Skincare often has a lot of pseudo-science to make things sound more marketable and while sometimes it's true other times not so much. I also understand that not everyone wants to relive high school chemistry by trying to figure out an ingredients list or have multiple products in their routine that target various concerns. I would say that right now most of the population want something easy, effective and safe for the skin. I love green beauty, but some products can be a bit granola for me with regards to their formula and philosophy so when a pharmaceutical company comes out with a product free of parabens and fragrances, I tend to pay attention! This is exactly the case with Quebec-based pharmaceutical compounding company MEDISCA who decided to use the resources they had on hand to create freshly batched customized skincare inspired by traditional apothecaries. How delicious does THAT sound?
Blend & Boost is sold only through authorized health care practitioners and involves meeting with your dermatologist for a full consult and filling out a questionnaire with your top skin concerns generating a numerical code that corresponds to your blend.
There are five "bases" which are then blended with "boosters" (13 in total) targeted to your specific skincare concerns. I should add that even the bases on their own are pretty nourishing! The bases are: Light Anti-Aging (LA), Rich Anti-Aging (RA), Moisturizing Cream (MC), Sensitive Skin (SS) and Oily Skin (OS). Some might ask, "Can I have all 13 boosters in one base" and the answer to that is NO. These are active boosters and only certain combinations are optimal so there can be at most two boosters in each base.
So, let's get to MY blend*! I sat down with Dr. Nicole from Skin Method in downtown Vancouver who first explained how Blend & Boost worked followed by the questionnaire which was done with an app on an Ipad. After a few seconds, an algorithm generated my ideal blend, but we weren't on board with what the algorithm told us. I had indicated dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles as my main concerns so I wanted boosters like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. After witnessing some deductive reasoning, we realized that two of the boosters I wanted could not be together in one base. This just goes to show that while an algorithm is choosing something for you, your dermatologist will still be the one making the best call for you based on other observations.
We finally settled on the SS Base, even though I liked the LA Base too, and the boosters: Hyaluronic MLSpheres, encapsulated hyaluronic acid technology providing a plumping effect, and Venuceane, an advanced antioxidant enzyme complex bioengineered from extremophile bacteria (heat-resistant) and acts as a shield against photo-aging. I was headed to Montreal a few days after my meeting with Dr. Nicole so I actually had my blend sent to my MIL's place which was awesome since it was blended right in Montreal! No matter your location, you will have your blend delivered to you within 48 hours! Freshness is key though so each bottle of cream lasts 3 months with the expiration date listed on your blend's information sheet.
When my blend arrived, my skin was pretty much dying of dryness in Montreal and though I was using the SS base, I needed MORE. My blend arrived in a bottle with my blend # on it and contained 50g of product. Though it says Face Cream on the bottle, this is actually intended to be your: eye cream, serum and moisturizer. I like the simplicity of this, but I am someone who LOVES the routine of multiple products so I tend to still go through the basic steps though for 4 weeks I used this cream exclusively for the purposes of this review. Sacrifices, man!
My blend was a basic white cream and absorbed very easily into my skin. The SS base felt very soothing, but was not hydrating enough for me in Montreal. Though my face was not flaking or had any dry patches, the area around my eyes felt a little tight and I felt the need to pat some facial oil on top. I had absolutely no other issues other than needing more moisture which was too bad considering there were hyaluronic spheres inside my blend. By the time I got back to Vancouver, the tightness was minimal and I was able to use this product as intended.
While this is a concept and brand that would work for any skin type, the way it is marketed is for an older client or at least one with some disposable income. One bottle, though it is intended to replace your eye cream, serum and moisturizer, retails for $200. The boosters are also meant to complement medispa procedures like micro-needling, dermal filler injections and other skin rejuvenation procedures which are generally skin procedures done by older, more financially equipped individuals.
Final verdict: I'm actually still using my blend because I really enjoy the consistency and the way it makes my skin feel. Now, that the weather has become more humid, it seems to be the perfect level of hydration and I find it soothing when my sensitive cheeks are acting up as the cream feels cushion-like to the touch.
Did the boosters work for my skin? With the Venuceane, I really could not tell if my skin was more protected from photo-aging because the information sheet shows improvement only after 6 months. As for the Hyaluronic MLSpheres, I was hoping that they would have worked for my skin in Montreal, but my skin only started feeling hydrated once I was back home so had I done the consult in Montreal, maybe my booster choices would have been different. I loved the process, research and concept of personalized skincare like Blend & Boost and would probably look to a product like this if/when I have cosmetic procedures done as I would want to use products that prolong their effects! Personally, I could never use just ONE product in my skincare routine so Blend & Boost would not be something I could abandon my whole routine for, but I certainly appreciate a skincare system like this one.
Blend & Boost is available at clinic near you.
.JPG)
No comments