Product Launch: Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

Set to launch this spring is Lancome Paris Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate. A high-end serum designed to return the protein levels in skin cells to that of younger skin and thus slow the appearance of aging. Online sources indicate this product was created and tested in collaboration with the hospital centre at Quebec's University of Laval.

This product appears to be designed to compete with Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex, which is packaged in a little brown bottle and also has a dropper applicator.

Lancome, a luxury division of the Loreal group of companies frequently uses alcohol in their products which some would say counteracts any moisturizing benefits of the products. Loreal, Garnier and Biotherm have all launched facial moisturizing products recently that contain alcohol. An ingredients list is currently unavailable so it is difficult to know what all this product contains.

I am eager to try this new product and will update this post with a review once I have tried it.

Available at Lancome counters and from the Lancome website. A ounce dropper bottle costs $78.00.

Ingredients: See Updated Post

Cassia, What is it?

You may have recently seen ads for Proctor and Gamble's new line of Pantene Pro-V products called Nature Infusion that contain, among some other natural ingredients, Cassia. But what exactly is Cassia?

According to the Pantene website Cassia is: "Native to India, cassia is a wild herb and grows to be about three feet tall. This plant has small, pale yellow flowers and is known for its aromatic bark." They go on to say that they use: "The essence of the cassia seed." And the: "Cassia used in Pantene Nature Fusion is exclusively sourced from India." Furthermore: "Pantene science has found a way to harness the conditioning properties of the cassia plant. The gum powder produced from the cassia seed is where those conditioning properties lie."

Wikipedia explains that there is some confusion about what plants are actually considered Cassia and what aren't. Other online sources seem to indicate that it may be similar to cinnamon.

Regardless, Cassia seems to be one of the new ingredient buzz words this year.

Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Conditioner

Pantene's new Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Conditioner is meant to be used with the matching shampoo. This new line from Proctor and Gamble is Pantene's answer to natural hair care in that they contain some natural ingredients.

This conditioner has a very thick, white, creamy texture not unlike most other Pantene products. Despite the initial feeling of heaviness, this conditioner seems to absorb into the hair and rinse fairly cleanly. It left my recently color treated hair easy to wet comb and made it feel smooth and silky once dry.

As with the matching shampoo the scent is particularly strong and lingers which may not be appropriate for those who have fragrance sensitivities.

This conditioner has several forms of silicone in it and silicones can, after a while, build up on the hair. Silicones impart a smoothness to hair that make it easier to comb and style.

Selling for under $5.00 in most mass market retailers this bottle contains 12.6 ounces of product.


Ingredients: Water , Stearyl Alcohol , Palm Oil , Palm Kernel Oil , Coconut Oil , Cyclopentasiloxane , Cetyl Alcohol , Palm Oil , Palm Kernel Oil , Coconut Oil , Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine , Cassia Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride , Cassia Tora Seed , Cassia Obtusifolia Seed , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder , Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract , Ginger Root Extract - Zingiber Officinale , Panthenol , Panthenyl Ethyl Ether , Citric Acid , Corn Starch , Sugar Cane , Dimethicone , Glutamic Acid , Benzyl , Fragrance , EDTA , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Yellow 5 , Orange 4.