Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I just started using Gratiae lifting serum after buying it from Amazon and thought it was a decent product at first but the consistency reminded me of something else I'd used but couldn't put my finger on it. Then I read many Amazon reviews by customers who said they'd first learned of the product via high pressure kiosk sales (never a good sign). I also looked at Gratiae's website and pricing which includes a warning not to buy their products elsewhere as "fakes" could damage your skin. I also noted that there are virtually no reviews by reputable beauty reviewers such as Allure magazine editors. And THEN I looked at the ingredient list. The first two ingredients are basically dimethicone and another silicon common in hair smoothing products. THAT'S why it felt familiar. I've used that on my hair. Let me say FIRST: These ingredients are NOT TOXIC and have been approved by the U.S. FDA (a governmental agency) for use in beauty products. There is no truth to the fact that the U.S. govt says these ingredients are toxic. HOWEVER I think you'll find most skin care people do not recommend them. They are basically plastics. They don't allow your skin to breathe and instead layer it with a thin layer of plastic that will dry out your skin and in my opinion also prevent any good ingredients from being absorbed into your skin. The product is OK as a makeup primer in the daytime. I might even say it's "good" as a makeup primer except for the fact that it is preventing your skin from breathing. Any benefit you get immediately is great, but don't expect any long-term benefits. I wouldn't be surprised if the company itself supplies Amazon with the product to sell for a low price since it can't be moving at $400 per product. These days most hairdressers advise clients not to use dimethicone because it dries out your hair (from not breathing). And you can't use it with extensions because it dissolves the bonds. I've had to look for alternatives to dimethicone (or any of the "icone" products) and all the hair products that don't have it are much more expensive. Because silicon and plastic is CHEAP. This stuff won't harm you if you buy a single bottle or just use it ocasionally as a makeup primer as that's what they all are made of, but it's a temporary fix. A layer of plastic on your face may even protect skin from the elements or smog temporarily. But it won't provide any long term benefits & isn't good for continuous use. If you want to use it during the day, whatever you do, DON'T put this product on your face at night when your skin needs to breathe to regenerate itself. It will not help and will prevent your skin from the healing that happens when we sleep. There are a couple hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C serums Amazon sells that actually do lift and reverse aging that do work, including Ultimate Swiss Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin C Serum and Oz Naturals. Both of those ingredients actually do lift the skin, even skin town and reduce fine lines and are effective anti-aging products. The Ultimate Swiss has a more watery texture and soaks in and contours and lifts. Oz Naturals has a more creamy feel like this product but without silicon. At first I was frustrated with Ultimate Swiss's small bottle (which is $13 on Amazon rather than $85) but it actually does last 3 weeks if you just use what is needed (I sometimes like to slather it on.) (Oz Naturals has a larger bottle for $25 and I like that product too.). But the bottom line is, hyaluronic acid is something that exists naturally in our skin and is what gives our skin elasticity and as we age our skin has less of it. Researchers for skin care companies discovered this and found that hyaluronic acid does work both as a filler injected by dermatologists and also when applied topically. HA is great for lines and lifting and vitamin C is great for skin texture and tone. Combining these two is smart and a great combination. The serums I mentioned on Amazon have those two ingredients at the best possible price and it is only my skin care product addiction that caused me to buy the Gratiae serum just to see. The more I look at the ingredients and the more I read the ridiculous claims on the company website the more I am convinced that this stuff is a sham, I believe someone decided they could substitute dimethicone (cheap) for hyaluronic acid which is the real thing. Other ingredients like jojoba oil and a trace amount of retinol are fine but I doubt they can even penetrate the skin when they are used with dimethicone. All the listed ingredients are cheap and absolutely nothing in it justifies the outrageous prices on the Gratiae website. I believe Gratiae's plan all along was to have a website with super expensive prices that make it seem like the product is high grade and high quality while then making most of their sales at prices like Amazon charges so you keep buying it because you think you are getting a deal. What high quality product is sold in Las Vegas at kiosks with super high pressure sales people? The only ultra expensive skin care product I have purchased and would buy if I could afford it is Creme de la Mer. And they don't need to shove their product down your throat. It sells itself. High pressure sales and ingredients like dimethicone are highly suspect and not the way a reputable company does business. Just my opinion I won't buy it again that's for sure. I took the time to write this review because I suspected fraud and sleazy business tactics and could not let that stand.