BURO Beauty Stash: Rehydrate and rejuvenate your skin with these skincare essentials
Complexion: Revitalised
We’re coming up on May now, which—by our calculations—means you’re probably due a vanity refresh some time soon. So, make sure you’re chucking out any expired products and clearing some space on your vanity for your next haul.
From new-to-Malaysia brands like Meeth to tried-and-tested cult favourites like La Prairie and Lancôme, we’ve rounded up Team BURO’s favourite skincare essentials from April below:
La Prairie
White Caviar Essence Extraordinaire, US$440 (approx. RM1,885)
“We often hear that inspiration is everywhere. For La Prairie, the House looks to its natural surroundings. In this case, the encounter of light and water in Switzerland sparked the birth of a new addition to the White Caviar range. An illuminating and firming treatment lotion, the White Caviar Essence Extraordinaire has become the first step in my skincare ritual, be it day or night—after cleansing, of course.
“It has a silky gel-to-water texture that absorbs into the skin almost instantly, leaving it smooth, hydrated and refreshed. While I don’t really have any age spots to tell if the essence worked in diminishing its appearances, I dare say that it has made my skin look brighter, feel moisturised and reduced the redness that my sensitive skin is prone to. I can’t go a day without it now!” — Rachel Au, Managing Editor
Sisley
All Day All Year, RM1,600
“Short of inventing a time machine or moving to someplace rural where pollution is minimal and the internet is as good as non-existent, there’s really no way to keep the skin away from external aggressions. I’m definitely not ready to give up everything and embrace country living, so the next best alternative is to look for skincare, such as Sisley’s All Day All Year, that shields my skin from the trade-offs of chasing my dreams.
“In the morning, after finishing my regular daytime routine, I put on All Day All Year as a ‘topcoat’. The melt-in texture feels really soft and comfortable, leaving a non-shiny finish that I follow up with makeup in just a matter of minutes. I’ve also used it on its own when my plans consisted of just staying home and it kept my skin sufficiently moisturised.
“All Day All Year essentially works as an anti-ageing, dual-purpose protective shield. Its physical shield, consisting of encapsulated filters, protect the skin’s surface by limiting oxidative stress caused by UVA and UVB exposure. Within the skin, the biological shield is a powerful synergy of plant extracts that strengthen the skin barrier and activate its self-defence capabilities to limit the harmful effects of pollutants.
“It clearly works as my skin has looked visibly more radiant and toned, with less prominent fine lines, even during a busy week of late nights and early mornings.” — Adelina Tan, Deputy Editor
Lancôme
Rénergie H.C.F Triple Hyaluronic Acid Serum, RM620
“I’m a geek when it comes to skincare ingredients. So, when I heard that Lancôme’s new serum is a combination of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C+ niacinamide and ferulic acid (hence, ‘H.C.F.’), I was very intrigued but also perplexed. “How?” was the question that popped into my mind, as I’d never heard of anything like it before.
“As it turns out, it was previously thought to be impossible to combine such powerful yet different ingredients in one single formula. Lancôme has solved this conundrum with its clever triple-chamber packaging that dispenses three serums with each pump. This helps the Rénergie H.C.F Triple Hyaluronic Acid Serum to maintain higher levels of potency and stability than if the ingredients were formulated together within the same chamber. As each serum has a different texture, Lancôme has also considered this and the optimal concentrations of each ingredient in the blended product.
“This eased my fears that the serum would be too potent for my skin (it isn’t)—and to my delight, the blended texture is more lightweight, smooth, and fast-absorbing than I’d expected. To have a different perspective on the Rénergie H.C.F Triple Hyaluronic Acid Serum, I also shared it with my mum, who has used Lancôme’s skincare for over 30 years. On my skin, we noticed that it helped to even out my skin tone and firm up the parts of my skin that have started to lose some volume; I’d looked as if I’d had a really good night’s sleep. On my mum’s more mature skin, it helped to lift and tone saggy bits, plump up wrinkles and fine lines so they looked less obvious, and fade the dark spots that have come with age and an active lifestyle. She’s really impressed by this new addition to the Rénergie line.” — Adelina Tan, Deputy Editor
Shiseido
White Lucent Illuminating Micro-Spot Serum, RM660
“I’ve previously shared how I’m working on my anti-ageing skincare routine and that pigmentation is one of the main skin concerns I’d like to avoid as much as possible. I’ve been very consistent so far and was keen to try out this new serum to see how it would add value to my current regimen.
“Wonderfully invigorating and lightweight, this serum works to target signs of dullness in the overall complexion. Its silky formula absorbs easily and leaves my skin feeling smooth all day. I’ve yet to notice a huge difference in spot reduction, mainly because I’ve not been using it long enough but overall, this had made my skin look more radiant. In this new-and-refreshed edition, you’re treated to a sensational fragrance of fruity-floral top notes as well as base notes of musk, amber and wood, elevating your skincare ritual each time.
“To apply, press two pumps of the serum into your palms and dot them onto your cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. Then, massage it in, from the centre of your face, moving outwards and repeating the movement several times. If you have particularly worrying spots, Shiseido suggests dotting the serum directly on your trouble areas and massage in small circular motions using your ring finger every day.” — Sarah Hani Jamil, Editor
Laneige
Limited-Edition Cherry Blossom Collection Water Sleeping Mask EX, RM135
“Laneige’s limited-edition Hello Blossom! Water Sleeping Mask EX is for everyone who has missed visiting South Korea during cherry blossom season. Like the regular Water Sleeping Mask EX, it contains Laneige’s Sleeping Microbiome Technology and enhanced Probiotics Complex derived from 23.8 billion probiotics—with the added bonus of a delicate cherry blossom scent and pretty, spring-themed packaging. I love putting it on at bedtime after a long day, being lulled to sleep by the soft, relaxing scent and waking up to skin that looks bright and calm in the morning.” — Adelina Tan, Deputy Editor
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins™
Mega-Mushroom Soothing Treatment Lotion, RM172
“I’ve tried the Mega Mushroom Soothing Treatment Lotion in the past and at the time, after using it for a couple of weeks, I felt that I didn’t need an extra step post-cleansing and decided not to continue with it. Recently, the lotion was upgraded with a new formula and so it was about time to give it another go.
“I have a sensitive nose and often get allergies, which causes redness in my cheeks. Basically, as the name implies, this lotion works to soothe irritated skin and prep it for the rest of the skincare products in your routine. The new formula is enhanced with Plantmunity Technology, featuring adaptogenic liquorice root and glycyrrhetinic acid, and what those ingredients do is activate the skin’s natural self-defence against everyday aggressors.
“The lotion is a runny liquid solution and I pour a few drops into my palms before tapping it gently over my face and neck after cleansing. Some days, I pour it onto a cotton pad and really take my time wiping my face with it. It provides an immediate calming sensation to my problem areas when irritation flares up and helps with redness. I find that I do not need to use it every day, only when my skin is feeling rather sensitive.” — Sarah Hani Jamil, Editor
Meeth
Skin Repair Night Cream, RM410
“The latest J-beauty brand to arrive in KL is none other than Meeth, a luxury brand helmed by Japanese celebrity Sonmi. The brand champions efficacious skincare based on innovative Japanese technology—essentially, good products made with fancy, top-of-the-line ingredients. Exhibit A: Their hero product is just one example of their sophisticated formulations—the Skin Repair Night Cream is packed with buzzy ingredients like DNA-repairing photolyase enzymes, elasticity-boosting copolymers, and intensely hydrating Yoshino cherry leaf and Alteromonas fermentation extracts.
“Now, while the ingredients list is obviously impressive on paper, I’m happy to report that it also delivers in practise. Indulgently rich in texture, this night cream has been indispensable in my routine lately. I’ve really been suffering from both excessive dryness and acne scarring—the latter of which has left my skin raw and bloodied—so this restorative, rich cream has been a godsend. It does wonders to rehydrate my skin while sealing moisture in, creating the perfect environment for any acne-based wounds to heal.
“I typically apply it after using a salicylic acid serum and, by the time morning comes around, my skin looks drastically less red and my acne less inflamed. A little really goes a long way, too (just a pearl-sized amount will do), so while RM410 might sound steep for just 30g of product, rest assured that this jar will last you for a long, long while.” — Redzhanna Jazmin, Beauty Writer
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