Cle de Peau La Creme

When do the big guns become too big?

Do we really need a $500 per oz moisturizer?

For me, it all comes down to visible results. I'm willing to pay for a serum that makes sun damage fade faster, for a moisturizer that heals stressed skin and for anti-aging products that keep my face younger looking. As long as I can see that. I don't care much for the faux-science babble on boxes and inserts, this molecule or that molecule, bio-something or other, magical orbs... whatever. Just make me look pretty.

My expectations are within a normal range. It's not that I hope a cream would make my nose smaller and my chin more pronounced. It's all about having a smooth, supple and even skin, or at least its equivalent for someone pushing 40. And so far so good. Most serious companies that have the research budget offer us a wide array of very effective products.

The problem starts when a product is obviously good- like Cle de Peau's La Creme. It's an excellent moisturizer that also has anti-aging and brightening properties. I can't really comment on the latter because I've been faithfully using Cle de Paeu's Anti Age Spot serum and seeing wonderful results for months now. My skin hasn't been so even since my teens. I'm also using several other excellent products, mostly by Lancome and Kanebo Sensai) that replenish moisture and retain it. When temperatures drop, after flights and/or on skin emergencies I reach for the miraculous Erno Laszlo PHormula 3-9. They all work.

If I were to go for a full jar of La Creme (I've been going through several samples and travel size GWP jars for the last six weeks) would I be able to forsake all other skin care products? Would I use cheaper cleansers, only one drugstore serum and nothing else? No brightening serum? No masks? It's highly unlikely. And does La Creme gives me better results than my trusty Secret de Vie? Not at this point.

Decision made.

Cle de Peau La Creme ($500, 1oz or $750 1.7oz) is available at select department stores.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

Just about every Lancome GWP event lately has these 0.5 oz tubes of Genifique, an anti-aging serum. I somehow managed to go through nearly one ounce of the product and liked the way it felt, but since I only used it occasionally and didn't work it into my regular skin care routine (so many serums, so little time) it never amounted to real testing, so I couldn't assess the results.

However, when my sister complained that her skin could use some extra help, as she was seeing the effects of very dry air, stress and constant chasing after a toddler on her face, I remembered the nice plumped up feeling I got from Genifique and bought her a bottle.

My sister has been using the serum for over a month now and is happy with the results. She was surprised how thin it was- the texture is practically watery and it sinks right into the skin within seconds. It doesn't look like it's doing anything, but quickly enough she realised her skin was looking much better, her regular moisturizer started performing its duties again and the fine lines that started to appear as a result of dryness went back to where they came from.

Bottom line: My sister highly recommends.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate ($78, 1 oz) is available from every semi-decent department store as well as from the company's website (there's also a larger 1.7 oz bottle). I've been using the GWP tubes and bought the bottle for my sister at my local Bloomie's.

image: cartoonstock.com

Kanebo Sensai Cellular Performance Wrinkle Repair Cream

One thing I've learned in the last four or five years is that skin care really matters. It won't make you taller, skinnier or smarter, but good skin care used consistently (religiously, actually) makes a world of difference in the way we look. And feel.

It's not always a question of price, gold packaging and a formula made of Martian minerals and unicorn tears. Independent studies and my own forehead have shown that the $22 No. 7 serum from Target is an extremely effective wrinkle correction substance (these studies say nothing about battle scars you get when fighting other shoppers over the last bottle on the shelf). But when it comes to face creams and moisturizers with anti-aging properties, the more research and advanced technology that goes in the product, the better it can be. While this means a hefty price tag, it's usually worth it.

I've been using Kanebo Sensai Cellular Performance Wrinkle Repair Cream for the last couple of months. I don't have any serious wrinkles (and we all know that there's only so much a face cream can do once they actually set in), but I can confirm a case of a very happy skin. The Cellular Performance cream does an excellent work on the nourishing front. My skin looks and feels plump and very smooth. A few days of use revealed an extra radiance, and no matter what- it seems to retain a high level of moisture, which is probably half the secret of the Kanebo Sensai products I've encountered so far.

I've been using the Cellular Performance cream alternately with my Holy Grail, Lancome Secret de Vie. The Kanebo Sensai product is thicker and takes a little longer to absorb, so I prefer it at night. When I wake up in the morning there's a visible difference in the liveliness of my skin. My husband, of course, has no idea what I'm talking about.

Bottom line: I wouldn't expect miracles, but it works very well.

Kanebo Sensai Cellular Performance Wrinkle Repair Cream ($240, 40 ml) is available from Bergdorf Goodman. I was provided with a press sample by the company.

Image: sensai-cosmetics.com