Voted Best Serum on Harper’s Bazaar’s 2012 “Beauty Hot 100 List”, L’occitane’s new Immortelle Precious Serum certainly has a lot of anticipation and expectation on its performance even before it became available at L’occitane outlets here on 1st October 2012.
Trying out the Immortelle Precious Serum together with the Precious Cream last month was just my 2nd experience with L’occitane skincare. The Precious range is for anti-ageing which is exactly what I need these days, the more the better since I can’t have any more lack of firmness and at my age, loss of collagen is a daily occurrence!
According to Jean-Louis Pierrisnard, the Scientific Director of L’occitane, “glycation” is actually the key factor of ageing. As we grow older, a carbohydrate-rich diet combined with a slower metabolism leads to an imbalance and sugars begin to react with proteins in the body and these larger proteins known as the “glycated” proteins are actually harmful as they can’t be naturally destroyed or eliminated by the body. Eventually these unwanted proteins build up in skin cells and connect the collagen fibres in the dermis which leads to the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
In light of this ageing process, L’occitane launched its new Precious Serum to help prevent glycation and also help repair the early effects of glycation. Immortelle Precious Serum is a highly concentrated serum with opalescent gel texture enriched in pure and micro-encapsulated Immortelle Essential Oil derived from 1,001 Immortelle flowers in every jar (now this is a Serum worth every Ringgit).
These flowers never fade, even after being picked but these are not just any Immortelle flowers. The ones used in L’occitane’s Immortelle range are all grown on the island of Corsica and organically cultivated. They are the only variety that contains an incredibly high concentration of active ingredients in its signature Immortelle Precious skincare range to fight all signs of ageing and visibly preserve the skin’s youthfulness.
The Immortelle skincare comes in arresting dark blue jars and bottles. The Serum has a dropper attached to the cap. As the Serum is very fluid (it has a beautiful texture, you have to feel it to believe me), one drop may be enough but I use at least 2 drops as I want to apply it to my neck and collarbone which has plenty of fine lines.
As I have used so many serums, I don’t consider myself to be easily impressed by most products but on the 1st use of Precious Serum, the scent and texture got my attention straightaway. The scent is non-artificial and it really smells like there are 1,001 Immortelle flowers in that little bottle! Amazing stuff!
But does it work and how effective is it? A lot of skincare smells great and have fantastic textures but can they deliver the goods? Instantly, my skin felt silky smooth and as the days passed, I felt like I had younger-looking skin. All this within a week! No, it’s not about looking more radiant because I get that from other products.
This Serum has an almost indefinable quality about it but one thing’s for sure, it is superb, sublime and I can definitely believe that it stimulates collagen production because my skin feels firmer and fine lines around my collarbone don’t look so obvious any more. Before I started on this Serum, my left collarbone looked sunken because of the many fine lines but after using the Serum for more than a week, the appearance has improved.
Precious Serum also contains Organic Immortelle Cell Extracts and a new complex based on Helianthus Seeds that acts on the three steps of collagen life: Stimulation, Anti-Glycation & Deglycation which visibly smooth the skin’s surface and restore firmness. Over time, the Serum claims to rebuild & replenish the very substance of skin.
L’occitane recommends using the Serum on thoroughly cleansed skin for best results and apply it evenly on skin using fingertips from inner to outer corners of the face, concentrating on areas you wish to tone and firm. Perform small, energetic pinching movements along the outline of the face to promote microcirculation. To finish off, apply light pressure with fingertips on the temples to release tension. L’occitane also recommends using the Serum under a mask once a week as this will enhance the benefits of the mask.
For anti-ageing efficacy, the Serum should be paired with the Precious Cream as these 2 products are said to work together in synergy to give you the “double youthful” beauty benefit. When I opened the jar of Precious Cream the first time and inhaled, I was really reluctant to use it. You might think I was repelled by the scent but au contraire, I wanted to keep the Cream in its pristine state for as long as possible. If not for the fact that I had to use the products pronto, I’d have liked to have kept the jar in its original state for a few more weeks if only to keep inhaling the wonderful scent (hey, more product means more scent, no?).
I love the scent of the Cream even more than the Serum. I think it’s slightly stronger than the Serum and not that I had the opportunity of smelling Immortelle flowers in Corsica but I felt like this must be what it’d smell like if I applied pressed crushed Immortelle flowers to my skin.
This Cream has one of the nicest textures of any moisturiser I’ve ever come across. It’s not a heavy cream, it almost feels like whipped mousse when I apply it to my skin. It’s hydrating and brings such an indescribable level of softness and smoothness to my skin. I have been using Precious Cream day and night, it feels like a luxury moisturiser and I look forward to applying it everyday.
Overall Comments
Now I understand fully how and why Immortelle Precious Serum snagged the Best Serum on Harper’s Bazaar’s 2012 “Beauty Hot 100 List”. If I was on their judging panel, my vote would go to the Precious Serum without a moment’s hesitation. We all want skincare products that will bring positive results in the shortest time. I am pleased to say that I saw results with the Precious Serum and Cream in less than a fortnight. In fact, I was astonished that the texture of my skin felt better within the 1st use of these 2 products. I am so impressed that I am seriously considering purchasing the Precious Serum and Cream once they are finished. In view of the ingredients that have gone into these products, the prices are very reasonable.
Precious Serum retails at RM237/30ml.
Precious Cream retails at RM226/50ml.
For October, you can purchase the Precious Immortelle Duo (Precious Serum + Precious Cream) at RM416 (worth RM463). Watch out for their Roadshows at the following dates and venues:-
- 1-7 Oct 2012 Suria KLCC GF
- 1-14 Oct Gurney Plaza GF
- 15-21 Oct 2012 One Utama GF High Street
- 22-28 Oct 2012 MidValley, GF
For more information on L’occitane products, check out www.loccitane.com.my
