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As a woman who works in a scientific industry, I tend to be very scientific minded simply because I’m surrounded by researchers and other “logical thinkers” for more than 8 hours a day. So when I’m faced with yet another claim that a newly discovered beauty miracle product can make my 38 year old skin look like it’s only been on the planet for 22 years I am skeptical.
That’s not to say that I don’t WANT to believe these claims. I want to believe them SO badly, that even though I’ve done my own amateur research on the subject what works and doesn’t work with regard to skin care, I’ve STILL ended up with an embarrassing array of bottles and jars containing products that do absolutely nothing related to the claims made on the packaging.
Worse still, I’ve ended up with a couple of things that worsened exactly what I was trying to fix. For example, even though I read up on the effects and benefits of using hydroquinone to lighten dark spots and even out skin tone, it turns out I’m one of the small percentage of people for whom it doesn’t work. I ended up with dark splotches on my face that looked like a tanning booth experiment gone awry. I had to stop using it, throw out the expensive product, and wait a couple of weeks for the birthmark-like
dark spots on my face to return to normal.
Then there’s my ire at the “all natural” claims. First of all, as an educated consumer, I’m not dim enough to fall for this. I can look at product labels and clearly see that they contain lab-created ingredients such as preservatives. And it’s a good thing they do! Think of all the “all natural” things you have in your fridge and what would happen to them if they were sitting on your bathroom shelf for 4 months.
I am not, nor will I EVER be convinced that “natural” means “superior.” Sure, there are lots of benefits for your skin to be found in plant extracts and other earthly substances. It’s great when companies use those in properly formulated products to take advantage of those benefits. But consumers are simply not dim enough to believe that just because a products is “natural” that means it’s automatically good for you. Cow manure is natural. Poison ivy is natural. Enough said.
Was I ever happy to find the YBF line! For one thing, the product claims actually match up with the ingredient research in a real life way. They’re not promising miracles, only that you can improve skin texture, tone, and firmness and have YOUR best face. I appreciate being treated like an educated consumer!
After using the line for a couple of weeks, I was even happier. Anti-wrinkle/anti-aging products had been a disaster for me. At 38, I’ve got the unenviable “in-between” skin. That is, I’m starting to see fine lines…that blasted frown crease between my brows is not only obvious when I’m yelling at my husband, but is beginning to be permanently visible. However, I still have oily areas and occasional breakouts that I have to fight. I had been using strong salicylates to prevent breakouts and then soothing irritated
skin with heavy moisturizers.
Now I don’t have to fight one extreme with the other. The very light texture of the YBF products feels like it’s “soaked up” instantly and leaves my skin neither oily nor tight and dry feeling. I wake up in the morning with smooth, clear skin without the heavy oily areas that I’m used to having when I get out of bed.
Probably due to getting rid of the heavy moisturizers, I haven’t had a breakout since I began using the YBF line. In addition, some darker spots and small scars have all but vanished, I believe that’s due in large part to the “Restore” product, which I absolutely love. The alpha arbutin in this product works much better for me as a lightener than hydroquinone. Research shows this is true for most people. It’s also more stable so it will keep longer on your bathroom shelf and its not as sensitive to heat
and light conditions. Control leaves a lovely matte surface for applying makeup. And I’m also happy to report that the “permanent angries” are disappearing as the crease between my eyebrows becomes slightly more minimized week after week.
This is definitely a line I plan to continue using. If you’re like me and you are tired of exaggerated claims and by marketing professionals about products that have nothing new and can’t back up their advertising material, I strongly suggest that you invest in YBF. You ARE a smart consumer and this is a wise choice.
Laura McBrierty is a technical writer in the biosciences field whose career
spans 18 years and whose credentials include some of the nation's top
bio-companies and the Harvard University Office of Information Systems.
Copyright 2007 Laura McBrierty. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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