Web Exclusive - Five Essentials

Five new skincare products and why you should consider them ...

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Cream, $86

Hyperpigmentation, also known as melasma or chloasma and usually referred to as sun spots or age spots, is a common problem. It shows up as brown patches on the skin, especially around the hairline, on the cheekbones and upper lip. It’s definitely associated with ageing but it’s also due to the sun. The good news is that if you have it, there’s something out there to treat it. Most spots can be minimized by a whitening or lightening cream containing ingredients such as hydroquinine, kojic or hydroxy acids, antioxidants or natural remedies such as liquorice or mulberry extracts. If these don’t work, however, you can resort to more intense options such as superficial chemical peels, microdermabrasion, IPL (intense pulsed light) and some lasers. Best try the creams, such as this one from Shiseido, first. 

La Prairie’s Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold, $1200

The latest from a company known for the efficacy of its serums, this one contains the simplest of ingredients: pure gold. Designed to give your face a 24-carat glow, it contains colloidal gold – a liquid suspension of gold – that allows the miniscule flecks to dissolve into the skin, making it look brighter, healthier and more vital. Inspired by Chinese healing practices, it also claims a host of long-term anti-ageing benefits including minimized wrinkles, reduced pigmentation, increased collagen and elastin production and greater firmness and hydration. If you are a La Prairie fan – and many women are – you’ll be adding this to your wish-list.

Elizabeth Arden Intervene Pause & Effect Moisture Cream and Lotion, $99 each

Designed to get at the wrinkles before they start, this new range from Elizabeth Arden employs an innovation called Biodormin technology to slow down skin ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles and tone loss. Soy, red clover and other botanicals stimulate the production of collagen which firms the skin, while intense moisturizing ingredients maintain optimum hydration. Both the cream and lotion have an SPF15.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer with Dermaxyl Complex, $74

It may look pink in its container, but this primer goes on completely clear. The original product (one without the Dermaxyl) has been a top seller for the brand which was developed by make-up artists for industry professionals working out of Smashbox Studios in LA. This gives it a certain credibility – make-up that has been designed for modern photographic use needs to be light in texture and long lasting. Photo Finish Primer with Dermaxyl Complex combines all the benefits of the original with an anti-ageing treatment. Like its predecessor, it is silicon-based, providing an ultra-smooth canvas upon which foundation can sit. By adding Dermaxyl. the product claims to also moisturize the skin and minimize fine lines and wrinkles.

Yves Saint Laurent Lisse Expert Esthetic Line Eraser Kit, $296

There are many products on the market that claim to replicate the benefits of glycolic peels, treatments usually performed by beauty therapists or cosmetic physicians. The strength of DIY options can understandably never be as strong as those performed in doctors’ surgeries but at-home glycolic kits certainly have their place. YSL’s Lisse Expert Esthetic Line Eraser Kit comes in two parts: a glycolic peeling mask, which is basically a heavy-duty exfoliant; and a silicon-infused wrinkle-eraser pen, which helps to fill in wrinkles.