One of the latest anti-aging ingredients, Kinetin, has finally reached beyond the dermatologist office into mainstream products with this new line from Almay. Kinetin is a natural plant growth factor that slows the aging process in plants so they stay fresh and green longer. Studies are showing that it may have an effect on our skin, but it doesn't yet have the history of better known treatments like AHAs or Retinol. Kinetin is supposed to deliver similar benefits as AHAs or Retinol, but without the irritation or sun sensitivity issues. I decided to give these products a try, sticking to the more basic system that could work for any skin type. I used the following products for just over 8 weeks.

Skin Optimizing Cleanser ($8.95 for 5oz)
Like so many treatment lines, there is a cleanser in this line that has some of the "active" ingredient (in this case, kinetin), but the cleanser is really just a prep for the real treatment products that follow. Skin Optimizing Cleanser is a lathering cream cleanser that removes makeup fairly well but can sting eyes, so it's not the best choice for removing eye makeup. It rinses away easily and leaves the skin looking fresh and bright. Although the label says it's for all skin types, I think it would be too drying for someone with dry skin. For those of you concerned about acne, this cleanser does not contain anything that should irritate acne-prone skin.

Rejuvenating Eye Treatment ($16 for .5oz)
As I get older, I definitely see the wear and tear of everyday life showing up under and around my eyes. Between the fines lines and occasional dark circles, I am more faithful about using an eye cream now than when I was younger and didn't really need it. This eye cream makes claims of rejuvenating the eye area, reducing the appearance of fine lines, diminishing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles, increasing firmness and elasticity, and smoothing and brightening the undereye area; over the 8 weeks that I used it, all I noticed was that is took care of any dryness, just like any moisturizer would. My fine lines look the same, my dark circles aren't any lighter, and I can't say I look particularly rejuvenated. As eye creams go, this one is fine but I just didn't see enough of a difference to buy it again in the hopes that it would live up to its claims. I'd sooner use something like Beauty Without Cruelty Green Tea Nourishing Eye Gel ($14.95 at drugstore.com or health food stores) because it feels cool and instantly makes the eye area look smoother and fresher.

Age Decelerating Daily Lotion SPF 15 ($16 for 4oz)
For the first week of using this system, I used only this daytime lotion and not the nighttime treatment, to see how my skin would react. I had no problems with irritation or acne with this lightweight lotion; it was actually my favorite product of the four. I can't say that I saw much difference in my skin in terms of clarity or evening out my skin tone, but I did like the light texture and how easily it absorbed, plus it gave my skin a nice glow and acted as both my moisturizer and sunscreen for the day. Since I didn't see any noticeable improvement in my skin as far the Kinetin goes, I probably wouldn't buy this again, but I would at least finish the bottle I have.

For those of you with dry skin, the Age Decelerating SPF 15 treatment also comes in a cream ($16 for 1.6oz).

Repair & Rejuvenate Night Concentrate ($16 for 1.7oz)
I added this nighttime treatment after the first week and used it for the duration of my 8-week test. This is a richer cream that feels best on normal-to-dry or dry skin, although it is labeled for all skin types; I found the more emollient texture to feel a bit oily, especially if I used a little too much. Repair & Rejuvenate makes all the same claims of the other products in the line regarding reducing the appearance of fine lines, improving uneven skin tone, improving firmness and elasticity, increasing skin's hydration, improving clarity and texture, and reducing the appearance of large pores. Aside from the temporary "glow" effect of the lotion on my skin, I didn't really see any noticeable improvement in my skin; in fact, I suspect the sodium chloride near the top of the ingredient list (an ingredient I've had a problem with in the past) did give me persistent minor pimples and an overall scaly buildup on my chin that would not go away even with additional exfoliation from a scrub. It wasn't until after I stopped using the products that the rash-like scales disappeared. For these reasons, I would not buy this again and I am not going to finish the tube I have.

Overall, I was not impressed with the performance of Almay's Kinetin products. Although the promises of results similar to those of AHAs and Retinol are tempting, the only advantage I found with these was the absence of irritation; in terms of exfoliation and skin tone improvement, I'd choose an AHA or similar method over Kinetin any day. If I had seen any positive changes while using the Kinetin products, I think I would have stuck with them for longer, but there were times when I felt like my skin actually looked worse (mainly from my reaction to the Repair & Rejuvenate Night Concentrate).

Almay Kinetin products are available at drugstores and online at Drugstore.com (which had lower prices than what I paid at my local drugstore). Drugstore.com also has full ingredient information on all the Almay Kinetin products except the lotion, which for some reason they are not carrying.