Unlike lines and wrinkles, which can appear overnight, loss of skin firmness is a gradual ageing trait. From under the eyes to the jawline, gravity has a strong pull on the skin as we age, says editor Trudi Brewer who shares the latest luxe-y face cream to give your complexion back its bounce.
Changes in skin firmness happen slowly over the age of 40, which is all down to a drop in collagen production. An essential protein in our skin, collagen, gives your skin its firmness and resilience. While cosmetic treatments can help plump our lines and wrinkles, nothing gives your complexion that lit-from-within glow like skincare that contains peptides, hyaluronic acid niacinamide or vitamin B3. Lancôme has answered that call with what they have dubbed a ‘next-generation high-performance protein cream’ to keep your skin supple and smooth. Learn how this cream works for skin at any age, and decide if it’s worth the price tag.
Lancôme Rénergie HPN-300 Peptide Cream, $220, refill $175.
What’s in it?
Here’s the lowdown on the ingredients: The first thing you notice about this luxe-y cream is how it instantly floods the skin with moisture. That is thanks to the hyaluronic acid (HA). Lancôme’s HA was created using a biotechnology fermentation process to enhance skin penetration, which works wonders on dry, dehydrated, ageing skin. Next, why has it been referred to as a protein shot in a jar? There are 300 different types of peptides. These potent plant proteins are extracted from lupine, linseed, and pea, targeting firmness to give skin that youthful-looking glow I mentioned. Then there are the skin-strengthening benefits of niacinamide (or vitamin B3). This ingredient works on the texture and tone of the skin while strengthening its barrier to lock that moisture in and keep dryness at bay.
Why do I rate it?
Because this cream is so dreamy, the first thing I noticed was how much I enjoyed applying it. It penetrates quickly and doesn’t feel greasy; it’s so luxurious to use that it’s unwittingly given me that moment of self-care without knowing it. Designed for day and night use (a bonus having one cream that does it all), the brand says this newbie joins the Rènergie skincare collection to support mature skin (women aged 50 and over). However, who doesn’t want a face cream that will help boost firmness and rehydrate the skin overnight? I suggest most women, even those in their 30’s, right? So would I invest (it’s pricy, at $220) in my skin to give it back radiance and firmness, hell, yes.
Finally, this cream plays well with other products. You can smooth it on over any serum or easily layer it on an SPF or foundation- and it’s refillable, with the jar made from 30 per cent recycled glass. Enough said.
To use: Apply a few dots of this cream morning and night, massage it using upwards movements on the face, and forget your neck.
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