The Apple Of My Thighs — Pevonia Stem Cells Phyto-Elite Intensive Body Corrector
It’s finally happened: I have stopped being carded whenever I purchase a bottle of wine. I knew the day would come, but I somehow hoped it would start when I was pushing 50 (a girl can dream!). Last time, as the cashier bagged my Sauvignon Blanc, I let out a sad, pleading, “Do you need to see my ID? Are you sure you don’t need to see my ID?” She shook her head and cheerfully replied, “Nope! You’re fine!” Clearly, she didn’t register my aging-related woes. Sigh.
But while I don’t look 20 anymore, or even 25, I can at least try my hardest to look as good as I possibly can for my age, all the while recognizing that I couldn’t pull off a Never Been Kissed and go undercover as a high school student (then, again, neither could Drew Barrymore, but I digress). Now that I’m in my mid-thirties, one thing I worry about — in addition to wrinkles, sun spots, and loss of volume on my face — is how the skin on my body will change as the years trickle by. Saggy knees and elbows might eventually become an inevitability, but I’d like to delay that phenomenon as much as possible!
Luckily, more beauty companies are tackling this concern and developing skincare products that address aging-related concerns. So far, I’ve had the best experience with the Pevonia Stem Cells Phyto-Elite Intensive Body Corrector ($95, available at spas nationwide and Pevonia.com), which is meant to smooth the “orange peel” look often seen on mature skin: larger-looking pores (or dimpling, if you will) resulting from a loss of volume (as skin begins to sag a bit, pores look larger, much like those tiny dots on an orange peel). The key ingredients in this body lotion are an Argan Stem Cells Liposome Complex and a Comfrey Root Stem Cells Liposome Complex. This powerful combination is meant to restore the integrity of both the epidermis (the uppermost layer os skin) and the dermis (the layer beneath where much of the skin’s collagen and elastin production occurs). The stem cells derived from the Moroccan argan tree are encapsulated in liposomes so that they can penetrate the epidermis and give the skin a smoother, more taut appearance, in the process reducing the look of enlarged pores and cellulite. The stem cells derived from the Swiss comfrey root, meanwhile, actually penetrate the dermis and stimulate collagen- and elastin-producing fibroblast cells, thereby working to improve elasticity.
This stem cell combination would be enough to set this product apart from the fray but, in usual Pevonia fashion, the formula is also packed with skin-loving botanical ingredients: shea butter, which is packed with fatty acids that nourish the skin and boost cellular metabolism; avocado seed extract, which is high in sterolins that reduce the appearance of age spots and which is known to stimulate collagen production; green coffee seed oil, which firms the skin and makes cellulite less apparent (at least on a temporary basis); a green pea extract that neutralizes elastase, an evil enzyme that degrades proteins including elastin, thereby saving the day and keeping the skin’s elastin network intact; a rapeseed sterols complex which firms the skin and, like caffeine, dehydrates fat cells to make dimply skin smoother and diminish the appearance of cellulite); and a bentonite complex that helps to get oxygen into cells by pulling hydrogen out, thereby allowing skin cells to more effectively heal themselves.
The ingredients, then, make for a powerful anti-aging cocktail, but here’s the truly phenomenal part: this body corrector feels so weightless on the skin that you’d never know just how many nutrients were packed into it. It’s almost like a serum in its lightweight, slightly fluid consistency, and the skin absorbs it as readily as it would any essence or serum. Even better, it smells like Granny Smith apples! Every time I apply the body corrector, I want to sink my teeth into the crisp green skin of an apple. I can practically picture biting into the apple and feeling its juicy flesh inside my mouth. And yet it’s not an overpowering smell — it’s just so authentic, so true to that apple aroma, that it’s capable of transporting your senses, making the experience all the more exquisite. The scent, however, doesn’t linger on the skin for hours on end, so there’s no need to worry about the aroma interfering with your go-to perfume.
In terms of results, my skin looks transformed after a month of using the Pevonia Stem Cells Phyto-Elite Intensive Body Corrector. I’ve always been predisposed to keratosis pilaris (informally known as “chicken skin” since the condition constitutes of rough but minuscule bumps that can often appear red) on the back of my arms, and it takes a really hydrating and nourishing product to make the condition disappear in its entirety (or close to it). This one did the trick: my arms are smooth and practically bump-free (there’s a few stragglers, but it’s a minimal amount). My thighs, meanwhile, look significantly more taut — especially the back of my thighs where I have small saddlebags that make me super self-conscious. And my skin, as a whole, looks way more radiant.
I feel like calling Cher and letting her know I’ve found the way to turn back time! If I could reach the stars, I’d give them all to Pevonia!
