I consider myself a beauty product junkie/expert. You name it, I've tried it. I have done my research, I've read medical journals, and I've talked to different doctors over the years. I know about skin care and what does and doesn't work. My hobby is studying nutrition, fitness and beauty products. There isn't a product out there that you can apply topically that is going to cure your skin issues overnight. But, if the product has the right ingredients, YOU WILL get results, you just have to be patient. This product has the right ingredients. Always look at the ingredient list on skincare products. It is full of "butters" and one of the first ingredients listed are the Retinol and the Ferulic Acid. That means that there is a higher concentration of these ingredients in the product and they are not secondary ingredients that won't get you real results. If the "magic ingredient" in your product is one of the last things listed, it's going to do virtually nothing for your skin. Most drug store prodcuts fall into this category. Also, this lotion is not going to "ultra moisturize" your skin topically. You're going to think that it's not working because you won't have that "lotiony" feel after you put it on. It quickly soaks in. Many people think that if their skin doesn't feel silky, slimy, and soft right after applying their lotion, that the product isn't moisturizing enough. There is a difference in moisturizing and hydrating. What you really want is hydration. This is where the skin attracts moisture in the deeper layers and is locked in from within. Not sitting on top. Lotions that contain mainly "butters" are hydrating. That's where you're going to see real results. Most lotions sold in stores "moisturize" topically. They contain petrolatum and mineral oil as their main ingredients. You feel all silky and soft at first, but after those lotions soak in (or rub off on your clothes beacause they really don't get down below the surface of your skin) your skin feels dry again a couple hours later. This lotion is not like that. It's going to hydrate your skin with treatment, not superficial oils and chemical emollients. As far as the smell, it doesn't bother me, but I can see why some might not like it. What you're smelling is the shea butter which to many people has a kind of cocoa-ish, baby powderish kind of smell. Some people even say they smell kind of a hint of rose. Shea butter naturally smells like all this. That's a good thing b/c it's the main ingredient in the lotion. If you don't like the smell, then don't buy any products that contain mainly shea butter. Overall, this is a great product. I have been using it for about a month, and I can tell a difference in the quality of my skin. Texture, tone, firmness, etc. It is not going to magically erase age spots or sun spots. You would have to use pure Vitamin C or a bleaching cream containing hydroquinone to topically reduce the appearance those. If you really want to get rid of those, you'd have to break the bank to get them laser treated. For a topical hydration and mild anti-aging treatment, this lotion does work if you use it long enough, but set realistic expectations.
