I’m at the age where I get excited by any product with the words anti-ageing or youth in it. Sad I know, but this is the fact of a woman’s life as she grapples with the ageing process. So naturally, I got my granny knickers in a twist when I received an invite from The Body Shop about the launch of their new product, Drops Of Youth – in the form of an oh-so-cute terrarium plant. On top of that, the event was held at the new The Marmalade Pantry at the Stables, which I’ve been wanting to check out.

It was a great event where we heard testimonials about the product which is made from plant stem cells harvested from criste-marine which grows on the rocky Brittany coast. Why this plant? It was selected as this succulent plant is able to thrive in the most dry and in-hospitable climate, sustaining itself by drawing nutrients from the air surrounding it. On our skin, this organic anti-ageing potion is said to enhance surface skin renewal to reveal smoother, fresher and healthier skin. It is to be used together with your serum, or added to your day and night moisturizer to give a surge of hydration and kick-start the cell repair process. Launched island-wide yesterday, Drops Of Youth is retailing for $58.90 for a 30ml bottle.

Verdict: The concentrate is lightweight and absorbs easily into my skin without any sticky residue. My face feels more supple and does seem more luminous. While I am not looking like an 18-year old adolescent yet, I did get mistaken for a 25-year old recently (I’m actually 35 years old!).

I’ll leave you with some pictures from the Drops Of Youth media launch:

What do you think of youth-enhancing concentrates? Do they work?

Is there such a thing as drops of youth?

Stay tuned next week to find out…

Gold – this glittering metal has been used since ancient times to heal the sick and save lives.  The use of gold in modern medicine began around 1890, when the German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered that compounds made with gold inhibited growth of the bacillus that caused tuberculosis. Since then, medical uses of gold have expanded greatly. It is used in surgery to patch damaged blood vessels, nerves, bones and membranes. And it is used in the treatment of several forms of cancer. Injection of microscopic gold pellets helps to retard prostate cancer in men. Women with ovarian cancer are treated with colloidal gold. And gold vapor lasers seek out and destroy cancerous cells without harming their healthy neighbors.

The anti-aging benefits of gold can be traced back 5,000 years to Cleopatra, who was said to sleep in a gold face mask every night to enhance the suppleness of her complexion and preserve its natural luminosity. In addition to antioxidant and antimicrobial powers, gold is praised for its purported ability to ward off UV damage, tighten lax skin and reduce the appearance of discoloration. Some believe it can slow the breakdown of elastin, keeping skin firm and taut; other proponents believe gold increases circulation, eliminating toxins from the body and speeding up tissue repair.

Which brings me to the reason why I was up early on a Saturday morning, popping gold-leafed canapes in my mouth…I was invited by La Prairie for the launch of their new Cellular Radiance Emulsion. At the workshop, group training manager of Starasia, Michelle, educated us on the benefits of gold and how their new product, containing this magic ingredient, will help bring radiance and suppleness to dull skin.

Any tai-tai worth her salt will know that La Prairie is known for their anti-aging skincare range made up of luxurious and top of the range ingredients like caviar, platinum and gold. One of their bestsellers is a serum called Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold under their Radiance Collection, which contains colloidal gold, flecks of gold and liquid crystals to rejuvenate skin. This Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is the latest add-on to the collection, and a complement to their bestseller.

Testing the products, the gold flecks in the serum were obvious and my hand was instantly “blinged” up when I applied it. Topping it off with the emulsion, there was indeed a radiance to my hand as promised by the products. The texture was a little too rich for my liking upon application but after a while, the slight stickiness went away when the product was fully absorbed.

Besides gold, the emulsion also contains other skin-loving ingredients like a Unique Brightening Complex that contains a patented molecule that brightens the skin and helps prevent age spots from forming, Extract of Silver Vine which blocks almost 100% of carbonylation which is responsible for decreasing light transmission of the skin and Boswellia Extract, a topical anti-irritant to reduce cellular stress, a cause of redness and irritation.

I don’t think that I am going to use the La Prairie products daily as I am quite happy with my current regime. Instead, I am going to save these goodies for special occasions when I need to glow. Or after a particularly rough week. Or perhaps when I am feeling like Cleopatra and soaking in my milk bath…

The Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold is retailing at $1050, while the Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is $750. Available at La Prairie counters at Tangs, Metro Paragon, Takashimaya and Robinsons.

Spent a luxurious Sunday pampering myself with Reviva Labs facial products. Here’s what I tried:

1. Collagen Fibre Eye-Pad Kit (US$38)

Instructions:

First I applied the Skin Energizing  Gel (which comes with the product) under my eyes then pasted the collagen eye pads on top of it. Using water, I dabbed at the eye pads till they were transparent and adhered to my eye area. The eye pads molded easily and felt comfortable. After 15 to 20 minutes, I peeled them off.

Results:

My fine lines look minimised and my undereye area looked tighter. Weekly usage will enhance the Botox-like effects and result in smoother, firmer undereye area, reduce wrinkles, puffiness as well as dark circles.

2. Light Skin Peel (US$20)

Instructions:

I applied this thick paste, which smelt like fruity clay, all over my face. There was a slight tingling sensation and I left it on for 5 minutes or until it dried completely, then gently rubbed it off. 

Results:

My favourite so far! My complexion was radiant and had a slight pinkish flush after the treatment. It would be great if the acid peel came with a brush or spatula to make application more hygenic.

3. Collagen Fibre Skin Brightener Pads (US$13)

Instructions:

An interesting product and treatment where you cut the collagen pads according to the area you want to treat, dab water to make it adhere and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. According to Reviva Labs, this product contains Alpha-Arbutin, and a study on Chinese women has shown that this ingredient has the most skin lightening effect after one month, compared to other products tested.

Results:

The area where I pasted the pads looked slightly clearer, however my pigmentation still looks the same. For progressive lightening, I have to use this two to three times a week.

For more information, check out: www.revivalabs.com

I received a lovely package from Reviva Labs this week.  Hailing from the US, Reviva touts itself as the “health food store” brand used in over 1200 professional skin care salons. Started by Stephen Strassler, one of America’s pioneer aesthetic doctors, its focus on using natural ingredients led to Reviva being sold in health food stores, hence its tagline.

Here’s what I got:

From left to right:

Collagen Fibre Skin Brightener Pads – This product uses the vitalising properties of freeze-dried native collagen, which is more effective than collagen that has been processed via heat and solvents in other kinds of creams. Native collagen fibre is a hydrating, healing treatment, in addition, Alpha-Arbutin, licorice, grapeseed extract and citric acid have been added to brighten and lighten age spots and create a more uniform skin tone. Results are purported to be seen after each 15 to 20 minute treatment.

Makeup Primer – To be used over moisturiser or directly on clean skin under make-up, this fragrance-free and non-comedogenic product smoothens lines, conceals pores and controls excess oil. When I told Reviva Labs that I don’t use make-up, they told me that I can use it as a moisturiser alone.

Collagen-Fibre Eye Pad Kit – Infused with Myoxinal, which is an extract from the hibiscus flower known to relax facial muscles for a Botox-effect, this eye treatment helps to diminish wrinkles, reduce puffiness and decrease dark eye circles.

Skin Energizing Gel – To be used together with the Collagen-Fibre Eye Pad Kit or on its own, this product contains “electrically charged” trace minerals ions from Hawaii’s ocean which serve as skin activators to stimulate skin cell energy.  It is used primarily to break down skin resistance which is common when skin ages and loses minerals. Apply this before using your regular skin creams and see how your skin absorbs the creams more effectively!

Light Skin Peel – This is not a strong chemical peel used by aestheticians, instead it is more of a gentle exfoliating product to remove dead skin cells.  It also stimulates the new skin cells to move upward at a faster rate so that skin surface can look tighter, clearer and healthier.

While I can’t wait to test out all these new goodies, my skin is currently having a bad reaction to something so I am taking a breather and staving off piling anymore new products on my face.

However, I couldn’t resist testing out the Skin Energizing Gel which controlled my sebum control when I applied it at night under my moisturiser, as well as the Makeup Primer which made my skin feel really matte and velvety.  Very promising indeed.

More reviews will be coming up soon, so stay tuned!