ONE of the challenges in writing about beauty is describing products and their effects. How does one go beyond saying “it’s so nice” and “it applies so smoothly”?
I saw a TikTok video which said to avoid words and phrases like “best,” “Holy Grail,” “good” and “nice” when describing products. And I agree with them. These are subjective words and not actual descriptions.
So today’s column is about properly describing two products we talk about often. They’re two favorites we feel we haven’t described properly and we’re always asked what they actually do.
The first is Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex, known in the skin-care world as ANR.
The product comes in a gradient brown bottle, which is now squared at the edges after ANR’s reformulation last year. It’s dispensed via a dropper. The brand’s social-media hashtag is #1ANRDropADay. Truthfully, one drop will do for those in the 20s and early 30s. Those in their late 30s and beyond would need more than a drop.
The product itself looks milky, like a Japanese essence, except that it is a serum. Advanced Night Repair is meant to be used after cleansing and application of Estée Lauder Micro Essence, a lotion.
As expected, a look at the ANR ingredient list shows that it’s made from humectants, moisturizers and water (the purified type and not what comes out of the tap, we assume).
One of its main ingredients is Bifida Ferment Lysate, a type of probiotic. A study showed that Bifida Ferment Lysate (or Bifidobacterium longum lysate) helped prevent skin damage from exposure to UV light, hydrated the skin and strengthened the skin’s immune system. The ingredient also helped soothe inflammation and reduced dry skin.
The study (bit.ly/3x236al), which was conducted in 2010, also found that application of a cream with Bifidobacterium longum lysate led to increased skin resistance against physical and chemical aggression.
Bifida Ferment Lysate is also present in another famous serum but somehow, this product doesn’t work, as well as ANR for us.
Estée Lauder ANR also contains sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid. It also has baobab oil, which has protecting, nourishing, moisturising, soothing and regenerating properties.
Another ingredient of the serum is tripeptide-32, which, when applied to the skin at bedtime, is believed to activate the clock gene PER-1, which regulates the circadian rhythm, and this will activate the keratinocyte genes which are either less active or inactive in the normal sleep cycle. Another property of tripeptide-32 is that it binds moisture to the skin.
Estée Lauder has a method of applying ANR, which is to warm it first with your fingertips and applying with a heart shape starting on either side of your nose.
So what does ANR do? It hydrates the skin, gets rid of fine lines and other signs of skin aging, and it brightens the skin. You need to be using this for a month at least to see visible effects. Best used at night, ANR can be applied twice a day if you have really dry skin.
The second product we will attempt to describe properly is Shiseido Ultimune. Unlike Estée Lauder ANR, which is a serum, Ultimune is a pre-serum.
Shiseido Ultimune, which comes in a luxe red bottle, has been reformulated recently. Its ingredients include water, denatured alcohol, glycerin and dimethicone. There is some debate about the use of denatured alcohol but we will get to that later.
To explain the reformulation of Ultimune, Shiseido said, “In light of the newly heightened importance of bare skin, Shiseido has launched Ultimune’s renewal inspired by The Lifeblood. New Ultimune with its unique ImuGenerationRED Technology defends the beauty of skin, now and into the future. The result is smoother, more resilient skin with its radiance recharged, for a healthy vibrant look. The new formulation retains the rich-yet-dewy texture that absorbs quickly into skin, and the original green floral fragrance that is loved by so many.”
Now let’s get back to the alcohol debate. Many skin experts claim that denatured alcohol in skin-care products is bad for the skin because it can compromise the skin barrier.
I have been using Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate for about two years now, as a pre-serum before Estée Lauder ANR and I’ve had no problems with it. I have oily-combination acne-prone skin, and it is my guess that the alcohol in Shiseido Ultimune works as an astringent and antimicrobial agent. My skin has never felt dry or dehydrated after using Shiseido Ultimune and I’ve asked my dermatologist about it. She said as long as my skin does not feel tight or dry after using a certain product, I can continue using it even if it contains alcohol.
The other ingredients in Shiseido Ultimune are Reishi Mushroom, an antioxidant known to hydrate; Iris Root, which visibly reduces ageing and helps reduce internal damage that could lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Iris Root also hydrates the skin.
I use two pumps Shiseido Ultimune (the texture is not watery but the look is milky) and apply in upward motion on my face, starting on the cheeks.
Ultimune is very moisturizing on me and actually leaves my skin slightly dewy. When I first started using this, the word that stood out was “immunity.” Prevention is always better than a cure.