RMX Essential: Closer to the Fountain of Youth? (unrated) RMX Essential ($200 for 56 .067-ounce packets) caused quite a stir when it launched in Sephora stores in 2006, mostly because of its regimented usage instructions and lofty price. The original RMX lineup included the Essential version as well as RMX Intense ($550) and RMX Maximum ($1,000). The latter two were discontinued because, according to a Sephora insider, they were “ahead of their time.” That’s funny, because most cosmetics companies are trying to outdo the competition with ahead-of-time products. I’m fairly certain the real reason the Intense and Maximum versions disappeared is because, quite simply, consumers weren’t buying into the absurd price and accompanying inane claims. So that leaves RMX Essential at a comparatively cheap $200. After delving into this product’s formulation, it leaves far more questions than answers, which is why it didn’t get a rating. Do not make the mistake of thinking this is medicine or the high cost is equal to proof or evidence that it is the best formulation out there—it isn’t. There is no published research to prove that this product will change your skin so it will never be the same again, but who really knows? You have to take Dr. Sobel’s word for it because, other than that there are no studies to rely on. From an ingredient standpoint, there’s a little bit of everything in RMX Essential. It contains several popular peptides (cell-communicating ingredients), ingredients that mimic the structure of skin, and antioxidants. Lots of these ingredients are clearly intriguing, but they are by no means unique to this formula. If the amount of these substances is meant to be the strong suit, there’s no indication of how much of any ingredient you are actually putting on your skin; you just have to take the company’s word for it that these ingredients are “concentrated.” As far as cell-communicating ingredients, this product contains basically palmitoyl oligopeptide, acetyl hexapeptide, and palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, all described in my Web site’s Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and in Chapter Seven, Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary. Most of the research that cosmetics companies rely on for their “belief” in the value of peptides is performed by the manufacturers of the ingredients. Independent research about how peptides affect wrinkles when applied topically is practically nonexistent (Source: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, June 2005, page 155). Whether peptides ever get to the skin cell and have an impact there is just not known. Many researchers feel that they don’t (peptides are notoriously unstable and easily broken down by enzymes in the skin), but obviously there are those researchers who do. One thing that is known, at least, is that they are beneficial as skin-identical ingredients. All in all, $200 for two month’s worth of RMX Essential packets is a lot of money for guessing. The second ingredient in RMX Essential is colostrum, which is the thick yellowish fluid secreted by the mammary glands during the last weeks of pregnancy and the first days after a baby is born, before actual milk is produced by the breast. (The source of colostrum used in supplements and skin-care products is primarily bovine.) Colostrum is a highly nutritious substance, loaded with proteins, immune-building substances, and growth factors. Primarily, colostrum is about antibodies and growth factors to help the infant fight viruses and bacteria and to jump-start the growth of muscle, bone, and tissue. A small amount of research shows that colostrum can have benefit when applied topically for wound healing, but there is also research that shows it is not helpful. Either way, wrinkles and aging skin are not wounds (getting cut by a knife isn’t related in any way to the slow process of how skin comes to be wrinkled and look older), so the little research that has been done does not relate to anything claimed on the label of this product (Sources: Indian Journal of Pediatrics, July 2005, pages 579–581; Cells Tissues Organs, January 2000, pages 92–100; Australasian Biotechnology, July–August 1997, pages 223–228; and Journal of Dermatologic Surgery Oncology, June 1985, pages 617–622). Further, if you’re supposed to believe that colostrum’s growth hormone content can impact your skin, then you would also have to believe that other constituents of colostrum would also have an effect. A major component of colostrum is a laxative to help newborns, whose digestive tracts are not fully formed. Anyone for a laxative while they fight wrinkles? Farther down on the ingredient list is something called glycoproteins-Y28. It is nowhere to be found, whether in a search of medical journals, in The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI, a compendium of cosmetic ingredients), or in an Internet search. Glycoproteins are fairly well understood, but exactly what the Y28 designation stands for is unknown. Most likely it’s a specific receptor site on the cell that this ingredient is destined for, but that’s just a guess because there is no way to know (Source: Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, June 1998, pages 232–238). In general, glycoproteins are cell-to-cell communicating ingredients created when a protein links with a carbohydrate. In the body, glycoproteins play a critical role in the way various systems recover from internal and external stresses; they also are fundamentally involved in cellular repair, among other functions. Beyond that, studies on whether they can affect skin as a cell-communicating ingredient when applied topically just aren’t anywhere to be found in science (Sources: www.glycoscience.com; www.anatomyatlases.org; and Journal of Immunology, November 1, 2000, pages 5295–5303, and September 1991, pages 1614–1620). What we do know is that glycoproteins function very well as ingredients that mimic the structure of skin. When combined with saccharides, glycoproteins form polysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid) that help keep skin cells and the skin’s framework intact. As high-tech as this RMX formula is, it contains retinyl palmitate instead of retinol or retinaldehyde. Here, the research is fairly clear: in the skin retinyl palmitate does not convert to retinoic acid—the active, beneficial form of vitamin A—as readily as retinol or retinaldehyde. That’s important, because retinoic acid is the substance that can communicate with a skin cell to tell it to function normally (Sources: Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, May–June 2004, pages 124–128; European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, May 2000, pages 211–218; and Journal of Investigative Dermatology, September 1997, pages 301–305). One more ingredient that stands out is prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA), a naturally occurring pro-hormone that in the body is converted primarily to androgens (male steroids) and to a lesser degree estrogens. As an oral supplement, DHEA is controversial because long-term use has been associated with women developing secondary masculine traits, liver damage, disrupted menstrual cycles, and defects in fetuses, and, for men, with decreased sperm count. More superficial risks include hair loss, acne, and weight gain. When applied topically, it is possible that DHEA can increase collagen production and prevent collagen destruction by decreasing matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), but the research about this is extremely limited and the studies that do exist were done on only a handful of people (Sources: Drug Delivery, September–October 2005, pages 275–280; Journal of Endocrinology, November 2005, pages 169–196; Journal of Investigative Dermatology, November 2005, pages 1053–1062, and February 2004, pages 315–323; Gynecological Endocrinology, December 2002, pages 431–441; www.fda.gov; and www.mayoclinic.com/health/dhea/NS_patient-dhea). By now you probably see what I mean about this being a hard product to review. For example, I still can’t decide with any certainty whether it is worth any amount of money. And I can’t give you an answer because there is simply no way to know. The ingredients appear to be helpful for skin, but how much more helpful than other combinations, or in exactly what capacity, remains a mystery. As skin-care formulations get more technical, it would be nice if they came with more than just the formulator’s word on their reliability. Without research to point the way (and in the cosmetics industry, products launch well before research has proven their effectiveness, as was the case with this one), it is all speculation and conjecture. Still, this product does have some state-of-the-art ingredients and may be worth a try by those with unlimited skin-care budgets. 
 RIMMEL Cool Matte Mousse Foundation ($8.09) remains true to its name with a soft, mousse-like texture and slight cooling sensation as you blend. I could not find an ingredient statement anywhere (it’s not on the product itself either, which is a no-no) to check if the cooling effect was from a menthol derivative, but I doubt it because the effect dissipates quickly as the foundation sets to a silky matte finish. The sheer- to light-coverage formula looks very natural on skin, concealing minor flaws and evening out skin tone without looking the least bit masklike. It is best for normal to very oily skin and comes in ten shades, with options for fair but not dark skin tones. The following shades are slightly peach and should be considered carefully: 101 Porcelain, 200 Soft Beige, and 301 Warm Honey. This would earn a Paula’s Pick rating if the ingredient list were available for perusal. Find it! JOHNSON & JOHNSON BABY Bedtime Touch Massage Gel ($4.49 for 5 ounces) isn’t a necessary product because it’s really just a way to apply fragrance all over your baby, which isn’t the best for his or her skin. This simple, water-in-oil formula is easily replaced by warming a teeny bit of plain olive, safflower, or sweet almond oil and lightly massaging that onto your baby’s skin. VICTORIA’S SECRET VERY SEXY MAKEUP Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm ($7) isn’t soothing in the least because it contains lip-tingling amounts of peppermint oil and menthol. What a shame, because this is otherwise a lightweight, but substantially moisturizing, glossy lip balm.
Dear Paula, My heels are cracking horribly, I've tried everything and nothing works. Help, what can I do! Marisa, via e-mail Dear Marisa, Dry, cracking heels (xeorosis) is a condition where the skin on the feet becomes thick and then starts fissuring and almost splitting open. While this typically takes place on the heel area, the toes and pads of the feet can also be affected. For most people this is nothing more than an unattractive and uncomfortable cosmetic problem. But if this has been a long-term problem, and you really have tried everything, then other health problems need to be considered first before you jump into other skin-care options. For example, dry cracking heels or wounds on feet that don't heal can often be signals of vascular problems or the presence of diabetes. It is essential to rule any of those out before following my suggestions. For just basic foot care, you can use my 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Solution (or the others I recommend in my book) on the heels nightly and then cover them with Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($5.69 for 1.75 ounces); this is a standard, though exceptionally thick moisturizer excellent for extra-dry skin. Then cover your feet with thin, lightweight socks. Avoid any foot products that contain irritants such as peppermint or lemon, or scrubs that would only hurt the skin. You’ll need to follow this treatment regimen for several nights in order to attain notable improvement. Once the skin improves, ongoing use of a non-irritating moisturizer in this area is recommended, as well as occasional use of a BHA exfoliant.
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