The new superheroes of skincare
There are toners, and then there is Sisley Supremya At Night: The Supreme Anti-aging Skincare Lotion. This super product not only preps the skin for the other products in the line but is a skincare powerhouse in itself, according to Sue Lewis, the Asia-Pacific travel and retail director of Sisley.
“There are three main actions: the first one is to moisturize the skin with bio saccharides,” she says, “a kind of sugar that when you first put the Supremya lotion on your face, you get immediate hydration.”
The second action is to stimulate and tone with red vine extract from Spain, which helps revitalize the skin.
The main action is anti-aging. “We have many ingredients for that (like adenosine, which is anti-wrinkle; and Padina Pavonica extract to boost collagen) but Sophora Japonica extract is new,” notes Lewis. “It comes from China, and helps to strengthen the skin against oxidative stress.”
Sisley tested the Supremya lotion on 100 women (and 22 Asian women) between the ages of 35 and 64. “Immediately when people try the product 75% say skin is more supple, 82-83% more moisturized and more nourished, silkier and smoother,” notes Lewis. “The benefits are cumulative, and after one month, we got much higher test results: 91%; said their skin was more radiant, 86% said their skin was more toned, 96% more soothed; 91% more plump and bouncy.”
And don’t forget, it preps the skin for the nighttime routine of Supremya Eye Cream and Supremya La Nuit (for normal skin), or Supremya Balm (for dry skin). “Super simple.”
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Sisley is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.
LEVELING UP AN ANTI-AGING ICON
L’Occitane has leveled up its Divine Youth Oil to contain more of its breakthrough ingredient, Immortelle Super Extract, derived from the yellow flower native to the Mediterranean that, even when plucked, stays fresh forever.
“Considering it's made up of a flower that never dies, it slows down the aging process of the skin, making your skin as bright and youthful as the flower,” says Rustan’s merchandise manager Aprille Cabrera.
While the original Divine Youth Oil encouraged the renewal and restoration of skin cells, this year’s iteration now has 10% more immortelle essential oil, an antioxidant powerhouse that acts with the extract to reinforce the skin's barrier.
“This new formula gives you stronger skin health, a stronger glow, it has anti-aging properties that work to firm and lift your face.”
Depending on your specific skin concern, L’Occitane recommends different routines and products you can use. Want healthier and stronger skin? Try the power trio of the Reset Triphase Essence, the Reset Serum and the Divine Youth Oil.
Want the well-rested glow of a vacation? The power duo of Reset Serum and Divine Youth Oil resets your skin and reduces signs of stress by the very next day.
Want powerful skin renewal? The golden trio of Reset Serum, Divine Youth Oil and Divine Cream reduces stress, encourages skin renewal and provides a lift as it moisturizes and melts into the skin.
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L’Occitane is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.
THIS SKINCARE OIL IS A CELEB FAVE
Kate Middleton used it when she was pregnant. Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury uses it as a makeup base backstage during fashion shows. Victoria Beckham is a fan as well.
“It” is Certified Organic Rosehip Oil by Trilogy, a clean-beauty brand from New Zealand founded by sisters Sarah Gibbs and Catherine de Groot around 20 years ago. This oil, sourced ethically and sustainably from Chile and Lesotho, meets Trilogy’s very high standards of containing 80% Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, making it a powerful antioxidant effective at treating stretch marks and scars.
This wonder ingredient, which has won over 200 beauty awards, is now the base of Trilogy’s skincare, body care and hair care lines. “We sell one bottle every 20 seconds somewhere in the world,” notes Robby da Silva, brand and educations manager for Trilogy.
The Rosehip Oil range is the core line and best entry level for those who want to start skincare in their 20s. Bestsellers are the oil, which comes in variants, the Vital Moisturizing day cream and Rosapene Night Cream. “Rosapene is an antioxidant,” says Da Silva. “It's Trilogy’s own proprietary blend of lycopene, acai, rosehip and cranberry oils.”
The Ageless collection is for those in their mid-30s and above, formulated with Glycablend (a proprietary mix of strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate and chia seed extract) to boost and reduce the breakdown of collagen in your skin by almost 89%.
Trilogy’s Vitamin C range is one of their most popular: customers buy the Vitamin C Booster Treatment by the box to get glowing skin in two weeks.
There’s also a range for sensitive skin, and a serum to balance the skin’s microbiome. “If your microbiome is not balanced, then you get susceptible to irritation, skin infections, and early signs of aging,” notes Da Silva.
Since microbiome skincare is the biggest trend in beauty right now, Trilogy, which is reasonably priced from P750 to P2,800, is set to become another celebrity and consumer favorite.
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Trilogy is available at Wellness Plus stores or online at www.wellnessplus.com.ph .
FACE TO FACE WITH THE BEAUTY EDIT
The Beauty Edit Box: Volume 8 is all about the face: they’ve chosen 10 skincare and makeup favorites that beauty influencers like Regina Belmonte and Agoo Bengzon review in the enclosed mini-magazine. Valued at over P19,000 but sold for P4,295, you’ll get Dr. Franz Microcurrent Dual Masks (or a full-size ZO Skin Health Self-Activating Vitamin C), 12ml Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk, travel sizes of the Shiseido Vital Perfection line, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (or Loose Setting Powder), Two Lips Screen Pore-Refining sunscreen gel cream SPF 50 PA+++ (or Pout or De-Crease), Pili Ani Hydrating Facial Mist, Nuxe Crème Prodigieuse Boost Gel Cream, and surprise Golden Tickets for Drunk Elephant sets and derm treatments at Facial Care Centre.
Every Beauty Edit box is an event to look forward to, and this latest edition doesn’t disappoint.
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Available at www.thebeautyedit.ph
A SIMPLE WAY TO ACHIEVE GLASS SKIN
Looking for a simple way to achieve beautiful glass skin?
Neutrogena recently introduced its Hydro Boost Water Gel today with a new, triple-charged formula that adds amino acids and electrolytes to the original hyaluronic acid gel. “Your skin not only gets hydrated, but also recharged and restored, with reduced signs of aging, and gives skin that boost to look more plump, glowing, and healthy,” says Johnson & Johnson R&D scientist of Skin Health Vanessa Chong.
Brand ambassador Laureen Uy agrees: “You really see that it has a glowing effect. I've been using it for more than a month now and I've seen beautiful effects on my skin.”
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The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel and other Neutrogena favorites are available at Watsons and on official Johnson & Johnson Shopee and Lazada pages.
TIME TO BLUSH AGAIN
Now that our masks are more off than on, we seem to be having a blush moment, where beauty companies like Laura Mercier and Issy & Company are releasing wide ranges of blush colors in the most lightweight, high-tech formulations.
But how did blush become so important in our beauty routines?
As with most other cosmetics, it was the ancient Egyptians who started using ground red ochre pigment mixed with fat to get an attractive glow that would offset their heavily kohl-ed eyes.
The Romans followed suit, using red vermilion, while the Greeks crushed mulberries for their healthy-looking tint.
In the Middle Ages, people didn’t use blush as much, since pale white skin signified high class and status, while red cheeks were associated with prostitutes.
It was Queen Elizabeth I who started the blush trend again in the mid-1500s thanks to her signature look of red hair and white skin balanced with a bit of blush — or rouge, as it was called in those days.
However, rouge during those times was extremely toxic, so much so that when applied on the lips they could actually poison a person.
It was only during the turn of the 20th century that the manufacture of blush (and makeup in general) became industrialized and safe, with companies like Guerlain and L’Oreal mass-producing safe cosmetic blushes.
Blushes have undergone many evolutions and iterations since then, with powders, creams and stains formulated in the pursuit of an attractive, healthy-looking glow.
Laura Mercier, creator of the iconic Tinted Moisturizer, brings the same skincare-meets-makeup philosophy to her new Tinted Moisturizer Blush. This weightless cream cheek color with ultra-moisturizing botanicals is perfect for the #cleangirl aesthetic or #nomakeupmakeup look, as it provides a barely there, just-pinched glow.
There are 14 shades that you can build up to your desired intensity, from the palest pinks like Provence, which gives the subtlest wash of color; to Corsica, a sparkling peach that bestows you with that coveted peaches-and-cream complexion.
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Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blushes are available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Laura Mercier’s flagship store on Lazada.
Issy & Co. just released its Crème Cheek Blush, a lightweight, silky-smooth blush that melts into your skin, creating a lit-from-within look. Plus, it’s multi-use: I colored my lips with them, and you can use them on your eyes, too!
The creamy formula has antioxidant Japanese camellia seed oil to soothe and Meadowfoam seed oil to seal in moisture and soften skin. These blushes are so easy to blend that one swirl can give you the subtlest of flushes, or you can build it up for more impact. And with 10 shades, every skin tone will find a flattering match. At only P349 per blush, glowing has never been this easy.
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Issy & Co. Crème Cheek Blushes are available exclusively on Shopee.
IN FRAGRANCE, FRESHIES AND FRUITIES ARE IN
City skylines and megalopolises inspired 724, the new freshie from Maison Francis Kurkdjian. While Kurkdjian is perhaps best known for his legendary Baccarat Rouge 540, he’s also a genius at creating fresh fragrances like Aqua Universalis, Petit Matin and Aqua Vitae.
“There is something about big cities that sweeps over you, electrifies you, elevates you,” the perfumer says. “I translated that communicative energy, that life pulsating in unison, into a fragrance.”
This scent is so clean, fresh and invigorating. Top notes of Calabrian bergamot and soapy aldehydes smell like freshly laundered bed sheets. A white-flower accord of jasmine absolute from Egypt, sweet pea and mock orange gives it a velvety hint of sweetness, while still sparkling like crystal. The base of white sandalwood and white musks gives the scent depth and sensuality. This eau de parfum not only captures the vibrant energy and pulse of a city, racing at 724 beats per minute; that was also my heart rate when I smelled it.
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MFK 724 is available in three sizes (35ml, 70ml and 200ml) at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustans.com, Adora Greenbelt 5, Adora Shangri-La, and Adora.ph.
One of Rustan’s new brands, Bon Parfumeur (Good Perfumer) is a clean fragrance house that’s proudly made in France of predominantly natural ingredients.
True to its name, founder Ludovic Bonneton enlisted 13 top perfumers to create 28 unisex perfumes that can be mixed and matched to create your own signature scent. Each eau de parfum is numbered, color-coded according to fragrance family and features three key ingredients.
If you’re a fan of fruity-florals do get your nose on 202, which showcases watermelon, red currant and jasmine. It smells so juicy it’s like biting into a fruit taken from a Grasse hillside! Transparent notes of cyclamen, velvety jasmine and sweet lily of the valley are like a fresh breeze that uplifts you on a gloomy day.
Bon Parfumeur suggests mixing it with 801, an aquatic scent with sea spray, cedar and grapefruit to get a refreshing, sea-breeze effect; or 002, a cologne featuring neroli, jasmine and white amber to create a dreamy, soft and floral scent.
Perfumer Karine Dubreuil-Sereni grew up in Grasse and went to the Roure perfumery school (now Givaudan). She’s created iconic fragrances like Lanvin Eclat d’Arpege, but she’s not just a great perfumer; she’s also an opera singer! Jasmine, orange blossom, mimosa, rose, iris, anise and citrus fruits are the ingredients that make her heart sing, since they remind her of her childhood in Grasse.
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Bon Parfumeur is available @rustansthebeautysource , online at http://rstns.shop/RTBS or via Rustan’s Personal Shopper at 09171111952.
