Thanks to the lockdown, the best way I can describe my skin is “lackluster.” Too much binge watching, delivery food and not enough sun have made my complexion dull, pale, and prone to breakouts.
Now that I have to leave my “woman cave” to go back to the office on the reg, how do I get my skin into prime condition, not to mention protect it from all the environmental aggressors out there?
“Like our minds and our bodies, the stress and challenges brought about by what is currently happening have taken their toll on our skin,” observes Gracinha Arceo, senior product manager for Kiehl’s Philippines.
Beauty companies like Kiehl’s and Shiseido have noted consumers’ current obsession with strengthening immunity, and are providing solutions to improve the immunity of our largest protective organ: our skin.
Kiehl’s recently held its first-ever virtual product launch to announce its latest innovation, Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum (VSSSS).
“It gives you two times stronger skin,” Arceo says. “It also improves your skin's resilience, boosts radiance and protects your skin from daily stressors for stronger and healthier skin.”
Kiehl’s product manager Lerizze Tan notes that Kiehl's has been pioneering serums both locally and internationally for the past few years now. “Kiehl's has really led the way for serums in the Philippines,” she says.
In 2010, they launched Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which became an instant cult favorite. “It's known for the ‘I woke up like this’ glow that users experienced overnight,” Tan said.
In 2013, Kiehl’s launched the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, which became their number-one, bestselling serum famed for its ability to reduce pimple marks, dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and give the skin a brighter appearance overall.
In 2018, they launched the new and improved Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, which became another insta-favorite thanks to its skin-plumping and anti-aging properties.
Arceo says the new serum is “the perfect partner to our beloved serums to help you achieve stronger, healthier and smoother skin.”
Effective ingredients are very important to Kiehl’s and, true to its brand philosophy of combining nature with science, the Super Serum is packed with highly efficacious natural ingredients formulated according to the latest scientific innovations, like the Adaptogenic Herbal Complex found in VSSSS.
“Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress, and they also exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes,” explains Arceo. “A common example is ginseng.”
The herbal complex is a proprietary blend of three adaptogens revered in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine for combating stress and fatigue: red ginseng root to provide cells energy and stimulate skin resurfacing; holy basil to soothe and reduce the effects of daily stressors; and Schisandra berry, which is so rich in antioxidants it keeps skin youthful, energized, and reinforces resiliency and elasticity.
Another key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, long proven to smoothen skin, maintain moisture and boost hydration. Kiehl’s chemists formulated a special version — “11kDa hyaluronic acid” — a molecule small enough to be able to penetrate into the deepest surface layers of the skin.
“By delivering hydration to the skin's most vulnerable layer, this 11 kDa hyaluronic acid helps better retain the moisture of our skin to make it more resilient, supple, plump, and bouncier,” Tan says.
Clinical trials showed the serum can restore all those qualities in four weeks: “It's proven to make skin more resilient by 31 percent, and more radiant by 37 percent,” Tan continues, recommending that this new product be used as a “pre-serum” before your favorite Kiehl’s serum to maximize results.
“With our #BounceBackWithKiehls campaign we want to empower everyone to find their unique strengths to be able to create their own fresh start,” urges Kaila Nicdao, business unit director of L’Oreal Luxe.
Ultimate Immunity
In another boost for skin immunity, Shiseido re-launched its No. 1 bestseller, Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate, an award-winning skincare product that has garnered 179 beauty awards globally since it first launched in 2014. One bottle is reportedly sold every seven seconds.
Like Kiehl’s Super Serum, Ultimune is a pre-serum that’s been improved with Shiseido’s proprietary ImuGeneration Technology, a blend of antioxidant-rich Reishi mushroom and iris root extracts to strengthen skin, restore firmness and defend against daily damage.
Shiseido’s exclusive Ultimune Complex of Bulgarian rose water and yeast extract protect and strengthen skin against the signs of aging, while a powerful blend of gingko biloba leaf extract, shiso, and thyme maintains a healthy-looking skin surface.
Dermatologists tested Ultimune on 106 women of all skin types and ethnicities, and found that, based on the women’s moisture retention rate and trans-epidermal water loss, skin strength had improved by 28 percent after just one week.
Immediately after application, 96 percent of women said it moisturized their skin; after four weeks, 98 percent said the product was effective overall; 97 percent said it maintained the skin’s supple condition; 90 percent said it improved their skin condition; and 91 percent felt it enhanced the effects of the other skincare products they were using.
Non-comedogenic, paraben-free and mineral oil-free, the new formula also features an improved dewy texture that sinks quickly into the skin. Ultimune also boasts a stunning red glass bottle and a refreshing green floral fragrance with rose and lotus elements.
So my skincare routine now consists of prepping my skin first with Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner on a cotton pad, followed by Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum. Then I layer Shiseido’s Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate over it for double the immunity (no moisturizer needed after layering serums).
As a final touch, I put on sunscreen (lately I’ve been loving Snail White Sunscreen CC Cream with SPF 50 because it protects and lightly covers imperfections). If I need more coverage I’ll put on Shiseido Synchro Skin Tone Up Primer with SPF 24 followed by their Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing foundation SPF 35 for skin that’s immune, totally protected and flawless-looking.
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Kiehl’s and Shiseido stores are located in major malls nationwide.
Follow the author on Instagram @thebeautytraveler_ph.