New from Bliss: "The Youth (As We Know It)" Moisturizer

Bliss just created the dream cream for 30 (and 40)-somethings. It's a one-stop shopping, anti-aging, super hydrating and wrinkle preventing cream.

The Pitch
"Ten Active Ingredients" in a silky, quick absorbing formula that can do it all. Here's the rundown.

1) MMP inhibitors slow the formation of "matrix metalloproteinases" that causes the breakdown of collagen in the skin's structure. Look for improved firmness, tone and resilience within a few days of use.
2) Wrinkle reduction peptides help improve resilience and elasticity to minimize the appearance of fine lines.
3) Visual facial 'fillers'(that compete with the more invasive injectables available from your dermatologist or plastic surgeon) fill out hollow areas making the skin appear more plump and smooth.
4) Cellular respiration boosters (that's the hydrogen peroxide, I'm guessing) help reduce redness and bump up cellular oxygenation. "The Youth as We Know It Moisturizer" helps tone down redness and will still give skin a healthy glow.
5) "Hyper dermal de-stressors" increase moisture retention and provide instant hydration for acute dryness.
6) Seven-day, time-released hydrators maintain the skin's hydrolipidic barrier, giving the skin long-lasting moisturization and hydration.
7) Barrier repairing ingredients (Ceramide 2, shea butter and olive fruit oil) strengthen, increase and repair barrier function.
8) Stabilized, time-release vitamin C stimulates collagen production in the skin and contributes to the glow of the complexion.
9) Pigment inhibitors, like bilberry, brighten skin tone and fight age spots.
10) Vitamin A mimics retinoic acid (in the form of retinyl palmitate) but without the irritation, to smooth the surface and improve skin's density.

The Reality
Bliss's "The Youth as We Know It Moisturizer" truly is a very high quality cream. And, $79 is expensive, but not ridiculous for the actual product you're getting. It does not contain sunscreen so it can't be truly "all in one". However, skin creams and treatments with this many highly active ingredients would be better used at night anyway, as not to compete with makeup and sun exposure.

Sunscreens require a pH that interferes with the activity of many key anti-aging ingredients. In fact, pH is one of the biggest factors that could work against a cream touting this many actives. Each chemical has a specific, optimal pH that makes it most effective. You can bet that this many active ingredients can't all require the same pH level. Compromises were surely made - however, the overall effect is still quite impressive.

"The Youth as we Know It Moisturizer" soaks in well and has both immediate and long-lasting effects on the skin. The fragrance is light and pleasant. It will be interesting to see if the success of this cream affects the other products in the company's line up. Bliss's "An Ounce of Prevention PM" may soon be made "redundant" by its new flashier competition. Time will tell.

Meanwhile if you want to consolidate the products sitting on your vanity - "The Youth as We Know It Moisturizer" is the way to do it.