Skyn Iceland – review

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Stress – we all feel it sometimes. Lately, it seems everyone I know; my friends, my family, my boss, is in a permanent state of stressed out. When I sit back and really look at things, I realize just how great my life is -those friends, family and boss are amazing people, I’m healthy, employed and I just launched a website of which I’m very proud (hint: that would be wht). Still, I easily fall into the traps of life, both big and small; worrying about bills, work, running wht, how to answer all those emails and lamenting the fact I have nothing clever to say on my facebook status line.

Giving in to these anxieties used to mean I had to add pimples and frown lines to my list of worries. Then I discovered Skyn Iceland, an all natural line of skincare specifically designed to provide solutions for stressed skin. Founder, Sarah Kugelman, led a very active, stressful lifestyle that took its toll, leaving her seriously ill. After her doctor warned that her current lifestyle was life threatening, Sarah took some time to re-charge and re-think her life. Since her complexion had suffered greatly from her old, anxious lifestyle, she began researching the effects of stress on the skin. During this time, Sarah traveled to Iceland and was awestruck by the beauty of the land and the abundance of natural resources. In Iceland she discovered some of the critical ingredients of the Skyn Iceland line, including mineral-rich glacial waters, antioxidant-rich botanicals, and medicinal herbs.

It’s this knowledge of the effects of stress on the skin combined with effective, natural ingredients that makes Skyn Iceland such a treat for troubled skin. Whether your skin reacts to stress by increasing sebum production (resulting in clogged pores and blemishes) or by impairing the lipid barrier function (causing dry, dull, dehydrated skin), Skyn Iceland has the prefect product to relieve, heal and nourish any stressed out complexion.

The entire line centers on the Biospheric Complex, which is Skyn Iceland’s proprietary blend of elements found in the Water, Earth and Air, that are combined with the latest in technology for products that soothe, heal, and restore skin. Ingredients such as Icelandic glacial water infused with minerals, Arctic cloudberries, red cranberry seed oils, and thyme extracts deliver powerful antioxidants and moisture to rejuvenate your complexion.

All of the items in this line are designed to work with every skin type and they are especially effective for sensitive skin or those prone to breakouts. And for all you eco-conscious ladies, this line has Sephora’s Natural Seal of Approval and are formulated free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals, phthalates
and triclosan. Our (sometimes stressed out) review team received five items from Skyn Iceland to test:

Icelandic Relief Eye Pen– The first whispers I heard about Skyn Iceland were all about this soothing and cooling eye cream, full of antioxidants and skin brighteners to fight the big three of eye worries: puffiness, wrinkles, and dark circles. This portable, travel friendly version is there when you need it most.

Stress Defense Cream with Biospheric Complex – Touted as the botanical answer to injection treatments, this cream uses “gABA technology derived from tomato, ginseng, and portulaca extracts” to produce a wonder cream that visible relaxes fine lines, tension lines and brow furrows. Continued treatment promises “results…that are both immediate and cumulative” in wrinkle reduction.

Antioxidant Calming Serum – This lightweight, overnight serum is designed to sooth skin, reduce redness, promote healing and fight the signs of aging. A combination of antioxidants, collagen boosters, and skin-soothers, this serum is perfect for those with sensitive skin that could use some improvement in texture and are fussing over wrinkles and fine lines.

Arctic Face Mist with Biospheric Complex – The perfect treat for summer days or any time skin is flushed, irritated and grouchy. This hydrating mist instantly cools and soothes skin with an infusion of green, white and yellow teas and mineral waters to calm and protect skin. Use whenever you need some help in achieving a healthy glow and even to set make up!

Anti-Blemish Gel with Willow Bark – A pimple fighter and spot reducer that promises to be non-irritating even to the most sensitive skin, this concentrated gel contains natural anti-inflammatory that kill bacteria and calms infections. Blemishes fade away without the telltale dry flaky patches or irritation.

Let’s hear it from our overworked, overloaded and stressed out readers. Has Skyn Iceland helped soothe the ravages of your go-go lifestyle?

Image courtesy of the Facebook wall of Skyn Iceland. Check out their wall where you can enter their monthly Stress Story contest to win a customized regimen of Skyn Iceland products!

Author

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    Tyna is a former editor of we heart this that worries about becoming a crazy cat lady, reads at least a book a week, checks in at a Flyers fan forum every morning and is forever organizing her closets and drawers. skin tone: NW 20/25 skin type: combination favorite beauty product: eye shadows and lip balms

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7 Comments

  1. I was the lucky tester of the Anti-Blemish Gel with Willow Bark. My skin has been out of control lately. Between the summer heat and WAY too much stress, it’s a mess with pimples and just terrible blotchiness. Not gorgeous! I feel like I’m in high school not in my 30’s. So I was very excited to give this a spin.

    I’m guilty of usually blasting pimples with harsh products, and not just one. An acne wash, lotion, targeted cream. Sure, the pimples go away, but what’s left is a dry mess.

    This is really gentle. I almost want to say it was too gentle, because it didn’t give me that instant relief that tons of harsh products do. But it also didn’t give me flaky skin. Within about 3 days I saw improvements, pimples were sent packing and my skin just looked more calm. So don’t expect instant results, but this would be a great product to use to maintain good skin when you know you’re entering a rough skin “period”.

  2. I received Skyn Iceland’s Arctic Face Mist to test while we were on a mini vacation to our dear friends in the desert –You heard me correctly, I said, desert.. Yes, it’s bloody hot there and my poor pale sensitive face can only take so much heat. It was definitely stressing out. I fell in love instantly with its cooling burst of soothing mineral water, and I have always fancied using witch hazel on my face when it’s stressed out- (second ingredient found in this) I really liked the way it covered my entire face with just one spritz! For $35.00 you want it to last! It reminded me of when I used to surf years ago (no smart remarks, please). If you missed riding a wave, as it passed you and you remained sitting on your board facing the shore, the passing waves mist would blow back and cool you down with a spray that’s really hard to describe. If you surf, you know what I’m talking about. It’s just the most refreshing feeling in the world! So, that’s a nice similar feeling. It had a larger misting span than expected. It wasn’t like I was going to shoot my eye out.. just a fantastic dusting.

    Beside my face loving this, my husband unfortunately on our visit developed a horrific migraine (stressed out, indeed) and his forehead was acting completely out of control. He had a rash and he was even developing small pimples..Yikes, this adult acne is really beginning to become a concern and he’s tried so many things to soothe and calm down his flaming red skin irritations. He actually tried this before me.. Well, maybe by one minute.. He liked it as much as I did. We will be buying this again. I since have taken it to my office and mist away whenever I need to be refreshed.. it dries and leaves my makeup untouched. I give this product five stars! You can say that I really love it!

    I liked visiting their site too.. They even give great tips to be stress free… Here are some of the obvious ones we all need to pay attention to!
    -Don’t lose touch… Maintaining your ties with close friends and family, even if it seems like the last thing you can fit into your life, has been shown to alleviate stress. Strong emotional support is one of the best stress antidotes around.

    -Don’t be a drama queen… Give yourself a little talking to when that voice in your head gets a little shrill and hysterical. Not every problem is a catastrophe. Think ahead a few days, weeks or months and ask yourself how much today’s dilemma will matter then. Maintain a sense of humor.

    -Clean up!… Clutter and mess can load on the stress incrementally. Tidy up your desk, throw out those old magazines you’ve been keeping, give away the clothes you don’t wear, streamline your life. Making lists of things you need to take care of rather than carrying it all in your head will help ease the pain too.

    -Let off a little steam… Don’t overload on anxiety. Write down all the little things that are adding up to your huge, palpitating panic attack and then rip up the paper. Sometimes just identifying all the small stuff helps alleviate the pressure.

    -Schedule yourself a break…You have to plan for free time, as counter-intuitive as that may sound in an already overscheduled world. But if you don’t write it in your date book just as you would a meeting or a doctor’s appointment, you’ll never take the time you need.

    -Breathe… Okay, we know that sounds obvious, but there’s really something to it. When you breathe slowly and deeply, the flow of oxygen into your blood is maximized and the result is a heightened sense of calm.

    -Feed your senses… The colors, sounds and scents you surround yourself with can make or break you. Pastels can have a calming effect and blues and greens promote relaxation. As for music, inside you may be having a Maalox and Metallica moment, but if you listen to soothing classical music like Mozart, you’ll definitely feel better faster. And light a candle or spray a little fragrance. Lavender, orange and sandalwood have been shown to take the edge off stress.

    -Just a little exercise… You know, you know. You should be getting to the gym more often. But trust us, a little goes a long way. Don’t be overly ambitious. Three hours a week of moderate activity like yoga or running does a lot for you. And if that seems like too much to ask, even just one hour of exercise a week has been shown to work wonders as well.

    -Put down those doughnuts!… Keeping your blood sugar balanced will really help you steel yourself against the detrimental effects of stress. Eating balanced meals that include a good dose of protein from chicken, fish or red meat will increase energy and lower anxiety.

  3. Oh boy is it stressful times around my office. People are losing their jobs left and right. I sit at my desk keeping busy so that I don’t draw attention to myself hoping that no one will notice me. I’m worried about my job and trying to go back to school I have enough stress in life!

    Is this the best time to start using the Stress Defense Cream with biospheric Complex or what? I put this on every morning and I love the nice cool feeling. Nothing to heavy or greasy. I don’t have any worry lines or wrinkles as of yet, but if things keep going like this then they will start appearing sooner rather than later. And I’m thankful to have this right now!

    However, I don’t think that I will be buying it again. It’s out of my price range, $100 is too much for me to splurge on right now. I’m having a hard enough time paying all my bills as it is.

  4. Between navigating this rocky job market (10 hours a week isn’t going to pay off my student loans Blockbuster!), studying for the GRE, and trying to lose all the pounds I packed on during college, I would definitely say that I’ve been experiencing some stress lately. Skyn Iceland’s Antioxidant Calming Serum arrived on my doorstep just in time.

    I had never used a serum before and was nervous that it would be too heavy or greasy, but that was definitely not the case. The serum is light, non-greasy, and has a pleasant citrus-y smell.

    I used the serum every night for a little over three weeks. Within a couple of days, my complexion really did improve! My skin looked more uniform and less inflamed. The serum was also quite moisturizing! Wrinkles aren’t a huge concern for me, but I do have tiny crow’s feet and a smile crease (the one that goes from your nose to the corner of your mouth – yuck). Though I didn’t notice an improvement on my wrinkles while using it, once I stopped my smile line became slightly deeper and more noticeable. Unfortunately, the serum did little to prevent my monthly acne attack. I still had a gross breakout, but thankfully it didn’t make it any worse.

    Even though I did get some good results from the calming serum, I don’t think I will be able to justify the $65 price tag anytime soon.

  5. I didn’t try these products but as a working a mom, it sounds like the perfect line to add to my beauty routine. As my husband says, I’m always set at blast off so I’m sure it shows on my face.

  6. Rebecca, those lines from nose to mouth? I’ve heard they’re called marionette lines. Isn’t that awful. Whenever I look at mine in the mirror, I imagine I’m a puppet and say “I’m old” like Pinocchio! That somehow makes them a bit better…

  7. Terraprima says:

    I bought the Anti-Blemish gel from Sephora and really wanted to like this. Sadly, this product did not work at at all. I do not have particularly stubborn acne. I only the occasional stress- or “that time of the month-” induced zit. This product did not even take the zit down a bit…didn’t reduce the size, redness, appearance or even the duration of the zit. It does sting a little bit when you first apply it. I keep hoping that it will work since there it is quite of bit of product. Every time I get a new zit, a give it another chance. But then I eventually turn to something else…usually cheaper that works a lot better. Interestingly enough, sometimes I will apply diluted lavendar oil on a zit and it really helps speed up the healing time.

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