The latest perfume offering from Issey Miyake: Pleats Please

 

The majority of perfumes released by Issey Miyake are flankers of the original L’eau D’Issey. A perfume flanker is like a sequel to an original perfume - it might be that they share a similar name as the original, same bottle or, in the case of Issey Miyake perfumes, a flanker might share notes of the original with a new twist. An example of this is Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Florale which I have reviewed previously. L’Eau d’Issey Florale has the unmistakable white floral, oceanic notes of L’eau D’Issey with the new twist of budding rose. The latest perfume release from Issey Miyake, Pleats Please, is not a flanker but a brand new offering.

In the fashion world, Issey Miyake is known globally for his signature pleats. The 'Pleats' range was introduced into ISSEY MIYAKE in 1989, and has since been developed every season thereafter.  PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE became a stand-alone brand in 1993. As you can see in the images below, fashion from the Pleats Please range is vibrant and energetic and so the Pleats Please fragrance has been created to be equally vibrant and energetic and to compliment the fashion line.

Photo credit: I'm the it girl

Photo credit: Issey Miyake

 

Photo credit: I'm the it girl

What they say: To capture the joyous, light-hearted character of Pleats Please, Aurélien Guichard has composed a bright and cheerful bouquet. A nectar of bliss, an incitation to savour the pleasures of life. The sparkling top note opens with the intriguing aroma of nashi, a hybrid fruit that oscillates between pear and apple, with the pear note predominating. For this new fragrance, the exuberance and heartiness of a floral bouquet was a must — flowers to define the femininity of a subtle delicate composition. The joyous, upbeat middle note suggests a graceful sensuality, blossoming forth with fresh peony and sweet pea. Indole adds a fleshly, voluptuous touch and “gives substance to the note”, the perfumer explains. The accord is warm and vibrant, like “an invitation to fluidity”. The base note prolongs the sensation of mildness, settling into the rich woody notes of cedar while patchouli, taking on a vertical character, permeates the composition. Sweet, sensuous vanilla infuses the trail with radiant warmth. An absolute of creamy “white vanilla” blends with cosy white musks for a mellow finish.

What I Say: This is a classic fruity floral. After spraying this I am instantly hit with mouth watering juicy fruitiness. The perfume really sparkles at first. I can't say that I can detect nashi pear as a note, nor pear or apple but it is undeniably fruity. This fruitiness lasts about five minutes before the floral bouquet starts to emerge. It is at this point that the fragrances moves from being purely fruity to fruity floral. I can detect these fruity floral notes on my skin for around two hours before the dry down takes over. The vanilla base notes are very evident and this gives the fragrance a real creamy warmth. It is definitely more vanilla than musk, and with the fruity notes still lingering this produces a delicious combination. The dry down is actually my favourite part of the perfume, which is a good thing as this lasts another two to three hours on me.

The top and middle fruity-floral notes weren't particularly unique - you won't initially be thinking 'wow, I have never smelt anything like that before'. However, I did find the dry down to be more unique. The delicious creamy vanilla mixed with the lingering fruity floral-ness really is gorgeous.

The top and middle notes have strong sillage, they leave a definite scent trail; however, the dry down stays much closer to the skin.

This is an incredibly vibrant and joyous fragrance and a perfect one to wear in the spring and summer months and especially during the party season. It doesn't last incredibly long on the skin - although the dry down can still be detected after about 5 hours, it remains close to the skin so you would probably want to refresh after three hours or so.

I can see me getting a lot of wear out of this fragrance during the warmer months. I find it to be more of a fun daytime/party type fragrance rather than a classy evening fragrance. This fragrance is completely different to L’eau D’Issey. Where L’eau D’Issey is cool and watery Pleats Please is sparkly and vibrant. I have to say that I think I prefer Pleats Please to L’eau D’Issey though perhaps that is just because I have been smelling and wearing L’eau D’Issey for years whilst Pleats Please is all new and shiny!

In addition to creating the new fragrance, a lot of thought and design has gone into creating the bottle to represent the pleats made famous by the fashion line. Issey Miyake was once quoted as saying:

“Pleats never cease to fascinate me, conjuring up a multitude of images.” “Pleats move and change form with the wearer’s every movement. As the pleats move they change colours, creating an optical illusion like a kaleidoscope.”

The bottle has been designed to capture this optical illusion. I have included photos of the bottle from every angle for you to see just how beautiful it is. This would have to be one of my favourite bottles in my collection - it's just a shame that I store my perfume in their box in the cupboard, to protect them from light, and that it is not out on display.

Front view showing off pink tinged liquid

Front again

Back view

Side view

The lid

Issey Miyake Pleats Please is available in the following sizes: 30ml - $65, 50ml - $105 and 100ml - $155 at MYER, David Jones and selected independent stockists from 2^nd September 2012.  I have previously written about the risks of buying grey market cosmetics - if you want to know whether your local stockist is an authorised reseller you can ring (02) 9695 5678 to confirm.


Do you like the sound of Pleats Please or do you think you will stay on team L’eau D’Issey and it's flankers?



All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. This perfume was provided to me for consideration.

Gelicious Hybrid Gel Nail Colour swatch: Aphrodisiac

Precious Metals are the latest Gelicious colours to be released There are five colours in this range - Aphrodisiac, Antique Rose, Mintium, Gold Digger and Gun Metal. So far I have bought Aphrodisiac and Antique Rose. Here is my Aphrodisiac swatches.

 

The colour turned out a little bit more pink based than I imagined from the website - I thought it would be more lavender, but aside from that I love it. It is gorgeously sparkly - definitely very metallic. It is a more subtle colour than some of the other ones I have tried - you could definitely get away with wearing this one to work. I already know that I will get a tonne of wear out of this one.

 

I have tried to capture the colour in a few different lights to give you a good understanding of what it really looks like

 

If you missed my previous Gelicious mani's, here is Watermelon Gelato, Afterglow, Yacht Race and Tiara Tantrum. For swatches of the other colours, check out the swatch guide here.

The Gelicious lamp and polishes can be purchased here.


What do you think of the Precious Metals range?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. The UV lamp and ultra gloss top coat were provided for consideration; however, I purchased Aphrodisiac with my own money.

Quest for the Best Rose Perfume: Joy by Jean Patou

I have only ever finished one bottle of perfume in my life and that was Joy by Jean Patou so I had to include it in my quest to find the best rose perfume!

I love it when perfumes have a story behind them and this one has quite an interesting story. Jean Patou was a clothing designer. Joy was created in 1929 during the Depression at a time when many of Jean Patou's clients could no longer afford his clothing. Although the perfume was very expensive, it was still more affordable than his clothing and thus was a piece of luxury that these clients could purchase. For this reason, it became an instant success and remains Jean Patou's most famous and successful perfume.  According to Fragrantica.com, Joy is considered to be one of the greatest fragrances created and is a landmark example of the floral genre in perfumery.

For many years this was the costliest perfume on earth due to the fact that 10,000 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen roses are required to create 30ml of the parfum.

What they say: Jean Patou Joy is a classic, fresh floral fragrance, which represents a tribute to the jasmine flower. The scent opens with notes of jasmine, may rose and Bulgarian rose oil, before revealing a rich bouquet of ylang ylang, tuberose, jasmine de may and musk. Joy’s opulent scent represents timeless and refined beauty.

What I say: I absolutely adore this perfume. It is honestly quite breath-taking. Of all the names that are out there, 'Joy' is the most perfect one for this fragrance. When I first inhale the aroma I am left feeling quite euphoric and each time I get a whiff of it throughout the day it leaves me feeling equally happy. It is such a joyous scent.

I find that this fragrance changes very little with time. If you like what you smell straight away then you will still like it in three hours. You are instantly hit with a heady aroma of jasmine and rose. These two notes are so complimentary of each other - they were born to go together. I am not able to detect the other notes in the perfume - just these two, right up until the end. But that doesn't bother me as I love them so much!

This is such a classy, elegant perfume and most definitely feminine. I don't particularly like the word 'sensual' but have to admit that it is a fitting description of how I feel when I wear it!

Joy has incredible lasting power - after 5 hours this can still easily be detected on my skin. It also has high silage so don't spray too much (I have overwhelmed one of my male friends by wearing too much of this perfume - though he does get hay fever from jasmine so would probably have complain even if I only had one spray of it on me!).

Modern or classical? This is definitely a classical fragrance, having been created in 1929. It is quite an interesting one in that women of just about any age could wear this. I bought my first bottle when I was 24 and it never felt too old for me, yet I could just as easily see my mother or grandmother wearing it as well. If you are a classy woman than you will be able to pull this fragrance off, no matter your age.

Day or night? I definitely think that this is a night fragrances - it is quite heavy - probably too heavy for daytime wear. It is also a very sophisticated fragrance, and the jasmine in it makes it quite sexy as well. For me it was a special occasion fragrance - one I bust out when we were going somewhere special for dinner.

Summer or winter? As I loved it so much I used to wear it year round, although the heaviness of it probably makes it more suited to being a winter fragrance.

How does this perfume rate as a rose perfume? Due to the strong jasmine notes this perfume doesn't smell exactly like you a walking through a rose garden; however, it is undeniably a rose perfume and I would have to say my favourite rose perfume that I have trialled so far.

Would I buy it again? Absolutely. I can imagine myself wearing this perfume forever. The only reason I haven't repurchased just yet is that there are so many fragrances I have yet to try on my wish list; however, doing this review and smelling the fragrance for the first time in a couple of years has reminded me just how much I love it. So, I suspect that I will purchase it (ok, ask for it for my birthday!) before years end. It seems that I am not the only person head over heals in love with this fragrance - it is the world's second best selling fragrance (behind Chanel no. 5)

Where to buy? Joy by Jean Patou is available from David Jones, $129 for 30ml or $172 for 50ml


Have you tried Joy by Jean Patou? Did you find it amazing or too old fashion?



All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. This perfume was purchased by myself with my own money.

Gelicious Hybrid Gel Nail Colour swatch: Tiara Tantrum

Continuing with my Gelicious manicures we now have Tiara Tantrum. This one intrigued me from word go - I had never seen a sparkly yellow nail polish before. I had never worn yellow on my nails before so it was a bit of a shock at first. I wasn't sure whether I liked it. After a couple of days it really grew on me and I now find it to be a really happy summer colour. It is super glitter sparkly - which I absolutely love. I have tried my hardest to capture the glitter but it just doesn't seem to photograph well so none of these photos do just to how sparkly it actually is.

 

The only issue I had with this polish is that it is quite translucent. After the recommended two coats I could still see my nail line through. I always have dirty nails so prefer my nail polish to be opaque. I ended up applying 5 thin coats to make it opaque. The beauty of the UV curing meant that even with doing 5 coats the whole manicure still only took about 30 minutes to complete and it was completely dry.

 

 

Co-ordinating my baby to my nails!

If you missed my previous Gelicious mani's, here is Watermelon Gelato, Afterglow and Yacht Race. For swatches of the other colours, check out the swatch guide here.

The Gelicious lamp and polishes can be purchased here.


What do you think of Tiara Tantrum? Super cheerful or way too yellow? Do you also try to co-ordinate your baby's outfits to the colour polish you are wearing?!


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. The UV lamp and ultra gloss top coat were provided for consideration; however, I purchased Tiara Tantrum with my own money.

Quest for the Best Rose Perfume: Rose The One by Dolce & Gabbana

Continuing with my quest to find the best rose perfume is my review of Rose The One by Dolce & Gabbana. I have to admit that this perfume was chosen for it's name - Rose The One sounded very rosey to me! I have not tried the original The One by Dolce & Gabbana so this review won't be comparing Rose The One to the original.

What they say: Rose The One is a breath-taking realisation of a contemporary feminine floral, and a deftly sensual paean to the eternal romance of the rose. The scent is exhilarating and bursting with joie de vivre without surrendering any of the one's famously seductive magnetism.

The top notes lure us with a flirtatious rush of succulent pink grapefruit, mandarin and cassis. At it's heart lies a gloriously feminine bouquet of peony, lily, lychee and, of course, the impeccably graceful Bulgarian rose. A subtle hint of vanilla carries us down into a tenderly sensual musk and amber base, promising an evocative and soul-stirring silage.

What I Say: Wow - OK, I am unable to describe the perfume quite as eloquently as the Dolce & Gabbana marketers have so you will just have to put up with my more factual review (hey, I'm a scientist - our language is facts!).

Initially I am hit with a floral fruity burst. I couldn't detect grapefruit or mandarin, per se, but the fruity notes were definitely evident. As the top notes faded and the floral middle notes became more evident; however, the perfume never loses its fruitiness. It is when the middle notes are developing that rose can be detected. Although it is not a strong, distinct rose note, it is definitely recognisable as rose. The middle notes last on my skin for about two hours before the warm base notes take over. The vanilla is very evident to me and this gives the perfume a warm finish. The dry down is very pleasant and this lasts about another two hours on my skin though can be very weakly detected for many hours after.

I would say that this perfume has medium lasting power - about 4 hours on my skin as well as medium silage - a definite detectable scent trail is left but not an overpowering one.

I found this perfume to be very classy, which surprised me as I haven't previously associated fruity fragrances with classiness. It is also intensely and undeniably feminine.

How does this perfume rate as a rose perfume? Rose notes are definitely evident; however, it is not a pure rose fragrance. I get a lot of fruity notes with a strong vanilla finish. I would not describe this as a strong rose perfume but rather a fruity floral with some rose notes. Whilst this is a very nice perfume, the rose notes are not strong enough for this perfume to be a contender in my quest to find the best rose perfume.

Modern or classical? I believe that this is quite a modern fragrance. It is not a single note floral - there are many interesting notes that give it a certain modernness.

Day or night? This could pass for either - it is classy enough for wearing at night yet is not too heavy for day. The lychee notes give it a fruity element which works well for day ware.

Summer or winter? Although the vanilla gives this fragrance a certain creaminess and warmth I still do not feel that it is heavy enough for winter. This is a fragrance that I would wear during spring and summer.

Would I buy it again? I have never been a big fan of fruity notes in perfumes. I am a die hard floral lover. For this reason I probably wouldn't buy it again. However, I do have to say that I usually see fruity perfumes as being too young for me but that wasn't the case at all for this one. This perfume still exudes classiness - if you are after a classy fruity floral then I think that this might be right up your alley.

Where to buy? Rose The One by Dolce & Gabbana is available from David Jones, $129 for 30ml or $172 for 50ml


Have you tried Rose The One by Dolce & Gabbana? Are you a fan of fruity notes in perfume?



All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. This perfume was provided for consideration.

Arbonne Baby sunscreen as trialled by Crazy, Kiki and Ninus

I love being outside. Outside makes me happy. When it was just me I could spend hours outside pottering around but now that I have Crazy and Kiki to worry about I have to be much more careful. Their delicate baby skin needs strong protection from the sun's UV radiation but it also needs to be gentle on their sensitive skin. I made the mistake of applying normal adult sunscreen on Crazy. Each week we would go to the park for mothers group and I would smother him in sunscreen yet by the time I'd get home his face would be all red. It took me three weeks of this to work out that he wasn't actually getting sunburned each week (thank goodness) but that he was reacting to the sunscreen that I was using on him. I never worked out what ingredient it was that was causing the reaction but since then I have only ever used a sensitive sunscreen on him. So, I was a little excited and a little nervous when I received the Arbonne Baby Care Sunscreen SPF 30+ to trial.

Arbonne Baby Care Sunscreen SPF 30+
What they say: This sunscreen is formulated with antioxidant vitamins A, C and E and gentle botanicals. It is PABA-free, pediatrician and dermatologist tested and provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays.

What I say: Before trialling this sunscreen on the kids I took it for a test drive on myself. I hate greasy sunscreens, especially on my face, and this is not in the slightest bit greasy. It actually feels quite divine to apply. It is thick but left my skin feeling silky soft. It smells really pleasant - kind of florally, but the fragrance isn't at all overpowering - it is perfect actually. It absorbed very easily and did not leave my skin looking white. I found that it offered great sun protection; however, I didn't test it whilst swimming and I wasn't outside for hours - just an outing to the park - so I can't comment on it's efficacy over long periods (but seriously, what baby would be out tanning for hours on end anyway).

Once the sunscreen got the mummy seal of approval, I then recruit three mini reviewers to take it for a test drive - my 2 1/2 year old son, The Crazy Kid, his best friend Ninus (same age) and my 3 month old baby, Kiki. The instructions actually suggest getting doctors approval for use on children under 6 months but I wasn't going to take Kiki to the doctor just to ask if it was OK to use sunscreen on her so I did a patch test on her stomach instead. As Crazy has reacted to sunscreens in the past I also did a patch test on his stomach. After 24 hours they were both nonreactive so it was time to take it for a test drive.

I seem to breed fat bald babies. Since Kiki has very little hair, I usually put sunscreen all over her head as well as on her face. If she is out of the pram she will wear a hat but when lying in the pram the hat keeps sliding down and covering her face, which understandably pisses her off, so I don't tend to use a hat when she is in the pram. I try to keep her shaded so the sunscreen is just an added protection in case I haven't noticed the sun come across her face. I found the sunscreen very easy to apply to her - I rub it between my hands then quickly wipe it over her face. I'm sure I have accidentally gotten some on her lips but she has never reacted as if there was a bad taste on her mouth. She rubs her eyes when she is tired yet the sunscreen absorbs so quickly that she hasn't managed to rub it into her eyes. Kiki has a touch of cradle cap between her eyebrows and on her scalp and I find the sunscreen leaves white marks in these areas but not on the rest of her skin. To remove the white marks from her skin, I massage in Jojoba oil (I use 100% natural Australian Jojoba oil from The Jojoba Company) into her skin and find that this acts like an oil cleanser and removes the excess sunscreen plus has the added bonus of moisturising her dry skin. I have been extremely happy with the performance and gentleness of this sunscreen on Kiki's delicate, 3 month old skin.

Next up to trial the sunscreen was Crazy. Applying sunscreen to him is much more difficult as his instinct is to resist, resist, resist! I need to pin him down with one arm and quickly smear the sunscreen over his exposed areas with the other. I have precisely 5 seconds to do his entire body before he usually escapes and runs away. I found that I could usually get his arms rubbed in well but only would get a chance to smear it over his face and not rub it in properly. So, when he makes his bolt he usually has white streaks over his face. What surprised me is that within a minute or two these white streaks had vanished so the sunscreen still managed to absorb even without a decent rub in. Crazy hasn't reacted once to the sunscreen which is brilliant. And, apart from the fact that he doesn't like me applying it, he has had no other issues with it - same as Kiki no issues with it getting into his eyes or bad taste when I inadvertently get it in his mouth. So that's two more thumbs up from Crazy.

The third reviewer I had was Ninus. Unlike, Crazy Ninus is Mr Independent and likes to do things on his own - apply sunscreen included. I just place a blob on his hand and left him to do as a good a job as a 2 1/2 year old could do in applying sunscreen. He ended up with white blobs all over his face but again, within minutes, it had completely absorbed. So Ninus completed the hat-trick of successful applications of the Arbonne Baby Care Sunscreen SPF 30+. Not one of my reviewers got sunburned, none reacted to the cream, and apart from the dry scaly areas of cradle cap that Kiki has, none of my reviewers ended up looking like white ghosts!

I love this sunscreen. It is truly lovely to use. I highly recommended it to any parent who is after a nice sunscreen for their kids.

The Arbonne Baby Care Sunscreen SPF 30+ is $41.50 for 177ml. It can either be bought online or through a consultant. EDIT: I have just been informed that this can only be bought through a consultant. One of my long time readers has just let me know that she is a consultant - if you would like to purchase this you can contact me and I will pass on her email address.


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. This product was provided for consideration.

Product review: Elizabeth Arden Prevage Face Advanced Anti-aging Serum and Day Ultra Protection Anti-aging Moisturiser

I have been sitting on my review Elizabeth Arden's Prevage® Face Advanced Anti-aging Serum and Prevage® Day Ultra Protection Anti-ageing Moisturiser with Sunscreens for about a year now. I started writing it, got distracted and have just rediscovered at the bottom of my unpublished drafts. I thought that it was about time that I dusted it off and published it as this was a bloody good product!

Elizabeth Arden's Prevage® Face Advanced Anti-aging Serum RRP $195 30ml, $265 50ml

What they say:  PREVAGE® transforms anti-ageing skincare with advanced Idebenone technology, the most powerful antioxidant available today* with an EPF® rating of 95. Re-engineered to help maintain a reserve within the skin to protect and correct skin's appearance when and where needed most. Measurably diminishes the appearance of lines, wrinkles, minor scars, redness, age spots and sun damage so skin looks younger than ever.
PREVAGE® Face addresses major skincare concerns with proven results:
• Fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and discolourations appear reduced.
• Redness and minor scars and existing sun damage look minimized.
• Skin looks firmer and more radiant.
*When compared to alpha lipoic acid, kinetin, vitamin C, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10.

What I say: When you have tried a lot of products you tend to get used to the claims made by the cosmetic company and most of the time don't expect the product to actually deliver on all of them. I was expecting this to be the case with Prevage. Prevage proved me wrong.

So what did it promise? Prevage promised to dramatically minimise the appearance of lines, wrinkles, discolourations and sun damaged skin. It did all of this.

Earlier in the year I noticed that the skin on my cheeks was starting to look slightly crepey - probably not noticeable to others but it came as a shock to me. In addition, a smile line had developed between my nose and mouth. Since using this serum (and the matching moisturiser) my cheeks have completely lost that crepiness and the skin is completely smooth. Plus the smile line has almost completely vanished (and not from lack of smiling!) - it is now only noticeable to me when I really scrutinise it in the mirror. I still have smile lines around my eyes but these are honestly the only noticeable lines on my face.

I initially trialled this for about 3 weeks so was not expecting it to have much effect on my pigmentation. I had quite dark patches on my forehead, that were made a lot worse during pregnancy. The pigmentation has not disappeared but it is dramatically reduced. Before there was quite a stark line defining the pigmented area. Now I can kind of see some discolouration but it is no where near what it was like prior to this trial. As I continued to use the serum beyond the initial 3 week trial, my pigmentation continued to improve. Over summer my pigmentation usually gets dramatically worse. Even when I wear sunscreen, incidental exposure causes my pigmentation to become really noticeable. That wasn't the case the summer I used this serum. It remained only slightly visible.

The packaging this product comes in is brilliant. It is a pump pack that uses airless technology so that your product doesn't become contaminated and so lasts longer. When you are paying $195 this is really reassuring to know. Initially I was applying too much of this product and it was leaving my skin looking shiny. I soon worked out that only 1 pump is sufficient to do the entire face and a second pump is all that is needed to do the neck and chest. Once I got the dosage right, it was so easy to use - 1 pump left my skin looking glowing and dewy. I don't usually wear foundation and I found that it look beautiful without it. The serum instantly leaves my skin feeling velvety. It is not at all greasy or sticky, but smooth and silky. It is a real pleasure to apply.

The serum only has a subtle scent, which is quite lovely - it kind of reminds me of cucumbers. The scent doesn't linger on the skin at all which is fantastic.

I took great pleasure in using this serum. It felt lovely to use plus I was buoyed by the results I was seeing straight away. Things that had annoyed me about my skin were no longer present and this was exciting to see.

I think with continued use of this, starting from when the first signs of ageing are appearing, you could really halt the signs of ageing delay the onset of it being a real area of concern.
I wouldn't hesitate to use this product again. Ok, I would hesitate slightly at the price, but I honestly believe that this is worth paying good money for. If you are concerned about lines and pigmentation, this is going to address those concerns. So you are better off forking out money on something you know will work then experimenting with cheaper options without the desired results. Plus, a little bit goes a long way (I think the 30ml bottle should last 4-5 months of twice daily use on the face, or 2-3 months if you also use it on the neck/chest). If you need to budget what you spend on skincare, then I recommend purchasing this serum but using a less expensive moisturiser with really good sun protection - if you are not doing further damage to your skin then this serum will still be able to repair the damage that has already been done.
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Prevage® Day Ultra Protection Anti-ageing Moisturiser with Sunscreens RRP $195 50ml

What they say: The world is full of skin-damaging assaults and free radicals, unleashed by the sun and the environment. Put up your guard and help protect your skin with new PREVAGE® Day.

Defy dryness with a unique hydrating complex to help attract and lock in moisture.

• Neutralize free radicals with Idebenone, proven as the most powerful antioxidant available today*, with an EPF® rating of 95. Deflect environmental assaults, your first line of defense against visible aging signs.

Team up the protective benefits of PREVAGE® Day with PREVAGE® Face Advanced Anti-aging Serum to fight aging signs and diminish the appearance of existing sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles and discolorations. Proof...not promises.™

*When compared to alpha lipoic acid, kinetin, vitamin C, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10.

What I say: I was given both this moisturiser and the Prevage serum to trial as part of the BeautyHeaven trial team and I must say that they work beautifully together.

This moisturiser came in a really convenient pump pack that uses airless technology so that the product doesn't get contaminated and so lasts longer. It took me a little bit of experimenting to work out but only 1 pump of product is required to moisturise the whole face.

I was dubious as to whether the one pump of moisturiser would provide sufficient SPF, however, since using the moisturiser my face hasn't gotten sunburned although I haven't had any major sun exposure (just half an hour walking outside here and there). The SPF is more than adequate to protect you from incidental sun exposure. If you are going to be in the sun for prolonged periods then I would apply a specific suncream on top of this moisturiser.

The moisturiser has very little smell - just a faint sunscreeny smell, that is quite pleasant. The scent doesn't linger for long after application which is another plus.

The moisturiser was very easy to apply. One pump did the whole face and it melted straight into my skin. It wasn't even slightly oily and it left my skin with a gorgeous sheen as if it contained light reflecting particles. Initially I was using 2 pumps, then 1.5 pumps and both of these amounts left my skin looking too shiny and feeling slightly sticky. As soon I reduced it to 1 pump, it was perfect. The instructions actually said to use a pea sized amount of the product but that seemed way too little, but in actual fact it is perfect.

This moisturiser claimed to lock in moisturise to enhance the benefits of the serum - and it did exactly that. My skin looks plump and rehydrated. When using this product, I would initially apply the serum then leave that for about a minute to sink in then I would apply the moisturiser. The combination left my skin satin smooth, hydrated, my fine lines became plumped out and no longer visible and my pigmentation became much less noticeable.

This moisturiser is ideal for use in conjunction with the serum as it enhances the results of the serum. The serum is designed for skin that is showing the first signs of ageing - ie skin with fine lines and pigmentation or an uneven complexion. So this moisturiser is perfect for anyone who is concerned with the first signs of ageing.

I would definitely buy this moisturiser again, mostly because I saw definite results with the serum and believe that this moisturiser would further enhance the actions of the serum. If you can only afford one, then the serum would probably be the one to buy due to the dramatic results it produces. However, I believe the results of the serum would be optimal if used in conjunction with the moisturiser.

 

 

 Have you tried Prevage before? Did you notice positive results as well?

All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. These products were provided for review as part of BeautyHeavens Trial Team.

Botani Olive Skin Serum

This is another review that has been sitting in my unpublished drafts waiting to see the light of day. The Botani  Olive Serum was surprisingly gorgeous (I think I was expecting to be putting kitchen olive oil all over my face!) and is definitely another natural serum worth checking out.


Botani Olive Skin Serum RRP $31.95 15ml

What they say: Dehydration is the number one contributor to premature signs of aging on our skin, in all skin types, so moisturising the skin on a daily basis is a must. Olive Skin Serum allows you to moisturise the natural way, with Olive Squalene as the active anti-ageing ingredient; nature's only comparable moisturiser to that found in human skin.
Olive Squalene resembles that of human Squalene. Squalene accounting for 12% of your skin’s chemistry and is the skin's own built-in moisturiser. This biocompatibility allows the Olive Skin Serum to be easily absorbed into the deeper layers of your skin as it's immediately recognised. Being able to oxygenate cells at this deep skin level, true hydration and healing can really occur.

Key Features:

• Locks in moisture for an immediate hydration boost, 50% increase within 24 hours
• Plumps the skin, softening fine lines and wrinkles
• Delivers oxygen into skin cells, accelerating scar healing
• Balances skin tone and decreases the appearance of age spots
• Imparts an instant glow and satin finish, immediately reducing redness
• Protects the skin from free radical damage caused by UV rays and the environment
• Non-irritating, non-allergen, non-toxic and suitable for all skin types
• Works brilliantly under primer as its non-greasy and odourless 

What I say: I honestly wasn't expecting too much from this serum. I have used various oils on my face in the past and know some can be quite light but I was expecting this one to be very heavy and greasy. I mean, olive oil is for cooking, not for beauty, right? Wrong! This was an amazingly light serum that absorbed easily into my skin leaving it feeling so soft and hydrated. And it really is completely odorless!

The serum comes in a dropper bottle which makes dispensing the right amount super easy. I would usually just use 2 drops to do my whole face, although if it was feeling particularly parched or tight and sensitive, I'd up it to 4-5 drops. I always applied it at night so if I did apply extra, although it would leave my skin feeling a big greasy, it had all night to absorb. If I just applied the two drops it seemed to absorb within minutes and if I applied moisturiser on top then there wasn't even the slightest hint of greasiness - very surprising! If you are familiar with rose hip oil, then the consistency and feel on the face if this oil was very similar.

Each morning after applying the oil my skin would look so hydrated. It looked refreshed and glowing even. And it still was not greasy. It seemed to plump out my fine lines and really left my skin looking beautiful and feeling so soft to touch. I didn't notice any improvement with my pigmentation, however I was pregnant when trialling it and my pregnancy hormones gave me quite bad pigmentation that no product has been able to budge. Now that I have had the bub and the hormones are gone I will see if the pigmentation finally starts to fade.

I was super impressed with this serum and absolutely loved how it left my skin looking and feeling. I especially loved how natural it is, given that I was using it whilst pregnant. I would definitely buy this again and highly recommend it to anyone who is after a natural serum that will hydrate their skin and leave it glowing and soft to touch.

The serum can be purchased online from the Botani website.


Do you like using oil based serums on your face or do you prefer to steer clear of facial oils?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. This product was provided for consideration.