I love being an influencer! I get to try all kinds of cool new products, for free!! Some products I would never get to try otherwise. Take for example the YOUTH skin care line by Shaklee.

 *Standard Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I did receive samples for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own, based on my experience.*

YOUTH is designed to specifically target aging at a cellular level. Now, I know I look young, but I am actually one year away from being 30. I have a toddler (and one on the way), wrinkles and sun damage from my twenties. I am definitely no longer a fresh faced youth with no cares in the world. So for me, it is quite practical to start considering age defying products.

It’s not that I want to stay or look young forever. I think having wrinkles and laugh lines is like a badge of honor; saying, look how far I’ve come and what I’ve been through in life. I’ve earned those lines, and I’m proud of how I look. I will never go to such extreme lengths to preserve the appearance of youth.

But, it also doesn’t hurt to try and look your best, especially if it’s in the form of quick and easy applicable creams/serums. So, I gave these YOUTH products a try. Take a look at what these products claim to deliver, and my experience with each of them.

Radiance C+ E Capsules

Claim: These capsules contain 20% pure Vitamin C intended to restore radiance by reducing the appearance of age spots, smoothing skin texture and brightening skin tone. The capsules themselves are plant based, biodegradable and allow for a preservative-free formula.

​When I first saw Radiance, I was immediately impressed by the cool container and capsules. It is suggested to only use these once a day. However, there is no information on how to use them or when, other than after cleansing. I’m assuming, that means at night, since most of us cleanse at night. So that’s what I did. The result was a warm, tingling/itchy feeling that was very uncomfortable.

To be fair, I tried Radiance various ways. At first I was only putting it on every couple of nights. Then, I used it every night for a week. I also tried it with the YOUTH Activating Serum (before and after application). Every time it produced the same results. As I am not a fan of the tingling/itchy feeling, I am not a fan of this product. I will say that I have noticed less wrinkles and smoother skin. Although, I do not have aging spots to compare. Finally, if by “brightening skin tone” they mean, red from irritation, then I’d say it definitely accomplishes that.

YOUTH Activating Serum

 Claim: This is a must-have product that includes 10x the active ingredients to renew at the cellular level, support collagen production and make your skin cells act younger

​I have no idea how a product is supposed to make your skin cells “act younger”. If it means more “sensitive”, then it’s right on target. This product also came with no instructions. It simply says to use twice daily. I would assume that means once in the morning and once at night. I have tried using it once at night, twice daily, and combined with another product just at night.

The first time I used this product, once at night, it was totally fine. When I used it twice in a day, it had a slight tingly/warm feeling. When I combined this activating serum with the Radiance C + E capsules, it’s very close to burning. But, nowhere does it specify not to combine this product with another product. This activating serum has been OK on its own, using only once a day. I cannot use this serum twice in a day, as it is irritating to my skin. And I definitely do not recommend using it immediately before or after the capsules.

YOUTH Activating BB Cream (Shade 2)

Claims: This 5-in-1 multitasking beauty balm provides buildable, blendable coverage to perfect the look and feel of your skin.  It evens, corrects, hydrates, nourishes and protects. Plus, it Includes a naturally-derived sunscreen to provide SPF 30 for UVA/ UVB Protection.

This BB cream comes in four different shades. I love that all the options were sent, because you never know your true match until you try them out. Luckily, I chose correctly on my first try. Shade two is perfect for my skin tone right now. Even in the summer I think it would still work, and with the added benefit of SPF 30, I would still feel comfortable using it.

I am a fan of this BB cream. It has enough coverage and blends well to even out my skin tone. It does not leave my skin tingly or itchy at all. I can’t necessarily tell if it does all the things it claims to, but I would rather use this BB cream if it can actually accomplish all those things overtime, versus others I have previously used.

Final Thoughts

I’m not sure how anti-aging products are supposed to work/feel. For example, I know when you get a lip plumper your lips are supposed to feel bee-stung and full. That’s probably not a very comfortable feeling. I have never tried lip plumping products, but I have heard that is one of the side effects.

So I don’t know if the warm, itchy/tingling feeling is a side effect of all anti-aging products. If it is, I am not a fan. I feel like these serums/lotions have made my skin more sensitive than it was before. Also, whenever I put on makeup now, I have these dry flaky spots and red rashy patches that were not there before. I know this is a direct result from using these products. I’m not sure which one, as I’ve been using all three regularly for a few weeks. Can anyone shed some light on this? Either your experience with anti-aging products or having noticeably flaky spots after makeup application?