As I mentioned before, there is a great report on Beautypedia.com. You can read all of Paula’s in-depth reports in her book Don’t Go To the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition by Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron [Publisher: Beginning Press] [www.cosmeticscop.com].
According to Paula and Bryan, the A-List and B-List products are for healthier, younger looking skin. The A-List products are ones that should be first on your list to check out and the B-List products play a supporting role to help your skin look its best. I’ll post the B-List products shortly.
A-List Ingredients that you should look for in a product:
A-List Products with Glycolic or Lactic Acid:
>Paula’s Choice “8% Alpha Hydroxy Acid Gel” ($17.95 for 4 oz) [I use this and so does my husband – we both love it. I can only use it every other day though. It exfoliates for me so I don't have to use a scrub anymore!]
>Peter Thomas Roth “AHA 12% Ceramide Hydrating Repair Gel” ($48 for 2 oz)
>Peter Thomas Roth “Glycolic Acid 10% Hydrating Gel” ($48 for 2 oz)
>Neutrogena “Healthy Skin Face Lotion, Night” ($12.59 for 2.5 oz)
>Ultraceuticals “Ultra Ace Hydration Booster” ($50 for 2.5 oz)
A-List Products with Salicylic Acid:
>Bare Escentuals “bareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper” ($21 for 2.3 oz)
>Neutrogena “Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1″ ($7.99 for 2 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel” ($17.95 for 4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion” ($17.95 for 4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel” ($17.95 for 4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid” ($17.95 for 4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Weightless Body Treatment with 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid” ($19.95 for 8 oz)
>ProActiv “Solution Clarifying Night Cream” ($28.75 for 1 oz)
A-List Products with Retinol:
>ResQ “Alpha Hydrox Retinol Night ResQ” ($14.99 for 1.05 oz)
>Estee Lauder “Diminish Anti-Wrinkle Retinol” ($80 for 1.7 oz)
>Lancome “Re-Surface Eye, Retinol Concentrate Wrinkle Corrector for Eyes” ($47 for 0.5 oz)
>Neutrogena “Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Night Cream” ($17.39 for 1.4 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate” ($22.95 for 1 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Recovery Super Antioxidant Concentrate” ($22.95 for 1 oz)
>Philosophy “eye believe, deep wrinkle peptide gel” ($30 for 0.5 oz)
>SkinCeuticals “Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream” ($42 for 1 oz)
>SkinCeuticals “Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Night Cream” ($48 for 1 oz)
Caution: Not everyone can tolerate retinol and many people’s skin cannot tolerate any amount of prescription retinoid without experiencing discomfort and visually undesirable side effects. Retinol’s most common side effects include flaking, sunburned-like skin. However, this can be mitigated in many cases by using a lower strength or by applying the retinol product less frequently.
A-List Products with Vitamin C:
>Cellex-C “Serum for Sensitive Skin” ($90 for 1 oz)
>DDF “C3 Plus Serum” ($62 for 0.5 oz)
>Jan Marini Skin Research “C-ESTA Serum” ($60 for 1 oz)
>La Roche-Posay “BioMedic Potent-C 10.5 Concentrate” ($60 for 1 oz)
>MD Skincare “Hydra-Pure Vitamin C Serum” ($90 for 1 oz)
>N.V. Perricone “Vitamin C Ester Eye Therapy” ($50 for 0.5 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Super Antioxidant Concentrate” ($22.95 for 1 oz)
>Peter Thomas Roth “Power C20 Anti-Oxidant Serum Gel” ($85 for 1 oz)
>SkinCeuticals “C E Ferulic” ($122 for 1 oz)
A-List Products with Vitamin E:
>Artistry by Amway “Skin Refinishing Lotion” ($48.85 for 1 oz)
>Dermalogica “Multivitamin Power Firm, for Eye and Lip Area” ($47 for 0.5 oz)
>Jason Natural “Ester-C Lotion Anti-Oxidant Regenerating Moisturizer” ($16 for 4 oz)
>Kiehl’s “Light Nourishing Eye Cream” ($20 for 0.5 oz)
>NeoStrata “Daytime Protection Cream SPF 15, PHA 10″ ($33 for 1.75 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Recovery Toner” ($14.95 for 6 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Recovery Moisturizer” ($16.95 for 2 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Balancing Moisture Gel” ($16.95 for 2 oz)
>RevaleSkin “Night Cream” ($99 for 1.7 oz)
Note: Vitamin E should not be listed on cosmetics simply as “vitamin E.” Instead, manufacturers are required to list the form of the vitamin. Examples you will come across include tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl linoleate, tocotrienols, alpha tocopherol, and tocopheryl succinate.
A-list products with Niacinaminde:
>La Roche-Posay “Biomedic C-Recovery Treatment” ($50 for 1 oz)
>Mary Kay “TimeWise Even Complexion Essence” ($35 for 1 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Balancing Toner” ($14.95 for 6 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Hydrating Treatment Cream” ($16.95 for 2 oz)
>Paula’s Choice “Skin Balancing Moisture Gel” ($16.95 for 2 oz)
A-List Products with Sunscreen Actives - click to see prior post on the Best Sunscreens
