LAC Taut Collagen Skin Supplements Review

For women who are focused on preventive beauty treatments and delaying the ravages of time for as long as possible, you know that it's not enough to focus on what you apply externally. LAC, available exclusively at GNC, is one of the newcomers in the beauty and wellness supplements market in Singapore, so I gave some of their star products a good try.

Taut is their core skin boosting line, and the collagen drinks contain a whopping 13,000 mg of low molecular weight marine collagen in the formula. (Low molecular weight is what ensures rapid absorption into the body.) 

LAC Taut Collagen drink plus Placenta is definitely the most premium of the oral skin supplement I've tried. Priced at SG$99.95 per box of 8 bottles, this will last you a little over 2 weeks when taken every other night. What makes it different - aside from the big dose of collagen - is that this Japan-manufactured formula contains horse placenta extract. I can see some eyebrows raised in shock, but this has been very popular among East Asian women for anti-aging, post-birth recovery and reduction of menopausal symptoms due to its cell regeneration properties. If you're hesitant, LAC has a non-placenta collagen drink as well.

I will say more independent studies need to be done on the body's ability to synthesize collagen and placenta extracts for skin regeneration but I'm actually wowed by the other ingredients in the supplement as well.

• Hyaluronic acid - ingesting HA is scientifically proven to increase the body's natural production of HA, which benefits not just your skin but also your joints
• CoQ10 - important antioxidant; ingested CoQ10 improves circulation (which is good for the skin) and boosts heart health
• Albino protein extract - I wasn't able to find much independent research on the regenerative claims of this extract
• Ceramide - consistent oral administration is proven to boost skin's ability to retain water
• B and C vitamins - helps with cell repair and fights inflammation

This reads like some high-end skin serum. I'm almost tempted to rub it on my face but I'll happily ingest it at night.

Why night? Your body kicks into its cell regeneration and repair mode when you sleep so taking it awhile before bed is the best way to ensure more of the protein is being synthesized for those processes, instead of being burnt off for energy.

The drink itself is flavored with natural orange juice and does taste more pleasant that a few other supplements I've tried. Obviously because collagen is a protein, the fluid will have a slightly thicker consistency. I pop my entire box in the fridge because anything sweet and thick tastes better cold (in my opinion)! LAC suggests using it as salad dressing as well, but I'd suggest mixing it into fruit juice or a smoothie - just so you can drink it before bed.

LAC also has Taut White, which is a powdered mix (box of 30 sachets for $59.95) that you can pour into your LAC Taut and shake up before drinking. Is it strange that I'm more wowed by this booster than the supplement drink itself? It is meant to super-charge your nightly cell regeneration with lots of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant extracts.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask

I've been a long-time user of Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum (I bought my first bottle in college about 15 years ago) and to this day it is still one of the best "work-horse" antioxidant serums I have ever used.

I am one of those weird people who will use this both at night and also in the day, under sunblock for extra free-radical protection. I even apply it over my arms and decolletage if I know I am going to be out in the sun and I'm worried that sunblock will not be enough. And I believe my skin's better off for it.

When I heard Lauder had come up with a mask that is infused with nearly half a bottle's worth of ChronoluxCB™, Advanced Night Repair Serum's key complex, my first thought was not about whether it was going to be good. I seldom say this of many brands but I have rarely ever been disappointed by Lauder skincare. My first thought was - good lord, how much is it going to cost? 

Well it's actually not TOO bad. If you consider the amount you would pay for a single facial session, this is quite reasonable. A 4-pack which will give you a month of once-weekly uses, will cost you SG$120, which is $30 per treatment. The 8 pack is $216 ($27 per treatment). Not your typical drugstore dollar-mask price, but then this mask isn't exactly the typical drugstore mask either.

Besides the concentration of vitamin and anti-inflammatory loaded repair extracts, the delivery mechanism for this mask is also quite different. It is a split-face mask with a bottom and top half, so you can get a better fit, but what's special is (obviously from my top image) the fact that the cotton mask sheet is layered with a piece of special foil which is designed to help lock the moisture in, and help ingredients penetrate 25 times faster than a traditional cotton sheet mask.

The foil also helps the fiber mask to conform and fit to the face a bit better in my experience.

When you open a packet, you will see a translucent plastic separator sheet, and the two halves of the dual-layer mask within. DO NOT REMOVE THE SILVER FOIL FROM THE COTTON!

There is a lot of moisture and product, so if you want to get your money's worth, rub any remaining liquid onto your neck and down your chest as well. The amazing thing for me was the absorption process. I'm not a huge fan of typical sheet masks because they are drippy and messy, and only a fraction of the product gets absorbed. But with these, I know the product is not evaporating or drying up from exposure to air, and after 10 minutes, you can tell from how much drier the cotton sheets are that the liquid has absorbed into your skin.

The best proof is how smooth and plump my skin feels after use. Fine lines (and those pesky beginning nasolabial lines) disappear and there is just a smooth glow to the face.

You're supposed to use these at night before bed so you can just rub the remaining liquid into your skin and leave it to work overnight, but I'm going to be naughty and say you can use this before a special occasion. You need to rinse your face slightly to take away any of the residual tackiness from all the moisture-binding ingredients, but makeup goes on beautifully afterward.

The Lunar New Year period is coming up, and if my skin is going to look bouncy and radiant, I want it to be seen!

Just for your information, the mask smells exactly like the usual Advanced Night Repair serum. And I do recommend trying a sample of the serum on your entire face (if you have never used this range) before investing in a full pack of the mask - just to be sure you are not allergic to any ingredients.

Recommended for: all skin types that need smoothing and radiance, but especially for those with first-signs of aging

Ingredients list for the PowerFoil masks, for those who are worried about allergies etc.