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FAST FACTS
The products: Vivier’s Signature skin care line.
What it is: An integrated pharmaceutical-grade skin care system, including their Hexam® cleanser, Refreshing Toner, Grenzcine® Growth Factor Eye Cream, CE Peptides serum, Daily Age Defying Moisturizer, Retinol 1% Night Complex and Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 45 with Zinc Oxide.
Treatment duration: Ongoing, twice a day.
Who it’s for: Everyone who needs to improve their skin care at home. This set targets fine lines and wrinkles, and uneven tone and texture. It’s all lightweight enough that it’s suitable for normal, combination and oily-skin types.
Pain: None, unless you use the actives together (this is clearly contra-indicated in the instructions).
Downtime: None.
My rating: four stars
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Dear readers:
Thanks for following along with my adventures while I try out some spectacular services at Bella Sante Clinic as their chatty and unbelievably lucky Beautiful You program model. Today, I’m not writing about one of their services. This one’s about their skin care products.
TRUTH GUN: I believe the single most important thing I have ever done — and will ever do — to fight the signs of aging and keep my skin looking healthy is sitting in my bathroom, not in a clinic.
Last time, we chatted about how UV rays from the sun can permanently damage the cells of your skin, and that this damage accumulates through your entire life, causing discolouration and wrinkles at best, and potentially fatal skin cancers at worst.
That’s why a good quality sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 is one of the five products I’ve always had in my kit. I’ve been pretty good about using sunscreen on my face throughout my life — less so on my neck and chest, which resulted in some blotchy pigmentation that needed an IPL treatment to clear away. My face was easier to treat, owing in part to my faithful use of sunscreen but also to a lifetime of good skin care products that include a cleanser, a toner, some kind of active ingredient (AHA/BHP in my teens and 20s to combat acne, vitamin C and retinol now that I’m in my 50s) and a good moisturizer, preferably one with hyaluronic acid to hold as much moisture in my skin as possible.
TRUTH GUN: Until now, my skin care set contained a mixture of items I bought at the drugstore and from The Ordinary. They are all decent products with affordable price points. But you can get a bad batch (and I have, causing a burn to patches of my face and neck), the formulations may contain some ingredients that can cause allergic reactions or clog pores, and if you’re mixing them from different companies like I did, they may not all work seamlessly together.
Overall, I’ve had pretty good luck with my skin care through the years, and I do carefully research the products I choose to make sure they’re appropriate for my skin type (I have combination skin, with dry patches on my cheeks and oily areas in my T-zone.) But now, I get to test out the a premium set of skin care products. And I am stoked.
I abandoned my old products and committed to a three-month test of the Vivier skin care line. This is a pharmaceutical-grade system, meaning the products have passed clinical studies and held to a higher standard of 99.9% pure active ingredients, compared to over-the-counter products, which do not have to have extensive testing and may contain fillers.
My kit from Vivier has the same range of items I’m already familiar with: a cleanser, a toner, two actives (a vitamin C serum for morning, a retinol for night), two moisturizers (one for under my eyes, the other for my face/neck/chest, and of course, a sunscreen (this one is SPF 45.)
I will skip the active serums for a week if I have a treatment such as IPL or Morpheus 8, but apart from that my normal routine includes a cleanser/toner/vitamin C/moisturizer/sunscreen in the morning, and cleanser/toner/retinol/moisturizer in the evening. By the way, if you find that the serums in your kit sting when you use them, apply them on top of your moisturizer instead of under it to help blend it out a bit and reduce the sensitivity. Also: never — and I mean NEVER — use two active serums together. I once combined a vitamin C serum and retinol in my nighttime routine and got blisters that took more than a week to heal.
INSIDER TIP: Don’t forget your neck, chest and hands when you’re doing your skin care regimen. I’m guilty of this, and now my neck and chest look like they should be eating dinner at 4:30 and getting a discount on prescriptions.
Here I am at the start:

And then at the 30-day mark:
My set lasted for about 12 weeks. My final verdict: This is a seriously good skincare program. My skin is hydrated, the vitamin C peptide serum and retinol lotion is easy to absorb and didn't cause any irritation, and the cleanser is mild and leaves my skin feeling clean but not stripped. The sunscreen takes a bit of time to absorb but it isn't greasy and gives me the full-spectrum coverage I need with my fair skin. I'm impressed.
This is an investment as an entire set, so if you've only got the budget to add one or two effective products to your skincare routine, check out the CE Peptides serum and Retinol 1% Night Complex. While you can find good cleansers, toners, moisturizers and sunscreen at the drug store, these two items are worth the investment -- you know the ingredients are rigorously tested, there are no fillers, and these active serums make a big difference to fine lines and overall skin health.
DID YOU KNOW? Because I cannot resist a good list, here are four things that can either make your skin look fresh and clear, or tired and dull, according to the Mayo Clinic:
GOOD FOR SKIN:
Water. Adequate water intake can help your skin look more plump and clear, plus it’s just overall good for your health. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up to rehydrate.
A healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Omega 3-6-9 supplements and a good multivitamin can make sure you’re getting everything you need.
Sleep. A good night’s sleep (at least 6-7 hours) is essential for your body to repair cells, including your skin. It also helps to improve immune function. (Always sleep with a clean face, makeup clogs pores!)
Sunshine. I KNOW. First I tell you to shun the sun and cover yourself in a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, and now I’m saying you need some sun. Both are true. The same UV rays that can damage your skin also causes your body to produce Vitamin D, which you need. So slap on a hat and some sunglasses, avoid direct sun when UV rays are strongest (10am to 4pm) and always wear a good sunscreen. But go outside for a walk, it’s good for you.
BAD FOR SKIN:
Smoking. Nicotine narrows tiny blood vessels in the skin, reduces blood flow and makes skin look paler. It also damages collagen and elastin — the innersprings of your skin that make it strong and elastic. Finally, smoking can cause wrinkles to form around your lips and increases your risk of cancer.
Hot water or long baths remove oils from your skin, leaving you dry and itchy. While you’re bathing or showering, use a mild soap or cleanser and always shave in the direction hair grows to prevent ingrown hairs. Pat dry and moisturize as soon as you get out to replenish lost oil and seal in the water!
Alcohol. It causes skin dehydration, redness and reduced elasticity.
Stress. As if it’s not enough that it affects your immune system, your cardiovascular health and just about everything else, stress can show up on your skin as acne breakouts, sensitivity and other problems. Get enough sleep, find ways to manage stress and spend time outdoors (WEAR SUNSCREEN) with pets, family and friends. Your skin will thank you.
See you soon,
Michelle
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