Beauty Must-have: Olay Total Effects

Olay joins my beauty arsenal as I’ve started using the product days ago. I’ve been a fan of Olay moisturizer (remember the pink fluid?) before they came up with Total Effects.

Let us peer into the microscope as we examine a drop of Total Effects. What is in it? There are pretty common ingredients (like water and the usual emulsifiers), but what I’m going to be discussing are the key ingredients. You may review Beauty IQ articles prior to reading this as a supplement.

Glycerin: A humectant. It draws moisture from the air into your skin.

Tocopheryl Acetate: Or Vitamin E, which is a very good anti-oxidant.

Cetyl Alcohol: An emollient or skin softener.

Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide: These are usually ingredients in sunblocks. I was expecting a rather opaque cast since there is the presence of Titanium Dioxide, but Olay’s formula was actually translucent ie. no kabuki effect.

Panthenol: Is a non-irritating form of Vitamin B. It is readily absorbed by the skin and has a “plumping effect”.

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract: Green Tea extract in this product brings anti-oxidant and soothing effects.

What I really think:

By convention, the top culprit for skin aging is photodamage (smoking is second, so stop puffing!!). UVA and UVB rays damage the collagen fibers underneath the skin, causing it to thin out, leaving the dermis or top layer wrinkled. Imagine a fresh grape (full of liquid), and after continued exposure to the sun, the moisture is zapped and all you get is a wrinkly raisin.

Sunblocks have been available to us for quite a long time already. But the problem is that most of these formulas are heavy (think Chin Chun Su- which incidentally contains Zinc Oxide. Old Chinese folks certainly hit the mark on this one). These are fine for the beach, but not for everyday use. It was only a matter of time till someone made a moisturizer which had SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and was wearable on a daily basis.

In the market today, several companies have products similar to the Total Effects formula: moisture + sun protection + anti oxidants. The difference mainly is in the consistency, preparation, and price. Overall, what makes me happy about Olay’s product is that it goes on smooth, I don’t break out when I use it, and there is only one formula for both day and night application so it’s convenient. I have yet to see the long term effects (I give it 2-3 months) but I’ve got a feeling the results will be favorable.

Retail price: Php 575 in drugstores and department stores.