1. When you stay up all night working on a concept and the client loves it:

2. When you’re the one that’s not overwhelmingly slammed:

3. When someone suggests a team breakfast:

4. When it’s extra sexy:

5. When you can actually get some work done:

6. Where everyone is willing to be part of the latest viral flash mob:

7. When you spend the better part of a day searching the Internet for inspiration and a competitive review:

8. Because it’s completely acceptable* at any time in the day to suggest:

*unless strictly forbidden

9, 10 and so on:

1. When you stay until 2:00am the night before working on a “new and different” piece and the client picks up last month’s creative:

2. When the client insists on reading you the 10 page brief they wrote: 

3. When someone gets promoted that doesn’t do shit:

4. When you get a request for a big idea that’s never been done before…and it’s due in 24 hours:

5. When you’re asked to mentor a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed recent college grad:

6. When someone approaches your desk with a huge pile of markups on Friday at 5:15:

7. When you’d rather have a Nickelback tattoo than be part of this project any longer:

8. When you find out you have to reconcept an entire campaign over the weekend:

9. When you reach this point:

10. The good news is, for every bad day there’s an awesome cure:

Welcome to the first installment of Beauty Breakdown! I’ve decided to do this because ever since I started consulting for Rodan + Fields, I’ve learned a lot about ingredients and the similarities in many products out there. One of the most often talked about/asked about is, “What is the difference between R+F REVERSE and Obagi?” Other than both products having hydroquinone, a popular ingredient used to lighten the tone of discolored skin, I didn’t know much else. So I looked into it a little more, and here’s what I found.

A little background on Obagi: Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Obagi Medical Products, Inc., is a global, specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, markets, and sells proprietary skin care systems in the physician-dispensed skin care market.

Since its founding in 1988 with the creation of the Obagi Nu-Derm^® System by leading skin care experts, Obagi has continued to grow, and in 1997 the company officially began operations as Obagi Medical Products.

Obagi offers several products, but their most popular is their Condition and Enhance system. It’s a 7-step system that is only available through skin care professionals such as dermatologists or plastic surgeons. The 7 steps with top ingredients are:

• Foaming gel clenser (6.7oz) - Purified water, sodium lauroyl oat amino acids, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate, Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice
• Toner (6.7 oz) - Purified water, Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch hazel) distillate, potassium alum
• Clear (2 oz.) - 4% hydroquinone
• Exfoderm® Forte (2 oz.) - An alpha-hydroxy acid (6% glycolic acid, 4% lactic acid) 
• Blender®  (2 oz.) - 4% hydroquinone
• Sunfader (2 oz.) - 4% hydroquinone SPF 15
• SPF 35 (2 oz.) - 9% micronized zinc oxide and 7.5% octinoxate

The fine print: the biggest warning pertaining to this product which was found in a downloadable product information PDF was that this should only be used under the care of a doctor, and exposure to the sun or UV rays can change the appearance of bleached or highlighted areas of the face. AKA sunscreen is CRUCIAL!!!

The price point: averages from $370-415 ($459 -$408 with moisturizer)

A little background on Rodan + Fields Dermatologists:

Rodan + Fields^® Dermatologists is changing skin and changing lives by partnering with independent business owners across the United States to bring innovations in anti-aging skincare to everyone. Founded by world-renowned dermatologists Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, the creators of Proactiv^®Solution, Rodan + Fields’ patent-pending AMP MD™ System* makes real results possible at home without injections or other invasive procedures.

They have four popular regimens, but we’re focusing on REVERSE today. All of their products are only available through consultants that can be found across the United States. (*cough cough, me!*) : )

It’s a 4-step regimen including top ingredients outlined below:

• Deep exfoliating wash (4.2 oz.) - Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Polyethylene, Diethylhexyl Sebacate
• Skin lightning toner (4.2 oz.) - Hydroquinone 2%, Water, Ethoxydiglycol, Witch Hazel Water, Methylpropanediol
• Skin lightning treatment (1.7 oz.) - Hydroquinone 2%, Retinol, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethoxydiglycol
• Spectrum 50+ SPF Moisturizing Sunscreen (1.7 oz.) - Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5%, Avobenzone 3%, Octocrylene 2.6%