Glowing, ageless skin is always in, but with so many products on the market it can be hard deciding which brand to go with. Style’s associate publisher recently tested local salon owner, Kari Vierra’s line of dermatologist-formulated, anti-aging skin care, KRAVE, and she shares the results in this month’s “We Tried It” column. 

As a woman of a certain age (ok, I’m 62), I’ve pretty much tried every skin care line on the planet at one time or another (except the $600 jars of creams—even I’m not THAT vain—or rich), so when Kari Vierra, owner of local hair salon Kolourz, told me she had developed her own line of dermatologist-formulated, medical-strength skin care products that have clinically demonstrated results, I jumped at the chance to try them. How often do you get to use products developed by someone you know and trust—and not some big corporation where marketing and packaging contribute to the cost of the product?

Over the course of four months I faithfully used only Krave products. Here’s my regimen:  

In the morning, I use Chamomile Facial Cleanser. This is a very gentle cleanser but is not drying at all. Ingredients include chamomile essential oils, antioxidants and peptides. Every article I read, ever vlog I watch on skin care (there are thousands, by the way!) all say that your skin care products must include peptides. I looked up the definition of peptides and what they do—it’s way too long to explain—and it has something to do with building collagen, which reduces wrinkles. That’s a good enough explanation for me! One of the nice things about the cleanser is that it doesn’t contain odium lauryl sulfate, which is harsh and drying. 

 Next I apply the Advanced Retinol wrinkle and skin tone corrector. This product is more of a serum; it evens skin tone, fades age spots and improves skin smoothness. I really like this product and the feel of it on my skin.  And it does what it’s supposed to do—my age spots have faded and it’s lessened the appearance of my fine lines. It didn’t get rid of my wrinkles per say, but it did smooth them.

Lastly, I use the AHA Marine Moisture Crème. This is a high-potency moisturizer—a little goes a long way. This product contains glycolic acid—again this visibly lessens wrinkles. The marine peptides help firm skin, which is a big deal for me; as I get older, the elasticity of my skin has greatly diminished so products that improve elasticity are high on my list of must-haves.

In the evening, I use the cleanser, followed by Resurface Crème (two-to-three times per week). The Resurface Crème is an exfoliator and not for sensitive skin and contains algae and orange essential oil, so it’s not as drying as most exfoliators. The product helps get rid of dead skin cells and enhance product absorption. After, I apply the Advanced Retinol Serum and the AHA Marine Moisture Crème.

Overall, I’ve been really pleased with the results received from Krave products. My skin texture and tone have both improved. Plus, the products have a light, fresh scent and lasted the entire four-month trial. I just ran out of the Advanced Retinol and am low on the other products, so you should plan on having to replace every four months or so. 

Krave has other products, too, such as a C-Stem serum, Vita Soothe for sensitive skin, as well as sunscreen and eye care. What’s more, the products are well-priced—nothing is over $75 per jar and most are in the $40-$60 range. I spent a total of $225 for everything, which is about $55 a month.

My results are not like getting fillers or Botox, of course, but for a daily regimen that helps older skin look and feel the best it can, Krave products will remain on my bathroom counter! Find the products at colourzhairsalon.com.

By Debra Linn