Category: Health

Do you give a lot of thought to the science behind your skincare?  March’s product review is on the science focused D’adamo Genoma skincare.  The folks at D’adamo were super gracious and sent me a giant box filled with their entire skincare line for me to review.

First, a little background….The founder, Dr. Peter D’Adamo is famous for his bestselling books which focus on gearing your diet toward your blood type.  He’s brought his science background and the idea of matching your products to your blood type into a skincare line.  It is Dr. D’Adamo’s assertion that “most other skin care products contain irritants for one or more blood types” so this line is “formulated to be right for all types.”

Here’s what this skincare like doesn’t include:

●None of the following common irritants: wheat or milk proteins; corn or coconut by-products, or aloe vera.
●Mineral oil, parabens, paraffin or petrolatum or any petroleum-based products.
●Propylene glycol or other potentially harmful ingredients used in typical moisturizers.
●They also do not test on animals.

What they do include:
●All-natural, wild-crafted and organic botanicals.
●Carnoisine, a powerful amino acid that inhibits the aging process and rejuvenates skin cells.

So what we’ve learned is that this is an uber sciency anti-aging skincare line that should be especially beneficial for those with allergies and sensitivities.

To understand where I’m coming from with my review, I’ll give you some info about my skin.  I’m in my thirties and have combination skin. I am sensitive to certain ingredients, but they most frequently pop up in makeup rather than skincare.  I have large pores and while acne isn’t usually an issue, blackheads can be.

Now enough gross stuff about my skin and let’s try this stuff out already.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Rejuvenating Cleanser, 3.53 fl oz (104 ml)

(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “D’Adamo Genoma Cleanser is a creamy, super-hydrating formula that gently removes dirt, make-up, and excess oils without stripping essential oils from the skin. Dr. D’Adamo uses the naturally occurring amino dipeptide carnosine to help block chronic glycation. The Cleanser is enhanced with wild-crafted extract of krameria root, a gentle cleanser, and extract of lemon myrtle, long used for healing by indigenous Australians.  As an added benefit, the cleanser can also be used as a hydrating mask.”
Verdict:  Like
There’s not much of a scent and the packaging is on the clinical side.  Unlike the description, I didn’t find it to be “super moisturizing”, but I also didn’t feel like it stripped my skin either. I think it’s a solid cleanser and would appeal to those who are sensitive to scents and particular ingredients.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Age-Inhibiting Toner, 3.53 fl oz (104 ml)
(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “D’Adamo Genoma AGE-Inhibiting Toner provides continuous hydration to your skin. Dr. D’Adamo uses three natural mineral peptides to enhance toning of the ligaments underneath the skin, helping to tighten soft and sagging facial muscles. Wild-crafted extracts of milk thistle, neroli flower, and krameria root help to tighten pores and expel trapped dirt and debris.”
Verdict:  Love!
I’ve only ever found a couple toners that didn’t make my skin super dry or sting when I applied them.  This one went on smoothly and lifted any of the stubborn bits of mascara and eyeliner that like to appear even after I use a cleanser.  I also loved using this as a makeup remover.  If I get a little too excited with the eyeliner, I just dab a little onto a cotton pad and voila the smudge is gone and my skin is refreshed.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Day Light Face Cream, 1.67 fl oz (49 ml)

(Retail: $36.95)
Description: “This hydrating Cream plumps up and softens the skin reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dr. D’Adamo created two powerful herbal combinations for this Cream: a lecithin, carnosine, and milk thistle complex to stop the stiffening of collagen fibers and a date, pomegranate, and strawberry complex to provide superior antioxidant protection. The addition of wild-crafted extract of cassia seed provides moisturizing benefits similar to hyaluronic acid.”
Verdict: Miss
This is a thin, more liquidy day cream.  Like the other products there isn’t much of scent.  I found it just didn’t do much for my skin.  I prefer my day creams to have some kind of spf or more of a brightening effect.  If you like lighter day creams, then this would probably be right up your alley.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Restorative Night Cream, 1.67 fl oz (49 ml)
(Retail: $36.95)
Description: “This is a heavier Cream designed to promote a more intense level of restorative support; improving hydration, firmness, and smoothness of the skin, while reducing wrinkle depth. Dr. D’Adamo blends a proprietary extract of mung bean, known for its anti-irritant properties, with carnosine and yerba mate, known for their ability to block tissue-aging glycation. The addition of wild-crafted clary sage enhances the drainage of the lymphatic channels underneath the skin and enhances tissue detoxification.”
Verdict:  Like
This cream was a bit thicker than the day cream but not quite as rich or thick as most night creams I’ve used.  It applies easy and I think folks who dislike really heavy night creams would like this.  I didn’t find it super moisturizing but I did feel like it helped even out my skin tone a bit.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Genoma, Eye Cream, .5 fl oz (15 ml)
(Retail: $39.95)
Description: “This hydrating cream, formulated by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, firms and protects, reducing the appearance of fine lines and puffiness around the eyes.”
Verdict:  Hit!
This is possibly the thinnest eye cream I’ve ever tried.  One pump is enough to cover both eyes, below and on the lid.  The consistency is actually refreshing and maybe it’s just willful thinking but I did feel like it diminished the fine lines around my eyes a bit.  Like the other products, in this line not much of a scent.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Anti-Age Serum, .50 fl oz (30 ml)
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: “This light, refreshing serum does double duty. Crafted from organic Trehalose and all-natural botanical extracts, it provides superior hydration to skin cells, while minimizing the appearance of Age-spots. Particularly suited to dry and sensitive skin, this serum will leave your skin looking lighter, brighter, and more luminous. Only the finest wild-crafted herb and botanicals are used in our products, and there are no mineral oils, parabens, paraffin, or petroleum, which can be disruptive to hormonal activity.”
Verdict:  Hit!
As is the theme with the D’Adamo line this product is light with a thinner consistency and not much of a scent.  I used it at night and I felt it did a really great job of evening out my skin and helping smooth out some fine lines.  Personally it was a bit drying, so I probably wouldn’t use this every day and instead alternate with a more hydrating serum.

D’Adamo Personalized Nutrition, Deep Pore Cleansing Masque, 4 fl oz (120 ml)
(Retail: $36.95)

Description: “Montmorillonite, a French green clay, has been used for centuries to detoxify and lift impurities from the skin. Dr. D’Adamo blends botanicals, minerals and organic oils to heal, tone and moisturize, keeping skin smooth and supple. Weekly use of Deep Pore Cleansing Masque leaves skin feeling healthy and purified.”
Verdict:  Hit
This product has the typical clay mask application where you slop on some thick sludge, let it dry and hope for the best.  The mask was ready to remove in about 15 minutes.  It wasn’t difficult to take off, although as is par for the course with these, it was a bit messy.  I thought it did a good job of cleaning out my pores and leaving my skin refreshed.  Sometimes these masks can leave your skin super sensitive or bit worse for the wear, but none of that happened with the D’Adamo mask.

Daily Repair Body Lotion
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: ”Dr. D’Adamo blended aloe vera with shea nut butter to create a body lotion that not only moisturizes, but heals dry and damaged skin.”
Verdict:  Miss
With Body Lotions, I tend to like them to have a nice scent and be super moisturizing.  I found this to be not particularly compelling.  Again not much of a scent and while it moisturized it wasn’t at the level of my usual products.   If you have a lot of allergies this might be a good option for you, but it’s a miss for me.

Cellular Renewal Body Wash
(Retail: $29.95)
Description: ”Cellular Renewal Body Wash contains two key ingredients; vitamin B5 which increases the humectant properties of the skin and plays a role in cellular metabolism, and sodium hyaluronate a naturally occurring substance that penetrates the skin’s basal layer to replenish devitalized cells.”
Verdict:  Miss
This is the first product I tried in the line that actually had a scent.  It was light citrus, but it still wasn’t quite as strong as most women would like in a bodywash.  I didn’t find this hydrating enough for me and like the body lotion I found it pretty pedestrian.

Overall

I liked this line a lot.   If I had to pick one favorite it would the toner, which I felt left my skin refreshed and did double duty by removing makeup.

This line would appeal to folks who prefer a more streamlined and not uber feminine approach to their skincare.  There’s not much scent, the packaging is more science than beauty and the consistency of the product is a lot less heavy than what you’d expect.  I think if you’re trying to get the man in your life to try a skincare line, this would be a fabulous choice.  It doesn’t have the flowery scents or the girly packaging that often intimidates men from trying out skincare products.  I also think this is a great option for the folks that have a ton of allergies and need to spend an hour reading the label of every product since this line is specifically created to eliminate many allergens.

Overall I enjoyed trying these products. I find the idea that your blood type influences the type of skincare you should use to be very intriguing and something I am going to give more thought to in the future.  The D’Adamo products aren’t as feminine as I typically like in my skincare, but they are solid and high quality.

Do you have any allergies to skincare or makeup?  If so, what products do you find the most problematic?

Coupon Code:
If you want to give these products a shot you can use my code at iherb.com: CVF809 for a discount on your first order.
They are a fabulous place to buy everything from groceries to essential oils and they offer lots of freebies at checkout.