This somewhat unconventional product line comes to us from former model Scott-Vincent Borba. According to his background information, he has degrees in biochemistry and marketing and has worked for some of the biggest companies in the cosmetics industry, including Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, and Neutrogena. Like many other cosmetics industry employees who branched out on their own, Borba felt there was something missing in the cosmetics market. According to Borba, the missing link is a blend of outer beauty and inner beauty (as in good health).
That concept led Scott-Vincent to create his Borba Skin Balance waters, which debuted in 2004 and were once all the rage at Sephora stores (Sephora no longer retails Borba’s waters or powders, which is good thinking, as his waters left much to be desired in terms of good health; however, Sephora still sells his skin-care products.). His waters and powders also were once the rage on QVC, as well, but they, too, have stopped selling them.
There is no question that good health (i.e., inner beauty) is integral to outer beauty in the sense that we have to be conscientious about the foods we consume and the lifestyle decisions we make that affect our appearance. Smoking and tanning are prime examples of bad decisions that definitely affect how we look and feel, and there is a good deal of research showing that a diet high in antioxidants and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids helps protect skin from free-radical damage and increases collagen production. On the other hand, there isn’t a shred of comparable research for Borba’s waters or products.
The vitamin and antioxidant blends in Borba’s beverages and powders are readily available at any health food store, and for far less money. It’s also important to realize that skin’s loss of firmness results from years of sun damage, unhealthy habits (smoking), and other physiological changes (hormone loss) that nutrition alone cannot remedy or counteract, regardless of how the nutrients are “bioengineered” to get into the bloodstream. Thinking otherwise is putting your skin and health at serious risk.
Borba states that his “nutraceuticals” help make your skin look “better,” and claims that there are clinical studies to support his statement. Well, first of all, the clinical results are not published, nor were they made available to us, which means they likely were not peer-reviewed or done double-blind. As far as we know, drinking cranberry or grapefruit juice could have the same skin-enhancing effects as Borba’s “Skin Balancing” waters? Or what about just popping a Centrum?
Second, his claim of making skin “look better” is wide, wide open to interpretation. Lots of things can make skin look better: blush can make skin look better, and so can moisturizer applied over dry skin. And what is “better” being measured against? That is, what’s he comparing it with? Will your skin look better than the skin of someone who drinks Coca-Cola or coffee instead of his Skin Balancing waters? Or will the skin of someone with a poor diet look “better” if they consume his vitamin-infused waters? And would it improve the skin of someone who already eats healthy and takes vitamin and other supplements?
The products reviewed below are not the type that I typically review, but they nevertheless deserve mention because they are an integral part of Borba’s “inside-out beauty” philosophy. The waters include the following products: Age Defying Skin Balance Water, Acai Berry ($36 for 12 bottles), Clarifying Skin Balance Water, Pomegranate ($36 for 12 bottles), Firming Skin Balance Water, Guanabana Fruit ($36 for 12 bottles), and Replenishing Skin Balance Water, Lychee Fruit ($36 for 12 bottles). All of these products are artificially sweetened with sucralose (more commonly known as Splenda), which may not be the healthiest option despite its origin as sugar, and all but one contain artificial coloring agents (and there is nothing healthy about consuming artificial coloring agents). The fruit extracts and vitamins in all of these waters can be obtained from whole food sources or from herbal or vitamin supplements, and would cost far less.
Borba’s crystalline powder collection consists of: Age Defying Skin Balance Aqua-Less Crystalline, Acai Berry ($28 for 14 packettes), Clarifying Skin Balance Aqua-Less Crystalline, Pomegranate ($28 for 14 packettes), Firming Skin Balance Aqua-Less Crystalline, Guanabana Fruit ($28 for 14 packettes), and Replenishing Skin Balance Aqua-Less Crystalline, Lychee Fruit ($28 for 14 packettes). Each of these is identical to its respective Skin Balance water formula, just minus the water. They’re offered as a convenience for those who don’t want to tote a large bottle of water around.
Last, we have the Gummi Bear Booster, Skin Balance Confections Gummi Bear Boosters, Acai ($25 for 136 pieces). Imagine: A sugar-based snack that claims to create a healthier complexion! Compared with regular Gummi Bears, these do pack a nutritional wallop, but it’s still mostly sugar. (Perhaps Borba missed the research linking sugar consumption with the creation of skin-aging advanced glycation end-products?)
As for Borba’s skin-care products—fortunately, they’re not nearly as hokey as the company’s dietary supplements. Although not comprehensive, the products meet basic needs and the company hasn’t forgotten the importance of sun protection. But there is nothing in Borba’s line of skin-care products that makes it worth seeking out; but if you’re interested and willing to shop carefully, you’ll find a handful of products to consider.
For more information about Borba Cosmeceutical, call (866) 525-0156 or visit
www.borba.com.