Meaningful Beauty Cream

Meaningful Beauty is a skin care regimen that has quite a dramatic background story. Per the website, the story goes that Cindy Crawford, a celebrity supermodel from the 90s, asked to have the formulations of France’s leading cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh sent to her in the states. He had discovered a rare French melon extract (superoxide dismutase) that causes that particular melon to stay fresher and firmer than similar varieties. Apparently, because of the fragility of the compounds used in his formulations, the product could not be shipped.

Thus, a partnership was formed to compound the formula in such a way that it could be shipped all over the world and made available to every woman. The melon extract is the cornerstone of Meaningful Beauty’s anti-wrinkle formulations. Plus, per the website, it’s naturally enriched with coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid and minerals that are designed to help restore skin’s youthful radiance.

Is Meaningful Beauty Really A Bargain?

With a price of $29.95 per month for a complete anti-aging skin care regimen that includes 7 products, it certainly seems that this celebrity partnership has done us a favor. However, if for any reason you're not completely satisfied, just return the containers within 60 days of receipt and you'll get a full refund of the purchase price (minus shipping and handling costs).

As my primary focus is reviewing anti-aging creams here, I will not be reviewing the entire skin care system, which includes a cleanser, day moisturizer, night cream, eye cream, masque, neck cream, and glowing serum. I will only be reviewing the creams, Maintenance 1 and 2.

Product Claims:

  • Rejuvenate damaged skin to improve skin's firmness and diminish the visible signs of aging.
  • 7 key ingredients designed to help protect and renew your skin in a powerful new way, including coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, and minerals.
  • Makes the appearance of wrinkles look smoother
  • The antioxidant, superoxide dismutase, can help prevent the release of free radicals that age your skin.

Cross Examination:

First off, the good things.

The manufacturer does have a good price and a 60 day money back guarantee. The website is user friendly and has nice touches like "how to" videos.

Meaningful Beauty is upfront with their ingredient lists which you can read here:

Maintenance 1 Day Moisture (protecting):

Active Ingredients: Octisalate 5%, Oxvbenzone 5%, Octinoxate 5%, Zinc Oxide 3%

Other Ingredients: Water (Aqua), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Castor Oil Phosphate, Lecithin, Steareth-20, Alcohol Denat., Cholesterol, Magnesium, Ascorbyl Phosohate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool

My take: The three named active ingredients are Octinoxate, Avobenzone and zinc oxide, which are relatively common compounds used in a variety of cosmetics and sunscreens. The highly touted French melon extract is buried in the list of “other ingredients.” Zinc oxide is an excellent sunscreen and you should be using it, but nothing in this list of ingredients have been proven to fight wrinkles.

Maintenance 2 Night Fluid (repairing):

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Isononyl Isononanoate, Prunus Amygdalus Duicis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Sorbitan Oleate, Poylsorbate 80, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Dimethicone, Soluble Collagen, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces / Zinc Ferment, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Hydrogentated Palm Oil, Tocopherol, Cholesterol, Decarboxy Carnosine HCL, Magnesium Ascrobyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Retinyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Mineral Oil, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polysorbate 85, Polyacrylamide, Palmitoyl Proline, Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Magnesiu, Aluminum Silicate, Tocotrienols, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Mthylparaben, Bensoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool

First The Good

Almond oil is widely used as a skin emollient and moisturizer, and is capable of preventing and decelerating the structural damage caused by UV irradiation.

Now For The Not-So-Good

There are no ingredients listed that have excellent wrinkle reducing properties and some are practically useless. More concerning to me, there are several synthetic substances listed that are potentially harmful. Furthermore, the website claims that the products use lipoic acid and Coenzyme Q10. I looked at all the ingredient lists, and unless these ingredients come with a different name that I am not aware of, I couldn’t find either ingredient in any of the products.

The product does include collagen, which when used topically, is useless. Collagen is a big molecule and does not penetrate the squamous epidermis, so it just sits useless on top of the skin until you wash it off.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is listed as the second ingredient, and I’m still trying to figure this one out. One of the most common uses is for construction of aquariums and spectator protection in ice hockey rinks; it is also used to make dentures. In cosmetic surgery, tiny PMMA microspheres suspended in some biological fluid are injected under the skin to reduce wrinkles or scars permanently.

It is hydrophobic (not compatible with water) and forms a film on the skin, but does not penetrate. Worse, according to the environmental working group’s skin safety database, this ingredient is known to cause cancer and allergies, and basic safety and efficacy studies are lacking. How or why the formulary scientists are using it in a skin cream is, at this point, beyond me.

Bottom Line

Don’t get swayed by the celebrity thang!

While the Meaningful Beauty system may be a good skin care regimen, it is not going reduce your wrinkles and is not a good anti-aging product. Furthermore, there are several ingredients that have questionable safety and efficacy. Buy something different!