Several months ago, I received a sample of the new Olay ProX and gave it a try. After only 3 days of use, I could tell that the ingredients were too harsh for my somewhat-sensitive skin. My face was red and flaky and not happy at all.

However, I’ve heard rave reviews about Olay ProX  and just because it’s not right for me doesn’t mean it won’t work wonders on someone else. I passed my sample along to my friend Cindi, a 53-year-old beauty addict that was totally game for giving ProX a spin, and here’s what she says:

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Least Chronically Challenged of Them All? Your mirror will be saying “you, my dear” after using the new Olay ProX  Anti-Aging Starter  Protocol. It is supposed to help with fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, all the things that plague us, ahem,  “mature” women.  The starter kit contains three products—Age Repair Lotion SPF 30, a daytime moisturizer, Wrinkle Smoothing Cream for nighttime use and Eye Restoration Complex for use twice a day. Let me say, it does a pretty fine job.

The Olay ProX Professional line was created by Proctor and Gamble beauty scientists and a group of renowned dermatologists. Olay makes some pretty hefty claims on this new line; “younger looking, younger acting skin in 28 days or your money back.”  The Olay ProX Anti-Aging  Starter Protocol Kit is not cheap for drugstore skincare, around $60-68, but that is a big savings over buying the products individually and is a great way to try out the products. To help ease the pain, you can go online and download a $10 off coupon for the starter kit.

The Age Repair Lotion SPF 30 has a nice lightweight texture, absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy or sticky feeling. I also appreciate the SPF 30 so I can skip the sunscreen layer underneath. I was surprised and delighted that with an SPF of 30, there was no ghostly white cast or “sunscreen sheen”, and  no smell. It is packaged in a pump which is not only more sanitary but also allows you to use much less product. I use 2 half pumps for my face and a full pump for my neck—don’t forget your neck ladies, it’s one of the first places to show age.  I had lunch on the sunny deck of a restaurant while wearing Age Repair Lotion under my foundation and no pink nose!

I am very impressed with the Eye Restoration Complex.  I have tried every eye cream on the planet (well almost) and this has just the right amount of hydration and it too absorbs quickly. Too many eye creams are too rich for daytime use and you end up with black dots from your mascara or those pesky little white milia bumps under your eyes. This cream gives you moisture that lasts all day without being goopy. I don’t have dark circles so I can‘t speak to any improvement in that area, but I do have some puffiness and I did notice a bit of improvement there. The big news is after just two weeks of use twice a day (morning and night) I think my crows feet may be a bit softer. Can I get a Hell Yeah!!

Wrinkle Smoothing Cream is a bit thicker than the Age Repair Lotion and is designed for nighttime use. It is also a bit greasier but still absorbs well. The oiler parts of my face—forehead, nose, chin were a bit slick in the morning after using this cream but that is not abnormal for me. It is packaged in a jar as opposed to the Age Repair Lotion in a pump, perhaps because it is thicker? I have pretty decent skin with no deep lines so I didn’t notice any particular improvement.

Overall I am really pleased with the Olay ProX Starter Kit. I believe my crow’s feet are softer, my skin is smoother and looks refreshed and refined. Perhaps my significant other put it best “you look nice today, like you have a semi-pregnant glow”. Okay, well aside from the pregnancy part (uh, how can you be semi-pregnant?) the key word is GLOW! This from the same man that still hasn’t noticed my new haircut after two weeks. This stuff has got to be good to garner a comment from Mr. Oblivious!!

Bottom Line: Recommended

Additional products available in the line are ProX Deep Wrinkle Treatment, Discoloration Fighting Concentrate, and Hydra Firming Cream.

Olay ProX products are available at drugstores nationwide and online at OlayProfessional.com.

Thanks, Cindy!

Last month at the Total Beauty Blog Summit in Los Angeles we participated in a beauty tour with 20 other beauty bloggers, stopping at several beauty brands around the LA area including the Murad Spa in Manhattan Beach.

Truthfully, the most memorable part of our stop at Murad was Dr. Murad’s super-hot son Jeff . (And by super-hot, we really mean WEAK IN THE KNEES, CAPS LOCK WORTHY, SMOKING HOT.)

However, Jeff wasn’t the only treat we found at Murad.

A sample of Murad Intensive Wrinkle Reducer for eyes with Durian Cell Reform made its way into our hands and has become part of our daily regimen for the last couple weeks.

What’s amazing about this product is that you only need the teensiest, tiniest amount. Seriously, don’t even think about pressing the pump down all the way or you’ll have ten times too much. The consistency is so light, it absorbs instantly without leaving a greasy or heavy residue. It smells kind of clinical , but whatever, it’s a small price to pay.

We can’t be 100% positive, but we’re pretty sure this slashed a good FIVE YEARS off our age.

(You hear that, Jeff?)

These last few months have been incredibly difficult here at Makeup Bag. Finding out our dad had liver cancer and losing him shortly thereafter has left us devastated.

The initial shock is beginning to wear off and we’re only now accepting the finality of it all.

This realization has left us a vacant, blubbering mess these last few weeks. Our tears have been endless, leaving our eyes sore, red and puffy (and driving our family crazy—our littlest daughter (age 5) finally told us last night, “Would you just STOP thinking about Grandpa already? All this crying just can’t be good for you.”)

Looking for a little reprieve, we turned to Wei East Intensive Herbal Eye Treatment. These herb-soaked pads gave our eyes instant relief with their cooling, pampering effect.

Each pad (soaked with a pure herbal blend of green tea, Tibetan chrysanthemum and peppermint extracts) is placed over the eyes while lying down for ten minutes. (Just so you know, we cheated: the first four minutes were purely relaxing, the last six minutes were spent reading our daughter a book with the pads folded in half so our eyes were uncovered—leaving the folded pad over just our puffy eye bags.)

Our eyes were immediately soothed and remarkably less puffy.

Wei East Intensive Herbal Eye Treatment is just $36 for 16 treatments and is available online at weieast.com.

If you know anything about us, you probably know that we have a too many shimmer powders and a hopeless affection for eye cream. (Also, too many kids and gray hairs, but no need to dish about ALL our issues at once.)

The newest favorite to join our accumulation of Eye Creams We Can’t Live Without is WW Eye Cream by 3Lab. We started using this over a month ago and we’re still amazed at its creamy texture and rich formula every time we apply it. Packed with vitamin B3 and 3Lab’s patented age reversal ingredient, Nano-Claire GY, this cream manages to de-puff bags, smooth wrinkles and suppress melanin production in the delicate eye area.

To top it off, the cream is just so luxurious, your face won’t feel the same without it.

WW Eye Cream by 3Lab is available for $250 at Barneys.com and Saks.com.