Reversa

   This Canadian-based skin-care company is, as the name implies, all about reversing the signs of aging. Reversa products, like many well-formulated products, can do that to some extent, but never as miraculously as the claims make it sound. To its credit, Reversa does have an assortment of products that are well formulated and that have AHAs, and that combination can definitely make skin look smoother and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. They also have well-formulated products for sun protection that contain AHAs. 
   AHAs seem to be the driving force behind this brand. Most Reversa products contain glycolic acid, which is one of the more effective AHAs, in formulations with pH levels that make them good options for exfoliation. Another strong point for this small line of products is their well-designed sunscreens, which also contain AHA and have a pH level that permits exfoliation. Ironically, Reversa’s strong point ends up being its shortcoming. If you are using more than one of their products, then you likely are using more than one AHA product, and that is overkill for anyone’s face. The skin needs only one effective AHA product to improve cell turnover and exfoliation, and for many skin types that doesn’t mean applying it twice a day. Using it once a day in the evening is usually the right skin-care routine for most people. 
   While AHAs (or BHA, which this line ignores) are an important skin-care ingredient, the skin needs more than AHAs and even more than sunscreen to help combat the onslaught of sun damage and the passing of time. Moisturizers or toners with good concentrations of antioxidants, skin-identical ingredients, cell-communicating ingredients, and anti-irritants should be part of the game plan, and in those areas this line comes up short.
    One more comment about the AHA products in this line. Reversa claims that they use an innovative “Time-Release Glyco-Comfort System” to allow even those with sensitive skin to experience the benefits of glycolic acid. This system is said to minimize the potential for glycolic acid to irritate skin by slowing its penetration with the amino acid arginine and the anti-irritant allantoin. Although those ingredients can be helpful for all skin types, there is no research proving that they make glycolic acid less irritating or that they slow its penetration into skin. Besides, there are lots of ingredients that can make glycolic acid less irritating—it doesn’t take a special time-release complex—so chalk this claim up to marketing more than a formulary edge that would make Reversa’s AHA products worth considering over less expensive options. 
   Research shows that glycolic acid’s penetration into skin is based primarily on strength (i.e., concentration of glycolic acid), pH level, and time (Sources: Experimental Dermatology, January 2005, pages 34–40; and Journal of Dermatological Science, December 1998, pages 181–188).
   For more information about Reversa, call (800) 465-8383 or visit www.revesa.ca.
   Note: All prices are in Canadian dollars.
   Special thanks: I want to extend my gratitude to Robert Lavoie, President of Dermtek Pharmaceuticals, the company behind the Reversa brand. He willingly worked with my research assistant to supply all the information we needed to review this line, for all of their products. It isn’t very often that we get such cooperation, and it is always appreciated.