Adulting in the World of Beauty: Sobel Skin Rx and My Transformed Skin
Have you come across those memes that describe how being a grown-up means having a particular fondness for a dish towel or a firm stance on top sheets? For me, the beauty equivalent of adulting occurs when you shift your focus from pastel-hued products with fruity floral scents and start getting enthused about the proportion of active ingredients in the plain, science-driven items. (Essentially, it's like moving from shopping at Ulta to shopping at Dermstore.)
I'm aware that my "top shelf" wouldn't make for a visually captivating Into the Gloss feature – it's a sea of silver and white bottles from brands with names like "clinical", "Rx", or "MD". However, recently, it has bestowed upon me extremely attractive skin, which is nearly an unattainable feat for a dry skin type during an East Coast winter. This is the first December I can recall where my skin isn't flaking around my nose, cracking beneath foundation, or feeling taut after cleansing – and I attribute this to Sobel Skin Rx, the freshly introduced line by New York City dermatologist Dr. Howard Sobel.
The eight-product assortment comprises a glycolic cleanser and peel, a day cream with SPF, an eye cream, a niacinamide serum, a vitamin C serum, a retinol treatment, and a hyaluronic acid moisturizer. I've been using all of them for over a month now. But if compelled to select favorites, the last three have had the most significant impact on my skin tone, texture, and moisture levels.
Sobel Skin Rx Products
Sobel Skin Rx's Vitamin C and retinol, which are essential for anti-aging, are notoriously challenging to formulate – due to their instability and potential for irritation respectively – yet these two versions manage to get it precisely right at exceptionally high concentrations. (And don't you just feel ecstatic when the key ingredient being promoted actually appears at the very top of the ingredients list, right after water? That's the situation with the entire line.)
Related: How to Prevent & Heal Skin Burns from Retinol
Sobel Skin Rx Face Serum
The 35% Vitamin C Face Serum, which comes with an airless pump to prevent oxidation, contains a complex of three forms of vitamin C at a percentage that is more than twice the typical amount (most available on the market range between 10 and 20%). It gives a slightly tingling sensation when initially applied, but it doesn't cause any redness; based on clinical trials involving 30 test subjects, none reported irritation. I utilize it every day in the morning, prior to applying moisturizer and sunscreen, and have noticed that it's beginning to fade two brown spots on my temples while making my overall complexion appear brighter and more refined than it typically does in this weather.
Sobel Skin RX Retinol Treatment
The same holds true for the 4.5% Retinol Night Treatment. Yes, you read that correctly: over-the-counter retinol typically peaks at 2%, but the Sobel Skin Rx retinol asserts that it can offer a prescription-strength formula, thanks to a patent-pending encapsulated delivery system. (Proprietary information: great for brands, not so much for beauty editors striving to provide clarity!) This time-release system, combined with soothing chamomile and aloe vera, is the reason you don't need to be frightened, as I was, that 4.5% will cause harm to your face... as long as you commence using it only twice a week while your skin adapts. This is the first retinol I haven't given up on thus far, because it's the first that didn't completely dry out my skin throughout the adjustment period; however, those with sensitive skin should start with a 0.5–1% retinol instead of immediately opting for something so potent.
Sobel Skin Rx Moisturizer
The standout of the line, the product that enables the more aggressive formulas to function effectively while keeping my skin soft, hydrated, and free of flakes, is the Bio Hyaluronic Moisturizing Cream. It also utilizes an under-wraps, patent-pending delivery system to assist hyaluronic acid in penetrating deeper into the dermal layers, which is the sole means of maintaining long-lasting moisture. Antioxidants in the formula such as Leontopodium acid (from edelweiss) safeguard against free radicals, and a blend of seed oils (avocado, macadamia, and sunflower) restores the skin's barrier function. My complexion has never felt or looked better – at least, since reaching adulthood.
