the berry is the part that surrounds the coffee bean. The fruit is perishable and hard to process so typically coffee growers only harvest the beans and throw the fruit away. VDF has figured out a way to extract the natural goodness of the coffeeberry for use in foods, beverages and cosmetics.
Is Coffeeberry really good for you?
According to VDF, the coffeeberry is rich in antioxidants like polyphenols. These are natural compounds that scavenge, or trap, free radicals. (Think of free radicals as electrons that can bounce around in your body and cause damage.) In terms of nutrition, antioxidants can be very helpful. The benefits of green tea, pomegranate and other drinks containing antioxidants are well established although they’re still not completely understood. (One recent study even suggests that taking antioxidants orally can INCREASE cancer in women!) Antioxidants like vitamins C and E have also been used for years in skin care.
Does that mean Revaleskin is worth it?
There is evidence that topical antioxidants can reduce clinical signs of photoaged skin, so at least in theory coffeeberry is good for you skin. But we can’t find any evidence that shows the Revaleskin product is really better than other antioxidant formulas. Stiefel Labs does point out that their ingredient has a higher antioxidant rating number than other ingredients but they don’t really have much to say about the product itself. All they claim is that Revalsekin neutralizes free radicals; that it defends against damage caused by sun, wind, etc.; that it reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and that it evens skin tone and smoothes texture of skin. Those are pretty standard skin care claims, especially for an expensive line like this one. (The products range in cost from $40 to $100.) Unless I see SOME kind of data suggesting why this product is better than similar products that are much cheaper, I’m not inclined to spend that kind of money.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
There may be truth to the fact that coffeeberry is rich in antioxidants. And antioxidants may have some benefit on skin. But until I see more evidence, I’m skeptical that Revaleskin isn’t mostly marketing hype.
If you’re interested, you can learn more about Revaleskin here.
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Very good site. To me has liked. By the way, my friend has found this site and has advised me it to read through.
My dermatologist recommended this at my last appointment. She made it sound as if she was prescribing it (and therefore medically necessary) and said,” if this doesn’t work, nothing will.” She said I should use it to prevent dark spots from by sun sensitivity due to a new birth control pill.
After reading this post, I really feel that she was just trying to push the latest product that her office is promoting, and I’m not buying.
But is there an alternative with a less expensive price tag? I’ve seen several references on The Beauty Brains to the potentially real benefits of an antioxidant skin cream, but I can’t find any examples of ones that won’t break the bank. Any suggestions?
I’ve been using it for awhile and I have actually noticed an improvement in my skin. My dermatologist recommended it as well. Also, my friend’s father is a dermatologist and his whole family uses/loves the product. I didn’t mind buying it because all in all she saved me money by recommending the Neutrogena Healthy Skin line for my night-time retinol needs. (I was using La Mer before that.)
It sounds like you’re creating problems yourself by trying to solve this issue instead of looking at why their is a problem in the first place.