Lancome Advanced Genifique Sensitive Dual Concentrate

I've used Lancome's Advanced Genifique for a few years, so when they launched a new Advanced Genifique Sensitive Dual Concentrate, I was pretty excited to try it out.

Like the original, Advanced Genifique Sensitive is built around probiotics, which is known to balance and soothe skin. However, unlike the original, this is meant more as a month-long "special booster" to help calm and fortify skin that has become stressed and fragile due to weather changes, traveling, stress, infra-red radiation, UVA rays and pollution.

And since skin inflammation is directly related to DNA and collagen damage, I'm a huge fan of anti-inflammatory skincare products and ingredients. I have been struggling with sensitive flare-ups recently, partly due to stress, partly due to starting birth control pills, and partly due to testing strong products, so my skin was totally ready for some TLC when this bottle landed in my hands.

The package is pretty interesting in itself. 

You get a disposable cap which contains a tube filled with concentrated actives including:

• Vitamin E - blocks free-radicals, anti-aging
• Ferulic Acid - amplifies and prolongs the effectiveness of antioxidants like Vit E
• Arginine - hydrating, circulation-boosting
• Cornflower extract - anti-inflammatory, soothing, rich in anti-oxidants like polyphenols

Twist it as instructed, and the blue tube breaks like a light stick, releasing the fresh actives into the clear serum base, which isn't just some basic hydrating filler either. It contains a load of skincare ingredients including 

• Probiotics - skin balancing, anti-inflammatory
• Centella Asiatica - soothing and repair-boosting
• Faex extract - anti-inflammatory and antioxidant yeast extract, full of Vit Bs
• Adenosine - wrinkly-fighting, hydrating
• Pineapple extract and Papain - gentle exfoliating fruit enzymes

Oddly satisfying view when you've just "popped" a fresh bottle of Advanced Genifique Sensitive

Give it a good shake, swap in the dropper cap, and your bottle of Advanced Genifique Sensitive Dual Concentrate turns to a cloudy serum which is now ready for use. A single press of the dropper button should dispense a measured dose which is sufficient for the face and neck.

You can apply it once a day at night, after toner and before other skincare, but I would suggest skipping harsh or sensitizing products (like Retin A for example) while using this, just so you can maximize the benefits of this soothing concentrate.

I personally like applying this in the day, under my usual lotions and potions, before makeup. I don't use strong products in the morning just before stepping out anyway, and it's a great time to calm and reinforce your skin with loads of antioxidants before it is exposed to environmental aggressors.

After about 2 weeks of use, my skin felt less reactive to sun exposure in the noon when I trek 5-10 mins out for lunch (I usually experience some tingling and prickling in the sun, followed by dehydration from the heat and sweating once I return to the air-conditioned office). When I got a few small hormonal clogs around my jaw or lower cheek area due to PMS, they were quite mild and pretty much went away overnight.

Overall, my skin seems better able to retain moisture, and dehydration lines on my forehead and neck are not as visible.

An unexpected observation while using Advanced Genifique Sensitive was that my makeup lasted better, because my skin was better-behaved through the day. I'm more "normal", less oily in oily areas, less dry in dry areas. Even with the weather swinging between muggish and hot, to wet and rainy, to stifling and hazy, most of the foundations I wore seemed to sit better longer through the day. I even started skipping setting powder on some mornings.

Minimal skin cover-up; Lancome Mat Miracle foundation and l'Absolu Rouge198 Rouge Flamboyant

While brightening and evening the skin tone is not one of the listed benefits, I feel this concentrate helped my skin look more translucent and even-toned after a few weeks of use. (I have not been using any brightening serum since I started on this) It could be the protective anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents preventing and repairing daily sun damage, or the enzymes improving cell turnover. Either way, I like how everything is looking and feeling right now and can get away with minimal concealing.

You are supposed to use up the bottle in 2 months, because that's when you reap the most benefits from the fresh actives, so don't try to skimp and use it every few days just to make it last a few more months. If you're investing in something like this, use it properly. In fact, if you're preparing for a big day or your skin is being subjected to a lot of stress (e.g. adjusting to a different climate), I would even suggest using this twice-daily for a couple of weeks.

One very minor con for me is the synthetic coloring in the blue concentrate, but it doesn't cause me any concern and doesn't leave noticeable color on skin. (I expect it's there so you get that dramatic view of the cobalt blue swirling through the clear base.) Unless you have a specific sensitivity to colorants, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just avoid ingesting it or touching it directly to your eyes. The base does also contain T-Butyl Alcohol, but that's a solvent necessary for some of the ingredients to liquefy and blend together properly, so that's not a big deal for me either. 

If you're keen to try Advanced Genifique Sensitive for yourself, Lancome has free 7-day trial kits with a complementary 15-minute renewal service in Singapore.

Blue Concentrate:Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Ci 60730 / Ext. Violet 2, Coco-Betaine, Arginine, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Water, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Base Concentrate. 
Base:Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract / Pineapple Fruit Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Succinate, Phenoxyethanol, Faex Extract / Yeast Extract, Adenosine, Caffeine, Ppg-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Peg-32, Arginine, Chlorphenesin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Papain, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Methionine, Glycine, Fragrance.

Albion Skin Conditioner Review

Albion has long been one of the top high-end beauty brands in Japan, and even before I'd seen the products myself I'd heard of people passing Albion shopping lists to travelers visiting Tokyo.

This skincare line is based on rigorous scientific research and officially supplies the Japanese Imperial Family, so they've certainly got a prestigious reputation as well as the sales figures to back them up. But I admit I am pretty jaded when it comes to skincare, especially toners. In this day and age when removers are much more effective at removing makeup and rinsing off without residue, the whole "cotton pad and toner" step in skincare routines is outdated and redundant, and meant to dig more cash out of wallets. There are little to no skincare benefits, and in cases of harsh astringent formulas (e.g. exfoliating toners) they are overly harsh on the skin and can cause more skin problems. 

For me, it only makes sense to add that extra step if the product in question is a "treatment water" of sorts, which contains ingredients more concentrated than, or complementary to, the rest of your skincare routine. They should also be gentle and contain enough beneficial ingredients (none of that spring-water nonsense; sorry Evian!) to be used as a misting spray throughout the day to soothe, condition, and protect the skin without disturbing makeup.

Albion's Skin Conditioner (SGD$140) meets all these requirements, happily enough. This product, more fondly known to fans as "Ski-Con", has been the No. 1 seller in Japan since 1974. They sell over a million units per year in Japan alone. Based around Jobs' Tears, the formula is meant to help skin maintain optimum health by regulating cell metabolism and helping to reduce the negative reactions caused by external factors like weather, as well as internal factors like hormonal fluctuations and a poor diet.

This year, they've brought out a limited edition Skin Conditioner Mist in a small spray bottle, which can be tucked in your purse for on-the-go refreshment, which is perfect for me because I find treatment waters more useful on the go. Unlike Caudalie's Beauty Elixir, which has menthol and contains alcohol, this is more suited for dry, sensitive skins. Skin Conditioner has a medicinal-floral scent, which I kinda like because it smells a little like old-school cologne waters my grandparents used to use.

The bad news is, this mist bottle is not for sale. The very good news is - it actually comes free in a limited edition Summer pack with every full-size Skin Conditioner purchase while stocks last. As a nod to the legion of Ski-Con fans, the kit also includes 2 packets of facial cotton and a pack of sheet masks, which you can saturate with Skin Conditioner and place over your face for quick treatment sessions, something loyal users have been doing for decades.

I did take my time trying out the product before typing up this review, so I'm not sure if there are any stocks left right now!

If you use Albion skincare products already, you will be aware of the rather different order in terms of skincare application. Skin Conditioner is supposed to be used as Step 3.

1 - Cleanser

2 - Milk lotion

3 - Skin Conditioner

4 - Serum

Those who have never tried Albion before might find it odd to apply the lotion before "toner" and serum, but Albion's milk lotions are more like preparatory products that help prime and soften the skin to increase product penetration and moisture retention. 

My experience?

Skin Conditioner is extremely light-weight and leaves no residue or scent once it sinks in. It's also extremely good at soothing inflammation and general skin stress, so the product is recommended for acne-prone skins as well. I test many skincare products each week and I often get reactions to some of the harsher ingredients. I do have "SOS products" that I use in these occasions, but I've found placing a cotton pad soaked with Skin Conditioner over the raw, red areas and being able to mist my face every couple of hours - even when I'm out and wearing makeup - really helps subdue any reaction faster.

The most surprising thing was how conditioned and moisturized my skin felt. There's no dewiness or grease but my skin just felt more supple and balanced, even after hours in cold air-conditioned rooms. I was previously a fan of the brand's Exage Moist Rich Serum Mist for hydration, but I have to say this has taken the top spot because it feels lighter on the skin, more soothing, and seems to have a balancing effect that lasts for hours. My guess is I needed the extra soothing, conditioning properties instead of just hydration. 

I probably haven't said this of many treatment waters to date, but I highly recommend anyone with sensitive or reactive skins try this out, regardless of whether you are oily, normal or dry. It's not a cheap buy, but one I feel is worth the investment, if you're in the market for a proper treatment water.