It's no secret around the office that I am totally obsessed with SkinMedica's blend of five different forms of HA. Why The obsession, you ask? 1. While other hyaluronic acid serums will deliver a superficial plumping effect by binding water in the skin, they are short lived. Typical HA's only have a lifespan of 2 to 4 hours. SkinMedica's R+D geniuses took care to stabilize these HA's, which means all-day and long-term hydration for you.

2. Key Words: "Rejuvenating Hydrator": yes, applying this magical photoshop-in-a-bottle will create a visible, instant gratification perfection-increase. But aside from the right-now smoothing/plumping effect, this powerhouse serum features a brand new antioxidant, peptides, and polysaccharides which will actually stimulate your skin to produce its own HA after continued use.

3. These photos: the below photos are the result of simply tapping HA5 on top of existing makeup, in the office.

Elapsed time: 40 minutes for one set, 4 hours for the other (whoops, we had a pretty crazy clinic day). Anyway, I'll think you'll agree that these results are remarkable!

*no retouching was performed and no filters were used in any way.

Here's what happens almost instantly when we restore the hydration with HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator:

Here's the background on HA: Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is our skin's natural moisture. We started out making tons of it, but as damage accumulates with age and our cellular turnover process slows down, we make less and less of it. In fact, it's said that between the ages of 40-50, your skin has lost 50% of the HA it had at age 20!

Known as a "Fountain Of Youth" molecule, HA is super important in the skin to bind water, holding moisture in. HA is also naturally present in our joints for lubrication, and found in many injectable fillers, too. Thanks to the awesome new antioxidants and 5 different kinds of HA in HA5, short-lived temporary gratification from basic/other Hydrating serums is becoming obsolete. ...WELCOME TO THIS!

If you add my fave HA5 to your regimen, you'll get awesome instant gratification with the added benefit of long-term improvement... and I think you'll be obsessed with it, too!

Click here for more on the long-and-short of the results from HA5 and the technology that sets this product-hero apart from other HA serums.

And until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

I spent the entire summer trying numerous self tanners, here are my top picks for 2015:

The BEST Professional Brands

Playboy Celebrity Glitz (yes, playboy brand)

This medium-consistency cream requires care when applying because of its ultra-dark color and potential for staining hands, but is so worth it! Wear gloves and/or apply with a slightly dampened sponge-mit for best results.

Pros:

• darkest and best tan

• not-orange

• no scent

• bronzing

Cons:

• Will stain hands, cuticles, everything - even if you're quick to wash after. Wear gloves or a mitt!

Norvell Dancing with the Stars Mousse

I have a new-found love for foams this year. Cleaner than sprays or airbrush, and quicker to dry than creams or lotions, I found myself defaulting to foams and mousses often. This one is my fave!

Pros:

• quick drying

• slightly bronzing

• clean finish, not dewey or heavy

• beautiful tan result!

Cons:

• must use gloves or a mitt

• doesn't smell awesome after it starts working. I like this one for overnight use only,

Tip:

• I hear the Norvell brand foam without the "dancing" endorsement is just as good and a little cheaper, but have not tried it yet. You'll save anywhere from $3-10 for trying the standard, not-endorsed formula.

The BEST Store-Bought Brands:

Victoria secret BRONZE:

This creamy, bronze lotion leaves a pretty and subtle gleam without being sparkly. Whenever I wear it, everyone always asks me what it is and where to get it!

Pros:

• bronzing

• medium consistency

• smells good

Cons:

• too many applications in a row can start to look orange

If you are in a hurry and want something fast from the store, I usually go with

Loreal Sublime Tinted Self Tanning Lotion

Pros:

• bronzing

• light sheen/shimmer

• budget-friendly

• this line also features a towlette, which I sometimes use when I'm in a hurry

• satisfyingly dark level of tan-result

Cons:

•takes quite a while to dry

• the smell (it's not terrible, but you can certainly detect that good ole' self-tanner smell after the fragrance wears down)

• a misleadingly sheer consistency and great slip when applying leads me to think I've spread it on evenly each time. Don't fall for it and take your time!

By far, the best store brand is the new Jergens Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse

Pros:

• bronzing

• Dries FAST!

• budget-friendly

Cons:

•This is a gradual tanner, so you'll need to build it up slowly over the course of several days.

• the smell (it's not terrible, but you can certainly detect that good ole' self-tanner smell after the fragrance wears down)

• This product is QUICK to stain hands - even if you immediately wash after. I underestimated this. Be sure to wear gloves or a mitt!

This is a great tool for maintaining a professional spray tan, also!

The BEST New Concept:

St. Tropez Gradual Tan In-Shower Lotion

This innovative new product is a lotion you apply IN the shower (once you're finished up, with the water off). Wait 3 minutes and rinse: Wah-Lah! It's formulted with sweet almond oil so it leaves your skin smelling sweetly and feeling conditioned by not greasy. Love it!

Pros:

• No need to wait for it to dry

• No icky self-tanner smell

• No streaks!

Cons:

•This is a gradual tanner, so you'll need to build it up slowly over the course of several days.

• I am a wimp, and get cold in the shower even when it's on. Despite only needing to wait 3 minutes, I get cold and find myself skipping it some days.

the best self tanners theproductpro.wordpress.com I hope you found a new product to experiment with from this review!

Until Next Time, Practice Safe sun and Stay Fabulous My Friends!

Real Before-and-After Photos - E Experiments: SkinMedica's HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

Practice safe sun and look hot doing it: The Best Self Tanners Of The Year