A new launch from Okoko Cosmétiques is always a cause to rejoice.  Recently, I had the delightful opportunity to indulge in two new Okoko treasures, Diamant Bleu Clarifying Cream with Niacinamide and Blue Tansy as well as Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition Next-Level, Age Defying Face Oil with Retinol Fusion. Let’s take these beauties one by one.

Okoko Cosmétiques Diamant Bleu: Clarifying Cream with Niacinamide and Blue Tansy

How can I put into words the pleasure of using Diamant Bleu?  A much-requested item from the Okoko line, this cream is utterly luxurious with a sumptuous buttery texture, the gorgeous color of the sky on a clear and bright day, and a natural fragrance (with key notes of sweet Blue Tansy) so delicious that applying it will lift your spirits and allow for a moment of truly regal indulgence even during an otherwise harried day.

Diamant Bleu is a sensory delight to use.  Sometimes “skincare as self-care” can feel like a marketing gimmick, but not in this case!  It is no exaggeration to say that applying Diamant Bleu offers a precious and enjoyable moment of calm in the storms of life.  I have never smelled any product with a fragrance this delicious, and based on its uplifting effects on me, I would say it is the best aromatherapeutic I have ever tried.  All this praise is simply about the joys of applying Diamant Bleu, but there is so much more to this blue beauty than just delivering an indulgent experience.  As with all Okoko Cosmétiques treasures, every precious ingredient in the formulation is truly performance-driven and based on exhaustive R&D by Okoko founder and Chief Formulator, Oyéta Kokoroko. The gorgeous blue color, for instance, is not just for show; it comes from the combination of natural actives Blue Tansy and Blue Spirulina extract, two incredible plant-based ingredients and potent antioxidants that also deliver skin-calming and detoxifying properties.

If you have a history of complexion woes like I do, then when you imagine a “clarifying cream” you may have visions of harsh dermatological prescriptions that leave skin angry and flaking, but this could not be further from the beautiful reality of Diamant Bleu’s skin-calming results.  I have lovingly nicknamed Diamant Bleu “my blue heaven” because of how dreamy it is in both its performance and use.  The texture is like perfect, freshly-churned butter, delivering an immediate wave of calming hydration.  Before you worry that such a rich, buttery cream might be too indulgent for persnickety, acne-prone skin, let me assure you that Diamant Bleu is formulated precisely for the very concerns of rebellious skin. The importance of hydration plays in optimal healing is often neglected in traditional clarifying formulations, but this is Okoko Cosmétiques, and  Oyéta never delivers less than perfection.  Not only does Diamant Bleu not break me out, it soothes and diminishes inflammation of any sort—whether that is acne, acne marks, or redness and irritation.  Anyone with acne-prone skin can tell you that the marks acne leaves behind are often more stubborn and frustrating than the acne itself was.  Here Diamant Bleu also excels beautifully, with encapsulated Niacinamide proven to rapidly diminish the look of post-acne spots and scarring.

The results of Diamant Bleu will surpass even the highest expectations. My complexion is so much calmer and clearer after regular use of this blue beauty.  This transformative cream is both elegant and high-performance, healing and gently hydrating, all without any harshness–a true feat in formulation!  Diamant Bleu is exceptional and has quickly become my favorite moisturizer of all time.  Of all the moisturizers I have ever tried, none have been as pleasurable and had such an incredible array of benefits as the truly heavenly Diamant Bleu.

Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition Next-Level, Age Defying Face Oil with Retinol Fusion

Les 16 Précieux was already the best anti-aging face oil I had found, but with the new Prestige Edition, you get an entire anti-aging skincare routine all in a single product!  The R&D that went into this treasure is beyond impressive.  As in the White Label version of Les 16 Précieux , Bakuchiol is a key ingredient in the Prestige Edition, but here its effects are further boosted with two evidence-based anti-aging superstars, Encapsulated Retinol and Vitamin C.  The combination of Bakuchiol and Retinol is notable, as the two ingredients work synergistically together, such that their anti-aging and skin-clearing benefits are more than the sum of their individual parts.  Moreover, the Retinol in Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition is encapsulated to improve its delivery and stability.  All this is further amplified by collagen-boosting  vitamin C in an oil-soluble form, L-ascorbyl Palmitate, that helps to brighten and smooth the complexion.

Other incredible ingredients in this luxury cocktail that is Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition include powerhouse antioxidants Astaxanthin, skin-smoothing Ceramides, Fermented Willow Bark to help keep skin clear and bright, White Lupin extract for firming sagging skin, and CoQ10 to help protect skin from environmental stress, and Seabuckthorn and Rosehip Oils to help reduce the appearance of scars.  These are just some of the highlights in this truly divine oil serum!  With all the precious actives featured in Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition, it is noteworthy that the formulation also includes Acai Goji Dehydrasome, an advanced natural ingredient that is not only highly antioxidant and hydrating, but also boosts the delivery and absorption of all the formulation’s beneficial ingredients, of which there are many.

Despite all the potent actives and their enhanced delivery, Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition is incredibly gentle in its power, never causing even the slightest hint of a reaction even on my sensitive skin.  This rich oil is luxurious, hydrating, anti-aging and yet still a perfect choice for those of us dealing with aging and acne simultaneously, as it addresses both concerns and is non-comedogenic.  Les 16 Précieux Prestige Edition is by far the most advanced and effective oil treatment serum I have ever used.  Once again, Okoko Cosmétiques has surpassed my high expectations and delivered a product that truly elevates the entire category of facial oils.

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CV Skinlabs

As someone with sensitive skin often plagued by inflammation, I was beyond excited when I had the opportunity to try CV Skinlabs. Why? The entire line is explicitly designed to offer luxurious, soothing solutions for sensitive skin. I wanted to know if it could deliver on all these claims. Typical “sensitive skin care” generally falls into one of two camps:  highly irritating despite the sensitive label or gentle yet totally ineffective  (e.g., no results). For once, I wanted to find gentle and effective in the same place. With CV Skinlabs, I finally did.

For anyone with skin sensitivity, CV Skinlabs formulations are the stuff of dreams. Every single CV Skinlabs product contains Tri-Rescue Complex, a proprietary blend of turmeric, alpha bisabolol, and reishi mushroom (for detailed benefits of each ingredient, click here). Generally, a product with even one of those ingredients would pique my interest, so you can imagine how excited I was upon discovering CV Skinlabs delivers all three in a synergistic blend for ultimate healing, calming, skin-restorative, and hydrating benefits.

How does CV Skinlabs feel on inflamed skin?

When I received CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture and Rescue + Relief Spray to test, my skin was in a bad spot: inflamed an angry red, highly (and painfully) irritated, and extremely dry.  Despite CV Skinlabs’ focus on sensitive skin, I was nervous to apply much of anything, never mind anything new, to my skin. Why?  Because I knew from prior experience that any product I applied—no matter how “gentle” or “sensitive” it claimed to be—was going to burn, sting, and redden my face even more. Even plain water felt bad. On the other hand, there was no better time to put CV Skinlabs to the ultimate sensitivity test than when my skin was this angry. I got out the Rescue + Relief Spray, braced myself, pulled the trigger, and . . . almost instantly felt a cooling, soothing mist dance across my skin. Much to my surprise, the raw discomfort of my skin, my pain level, significantly diminished almost immediately. Rescue + Relief Spray felt amazing on my inflamed, painful skin.

I got out Calming Moisture next, hopeful, but unsure if it could match the gentle soothing power of Rescue + Relief Spray.  It did. Applying Calming Moisture to my raw and angry skin gave my skin another huge wave of pain relief, plus skin-quenching hydration.  Amazed, I decided to go to my skin care collection and gather up all my “soothing” products to see if any of them were either soothing or painless when applied to my compromised skin.  Out of dozens of “soothing” products, three-fourths of them burned on contact and left my skin beet red, and the others offered only slight relief. Only CV Skinlabs Rescue + Relief Spray and Calming Moisture actually felt good on inflamed skin. Color me impressed.

To tell you more about these soothing little miracle workers, Rescue + Relief Spray offers instant cooling and soothing for inflamed or irritated skin.  I literally breathe a sigh of relief when I apply it, especially when my skin is in bad shape. Unlike a lot of other mists I have tried, the spray bottle works easily and projects a nice mist rather than one narrow trickle. You can store it in the refrigerator, and then applying it feels even more amazing.  It is 99.4% natural, 84% organic, and free of any irritants or potentially harmful ingredients.  Along with CV SkinLabs’ healing Tri-Rescue Complex, Rescue + Relief Spray also combines Aloe and Cucumber for cooling and calming, Water Lily to reduce the heat of compromised skin, and Valerian and Comfrey to further soothe and support healing.

RESCUE + RELIEF SPRAY INGREDIENT LIST: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Glycerin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract (Water Lily), Valeriana Officinalis Rhizome/Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Water (Aqua), Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract (Comfrey), Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maltodextrin *Organic

 Calming Moisture is an antioxidant-rich light lotion that glides and spreads easily on skin, leaving skin soft and supple without the heaviness of traditional creams. The contents are 99.4% natural, 57% organic, and completely free of any irritating or potentially harmful ingredients. In addition to the Tri-Rescue Complex, Calming Moisture also contains Beta Glucan (to promote collagen production, minimize lines and wrinkles, and promote healing), Aloe Vera for soothing and calming, and Oat Extract to minimize redness and itch. Although Calming Moisture is lightweight, it is incredibly healing even for truly dry skin. I have never before found a moisturizer that actually delivers instant relief to painful, compromised skin the way that Calming Moisture does.

CALMING MOISTURE INGREDIENT LIST: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triolein, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Laurate, Squalane, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidium (Mushroom) Extract, Beta-Glucan, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil , Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract*, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Cera), Silicon Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin *Organic

Does CV Skinlabs deliver visible results?

The first night of my trial, I applied more of both CV Skinlabs products before I went to bed. I woke up the very next morning to visibly calmer, better-hydrated skin. I am not used to seeing skin-calming results this significant so quickly, so I was impressed. I used both Rescue + Relief Spray and Calming Moisture exclusively over the next week, and my skin was completely restored within a handful of days, much more quickly than is typical for me. With the anti-inflammatory power of the Tri-Rescue Complex, Rescue + Relief Spray and Calming Moisture healed both the pain and unsightliness of my inflammation. After a week, my skin looked like it had never been angry. My skin was hydrated with a noticeable boost in radiance.

Conclusion

Rescue + Relief and Calming Moisture are soothing wonders with beautifying benefits.  Even when I was sure that anything that touched my skin was going to hurt and burn, both products offered instant soothing and relief.  I have experimented with enough “sensitive” skin care products over the years to tell you that I have never experienced anything else that feels so good to apply on inflamed skin. For me, this is huge, because when you are already in pain with compromised skin, the last thing you want to do is to apply a product that will instantly trigger more pain and irritation. Plus, Rescue + Relief and Calming Moisture do much more than just soothing on contact, they are also incredibly healing, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating; with regular use, they transform irritated and inflamed skin, bringing skin back to health. Generally, green skincare this well-formulated and high-quality would be priced far beyond the reach the typical consumer (including myself), but fortunately for us, CV Skinlabs believes in honest margins and aims to keep prices moderate in order to be accessible to as many people as possible.  With CV Skinlabs, luxury skin care is finally attainable. The ingredients are amazingly safe, and I trust CV Skinlabs formulas enough that I use these products on my children whenever their skin needs soothing.  These are among the best-in-industry options for sensitive skin, and I give them my most enthusiastic recommendation.

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