Thursday, April 15, 2010

Fighting Free Radicals: SAMPAR Urban Express Mousse


    Do you ever have days where you come home and just can't wait to wash your face? Sometimes by the time I get home, the first thing I do is head for my Clarisonic to remove the ick on my skin. I'm not talking about taking off my makeup, I am talking about taking off the remains of the day. The bits that materialize because of humidity, smog or getting stuck behind that car that didn't pass its emissions test. Bleck. I can't be the only one who feels this way.

    I know pollutants in the air (along with other free radicals) can cause skin damage. If you aren't sure, a free radical is a when a molecule is split and left with uneven electrons. Free radicals are very unstable and glom on to other things (like your face) looking for their missing electron. But when the glomming free radical steals an electron and becomes whole, it makes another free radical. Apparently, they are just that selfish. Once it starts, it becomes a vicious cycle of electron theft and creates a chain reaction of molecule destruction. In the wake of this destruction, living cells are damaged. The result is that your skin doesn't look as good as it did before the free radicals invaded. Antioxidants and vitamins can help undo the damage these lonely molecules can cause when they "split" up from their other molecule friends. One way to correct and repair the free radical damage caused by the ick in the environment is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. But I don't write about what to eat, so...

    Another way to combat free radicals is to use products with antioxidants and vitamins to help keep everyone (and by everyone, I mean molecules) on an even keel and balanced. SAMPAR created a facial cleanser designed to specifically to stop free radicals from damaging your face. SAMPAR's Urban Express Mousse is formulated to work with all skin types to revitalize skin and correct damage caused by the environment. SAMPAR's Urban Advance Complex claims to:
    • Redness, stinging, irritation and other signs of inflammation are instantly soothed.
    • Chlorine, nicotine and heavy metals found in polluted air are absorbed.
    • Toxins and free radicals generated by pollution are rapidly neutralized.

    I used this cleanser for several weeks and here are my thoughts. I loved how it smelled. It has a faint floral smell, which I can't get enough of. After using it, any redness in my skin was quelled and my skin felt clean, soft and balanced. I do tend to use a lash enhancing makeup remover afterwards to get rid of mascara, but otherwise my skin feels thoroughly cleansed and fresh. It retails for $20, which is a steal for a gentle, effective, free radical fighting cleanser. If you're interested, SAMPAR created an entire line around their Urban Advance Complex. It's one of the top selling lines in France, so check it out!

    Are you concerned about environmental damage? Would you use products specifically to help stop damage caused by urban living? Tell me in the comments!

    This product was sent to me for the purposes of review.
    Photo by Jan Krcmar and myself.
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