Why and who bought similar products?
At first, I didn’t even know if it’s worth it to buy the pills to try them out.
For $20+ per 60 pills, it sounded kind of pricey for something that might just be a placebo. :\
But I bit the bullet (heck, they’re extra multi-vitamins anyway, right?) and I purchased a bottle of Genuine Health’s Multi + Glow and Perfect Skin pills.
Mainly because Gala Darling was raving about how it fixed her skin, which is my problem area.
Jaka also talked about how the Multi Joy pills have helped her mood, and Ginger wrote a quick review about the Greens+ powder mixture.
But do pills really work?
It’s always better to get your vitamins and nutrients from actual food than to rely on a pill to do all the work for you.
Also, I’ve hearing reports & from word of mouth that vitamins don’t really sink into your body.
They kind of pass through it.. and are useless.
Some people also fall into the trap of: MORE IS MORE, when in fact you should be extra careful with anything you think is considered “natural” or “organic”.
You can always overdo it to the detriment to your body.
However for these pills, I am more interested in the skin-repairing properties and I eat them in the middle of an actual meal, so hopefully that helps the absorption.
What have I been doing before the pills?
Stopped wearing makeup daily
This really helped keep my skin free and clear.
I also didn’t have to try and remove the makeup each time, and I may have been reacting badly to some makeup items, which caused some cystic acne.
Switched to really trying to eat raw, organic foods with unhealthy treats once in a while
I did notice that eating a couple of Mars Bars in November seemed to make my skin angry.
Probably from all the processed candy bar chemicals and white sugar. Oops.
But I was really craving them for some reason, and now it’s out of my system.
Interesting to note, when I started eating Mini Eggs and butter fudge for my December treat, no awful skin problems occurred. 
Hmmm
We also have a scoop of ice cream every two weeks or so.
Not eating or storing junk food or processed items on a regular basis:
Other than that, I cook at home, we eat our fruits and veggies, and we don’t have any of the following in our pantry:
- Chips
- Candy – I only buy it when I want it. I don’t stock it.
- Chocolate – Ditto
- Frozen Dinners of any kind
- Jams
- Maple Syrup
- Other Spreads of any kind — I hate peanut butter for example
- Salad dressings — we aren’t salad people per se, but we love veggies
- Cookies
- Biscuits
- Crackers
- Canned Foods
- Condiments — we don’t actually eat anything that requires ketchup, relish or mustard
- Mayonnaise — I’d make my own if I wanted some, but haven’t found a reason to yet
My sister hates visiting because there’s never anything to snack on for fun unless we bake a cake.
Our fridge is usually only stocked with 3% milk (for teas and treats), a small block of butter, fresh meats, leftovers and Asian sauces.
Everything else is fresh or being stored for long-term use – pasta, rice, olive oil, fruits, veggies, potatoes, onions, garlic and ginger.
We do have white sugar, brown sugar and honey — all used at different times for different recipes, and I use a spoonful of honey in my morning tea.
But we do have ice cream!!
We bought 6 tubs of ice cream on sale (3 for $10), and eat a small scoop each, every 2 weeks as a treat.
What pills I purchased:
Multi+ daily Glow
multi+ daily glow gives you a complete, high potency multi-vitamin/mineral, enhanced with 5 all-natural ingredients to improve your skin’s tone and appearance, including reduced signs of aging and damage caused by UV rays.
Benefits of taking multi+ daily glow include:
• A complete range of essential vitamins and minerals
• Improved skin structure & firmness
• Reduced signs of aging, skin sagging and under-eye circles
• Protection from damage caused by UV rays
• Reduced roughness and scaling
Now you can achieve a healthier body with more beautiful skin. Just two tablets of multi+ daily glow is all that it takes – naturally.
Perfect Skin
Get clear, acne-free and blemish-free skin from the inside out – naturally.
Based on leading skin care research and developed in-conjunction with a leading naturopathic doctor and dermatologist, perfect skin contains natural proven ingredients including o3mega-EPA concentrate, green tea extract, Zinc and Chromium, to target the main causes of acne and problem skin.
Results you can expect with perfect skin include:
• Reduced acne lesion and blackhead/blemish count
• Reduced inflammation of acne lesions and blackheads/blemishes
• Decreased sebum production, follicle blockage
• Normalized structure, size and function of pores
• Increased resilience to stress and regulation of mood
Unlike topical acne products or medications which provide short term relief and leave your skin dry and dehydrated, while accelerating the aging process, perfect skin works from the inside out for the healthiest, most effective results in as little as 4 weeks.
The Verdict
They work. They actually work.
I don’t know if it’s because I really do have a deficiency in zinc and chromium which causes my acne problems, or if it’s a placebo.. but I noticed a real difference.
At first, I took both pills at once, and my skin was incredible.
The pimples starting staying away, clearing up and my skin felt a bit smoother, and glowed.
Then I ran out of Perfect Skin pills (must remember to buy more), and stuck to only the Multi + Glow.
My skin still glows a bit, but the pimples have started to pop up here and there, although nowhere as bad as I used to have them.
I used to have really deep, painful cysts, and now they’re just light little bumps, easily zapped with some benzoyl peroxide.
I’d certainly recommend them to anyone who has had chronic skin problems and has done anything they could to clear them up.
It doesn’t hurt to give them a shot.
- Beauty pill poppers, take note!
- General Health & Beauty Myths
- How fat gets stored in your body and the history of eating grains
- How old is your skin?
- What’s in my Medicine Cabinet
Shelley
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 1:38 PM:
Wow, I'm impressed they actually work. I'm a real cynic when it comes to buying stuff like this. If it's that expensive, I'd be tempted to play around with some of the components to see how that goes. I'm happy for you to have found something that helps. My skin and hair improved a lot when I moved from Oklahoma City to Salt Lake City, so I decided it was humidity that didn't work for me. Then I moved to England where it is damp all the time, but perhaps by now age is the drying factor as I've not had many skin problems since (other than age issues and the occasional cold sore). I count myself fairly lucky in this respect.
thriftygal
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 3:02 PM:
How do you exactly limit yourself to 'one scoop every 2 weeks' if you have 6 tubs of icecream in your house??? It cannot be just will power could it?????
Vickie
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 3:33 PM:
Did you order them online or is it sold somewhere in Montreal?
Carrie
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 3:42 PM:
here's another really interesting tidbit. once i got diagnosed with cancer the first thing my doctor told me to do was to lay off the vitamins. they help the cancer grow more than they help your regular un-mutated cells
The Asian Pear
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 3:54 PM:
I've found that just taking a multi-vitamin everyday is doing wonders to my general health. I'm sick less often, my dandruff has gone away and even my dry skin isn't as bad. You should do a comparison test! When you're done the other bottle, try taking regular store brand multivitamins and see if that'll help you any.
Lauren
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 5:47 PM:
Ahhh I have to tell you I have half of those bad items in my pantry lol.
Little House
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:28 PM:
Wow. No jams or spreads?! I admire you, but I could never forgo my Vanilla Syrup! I noticed that the results on the perfect skin pills mostly have to do with breakouts. What about wrinkles? As I've moved into my mid- to late-30's those laugh lines are becoming permanent! Does the multi-day glow really work on wrinkles? That's my number one skin care concern at the moment.
HighClassLowIncome
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:47 PM:
Sounds interesting. I recently stopped birth control and I have noticed a slight change in my skin, my skin seems a lot oilier but I also get more whiteheads than normal. What is the brand of the multi?
Right now, I use a topical antibiotic, and also Differin. I've also taken oral antibiotics for acne in the past, I may try it again to see if it makes a difference but it's definitely not something I want to stay on for long periods of time. I also take a multi, omega 3 and zinc at times.
Ms. W
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 2:59 PM:
Holy Moly!
I’m on my way to shoppers right now! I hope it works for me too!
Julie
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 8:31 PM:
I'd love to try these. Too bad shipping is so expensive on them T_T. Plus, I think they don't allow shipping pills to Mexico (not sure, have to look into it).
Juicy Gina
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 8:52 PM:
I noticed a difference too. I tried multi + glow with omega + glow but ran out of the latter so fast because you need to take 4(!) pills a day. I might try perfect skin but I'm not sure if that will also help with dry skin and ezcema like reactions. Yay for genuine health! btw, there's printable coupons for said products both on the genuine health website and at thehealthyshopper.ca Never pay full price! And shoppers usually has them on sale.
birdie
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 10:53 PM:
I've tried the daily multi + glow and I've noticed similar results – though I'm only taking A pill a day. I bet the Perfect pills would be a great compliment
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:32 PM:
It’s by Genuine Health.
I think going on and off medication really screws with your skin. When I went on the pills it made my skin break out like mad, but now I’m used to it
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:33 PM:
Sad to say but I don’t think anything works on wrinkles
Wrinkles are actually caused deep under the skin from repeated facial actions (smiling, laughing, frowning) and the only real way to get rid of wrinkles is to go the plastic surgery route — Botox, fillers..
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:33 PM:
No kidding!
But perhaps it’s because it’s cancer, and the vitamins feed the growth of cells in general, even cancer ones?
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:34 PM:
Pharmaprix sells them. So does Jean Coutu I think. A lot of stores seem to carry them.
Health food stores (like the one called Ambrosia near Simons on Ste-Catherine) sells them too
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:35 PM:
I am a horrible cynic for these claims, because I cannot see an actual number or value for example
It’s all subjective but it seems to work.
I do agree that your environment plays a huge role as well — being in Portugal, my skin was less finicky. In Montreal it flared up again, and in Toronto it goes back down just a bit.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:35 PM:
Er.. I guess it’s willpower.
We have a scoop on a sugar cone every 2 weeks or so, just as an ice cream treat
We don’t scoop it into a bowl or eat out of the tub.. that stuff is EXPENSIVE! And fattening.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:36 PM:
I almost don’t want to give these up just to do a test LOL
What if the pimples come back!?!?
Actually, when I was younger, I used to take multis all the time. They never seemed to help my acne at all :\
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:37 PM:
Check back and tell me if it does
I am still a slight skeptic, but .. I am not going to knock what works.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:37 PM:
You make me want to send you a sample LOL
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 29th, 2009
@ 6:38 PM:
I found the omega + glow quite expensive… I mean, I don’t need to glow like a Christmas tree, I just want a slight glow and better skin.
So I decided to just do a multi + and perfect skin
I also did buy them on sale, that’s true. And the prices are all around the same range in the stores.
back to the nest
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 2:35 AM:
Awesome!! I'm totally going to try them, if I can find them.
dogatemyfinances
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 2:12 AM:
I am horrible at taking my vitamins, but I love using my Clairisonic. I love that thing, and it really helped my skin.
Des
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 3:38 AM:
I've struggled with acne for a big chunk of my life – starting in grade 6. I started seeing a dermatologist in high school and have probably been through every treatment. In the end, Accutane was able to do the trick, but it';s not something I would recommend, it definitely is a last resort. It is very harsh to the body, but I was also have many big cysts.
At age 25, I still see a dermatologist regularly (I started going to the Acne Clinic about a year ago when my acne started to flare up, again). Now my skin regiment is very simple – SpectroGel in the morning. I use a prescribed NeoStrata toner during the day with very little moisturizer (mainly around my eyes) and I use Differin at night. I do wear some make up during the day, so I make sure to remove the make up and then cleanse with the SpectroGel. My skin has been clear for almost a year now.
Perhaps these pills have an active ingredient that you can find in foods? Or oils? Or herbs?
TheCheapGirl.com
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 9:33 AM:
Hi FB!
I think that if you and I were roomies, we'd so get along in the food department. Bf and almost have no junk food in the house (except for the occasional chips, pop, or chocolate that we crave). We try to make everything from scratch and eat organic veggies and meat. My bf's bro who is intensely researching vitamins and supplements said that multi-vitamins does more harm than good and that the price is reflected in the quality that one is getting. He recommends researching every single ingredient listed on the bottle to make sure that what you're taking is actually good for you. He mentioned that a lot of vitamins have synthetic fillers and are not easily absorbed by the body (as mentioned in the above post) and he also mentioned the possible cancer link. He says that taking Greens Plus is a good alternative for multi-vitamins. The information out there is quite overwhelming. There are so many options today but I still think that getting nutrients from food is the best way to go. I've recently started suffering from a bit of adult acne so I am trying to ward it off with food that is good for the skin (zinc, omega 3s etc.) lot's of lemon water, sleep and reducing stress. I've also started combining glycolic, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide in my skin care routine. So far so good
No major breakouts this month. Whew! I hope that I can keep it up!
thriftygal
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 4:04 PM:
FB, generally I'd agree. I don't know if this was a coincidence or not, but when I was single and w/o responsibilities, I splurged on a bottle of Lamer for oily skin and it reduced the appearance of laugh lines by the corners of my mouth. Since then I have downgraded to something much less expensive, but the laugh lines are back!
Fun Final Year End in Review: Budget & Blog « Fabulously Broke in the City
on Dec 30th, 2009
@ 4:29 PM:
[...] mostly on rent, food, those skin pills and my [...]
Alexandra
on Dec 31st, 2009
@ 8:03 PM:
So glad I read this, FB! I'm going to give them a try.
My favorite moisturizer is Creme Nirvanesque from Nuxe. I tried it when i was in France and loved it.
I'm also using a vitamin E oil, it's really gooey and honey-like but it does wonders for the small wrinkles around the eyes, and for the laugh lines. And also, it works magic on scars…
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Dec 31st, 2009
@ 6:31 PM:
I am thinking about Vitamin E as a moisturizer instead, but does it absorb into your skin or just sit on top?
I’m trying to stick to creams without parabens pthlates and that sort of thing, so I’m eying the list on Sephora, and thinking about trying Argan oil for a sample, to see if it would work.
Emma
on Jan 4th, 2010
@ 3:37 PM:
Do you think it would work with the hormonal breakouts? I would love for those ugly red ones to disappear!
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Jan 4th, 2010
@ 2:26 PM:
Truthfully, I have no idea.
I tried them AFTER my body (grrr) finally calmed down from the surge of hormones from my BC pills.
I am still taking them now, and the only pimples I am getting is mostly from my (stupidly) touching my face after spreading shea butter on my legs. But they disappear quickly, versus the deep cysts I used to get from hormone and general body-acting-up-ish.
I say: Give them a shot for a month. Buy a 30 pill bottle of each and take them religiously. Apparently after 3 weeks, the effects will be clear, if you will benefit or not.
I found that after 2 weeks my skin was MUCH better. I felt like I was back in Portugal, it was insane how great my skin felt and looked.
I think I really did have a zinc or chromium deficiency.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Jan 4th, 2010
@ 2:27 PM:
I should also note that I am taking them through my periods (TMI but it’s the only way I can tell you), and I usually get horrible flareups near the end of the month, deep cysts, painful .. etc
This month, only 2 or so and they could have been from accidental shea butter residue again.
Julie
on Jan 5th, 2010
@ 5:40 AM:
Oh don't worry, they do ship here. The pills are no that expensive though $32.19 CAD with shipping for the large ones which is $398.71 MXN. I just need to save for a little while and then ask my dad to borrow is credit card to get them. Thanks for the tought n_n.
Emma
on Jan 5th, 2010
@ 1:32 PM:
thanks! I think I will give them a shot. I stopped taking BC pills and now I always know when my period is coming because my face explodes.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Jan 5th, 2010
@ 10:05 AM:
Ditto. But it hasn’t been that bad recently.