This week I am pleased to bring you my review of several products from Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care. Enjoy!

Peter Thomas Roth has been mentioned in quite a few magazines lately, so naturally many of you were interested in the Cosmetic Connection perspective :) PTR has a large selection of products for conditions like acne and sensitive skin, as well as vitamin creams, lightening lotions, and sunscreens. I selected several that sounded interesting and relevant to me.

Let me preface the following reviews with one overall comment: These products are too expensive! There, I said it. While there were several that I liked, I have hard time justifying spending this kind of money, especially if I were to buy the products again and again. I don't know about you, but I don't have a money tree in my backyard :)

Medicated BPO 5% Acne Wash ($22 for 8 oz.)
I chose this acne wash at the height of a recently pimple-y period (gotta love hormones!), and although it didn't help my acne, it did help me realize once and for all that my skin is definitely, without a doubt, sensitive to benzoyl peroxide. Thanks to this cleanser, I now know I can't use this cleanser! If BPO works well for you, this is a mild cleanser that can treat and help prevent acne on your whole face (just be sure not to get it near your eyes).

Oxygen Mist ($35 for 8 oz.)
This is a spray toner with oxygen, electrolytes, aloe vera, zinc, vitamin C, and bioflavanoids. I honestly have no idea how much good any part but the aloe will have on the skin, but I can say that it made my skin less red and any blemishes I had less inflamed. Oxygen Mist is fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and dye-free, which makes it nice for sensitive skin. The label says you can also use it to soothe sunburn, shaving irritation, insect bites, heat rash, itching and other minor skin irritations.

Silica Strawberry Scrub ($30 for 8 oz.)
The main ingredients in this scrub are polyethylene granules, almond meal and silica, with a tiny amount of strawberry thrown in so they can make the product's name sound more attractive. Strawberry or no strawberry, I found this scrub to be too abrasive even when I used just a tiny amount. I can think of several scrubs that I like better, like BeneFit Honey Snap Out Of It Scrub, Sage Corrective Grains, Youngblood Papaya Enzyme Scrub, and even Biore Mild Daily Cleansing Scrub.

Glycolic Acid 10% Moisturizer ($40 for 2 oz.)
If you like a strong AHA, this one may be for you. Glycolic acid, whole leaf aloe vera, and vitamin C are the main powerhouses in this light but effective lotion. Thankfully at this price you only need a small amount to cover your whole face. I liked this product but couldn't continue using it because it was actually too strong and ended up irritating my skin. Too bad since I liked the lightweight texture and non greasy feel.

Ceramide Moisture Renewal ($45 for 2.3 oz.)
If you have normal to dry skin and are not prone to breakouts at all, this is a nice medium weight nighttime moisturizer with safflower oil and shea butter. I really wanted to like it but had to stop using it when I kept seeing new tiny superficial blackheads popping up on my cheeks.

Daily Defense Moisture Cream SPF 20 ($35 for 2.3 oz.)
This is one of my favorite PTR products. Don't let the name "cream" fool you - this oil-free sunblock moisturizer is lightweight and excellent for all skin types. It's greaseless, absorbs instantly, doesn't leave a white cast on the skin, and blocks out the sun's UVA/UVB rays with octylmethoxycinnamate, titanium dioxide, octyl salicylate, and benzophenone-3.

Power C 20 Anti-Oxidant Serum Gel ($85 for 1 fluid ounce)
I started using this oil-free liquid/gel serum about two weeks ago and only notice a subtle difference right after I apply it - my skin looks rosy and feels firmer. The label claims the vitamin C (20% L-ascorbic acid) will "help increase collagen production," "help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," "help facial contours look and feel smoother, firmer and more youthful," and "help protect against future free radical damage." But, since I can't really measure any of that, I can't tell if it's working or not! I do like the tightening feel when I put it on in the morning, so I will probably continue using it (but won't get more at over $80 a bottle!). Power C also has ginkgo boloba, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, superoxide dismutase and beta-glucan, and should work for all skin types except very sensitive.

I think if I had to choose my PTR products over again, I would have gotten Sensitive Skin Cleansing Gel (which I actually just ordered from Beautydoor.com), Glycolic Acid Clarifying Tonic, Botanical Buffing Beads, and Tinted Protective Day Cream. These products seem more in line with my skintype, so I hope to have reviews of them soon.

Here are a few places online to find Peter Thomas Roth products:
Drugstore.com
Bliss Spa
Beautydoor.com

Before I wrap things up this week, I wanted to pass on congratulations to our Avon contest winner, Cathy Campbell. Our next contest is in the works and will be announced in an upcoming issue. Keep reading!