There’s nothing wrong with budget brand skin care. In fact, some of my personal favorites are really affordable. But there are time when nothing but a unique product will cure what ails you (skin-wise, anyway). These skincare lines use cutting edge technology and powerful ingredients that work together in a “system” to work on whatever skin care issue you’re hoping to conquer. You might consider consulting with your dermatologist before you embark upon a new skincare regimen like that offered by Elure or Mirai, but I offer the following information to help you decide if these are lines you would want to try
I’ve kept a trio of elure products in my “to review” queue for a while. I kept putting off the review because this is a skincare line that addresses a special issue — age and sun spots. I don’t really have this problem, and I felt it was important to get someone who did, to try it. Alas, although age and sun spots, and skin discolorations, are a common problem (and one that’s challenging to treat), I couldn’t find anyone willing to test the products. Finally, I just gave in and tried the Facial Wash, the one product I knew I could sense an immediate result from. The other products I tested on my hand (not my face).
Instead of using the traditional skin lightening ingredient, hydroquinone, the elure™ Advanced Skin Lightening Program features a brand new formula based on lignin peroxidase, which directly works to reduce melanin – the cause of discoloration in the skin. The main ingredient, lignin peroxidase is a “naturally occurring enzyme derived from a tree fungus. Some trials say that it is safe up to 17,000 times the recommended human dose.” What it does is reduce discoloration by gently reducing melanin in the skin, resulting in a lighter and brighter, more radiant complexion.
Another reason I hesitated writing this review is that I found a lot of disappointing reviews about Elure and I was worried about trying it. Few people seemed happy with their results, but in elure’s defense, those who tend to write “consumer” reviews do so when they’re either very happy, or very dissatisfied with the products. And also, since elure’s trio of skin care items are for “Advanced Lightening” of the skin, and therefore some of the people who wrote negative things may have had unrealistic expectations about what topical creams and potions can really do for their appearance. The Elure web site has plenty of information, including before and after photos, but like all skin care, the products have to be right for your skin and your skin condition, and you have to have reasonable expectations. No cream I know of is going to make your skin like that of a porcelain doll, if it is really blotchy and damaged. In my experience, the only thing that truly, dramatically and quickly resurfaces or removes blotchy-ness in a substantive, somewhat permanent way, is a more invasive and expensive set of laser treatments (e.g. Fraxel). That’s not to say that product like elure won’t give you an improvement, but you have to commit to a regular application, for weeks ( a minimum of 28 days), maybe months, and then maintain it. This takes money and time. At $335.00 per month or so for the trio of products you’ll need, this makes it a luxury for some, a must-have, for others.
Here is the elure skincare trio: Advanced Lightening Lotion daytime 1 fl. oz – SRP $150; Advanced Lightening Night Cream 1.7 fl. oz. –SRP $150; Advanced Facial Wash 1 oz.– SRP $35
The Daytime Advanced Lightening Lotion for face and neck is housed in an impressive, two-barreled pump with clear outer covering, alas, the night cream is in a large 1.7 fl. oz. jar with two separate barrels featuring a well for the spatula. But the minute you open a jar of cream, you start to degrade the product and possibly contaminate it. At $150 per jar, didn’t elure package it in an oxygen-free environment? After cleansing, you apply the appropriate first layer of product, wait about a minute and apply the second product. There is no stinging, no redness, no scent. In fact, there is nothing irritating about this product (but don’t get it in your eyes). It works on all skin tones and is tolerated by the most sensitive of skin (according to elure–the facial wash I tried was fine).
The elure™ Advanced Skin Lightening range is available exclusively through dermatologists, plastic surgeons, aesthetic practitioners and medispas, but does not require a prescription. You can use the Clinic Finder available at the elure™ website.
Another unique skincare line is Mirai Clinical Formula. It’s a skincare line from Japan that has active botanicals, and anti-aging technology. The web site has some pretty impressive claims (According to tests by Fuji Health Science, Inc. or Rilis Co., Ltd), Miral’s APG-40 formula helps improve skin texture by 4.2% after 4 weeks, It also helps increase moisture content by 26% after 8 weeks. But that’s not all: it also helps to: control oil balance by 34%; reduce age spots by 19% after 8 weeks; protect cell damage by free radicals by 95%* ; and reduce wrinkles by 14% after 8 weeks. The APG-40 formula consists of a number of “powerhouse ingredients” and I’m quoting the benefits directly from the Mirai Web Site. You may have heard some of these terms in other reviews, so this may be a useful review:
Astaxanthin (‘as-ta-zan-thin’) (clinical data) – Harvested from micro algae, Astaxanthin is the most powerful known
antioxidant. *Mirai claims their astaxanthin is 6,000 times stronger than Vitamin C, 550 times stronger than Vitamin E, and 800 times stronger than CoQ10, in providing antioxidant protection and anti-aging support.
Persimmon Tannins (clinical data) – A potent antioxidant and loaded with vitamins, Persimmon extract is prized for its naturally purifying and deodorizing benefits, and is particularly effective in eliminating Nonenal, the source of hormonal imbalance body odor, leaving your skin clean and freshly hydrated.
Green Tea – While in itself a powerful antioxidant, highly purified green tea is used in Mirai products primarily to boost and maintain the efficacy of Mirai’s natural ingredients. Green Tea is also a potent antiseptic and helps protect the skin by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation.
All three of these ingredients are known to be useful in skin care. According to Mirai, the cocktail of these ingredients improve firmness and elasticity; restore g smoothness and suppleness; control age spots, reduce puffiness, help prevent and reduce the presence of UV induced wrinkles; eliminate and prevent body odor (yes, you read that right), and it also supports healthy skin by increasing moisture retention, and protecting skin from free radical cell damage.
But wait, there’s more! Like the proverbial info-mercials, these products also claim to balance oil control and increase the skin’s ability to retain important nutrients. According to Mirai: “For maximum effectiveness and safety, Mirai uses only the highest quality, skin friendly ingredients and no harmful synthetics. That sounds fine, although there is a long list of ingredients I can’t identify on the Mirai packages. Still, you can find them all listed on the Mirai Web Site. But then Mirai claims that: “Mirai’s botanical ingredients are clinically proven to show instant and long term results.” I find that more difficult to believe. I didn’t see instant results that I could identify as coming from the products — and only three essential Mirai products are supposed to do it all: a Purifying Body Wash ($38.00 5 fl. oz.; , Purifying Body Serum ($49.00 5 fl. oz) and , and an Instantly Purifying and Cooling Body Spritzer. ($28.00 .33 fl. oz).
The Body Wash and Body Serum arrive in nice, frosted clear plastic oxygen free pump bottles, and the Body Sprtizer is in a slim, frosted glass vial with silver spray top and a clear plastic cover. There’s a body bar and a face wash, as well. The body wash is pleasant and the body serum takes a moment to absorb, but it has a slight, tea-centric fragrance. The body Spritzer is cooling and pleasant, but since it’s such a small amount, , I’d use it sparingly. It is really meant for odor protection and since I don’t have an excessive body odor issue, I can’t say whether or not spending $28.00 for an odor-fighting body sprtiz is a good value, but if you have this issue, it might be. It has a slight, grapefruit scent and it is refreshing, so it’s worth a try.
The bottom line: I liked the products a great deal, but whether they really are superior to anything else you might be using, or choose to use, or whether they’re a miracle that can do it all in with three items, I can’t really honestly say. There is “good stuff” in the Mirai line. It’s truly a cool skincare line. If you can afford it and are looking for something unique, Mirai may be just what you’re seeking. Get more information and order on the Mirai Web Site: http://www.miraiclinical.com/
*If you have used elure or Mirai products, please let me know what you think of them (that’s why I have a COMMENTS section)!
