Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex is one of the best known serums available. And while the formula has been tweaked since it's introduction it has basically remained the same soothing, smoothing, hydrating formula. The serum is not scented and instead has a slight, unoffensive, herbal scent. This gold colored serum is slightly thick and spreads easily. It absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling dewy and soft. I have found that it makes my moisturizer, Mastey de Paris Moiste Facial Moisturizer, absorb more completely and doesn't make my face look or feel greasy. It seems to make fine lines far less noticeable and my face feels soft. It also does a great job of soothing irritation and reducing redness from breakouts. Although Estee Lauder continues to raise the prices of their products it continues to be popular and highly recommended by its fans. When Estee Lauder reformulated the product a couple of years ago they left the basics and just added to it, thus, the texture, scent, color, are the same but the product now contains peptides and other ingredients thought to help reverse the look of skin damage. The little brown bottle is now plastic, instead of glass, but retains the famous color, shape, and dropper applicator.

L'Oreal introduced their Youth Code Serum Intense about two years ago. I bought a bottle as soon as it was available. My first impression of it was that it is a bit more watery than Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex but I liked that it required very little product to cover my face, absorbs instantly, smells wonderful, and does seem to help moisturize and firm. Alcohol is listed as one of the first ingredients in this serum, however, from what I have been able to find on the subject, the alcohol is used to help the product absorb deeper, faster, and the alcohol evaporates. In addition, L'Oreal appears to use an ingredient meant to buffer the alcohol to keep it from irritating the skin. The scent is pleasant and doesn't knock you over but it does make it feel a bit more luxurious. The packaging is wonderful, the pump bottle protects the serum and helps keep it sanitary. This serum also contains the Matrixyl 3000 peptides which help rebuild collagen in the skin. Something not usually found in drug store products and something that sets this serum apart from many of its competitors. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense retails for about half of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense is nearly identical to Lancome Genifique, the difference being Youth Code has peptides, Genifique does not.

So, which to choose? I use both. Because I have found that Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair doesn't make me shiny when I apply Mastey de Paris Moiste Facial Moisturizer, I find that it works better for me during the day. It  smooths any fine lines, plumps the skin, and soothes any irritation. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense also does all of that, but it tends to make me shiny during the day if I use it under my moisturizer so I use it at night. Both products are great and both seem to do what they market them to do. Different products work differently for each person, so it comes down to which product works for you and which texture you prefer since they are slightly different. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex has a sort of oily feeling texture but it is not oily. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense has a more watery texture. Price is also a big consideration for the budget savvy shopper. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex retails for $55.00 for a one ounce bottle. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense retails for $25.00 for a one ounce bottle.


Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-75, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Tripeptide-32, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cola Acuminata (Kola) Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Pantethine, Caffeine, Glycereth-26, Sodium RNA, Squalane, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Bisabolol, Choleth-24, Ceteth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, TEA Carbomer, Trisodium-EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Benzyl Alcohol, Green 5 (CI 61570), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 4 (CI 14600).

L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Intense
Ingredients: Water , Bifida Ferment Lysate , Glycerin , Alcohol Denat. , Dimethicone , Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acids , PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate , Sodium Hyaluronate , Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine , Palmitoyl Oligopeptide , Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 , Adenosine , Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide , Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate , Disodium EDTA , Caprylyl Glycol , Citric Acid , Xanthan Gum , N-Hydroxysuccinimide , Chrysin , Octyldodecanol , Sodium Benzoate , Phenoxyethanol , Limonene , Fragrance.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate
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.

- Written by SkinCareJunky -

L'Oreal Paris EverCreme Sulfate-Free Conditioning Cleanser

L'Oreal's EverCreme Sulfate-Free Conditioning Cleanser is a shampoo and conditioner. This thick, strongly scented formula lathers well and leaves my easily tangled hair easy to comb. The scent is quite strong and lingers which may not be ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, however, the scent is pleasant.

The formula is thick and produces a good lather and seems to do a good job cleaning and moisturizing my hair. This product contains alcohol which seems a bit odd considering that L'Oreal markets the styling products they sell as part of this line as being alcohol free. Because shampoo is a rinse off product the alcohol may not be a factor but I do wonder if it could cause hair to become more dry. It seems that maybe the alcohol is meant to help clean the hair or maybe keep it from feeling greasy after washing or maybe it helps the oils penetrate the hair shaft better.

While many companies are jumping on the no sulfate bandwagon, Mastey de Paris was the first to manufacture sulfate-free, silicone-free products, although L'Oreal is a much more affordable line.

This product comes in an 8.3 ounce pump bottle and is available at most stores and online. It retails for around $7.99.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoamphopropionate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum/Fragrance, Isopropyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Camelina Sativa Oil/Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil/Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil/Grape Seed Oil, Caramel, CI 19140/Yellow 5.

- Written by SkinCareJunky -

L'Oreal Paris Youth Code Day and Night Cream

L'Oreal's Youth Code franchise has some really innovative products, Youth Code Serum Intense Concentrate being my favorite (And very similar to serums by YSL, Vichy, and Lancome, all of which are owned by L'Oreal).

The Youth Code Day and Night Cream is a rich, nicely scented moisturizer. It is rather dense and heavy and as it contains wax may not be best suited to those with acne prone skin. However, it does seem to moisturize quite well. Although it does feel rather heavy after first applying it it seems to soak in and leaves the skin feeling smooth and hydrated.

Youth Code Day and Night Cream is available at a variety of stores and online retailers. A 1.7 ounce jar retails for under $25.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, PEG 10 Dimethicone, PEG 10/15 crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin 3 Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Nylon 12, Limonene, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Carbonate, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ethylhexl Glycerin, Polysilicone 8, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate.

- Written by SkinCareJunky -