From time to time I get sent products from
PRs in exchange for make up credits in magazines or because they like my blog.
I tend to be picky on what I write about, as I don’t want my blog to sound like
a press release platform – there are many blogs doing that already. So I’ll try
plenty of products but some just don’t stand out for me, in a good or a bad
way.
One of the products got sent was "La Potion Infinie" and I have to say that the packaging was just great – in a simple black pot (my favourite colour) with a specially designed card that portrays one of the twelve archetypes of the “la maison” which is Argentum Apothecary. I have to say that the name Argentum Apothecary confused me in the beginning as I thought it was a chemist that sold many different brands. Well it’s a brand, so it’s either confusing or I was being thick, but it’s all good now.
The brand has one product only, La Potion Infinie, that can be used by both men and women, all over the face, neck and around
eyes. Certainly the packaging won’t be out of place in a man’s bathroom.
But, as well thought out the packaging and
the story behind the twelve archetypes can be, the product actually is amazing.
Yes the ‘la maison’ thing is all gimmicky, each jar coming with a serial
number… it reminds me a lot of Crème de La Mer marketing story. Yes maybe there
are too many product launches these days so the new product has to stand out
with something, but for me, this cream is stands out as it actually works.
I’ve been using it now for a couple of
weeks and from the first application I felt like my skin was being tightened,
but not in a bad and uncomfortable way. It just looked more toned, my pores looked finer and skin
felt firmer and hydrated. I didn’t feel like I was smothered in silicones and
useless fillers, the texture of the cream is somewhat liquid, and the feel on the skin
is matte.
What’s so special about it?
The two main actives are Silver hydrosol
and DNA HP. Silver hydrosol is also called colloidal silver and it’s somewhat
controversial. It’s widely used in dog owners’ community as a healing and
antibacterial agent. But there are also some wild claims that promise that silver
will cure pretty much everything, including cancer.
How does colloidal silver work?
Silver is not produced by our bodies, we
don’t really need it, we don’t get deficient of it either. But it’s toxic for
bacteria and fungi and it’s a great antiseptic that comes from just one element
(Ag) The effectiveness of silver compounds
as an antiseptic is based on the ability of the biologically active silver ion
(Ag+) to irreversibly
damage key enzyme systems in the cell membranes of pathogens.
From all the elements that have that effect
to bacteria, silver is one that is the least toxic to us. Silver is widely used
in medicine for wound dressings and it can be used as a dietary
supplement. But efficacy of it as a ‘do
it all cure’ has been proven as ineffective. However I have ordered some
colloidal silver to try as a supplement – that shows a bit how impressed I was
with “La Potion Infinie”.
The second active is DNA HP, which stands for hyper polymerised deoxyribonucleic acid. I don’t
actually know what the extracted DNA is from, but the brand says the DNA is
from a marine based ingredient that acts like an antioxidant that regenerates
tissue and also delivers hydration to the skin. The DNA ingredient works by
trapping the toxic radical called hydroxyl, which affects both collagen and
elastin. And the way it delivers the hydration to the skin is different from
other creams – something about the cream’s molecular weight that attracts water
into the subcutaneous layers of the skin.
What else is in the
“La Potion Infinie”. Lots of good stuff actually. One of them, caffeine, gives
the skin that immediate lift, but the others are very nourishing such as argan
oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, aloe vera,
tocopherol. Lovers of the “green” products will be pleased with the ingredients
list as the cream has 99.5% ingredients from natural origins.
The one thing I don’t
like about the “La Potion Infinie” is the price, sadly it retails at £147. It seems
like these days high prices for skincare are a must, but I do like that the
product actually looks and feels luxurious. And with the super stylish
packaging it will definitely make a good present....
For me. Send it to me please.
I will be forever grateful.
The ingredients, as picked up from the brand’s website: Colloidal
Silver, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Dicaprylyl
Carbonate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil,
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aqua, Cetearyl
Glucoside, Caffeine, Sodium DNA, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus
Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Potassium
Sorbate, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Eugenol
