Q&A with Avon's Anthony Gonzalez

While I like to think of myself as a skin care expert, primarily because I do insane amounts of research and reading on the subject, and I used to write for a beauty industry mag where I learned all about the actual chemicals and ingredients, I still love picking the brains of the real experts, you know the ones with actual science degrees?

I had the chance to pose some questions to the very knowledgeable Anthony Gonzalez, Avon's Senior Manager of Global Skin Care Product Development and learned all about anti-aging and the new ingredient Activinol, found in Avon's Anew Reversalist Eye Illuminating System (which is my eye cream du jour that you can read about here). Read on for his insight:

Q. What is Activinol? How does it help keep the skin looking healthy and youthful?

A. Activinol is our latest technology in the fight against aging.  It represents a whole new approach to treating visible wrinkling.  In our research we uncovered a scientific theory that aging is actually the result of a series of micro-injuries that accumulate over time.  This inspired us to look into the methods the body uses in response to injuries to see if we could find a new way to address aging.  That led us to Activinol, which boosts the production of the protein “activin” which helps stimulate the production of the components required for healthy younger looking skin.

Avon is the first company to use this patent-pending complex, composed of highly purified phytochemicals, which include:

    * Amorphophallus, which stimulates Activin production to help trigger skin’s repair process
    * Sesbania, which Boosts skin’s support structure


Q. When should women start incorporating anti-aging skin care products into their regimen?

A. Although the 1st signs of aging typically show in the late 20’s or early 30’s, It is never too early to fight the signs of aging at least with broad spectrum SPF and a good quality anti-aging moisturizer.   The ANEW Reversalist products in particular are designed to target the needs of women experiencing moderate signs of aging including wrinkles, discoloration and loss of firmness.  If I had to give an age bracket, I’d say this is for a woman in her 40’s, however skin type and damage does vary from person-to-person.

Q. How often do women need to apply eye cream?

A. Both ANEW Reversalist Eye and Day are meant to be used as part of a daily regimen.  The eye system consists of two-parts, the Eye Cream and Brightening Veil. Avon recommends using the Eye System every morning before you apply your makeup as well as every evening. To apply, gently smooth the cream around the entire eye area. When you wake up each morning, apply the veil to brighten the under-eye area.

Q. How can women prevent future signs of aging?

A. Balance a proper skin care routine with a healthy lifestyle that maximizes the skin’s ability to counteract aging. Some great examples of this are eating foods high in antioxidants and always wearing a product with SPF or using additional sun protection such as wide brimmed hats.