LifeCell Skincare – 10 Week Review

Alrighty... let's get into some nitty gritty, real-real, hidden-from-the-internet secrets; I'm getting older.

I once swore to be 26 forever and now that I'm at the ripe age of older-than-26, I've got my eye on all the skincare products that pop across my various social media feeds, that pop up in Sephora... I guess really anything that POPS. In all sincerity, I've had to take care of my skin for my entire tween-to-adult life because I started suffering from acne when I was about 13. Once I went to college... shew... it was OVER. I don't know If it was latent puberty or what but my skin was bad and it made me super sad.

As someone with problematic skin, I have been through the gamut of prescription creams, OTC creams and cleansers, high-end products, low-end products, oral antibiotics, and home remedies. Here are some of the products I've tried so I can hopefully legitimize the claim that I've tried almost everything: 

Peter Thomas Roth

• Chanel

• Dior

• Clinique

• MAC

• Shiseido

• Clarins

• Essential oils

• Minocycline

• Tazorac Gel

• Benzacline

• Aczone

... to name a few.

• Aveeno

• Clean & Clear

• Noxema

• Neutrogena

• Seabreeze

• Biore

• St. Ives

• Origins

• Estee Lauder

• Sunday Riley

• Caudalie

• Kate Somerville

• Dermalogica

• Jack Black

Now don't get me wrong–I'm not saying that all or any of these products are garbage. I still use a handful of the products listed above but I haven't found the PERFECT, go-to regime in all these years of trying products. My skin isn't anywhere near where it was when I was 19 (cross my heart AND hope to die if that's ever the case again) but it's still very sensitive, and extremely breakout prone.

The issue with breakout prone skin is that you over-dry it, because it's natural to think pimple=oil, oil=wet, fix "too wet" with "super dry". The problem is that people often over-dry their skin which causes even more oil production underneath a layer of hard, flaky, dead skin which can then lead to even more issues. And, well, after years of drying out your skin, enjoying beach days, and sipping on cocktails... it starts to show those lifestyle choices i.e. your AGE. It's a real bitch of a cycle, I'll be the first to tell you.

Finding products that are good for breakout-prone skin, that also prevent against signs of age, isn't an easy task. I kept seeing LifeCell Southbeach Skincare in my Facebook feed and I decided to pull the trigger. For $4.95 you can try the product (that retails at $189!) for 30 days. If you aren't happy, you can get your money back as long as you return it within the 30 day trial window. If you don't return it, they will charge your card $189 BUT you have a 120 day money-back guarantee so you can continue using the product beyond that first month. 

What's In It?

I got on the website and decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a whirl. Check out the ingredients below:

• DMAE

  • DMAE is the only ingredient clinically proven to firm and tighten the skin while at the same time smoothing out deep wrinkles and fine lines. University studies concluded that of 200 men and women who applied topical treatments containing DMAE, 84% saw smoother and firmer skin after just 6 weeks of use!

• Retinol

  • Retinol, more commonly known as Vitamin A is actually one of the only substances with a molecular structure small enough to penetrate the outer layers of the skin. Retinol is an ingredient included in many topical solutions for its power to rid the skin of acne, and exfoliate pores to help fade scars. Retinol helps the body manufacture collagen and elastin, which repairs skin cells and strengthens connective tissue.

• Hyaluronic Acid

  • Hyaluronic acid works alongside collagen and elastin to powerfully moisturize and hydrate the body. Commonly taken orally, hyaluronic acid is used to strengthen one’s connective tissue which will cushion joints to allow easier mobility and also relieve pain. When applied topically, hyaluronic acid will heal wounds, moisturize, and plump the skin, causing a healthy, youthful skin appearance

• Ascorbyl Palmitate

  • Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C. Commonly used in food, medicine, and cosmetics for its antioxidant properties, when applied topically, ascorbyl palmitate will improve skin health by neutralizing free radicals, and lengthen cell lifespan through its ability to stimulate collagen production.

• Acetyl Hexapeptide

  • Acetyl Hexapeptide mimics the way in which Botulinum neurotoxins perform. Studies have shown that women saw 30% wrinkle reduction upon 30 days of treatment. Analysis of the progress showed that this synthetic peptide significantly inhibited wrinkle production and appearance comparable to that of botulinum injections.

• Apple

  • Scientists have been researching the effect of apple stem cells on human skin for nearly a decade to determine if their potent antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins would have a positive affect on aging skin. It wasn’t until as recently as 2012 that a comprehensive 12 week study consisting of 109 male and female test subjects, concluded that apple stem cells help maintain and sustain the skin’s collagen and elastin levels by alleviating inflammation caused from skin irritating conditions such as rosacea and dermatitis by hydrating from within the cell layers.

My Thots

So, as expected, I wasn't able to use the product all over my face. My breakout prone areas didn't get any worse, but I didn't want to risk that happening. After about 3 weeks of using it everywhere, I decided to only use it under my eyes. I had hopes that maybe, JUST maybe, it would actually help with my breakouts/sensitivity but that wasn't the case.

In the instructions it says that the REAL results occur after 6 weeks of use. Clever marketing because in order to keep the product that long, you have to allow them to charge your credit card $189 after your initial, 4-week trial, and then you still have an additional 60 days to try the product. Or... you could squeeze some out of the tube into another container and continue using it. I'm neither admitting nor denying that I did that to keep using it.

4 Weeks

I definitely think my skin looks smoother and more even under my eyes. I cheated and used the product full-orbital (all the way around the eye) even though it says not to. I think my puffiness under my eyes is diminished, the color is more even, and I still don't have any crows feet. I never did have any but... I mean, they're still gone so that's awesome.

8 Weeks

So I'm not gonna say that I notice anything life-changing from week 4 until now. I'm not the BEST at doing skincare night and day... but I've tried to make a real effort to do it more often to really see some results. Everything I felt at 4 weeks, I feel now, but it's not like I suddenly look 5 years younger progressively over the course of the last few weeks.

10 Weeks

I wanted to really get some bang for my buck so I used the product (and am still using the product) under my eyes. While it’s technically not an eye cream, as they make an eye cream, it definitely works. The consistency has worked well as it’s gotten extremely cold here in Chicago and my undereye area looks smoother and well-hydrated. 

All in all, it wasn’t my wonder product. I wasn’t able to use it all over my face which I anticipated but really hoped that I could. I do like it as an eye cream, you definitely get a lot of product, but you definitely pay for the product. 

Im falling right in the middle and have a medium heart on for LifeCell. Definitely some benefits, unsure if I’d want to keep such an expensive product, but not sure I wouldn’t keep it if I was able to use it everywhere. I have a hard time believing I’d spend $189 on a face cream but I spend $150 per month on my Verizon bill and it doesn’t make me look ANY younger.