skincare

Skincare Review: Lancôme Génifique

by PJ on Thursday, April 2, 2009

in -Lancôme, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

(image from www.lancome.co.uk)

Lancôme‘s Génifique is the brand’s latest anti-aging product. The media attention to it surrounds Lancôme’s references to studies of genomics (the study of genes) and proteomics (the study of proteins).

According to Lancôme, various proteins and genes were studied and the proteins that are related to the appearance of youthful skin were identified. The formula of Génefique is claimed to stimulate the activity of genes and the production of proteins that are associated with youthful skin.

One ingredient in question is salicyloyl phytosphingosine, which combines the benefits of salicylic acid and phytosphingosine. One paper published in International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2007 (see abstract here) suggests that salicyloyl phytosphingosine is shown to reduce wrinkle depth and improve skin texture. Also, according to Paula Begoun, phytosphingosine may be a cell-communicating agent. (For more about cell-communicating agent, see this article by Paula Begoun.)

It is a very lightweight watery serum which is faintly scented. It is used after cleansing and toning and before any moisturizer.

Génifique has a relatively short ingredient list. It is essentially salicyloyl phytosphingosine that the product is about, and it doesn’t come with a host of gimmicks. (Nearly all the other ingredients are fairly standard ones often found in other skincare products.)

However, one major drawback of Génifique is the amount of alcohol it has. It is fourth on the ingredient list (after glycerine and before dimethicone), and it is somewhat easily detected by smell (which is usually not a good sign). Unfortunately, this can negate the possible skin-friendly benefits of this product, as alcohol (especially with such an amount) can be drying or irritating for the skin as well as causing free-radical damage. Those who can’t tolerate products with alcohol are most likely to find Génifique unusable.

If alcohol were left out of this product or kept to the absolute minimum, this could be a good product suitable for nearly all skin types. I would be interested to see if Lancôme will extend Génifique into a range of products and to look through the ingredients in each product.

Other skincare reviews:

Crème de la Mer

Elizabeth Arden Intervene

Rodial Glamotox

Amatokin

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Product Review: Nude Skincare

by PJ on Sunday, March 29, 2009

in skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

(Nude Skincare Age Defence Moisturiser)
(images from www.nudeskincare.com)

In December 2008, I reviewed three of Nude Skincare‘s products. Today, I will be talking about three other items from the line.

– Age Defence Moisturiser (above)

The product has a light cream texture and should suit most skin types, except for very oily or very dry skin. Some of its moisturizing ingredients are sesame oil, shea butter, and sunflower oil. It contains antioxidants such as arginine and lingoberry seed oil.

It has the right consistency for my Type 4 skin (dehydrated oily skin), but, after the product sinks in, it leaves my skin a little tight. I am not sure if this tightness might appeal to those who want a temporary firming action from a moisturizer, but, for me, I would sometimes apply a small amount of my usual moisturizer (currently Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream) to ease the tightness.

– Moisture Balance

With a very light serum-like gel texture, this product is formulated for those with oily skin. Some of the main moisturizing ingredients are glycerine, jojoba seed oil, and algae extract.

One ingredient that makes this product potentially suitable for oily skin is kaolin, which has absorbent properties. (It is a typical main ingredient in deep-cleansing masks. This product has a very small amount of it.) However, if your oily skin is the kind that is dehydrated underneath, this product might not be right for you as kaolin may dry out the skin.

For me, this product is not moisturizing enough for my oily-dry skin, and I marginally prefer Age Defence Moisturizer to this.

As I mentioned in my previous Nude Skincare review, the air-tight opaque bottle with a pump dispenser is probably the best type of packaging for a moisturizer, as some of the beneficial ingredients can lose their efficacy when they are exposed to light and air.

– Nude Lips

This lip balm contains shea butter, beeswax, and coconut oil. It should ideally be a good lip moisturizer with these occlusive ingredients (and with vitamin E), but I find that the application is somewhat inefficient. The product is very solid, and I have to swirl my finger on the product for quite a while to get only a little bit of the product onto my finger. I think this lip balm, without changing its formula, can potentially work a lot better in a stick form.

Other skincare reviews:

Elizabeth Arden Intervene

Chanel Huile Confort & Lotion Confort

SUQQU Lip Essence Cream

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Chanel Huile Confort & Lotion Confort

by PJ on Tuesday, March 24, 2009

in -Chanel, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning

Last month, a reader asked me whether I could talk about products from the slightly revamped Chanel skincare line. (It is mainly the cleansing and toning products that were revamped.) I happened to have got two 12ml trial samples at my local Chanel counter a few months ago, so I had a chance to try out the products. Today I will share my thoughts on them.

The new Chanel cleansing and toning lineup has three sub-ranges: Confort (for dehydrated and sensitive skin), Douceur (for normal-to-combination skin) and Pureté (for combination-to-oily skin). The two products I tried are both from the Confort range.

– Huile Confort Silky Cleansing Oil

This is a typical cleansing oil that is used on dry skin with dry hands to remove all the makeup at once. It makes sense to me that the cleansing oil is in the Confort range. Cleansing oils should suit all skin types but they can be particularly good for those with sensitive and reactive skin, since there is generally less massaging and tugging involved in the application as opposed to using a cleansing gel/milk.

The texture of the oil is relatively light, and it is quite easy to manoeuvre on the face. However, it doesn’t emulsify very well and leaves the face rather filmy and greasy. A face wash is a must in getting all the oily residue off the face. Overall it doesn’t work nearly as well as a few of the other products I have tried, including RMK’s Cleansing Oil, which is among my favorite cleansing oils.

– Lotion Confort Silky Soothing Toner

This alcohol-free toner has an emollient feel on the skin, but it does not feel filmy. It conditions the skin well and doesn’t irritate my skin. Some of the moisturizing ingredients are sodium PCA, alpha glucan oligosaccharide, hydrogenated castor oil and butylene glycol.

This toner should suit most skin types but I think some people with oilier skin types might find to be too emollient. Overall this product works a lot better for me than Huile Confort, but I still prefer Lancôme’s Tonique Douceur, which is less emollient and more calming. I am not considering picking up the full-size product at the moment, but it can be a reasonable backup for me if my preferred toners are discontinued.

Foundation Face-Off: Chanel vs. SUQQU

Chanel Irréelle Blush in Tea Rose

Chanel Ombre D’Eau Eyeshadow in Bay

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Skincare Review: Elizabeth Arden Intervene Radiance Serum & Night Cream

by PJ on Saturday, March 14, 2009

in -Elizabeth Arden, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

(Elizabeth Arden
Intervene Timefighting Radiance Serum)
(images from Elizabeth Arden)

Elizabeth Arden‘s Intervene is the brand’s range for addressing the first signs of aging and is targeted at those in the thirties and late twenties. I personally don’t believe in the concept of anti-aging (or other similar terms), and, for me, skincare products are either well or not-so-well formulated when it comes to contributing to the well-being of the skin. The criteria for well-formulated skincare products are virtually the same whether we are 20 or 80, and this is how I approach all my skincare reviews. Today I will be reviewing two new items from the Intervene range.

The Timefighting Radiance Serum can be used day and/or night underneath a moisturizer. It has a relatively light texture and has a very good slip.

One thing that makes this product stand out from most of the skincare products that I have reviewed is the array of antioxidants that this product contains, such as red clover extract, linoleic acid (an emollient that has antioxidant properties), ascorbyl palmitate, retinyl palmitate, tocopherol (vitamin E), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). Also, it features a few anti-irritants and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

This product is alcohol-free.

It leaves the skin very smooth and silky, mostly due to the various silicones. Used in the daytime, it can help prime the skin for makeup application. (It can be used underneath the moisturizer, as intended, or, specifically for a smooth foundation application, it can be used as a primer directly underneath the foundation.)

If you are looking for a skincare product with antioxidants, this product can be a very good choice.

(Elizabeth Arden
Intervene Stress Recovery Night Cream)

The Stress Recovery Night Cream is currently the only night-time facial moisturizer in the Intervene range. (The other two have SPF 15.) Some of the main moisturizing ingredients in this product are glycerine, glyceryl stearate, butylene glycol (humectant), hydrogenated polyisobutene, and cetyl alcohol (fatty acid).

The product doesn’t feature as many antioxidants as the serum, but it still has red clover extract, tocopherol (vitamin E) and tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E).

This product is also alcohol-free.

The texture of the cream is light enough for most skin types and it moisturizes the skin well, leaving the skin soft and conditioned. If you have oily skin, it can be slightly too rich for you. However, the good spreadability of the product means you can easily apply as little as you want. (Alternatively, you can try the serum reviewed above as a very lightweight moisturizer.)

Overall, both products are well-formulated and they have the consistency that should appeal to most skin types. (But the Night Cream, with its jar packaging, will not retain the efficacy of antioxidants as well as the Serum.) They should also work fine for some sensitive skin types, but do note that both products have fragrance.

Other skincare reviews:

Crème de la Mer

Själ

Nude Skincare

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Skincare Review: Själ Mineral Källa & Kura Intuitif

by PJ on Friday, February 20, 2009

in skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning, skincare - moisturizing/others

(images from www.sjalskincare.com)

Själ is a high-end skincare line featuring a concise range of products, with a cleanser, toner, a serum, two facial moisturizers, and an eye cream. (“Själ” is a Swedish word meaning soul.) Today I am reviewing the Mineral Källa Energy Tonic and Kura Intuitif Cellular Repair Cream from the range.

– Mineral Källa Energy Tonic (above)

Currently the only toner from Själ, Mineral Källa comes with a spray dispenser. Some of the key ingredients are rice bran extract and ginseng extract.

The product contains benzyl alcohol. When it is towards the top of the ingredient list, it can irritate the skin. But, as it is second to last on the ingredient list of this product, it is very unlikely to cause skin irritation.

Overall the toner sinks in fairly easily, but, compared with one of my favorite toners, Lancôme’s Tonique Doucer, I feel that Mineral Källa is slightly less calming.

The product does not contain parabens.

– Kura Intuitif Cellular Repair Cream

It is the more emollient one of the two facial moisturizers from Själ. Some of the moisturizing agents are squalane, borage seed oil, glycerin, grape seed oil, and a small amount of shea butter and mango butter. It is alcohol free.

Even though the product is targeted at those with dry or very dry skin, the texture is not overly dense or balmy.

One thing worth noting is that both products contain a small amount of gold and silver. Even though it is one of Själ’s main selling points, there are some potential issues with these ingredients. Gold could be a skin irritant and there is no research showing that it has benefits when applied topically on the skin. Also, while silver does have disinfecting properties, it should not stay on the skin for a prolonged period of time. (Information from Paula Begoun.)

I think the two products would have been better formulated had these two ingredients been left out. The Energy Tonic would have suited most skin types and the Cellular Repair Cream, with its soft and smooth texture, would have suited those with normal or dry skin.

Redefining Skin Types

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Skincare News in Brief: Bulgari and Issey Miyake

by PJ on Wednesday, February 11, 2009

in -Bulgari, skincare

– The Bulgari skincare line, which was launched in 2007, will be launched in the US soon. It will be available in 12 Neiman Marcus stores in March and in Bergdorf Goodman in April. (Please have a look at the article at WWD for more information.)

– Issey Miyake has ventured into the skincare market by launching La Crème de L’Eau, which was formulated by Shiseido Laboratory. It will be launched in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. It will contain a 50ml jar and a 10ml travel-sized jar. (Please see this WWD article for more information.)

Bring It Back (Sooner)!! Bulgari Skincare

Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert

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Can’t Live Without: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

by PJ on Thursday, February 5, 2009

in _Can't Live Without, -Elizabeth Arden, bodycare, bodycare - handcare, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others, stash focus

(This is an update of a previous post, after which I launched the “Can’t Live Without” series.)

Some of you might have read about the heavy snowfall in the UK this week. (It is the heaviest in the last two decades.) With the low temperatures and the drying indoor heating (and all the contact with water from washing my hands), my nail cuticles can be very dry and sometimes even a little sore.

Two years ago I got a 5ml sample of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream at the counter. I tried it on my cuticles and it worked very well (even better than the L’Occitane Nail & Cuticle Cream I had been using). Later on, a friend of mine was traveling to the US and asked me if I would like her to pick up something. Knowing that it was much cheaper in the US (16 USD in the US and 19 GBP here at the time), I asked her to buy it for me. Even though I do use other items occasionally, I always come back to this when I need some serious moisture.

As most of you know, it is a dense semi-transparent orange-colored gel-cream. (I have tried using it as a lip balm. It works fine, but the smell is a little overpowering.) It contains moisturizing agents like petrolatum, mineral oil, castor seed oil, and corn oil. (I like the fact that it does not contain fragrant plant oils, such as lemon oil or orange peel oil, as they can irritate the skin.)

I am suspecting that one of the reasons that it works well to soothe sore cuticles is that it contains salicylic acid, which is an anti-irritant. (Apart from salicylic acid, petrolatum is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.)

Because of the dense texture, I only use it before bedtime, on top of my Garnier hand cream. (I don’t feel that I need to use it more often than this.) Out of all the products I have used on my cuticles, I think this one works the best to keep them moisturized and protected.

The Eight Hour Cream can work as a multi-purposed product, but, I think, even if I just use it as a cuticle cream, it is worth the purchase (well…if I can get it from the US…). Plus, a 50ml tube will last a very long time…

My Beauty Weakness: Cute Cuticle Oils

Can’t Live Without: Dove Body Silk

Can’t Live Without: Starbucks Napkins

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Skincare Review: SUQQU Lip Essence Cream

by PJ on Thursday, January 29, 2009

in -SUQQU, all about Japanese cosmetics, skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

In winter, my lips and hands are constantly dry and I have to moisturize them every now and then throughout the day. For lips (especially in the evening), I usually prefer something quite emollient, and SUQQU‘s Lip Essence Cream is a product that does the job.

Lip Essence Cream comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid. I quite like this design, as I am not particularly fond of lip balm in a metal container, which can rust. (With my Rose & Co. Apothecary Rose Petal Salve, I usually fill a small plastic container with it and use it from there.)

It has a solid balm consistency. Some of the main moisturizing ingredients include various fatty acids, polybutene (from mineral oil), petrolatum, squalane, and vitamin E. It is quite a simply (in a good way) formulated lip product that doesn’t contain fragrance or parabens.

SInce the consistency is very dense, it does not really glide on the lips when I apply it with my finger. I think the best way to apply the product is to very gently press it onto the lips. A little goes a long way.

Compared with Rose Petal Salve, which leaves a soft sheen, Lip Essence Cream leaves a glossy shine. Some might think it can feel a little sticky, but, as the SUQQU website (link above) suggests, it is a night treatment product. (Also, it doesn’t have any sunscreen ingredient so I don’t suggest using it during daytime.) I usually use it right before going to bed, and my lips still feel moisturized when I get up the next day.

If you have really dry lips and need a very emollient lip moisturizer, or if you are looking for a fragrance-free lip moisturizer, this is certainly a product to consider.

SUQQU Spring 2009 Collection

Review: SUQQU Fall 2008 Collection Part 1 & Part 2

Beauty City Guide (3) – London

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Product Review: Nude Skincare

by PJ on Tuesday, December 30, 2008

in skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning, skincare - moisturizing/others

(Nude Skincare Cleansing Facial Oil)
(images from sephora.com)

Nude Skincare is a UK-based beauty brand that has generated buzz in the UK and the US. In the UK, their products are sold in high-end department stores like Harvey Nichols and beauty boutiques such as Space NK. Today I am reviewing three of their products.

– Cleansing Facial Oil

This product works in the same way as a standard cleansing oil. I tend to prefer cleansing oils to other types of cleansers because they are efficient to use. (They take off all the makeup at once and there is less rubbing and massaging involved compared with using a cleansing cream or gel.)

For me, a good cleansing oil has to emulsify well and leaves as little filmy residue as possible. Unfortunately, this cleansing oil does not fare well in this aspect. It is not easy to manoeuvre on the skin due to its thick texture and it doesn’t emulsify well enough. The skin is left rather greasy, and even using a face wash immediately afterwards still leaves the skin filmy. Overall, this is not among the better cleansing oils that I have used.

– Advanced Smoothing Complex

This is a serum-type product that is applied between a toner and a moisturizer. It has a watery-gel texture that has a good slip. Upon application, it can seem difficult to absorb, but, after some gentle pressing and patting, it sinks in quite thoroughly. It is a decent (and alcohol-free) serum to be paired with your usual moisturizer to help your skin cope with the colder months.

It is well-packaged in an air-tight opaque bottle, which is probably the best way to package a skincare product in terms of preserving the benefits of some ingredients.

– Replenishing Night Oil

It is a similar type of oil-based product to those such as DHC’s Olive Virgin Oil and the Rodial Glamotox Night that I reviewed earlier. It contains apricot kernel oil, jojoba seed oil, raspberry seed oil and cranberry seed oil. (The latter two have antioxidant properties.)

Because of its occlusive quality, it is more suitable for those with dry or very dry skin. Like Rodial Glamotox Night, it can be used as a good cuticle moisturizer or a moisture booster for any part of the body prone to severe dryness. (It is packaged in the same air-tight opaque bottle as the Advanced Smoothing Complex.)

(According to the Nude Skincare website, their products are free from parabens, mineral oils, silicones, and propylene glycol. Though this is useful information to know if you can develop adverse reaction to one or more of these ingredients, I personally do not have outright concerns over them. (Even though mineral oil in moisturizers can be too occlusive for some skin types, it is not a harmful ingredient.) Please refer to the articles/entries on parabens, mineral oil, silicone and propylene glycol on Paula Begoun‘s website.)

(Full product ingredient lists can also be found on Nude Skincare’s website.)

Skincare Review: ESPA 24 Hour Moisturising Complex

by PJ on Sunday, December 21, 2008

in skincare, skincare - moisturizing/others

(image from www.espaonline.com)

ESPA is a UK-based beauty brand mainly known for high-end spas around the world. It also has a range of skincare and bodycare products, including the 24 Hour Moisturising Complex that I am talking about today.

It is cream-based alcohol-free moisturizer with a fairly light consistency. The main moisturizing ingredients are plant oils such as sweet almond seed, soybean, coconut, jojoba, evening primrose and peach kernel oils, and it also has a small amount of rose geranium and myrrh oils. All the non-fragrant plant oils are considered to be good (non-irritating) moisturizing ingredients, while fragrant ones (rose geranium and myrrh oils) can be skin irritants for some people.

I’d think this moisturizer would suit people with normal to slightly dry skin and those with very little excessive sebum. Even though the texture is not overly dense or creamy, the blend of plant oils can be too occlusive and can leave a slightly filmy feel for those with combination or oily skin.

It has no sunscreen ingredients, so for me this is strictly a night-time moisturizer. It should be paired with a sunscreen product for daytime use.

Crème de la Mer Skincare Review

RoC Hydra+ Bio Active Moisturizing Cream SPF 15

Olay Complete Care Night Enriched Cream

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