Radiant and Youthful Skin Feat. Murad Environmental Shield Line

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Over dinner not too long ago, Hubzilla uttered "bey, your skin looks glowing and bright". 'Must be the new skincare line I'm testing for over a month now, flattered moi responded. Of course I believe the guy who can read my mind, understand when I'm hangry, laugh at my sarcasm, support my lipstick addiction, enjoy zombies like I do, and who gets nervous every time I'd say that I'm going to cut my hair pixie-style. Ha! the same guy who tried to scare me by putting these clowns all over the house last Halloween....

First he put 'em on the stairs, then in my home office, then back to stairs again in the morning, etc....

Scary clowns aside, let's get to the bottom of my "reborn" skin. As part of my brand ambassador welcome kit, I received few products from Murad. I was particularly excited to try the Environmental Shield line because it focuses on my skincare needs: aging, dark spots and occasional acne.

A great serum believer, I attribute my "brightened skin" to Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum ($60, 1.0 fl oz). It features 2% Hydroquinone, a popular skincare ingredient which lightens dark spots (hyperpigmentation) caused by hormones, injury to skin, aging, among others. It also has glycolic acid which sloughs off dead skin cells. I use this serum at night, after cleansing and toning, ideally under a moisturizer. If you're new to hydroquinone, it's noteworthy to share that some stinging may occur so you may need to tailor-fit your application (I started twice a week for the first week and adjusted it to nightly thereafter). I also find this effective for post-acne dark spots, which at my ripe age (40 here girly!) still makes a cameo appearance from time to time.

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-10, Dextran, Hexapeptide-2, Rice Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zinc Gluconate, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Propyl Gallate, Nonoxynol-10, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Chitosan PCA, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool, Fragrance.

After washing my face in the morning, I use Murad Advanced Active Radiance Serum ($89, 1 fl oz). It has Vitamin C which improves skin radiance, support collagen production and protects against harmful free radicals. I love Vitamin C both in skincare and supplements so I'm glad to add this serum to my vampire vault a.k.a anti-aging regimen.

Ingredients: Water, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus Indica Flower Extract, Hexapeptide-2, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Enantia Chlorantha (Bark) Extract, Oleanolic Acid, Ectoin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Biotin, Mannitol, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Propyl Gallate, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, Menthyl Lactate, Lauryl Laurate, Hydroxyethyl Behenamidopropyl Dimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Limonene, Fragrance, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Orange 4 (CI 15510).

Of course, don't forget the most important part of skincare: sunscreen! Apply all the anti-aging products you want but if you ignore sun protection, that's not going to help. Remember the truck driver's unilateral dermatoheliosis which was all over the news two years ago? Based from a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the unnamed 69 y/o-then man drove his truck for 28 years with one side of the face constantly exposed to sun's UV rays. I hope his story was a wakeup call for everyone! 

Murad Essential C Day Moisture ($60, 1.7 fl oz) offers protection against UVA/UVB rays and free radicals. In a nutshell, UVA is the culprit to wrinkles, UVB to skin cancer. In addition, this moisturizer has Vitamin C which helps improve skin's clarity. I use it right after serum and before applying makeup. 

Overall, I'm glad to have discovered the Environmental Shield line. Aging is inevitable and wrinkles will crop up no matter what. But for now, I'm going to enjoy my prime with healthy lifestyle (vegetarian here mama), regular exercise (I do treadmill, yoga, hip hop dance, yoga) and great skincare (thanks to beauty blogging). After all, age is just a number. And yes, 40 is either the new 20 or 30. Feel young, look young. Vampires unite!

Haven't found your holy grail yet? Check out Murad and see if their products suit your needs.