TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 4.4* Why: One reader says, "what a disaster. I've tried it. It did not lift or firm anything but simply burn[ed] my skin." Another says, "I am horrified that this replaced the anti-gravity line. It doesn't lift, firm or moisturize my face at all. My face started to droop here and there after using this for one week." And another reviewer says, "this product did not repair or lift for me" and one reader says it "feels heavy and sticky and leaves my eyes puffy. Yuck!"
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 4.2* Why: "This moisturizer has a weird, clumpy texture," says a reader. It "has a strange chemical/sunscreen smell," and "makes my face VERY shiny. Not a nice natural, dewy glow, just shiny and greasy." She advises to "skip this stuff and just use regular Hope in a Jar with your own sunscreen." One woman says, "after a week, this moisturizer turned into an oily mess. At first, a little oil separated and a few shakes of the jar brought it all back together. Now, however, no amount of shaking or stirring works. I have half a jar of yellow oil where a perfectly good moisturizer used to be and it is going into the trash. This was an absolute and frustrating waste of money." Another agrees saying, "mine separates in the container. It was oily, went on really weird, and smelled."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 4* Why: Readers say the product "was way too expensive for something that doesn't work." "I had some hyperpigmented spots on my face from monthly breakouts and wanted to fade them. I tried this product and even after 4 months of regular use, I didn't see a difference. The 2 percent Hydroquinone it contains isn't strong enough to alleviate the dark patches." Another says, "I consistently used this product twice a day as suggested for about half a year. Two bottles later, this gel did not reduce a lick of hyperpigmentation or discoloration. I don't have one positive thing to say about this product, and it is not helped by the fact that it is pricey. Overall, the amount of hydroquinone (2 percent) in this is far too weak to yield results."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 4* Why: One reviewer says, "this product is a terrible waste of money. I used it faithfully twice a day for three months, and gave up when I saw no difference. I have better luck with drugstore products. There are far more effective products that aren't nearly as expensive, don't believe the hype." Another says, "tried it ... tried it some more. Then had to break down and admit that I had spent a lot of money on an eye treatment that did absolutely nothing." And one disappointed reader adds, "we've all fallen for 'too good to be true' claims, and this one is one of them."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 3.7* Why: Women say, "I thought this might do the trick for my crows feet and eye lines ... WRONG. It didn't do a darn thing. Do not buy." One reviewer warns, "do not buy this product. It does not make your eyes look younger. [Rather,] it makes them look lifeless and leaves white stuff around your eyes that flake. [For] $115 it should have made my eyes look amazing -- far from it." Another woman says, "it made my eyes look more tired than usual and it seemed to dry out the skin around the eyes making the lines more evident. Plus, if you perspire it cakes and clumps on the skin ... ugh."
Are you afraid of aging? It's OK to say yes. It's a legitimate fear for women and men today for more than one reason.
First, thanks to our deteriorating economy, Medicare budgets have been seriously slashed. And second, thanks to global warming and pollution, wrinkles, lines and spots are showing up even earlier. This second factor is why we all continuously spend a couple bucks (OK hundreds -- don't judge) on anti-aging skin care products. We're desperate to hold on to our youth.
And while some products really do reduce fine lines and diminish age spots, many of the potions and creams available are as good as a smoke screen for a bad magic show. And when these anti-aging products masquerade as our friends, making grandiose claims of turning back time on our face, but don't follow through, we get really upset.
Well, to help save you from getting hurt by these products that don't deliver, we're here to share a list of the anti-aging items our readers have tried, tested and rejected. Check them out and be sure you don't spend another dime on a lying, ahem, disappointing anti-aging skin care product ever again.