Update: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex

I am a huge fan of this serum, the more I use it the more I love it. I have been using it twice daily for two weeks solid, sometimes even three times a day, and it actually seems to be fading my freckles.

I do, however, have to be careful not to get too much near my eyes or it tends to irritate them. While I have found that it takes more than a few drops to cover my entire face, I have been applying it to damp skin and find it does spread easier while helping to reduce any greasiness. I have been using it under my Mastey de Paris Moiste Facial Moisturizer and find that they seem to work well together.

As I mentioned in my original post about Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex, this is a product I tend to go back to. Yes, it is rather expensive, but it seems to work for me and when you consider how many years it has been available and how popular it is, it appears to work for a lot of people.

Yves Rocher France Radiant Complexion Treatment Duo

Always eager to try new products I settled on the Yves Rocher France Radiant Complexion Treatment Duo available in the recent catalog.

This treatment duo consist of a botanical scrub to be used first followed by a intensive moisturizing mask that is allowed to absorb with the excess being tissued off.

The products I received came in two attached packets. These are lightly scented products that are easy to use. The scrub is gentle and can be used without causing too much skin discomfort. A gentle hand is best with this scrub as the granuales are a bit on the rough side. The moisturizing mask is a lightweight lotion that absorbs surprising fast. Both leave the skin feeling soft, smooth and supple.

My only real complaint is these products contain so many perservatives compared to similar products from other botantical/natural skin care lines.

While the packets are one time use and sell for $1.50, these products are available seperately in full size tubes that retail for $16.00 each. Available at Yves Rocher stores in Canada and Europe or from the Yves Rocher website in the US.

Ingredients:

Botanical Scrub: Water/Eau, Mineral Oil/Huile Minerale, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Zea Mays (Corn) Cob Powder, Trilaurin, Polyethylene, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Sunflower Seed Oil Glyceride, Diatomaceous Earth/Terre De Diatomees, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Steareth-100, PEG-8, Stearic Acid, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Butylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, BHT, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Methylchloroisothiazounone, Methylisothiazounoe.

Intense Moisture Mask: Water/Eau, Propylene Glycol, Urea, Isononyl Isononanoate, Alcohol Denat., Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Behenoxy Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Parfum/Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Blue 1.

Update: Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

I was given a sample packet of Lancome's new Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate to try and it is a pleasant enough product.

This serum is a thick, unscented, clear liquid that spreads easily but requires a minute or two to absorb. It felt a bit thick and sticky during application. Lancome spent 10 years developing this product and it has 7 international patents.

This is very similar to Estee Lauder's iconic Advanced Night Repair and based on the the bottle with the dropper applicator as well as the use of the ingredient Bifida Ferment Lysate, it seems Lancome wants to gain some of Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair customers.

However, it is also very different. Price is one area where they differ greatly since Advanced Night Repair sells for $46.50 and Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate sells for nearly twice that. Advanced Night Repair contains numerous humectants and vitamins such as Squalane, Sodium Rna, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Pantethine, Hydrogenated Lecithin and also contains a lesser amount of alcohol.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate is a nice product but I prefer Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, it is what I use, what I like and what I am used to. However, for those who do not care for Advanced Night Repair and for those with extra pocket money, this might be a worthwhile alternative.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate retails for $78.00 for a one ounce bottle with dropper applicator and is available online from the Lancome website or at better department stores with Lancome counters.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Amonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide/Amonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Limonene, Xathan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodcanol, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Parfum/Fragrance.