Those who know me know that I love to laugh, but there are some things you’ll never hear me joking about; my anti-aging routine is one of those things.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I feel lucky to experience every day I get to have on this earth, but an ever-growing map showing proof of every smile that has ever flashed across my face (and there have been a lot) is no laughing matter. To have to choose between glorious expression or the chic but motionless RBF of Victoria and Kim seems rather unfair. My interest in protecting my cells from their inevitable decline started in my teens when I was being surrounded by beautiful women who spent a great amount of time indulging in beauty routines that promised to make their sixties and seventies even more fabulous than their fifties. My first ever creams were Oil of Olay which promised to help me look younger, too, and Roc, which contained the grandmother of all wrinkle fighters: retinol. I learned all about the importance of pulling said creme up my face (gravity!) and was complimented on my collagen, a compliment I didn’t fully appreciate until my 30’s and now give to my fresh-faced interns (along with a pound of unsolicited advice about the importance of sunscreen).
While many think of an absence of wrinkles when it comes to looking younger, the truth is that we can pinch, massage and use a needle to freeze every last line, but without collagen, we will just look like a line free deflated balloon. Collagen is what gives our face that youthful “plumpness” and when it starts to decline (around age 25), we begin to notice the side effects; sagging skin, dull complexion, gray hair and more wrinkles.
Not exactly what most of us are picturing when thinking about putting our best faces forward which is why it is no surprise that the collagen craze is in full-effect. Women are using creams, powders, pills and injections to plump up their skin and stop the clock, if not turn back time. So, as a woman who religiously slathers on serums, moisturizers and 100 SPF on her face every day, I was thrilled when LC asked me to review Sparkle Collagen Peptide Powder.
Here’s what I discovered.
How it Works: One small scoop into your beverage of choice every day for 30 days (I got 33 servings in mine #Winning).
The Taste: Though the flavor claims to be orange, the truth is that it tastes much more like a lemon tang than anything else. It’s got that tart, delicious, just-squeezed- a- lemon -off-of-the-tree in the Amalfi coast flavor that went wonderfully with water 31 times and vodka once. OK twice. Shush.
How it works: The powder combines Verisol collagen with Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid. This combo is an anti-aging triple threat in that vitamin C activates the collagen and the Hyaluronic acid plumps up skin and helps it to fully absorb the nutrients.
The 30 Day Test: I drank the powder religiously and found that it ignited a real interest in beauty from the inside out. Drinking the powder on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning showed me the power of morning hydration and I found myself feeling more awake and fresh (and not always needing that second cup of coffee before the gym).
A fan of citrus, I enjoyed the tart flavor so much that I purchased a bunch of lemons and began drinking lemon water throughout the day. This led to me drinking 2-3 liters every morning and afternoon. Wanting to get the biggest boost possible, I also began to research skin-friendly foods and incorporated blueberries into my protein shakes and spinach into my morning egg-white omelette.
Week One: I noticed that my eyes were much less puffy in the morning and my usual dark circles were nowhere to be found (even when I didn’t get much sleep). This was a big change as I always needed to de-puff and cover with concealer. This could be as a result of the powder, the extra water or both, but I was thrilled.
Week Two: My skin began to look much clearer and the whites of my eyes were brighter. I was also sleeping more soundly, which could be a combo of the overall changes, but having had sleep problems for many years, this was a welcome side effect!
Week Three: My skin tone is more even and with the brighter complexion and no under eye circles, I feel I look healthier. My skin is not necessarily “fuller” but people are commenting that I “look great”.
Week Four: I have a much healthier look and my hair and nails, both of which usually break constantly, are stronger than they have been in ages. My complexion is bright and there is a bit of a glow (a “sparkle” if you will).
Bottom Line: While I didn’t notice a huge change in my facial fullness, I did feel this product did wonders for my complexion and was a worthwhile addition to my overall beauty routine. I loved the idea that I was helping to “feed” my own cells and support my collagen production and I couldn’t be more grateful for the domino-effect it initiated. (Especially the the beauty effects of increased water consumption alone.) I have learned that that there is no one “miracle cure” and chasing lines sets you on the fast-track to unhappiness, but when part of an overall health and wellness routine, products such as Sparkle work very well to not only boost your brightness, but also your confidence. When you’re taking the time to take care of you, you can’t help but to feel great and that looks fabulous at any age.
– Brenda Della Casa
Brenda Della Casa is the author of Cinderella Was a Liar, the editor-in-chief for Preston Bailey Designs, a blogger for The Huffington Post and YourTango and the founder of BDC Life In Style. Photo: Aisha Singleton. Makeup by Lauren Cosenza.
NOTE: This post is not sponsored. All thoughts are unbiased and my own. Sample was provided for editorial consideration. Photos are property of DIVAlicious.