Stretch Mark Cream Turned Anti-Wrinkle Phenomenon
StriVectin-SD has been voted the #1 skin cream in France and now stands alone at the top of the French cosmetic market.
Klein-Becker’s internationally-renown prestige skin care cream has won top honors at the 17th annual “Les Grand Prix Advantages de la Beaute” (Advantage’s Grand Prix of Beauty) organized by the popular French magazine Advantages (from the Marie Claire group). The award was presented in Paris … Much to the chagrin of an audience comprised of French cosmetic giants, the likes of Lancôme, ReVive, La Mer, L’Oreal, Yves Rocher, and many others.
What’s remarkable is the fact that StriVectin-SD (from Salt Lake City, Utah, of all places) was selected by French consumers over some of the cosmetic industry’s most prestigious brands.
“This honor came as a total surprise,” said Gina Gay who accepted the award for StriVectin and its manufacturer, Klein-Becker. “We never suspected we would win the highest award, the Grand Prix. I can tell you there were a lot of shocked looks on the faces of the executives from the major international brands when StriVectin was announced as the winner. I mean, the mostly French audience gasped when they realized an American product was voted the favorite cosmetic by French women. Can you imagine?”
For the past 17 years, the publication Advantage has been sponsoring “Les Grands Prix Advantages de la Beaute”. This year, 5000 French women from across the country were asked to select their favorite beauty products based on the following criteria: pleasure, innovation, confidence in the brand, and effectiveness. And while there were several sub-categories (products specifically designed for eyes, body, etc.) StriVectin took top honors.
This is the second time in less than a year that StriVectin has been named #1 by French consumers. Last September, France’s leading consumer magazine (60 Millions De Consommateur) named StriVectin as the best, most effective anti-wrinkle face cream, as judged by a panel of 264 French women … beating the likes of Dior, Chanel, ROC, L’Oreal, Lancome and other high-end (and French made) products costing as much as euro 142 (about $185) per ounce.
“StriVectin had already set sales records in the United States so we expected great results in France,” said Ms. Gay, “But let’s face it, French women have access to the most sophisticated cosmetics in the world and they’re extremely skeptical about products from America. Yet, when it comes to reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crows’ feet, they prefer a formula from, of all places, Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s another chapter in the incredible StriVectin story.”
In a remarkable turn of events, arguably one of the strangest in the history of cosmetics, women across the country are putting a stretch-mark cream called StriVectin-SD on their face to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crows’ feet. And, if consumer sales are any indication of a product’s effectiveness, StriVectin-SD is nothing short of a miracle. Women, as well as a growing number of “Boomer” men, are buying so much StriVectin-SD that finding a tube at your local cosmetic counter has become just about impossible. Did everyone go mad? Well…not really.
Although StriVectin-SD’s functional components were already backed by clinical trials documenting their ability to visibly reduce the appearance of existing stretch marks (prominent because of their depth, length, discoloration and texture)… the success of StriVectin-SD as an anti-wrinkle cream was “dumb luck,” said Ms. Gay.
“When we first handed out samples of the StriVectin formula to employees and customers as part of our market research, the sample tubes were simply marked ‘topical cream’ with the lot number underneath,” Ms. Gay explained. “As the samples were passed to friends and family, the message became a little muddled and some people used this ‘topical cream’ as a facial moisturizer. As we began to receive feedback from users, like ‘I look 10 years younger’ and ‘I can’t even notice my crows’ feet’ we knew we had something more than America’s most effective stretch-mark cream. The point was driven home as store owners began reporting that almost as many people were purchasing StriVectin as an anti-wrinkle cream as were buying it to reduce stretch marks.”
Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey, PhD, Klein-Becker’s Director of Scientific Affairs, says, “Clearly, people were seeing results, but we didn’t have a scientific explanation as to why this wrinkle-reduction was occurring. “Based on the incredibly positive reports from users and the Paris reports,” Mowrey continues, “I started using StriVectin myself… as an aftershave in the morning and before I go to bed at night. And let me tell you — no one has ever accused me of being handsome, but now I’m happy to say that I look young and ugly rather than old and ugly. For me, that’s a big improvement.”
Then, at a meeting of the 20th World Congress of Dermatology in Paris, France, a series of studies detailing the superior wrinkle-reducing properties of a patented oligo-peptide “called Pal-KTTKS” versus retinol, vitamin C, and placebo, on “photo-aged skin” was presented. “As luck would have it,” Dr. Mowrey states, “the anti-wrinkle oligo-peptide tested in the breakthrough clinical trials turned out to be a key ingredient in the StriVectin cream.”
In the trials, subjects applied the patented peptide solution to the crows’ feet area on one side of the face, and a cream containing retinol, vitamin C, or a placebo to the other side.
Subjects in the Pal-KTTKS/retinol study applied the cream once a day for 2 months and then twice a day for the next 2 months. Using special image analysis, the study’s authors reported “significant improvement” in both the overall appearance of skin tone and wrinkles for those women using the peptide solution.
Better yet, at the 2-month halfway point, the peptide solution worked nearly 1.5 times faster than retinol “in measured parameters,” and without the inflammation retinol often causes in sensitive skin. As was expected, the results of the remaining studies confirmed that the Pal-KTTKS solution’s effectiveness at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles far exceeded both vitamin C and placebo.
A smoother, younger complexion, with less irritation and faster results — all without expensive (and painful) peels, implants or injections.
Better than Retinol and Vitamin C, But Is StriVectin-SD Better than Botulinum Toxin?
Dr. Nathalie Chevreau, PhD, RD, Director of Women’s Health at Salt Lake City based Basic Research, exclusive distributor for Klein-Becker, explains, “Leading dermatologists agree that Botulinum Toxin is the preferred treatment for glabellar lines, that tiny little space of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows. But ever since it was discovered that StriVectin could reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crows’ feet … the kind of fine lines, wrinkles and crows feet that can add 10-15 years to your appearance and which costly medical treatments often leave behind … skin-care professionals have been recommending, and using, StriVectin.”
In fact, researchers believe non-invasive alternatives are better, because, Dr. Chevreau continues, “Topical creams and gels offer gradual, continual results, while the effects of injections, facial peels, and dermabrasions are rougher on the skin and wear off.” In other words, StriVectin-SD helps give you a youthful, healthy, glowing complexion faster than retinol, far superior to vitamin C, and without irritation, needles, or surgery. Even better, many dermatologists and plastic surgeons recommend StriVectin in conjunction with cosmetic procedures, including Botulinum Toxin.
So, if you see someone applying an anti-stretch mark cream to their face, don’t think they’ve gone off the deep end … they may be smarter than you think.