BEING in quarantine has shifted the interest of beauty enthusiasts from makeup to skin care. The availability of more skin-care brands on e-commerce platforms, such as Lazada and Shopee has given people access to products that can’t be found in store shelves.
Limited access to salons and aesthetic centers have also compelled people to DIY beauty treatments, from hair color and mani-pedis to facials. While sales of makeup are low, skin care is booming.
French beauty giant L’Oréal, for instance, reported a 22-percent increase in sales of its skin-care products in the first quarter of 2021.
L’Oréal sees a demand for skin-care products that are high quality and high safety, recommended by dermatologists and at accessible price points. These include products from brands like Cerave.
TikTok has also contributed to the growing interest in skin care. Brands like Cerave, Neogen and Dr. Jart have become even more popular because of TikTok.
In quarantine, our skin-care needs and concerns also changed. Most of us wanted to look younger instead of fairer, and also dewier instead of matte. Meanwhile, some of us had maskne and stress-related breakouts.
Here’s a rundown of the skin-care products we’ve been loving since the pandemic started. All three products can be used on their own or combined with others.
- Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate. One bottle of Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate is sold every seven seconds. This product has won over 179 beauty awards globally since it first launched in 2014. I’ve loved this even pre-pandemic but in quarantine, it has become an essential.
Ultimune is a non-comedogenic, paraben-free and mineral oil-free pre-serum that’s been improved with Shiseido’s proprietary ImuGeneration Technology. This technology is a blend of antioxidant-rich Reishi mushroom and iris root extracts. The product claims to help strengthen skin, restore firmness and defend against daily damage.
This pre-serum also contains an exclusive Ultimune Complex of Bulgarian rose water and yeast extract that claims to protect and strengthen skin against the signs of aging, while a powerful blend of gingko biloba leaf extract, shiso and thyme is said to maintain healthy-looking skin.
I consider this an essential not only for anti-aging purposes but because it really makes my skin look and feel better. In quarantine, I’ve changed my skin-care routine so many times but Shiseido Ultimune is really a constant.
- Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum. This is another iconic product from an iconic brand with 22 bottles sold per minute. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair was relaunched last year with the exclusive Chronolux Power Signal Technology, which boosts the skin’s cell renewal and collagen production processes.
The new formula is based on years of epigenetic research led by The Estée Lauder Companies Vice President, Skin Biology and BioActives Global Research and Development Dr. Nadine Pernodet. This research was inspired by the late Dr. Paolo Sassone-Corsi, an epigenetic expert.
Dr. Sassone-Corsi, who was director of the Center for Epigenetics and Metabolism in the University of California, said only 25 percent of aging is predetermined by genes, while the remaining 75 percent is influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors.
The new technology behind ANR involves the natural synchronization of nighttime skin renewal and maximizes the skin’s natural night and day repair and protection rhythm.
What I like about Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum is that it works for day or night, and is OK under makeup. In fact, there’s a hack where you mix this with loose powder and it makes you look polished if your skin is already relatively good.
Another good thing about this product is that it works in any weather.
- Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream. This isn’t the TikTok-famous Cicapair Re-cover SPF 40/PA++ CC Cream. That one I have not used yet.
I bought the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream when I was having skin sensitivity issues last year. This cream comes from Dr. Jart+’s popular Cicapair line which contains the Centella Asiatica (Tiger Grass) complex to calm sensitive skin, reduce redness and soothe irritation. This cream is very rich but not to the point of greasiness. I still don’t use this during the day though and much prefer it at night as a moisturizer. It has no scent and absorbs quickly. If you have extremely dry skin, you’d probably need a thicker moisturizer. This cream works better for sensitive skin that’s prone to redness than on dry skin.
When we’re no longer compelled to stay at home, I’d love to try the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Re-cover SPF 40/PA++ CC Cream and see if it would work under makeup.