Adding to my collection of makeup colors is not my only beauty passion - following the latest skin care "breakthroughs" is another hobby of mine! At my age (mid-twenties), I'm only beginning to think about preventative wrinkle control. My day-to-day interest is still controlling the occasional blemish or two. Luckily, alpha hydroxy acid products can target both acne and wrinkles by helping to keep pores clear and dead skin cells exfoliated. Since I'm always interested in trying AHAs from different lines, I was happy to give Regeneration Gold ($55) from BeautiControl a shot when my BeautiControl friend, Jana, told me about it.

What makes Regeneration Gold different from other AHAs I've tried is the dual product system - a gel in one chamber of the bottle, a lotion in another. When you pump the product into your hand, you get a shot from each chamber that you are supposed to mix, then apply to your face. I must say that trying to read and understand the ingredients of this product almost requires a degree in chemistry! BeautiControl claims that the lotion part is "advanced alpha hydroxy acids", which is apparent by the lactic acid and tartaric acid in the ingredient list, along with a number of thickeners and emollients.

The gel portion is supposed to contain "skin stimulating ingredients". What those are, I don't know, but I can say it does contain some of the oddest chemical substances I have ever seen! The end result when you mix them is a cream that feels tingly on the skin and really does make the skin look and feel smoother after just two weeks. BeautiControl won't disclose what percentage or concentration of AHAs this product does contain, but after using it for over three weeks, I'd say whatever it is does the job quite well. I've noticed my skin feels smoother in the areas that normally have little bumps, I've had fewer breakouts in my target areas, and my skin color is more uniform and less ruddy on my cheeks. No cream is a miracle product, but if you are looking for a high-powered AHA cream to help (and the key word here is "help") soften lines, normalize the skin, and smooth rough spots, BeautiControl's Regeneration Gold is a great choice.