Chanel brought Le Lift Restorative Cream-Oil out just a month after the launch of Le Lift V-Flash Serum in September this year. Despite the fact that I detest all three different types of Le Lift Creams (creme/creme riche/creme fine) after trying them for about two months. It was such a shame as I simply couldn't understand why they would keep such bizarre textures for them. All of them felt quite superficial and cheap on my skin, and I also couldn't stand such a strong alcohol scent coming through in those different textures. To me, the density of the product just seems to be nothing more than the difference in the amount of alcohol added into products. Anyway, I may have felt that way as I used Chanel Sublimage first, way before even trying their Le Lift creams.
Honestly, I wouldn't have even bought their new Le Lift Restorative Cream-Oil if there was no mention about cream-oil. I personally liked their Sublimage La Crème (Texture Suprême), which is kind of in between a cream and oil in terms of consistency. I naturally got quite curious about their cream-oil interpretation on Le Lift Collection. So as you can tell, I sort of had relatively high expectations for the new Le Lift Restorative Cream-Oil just based on my imagination :P Haha.
Scent & Consistency
Le Lift range has a typical perfumey scent, which isn't surprising as Chanel is more known for fashion and fragrance. It's so strong that I wouldn't even recommend you dare to try it if you have sensitive skin or a fragrance sensitivity. And if you happen to be pregnant, you would want to avoid the line as well. According to my man and my mother, the scent comes too potent. However, my auntie who enjoys strong perfume really likes it, so there you go, there's a both love and dislike for the scent :P. The scent certainly isn't my type.
Just like Le Lift V-Flash (Full review), Le Lift Firming Anti-Wrinkle Restorative Cream-Oil isn't the exception when it comes to scent. Although I would say that Le Lift Restorative Cream-Oil has a less noticeable alcohol smell, the fragrance is quite strong nevertheless.
I personally feel that even the texture of the Cream-Oil feels much better than the other Le Lift creams. In fact, how it goes on feels more like a generic cream consistency, which doesn't feel that heavy.
It certainly spreads way smoother and easier than other Le Lift creams, which made me wonder initially 'where is that cream-oil texture?!'. I thought that it would be like Sublimage Creme Texture Supreme, but it turned out that I was wrong >_<.
I was a bit skeptical at the beginning when I first put it on my face as it felt just ordinary. However, once it's all massaged in, then I could understand what they mean by cream-oil. It comforts and hydrates well and gives that light oil serum finish without being sticky or causing any discomfort.
Benefits
This intensely firming, smoothing and restorative cream-oil helps to rebalance skin and revive its youthful suppleness, while offering the comfort of an oil in a cream texture. The formula visibly minimizes the gradual effects of aging, which can lead to the appearance of wrinkles and discomfort.
After four weeks of use, the complexion is visibly smoother by 46%*.
Key Ingredients
Discovered after 12 years of research, potent and concentrated 3.5-DA** detects and targets the individual factors of aging. The ingredient promotes skin elasticity to help lift and recontour the face, and provide optimal firming and smoothing benefits.
To enrich the actions of 3.5-DA, a unique Restorative Complex — featuring lipid-replenishing oils rich in Omega-6 and Omega-9, and Shea Butter extracts — helps to strengthen, hydrate and protect skin. An ingredient similar to ceramides, molecules naturally present in skin, comforts the complexion by maintaining moisture.*Clinical evaluation on 32 women after four weeks.
**A Chanel-exclusive form of dicaffeoylquinic acid.
Full ingredients
AQUA (WATER) | GLYCERIN | SQUALANE | BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER | OCTYLDODECYL MYRISTATE | BUTYLENE GLYCOL | LIMNANTHES ALBA (MEADOWFOAM) SEED OIL | SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL | CETEARYL ALCOHOL | PENTYLENE GLYCOL | DIMETHICONE | PHYTOSTERYL/OCTYLDODECYL LAUROYL GLUTAMATE | POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE | IPOMOEA BATATAS ROOT EXTRACT | GLYCERYL STEARATE | PEG-100 STEARATE | DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL | CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP COPOLYMER | CHLORPHENESIN | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) | BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER EXTRACT | SORBITAN LAURATE | PROPYLENE GLYCOL | XANTHAN GUM | SODIUM CARBOMER | SODIUM HYALURONATE | PHENOXYETHANOL | ADENOSINE | HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE | ACETYL DIPEPTIDE-1 CETYL ESTER | PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE | PHYTIC ACID | POLYSORBATE 20 | SODIUM CITRATE | HYDROCHLORIC ACID | PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1 | PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7 | SODIUM BENZOATE | CITRIC ACID | CI 14700 (RED 4) | CI 19140 (YELLOW 5) | IL92A
Effectiveness
Le Lift Restorative Cream-Oil gives a very nice glow for make-up so I've been using it underneath my La Prairie Swiss Ice Crystal Transforming Cream SPF 30 (full review), and it has been working great! It also provides quite long-lasting hydration that my skin didn't have any dehydration issues unlike the other Le Lift creams that I previously had a problem with. Finally, I found the cream that I could use in colder seasons! :D Having said that, I still wouldn't recommend it to oily, problem-prone or sensitive skin types though.
However, although my skin isn't quite as reactive as my nose towards fragrance, I do feel sick if the fragrance is too strong or even just from natural essential oils. Chanel Le Lift line tend to give me a headache from time to time that I have strictly been avoiding using them especially when my monthly is nearby. So I've basically been taking about a week off from Le Lift products every month, the same goes for the cream-oil.
Thanks to my strategic move, I've noticed some difference without getting nauseous while I was using the products. In fact, I was getting some breakouts here and there initially, but my skin's now used to them so my skin has been looking pretty good. I've been also giving myself a bit of self-pampering facial massage using V-Flash Serum and Masque de Massage with the cream-oil, and I do think they deliver results together.
The very first thing that's visibly noticeable is the lifting effect along the jawline. I don't feel strongly that it plumps up skin, but it feels more like it sort of contours skin. I also find it to be excellent when used around the neck area. It makes skin around my neck feel velvety smooth, and it does seem to help with wrinkles. It certainly doesn't reduce the number of wrinkles, but it seems to help them to look less pronounced, which is what I look for anyways. Overall, I'm very glad that Chanel is trying to improve Le Lift range, which I could tell from a few products that they've released this year :). If you want to try the cream-oil, then I highly recommend that you pair it with their V-Flash boosting serum and leave-on Masque de Massage
Where to Buy
- Nordstrom (Free shipping & samples)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (Free shipping & samples)
Recommendations
- Chanel Sublimage Masque (Overnight Regenerating Sleep Mask)
- Chanel Sublimage L'Extrait & L'Essence (concentrate/ oil serum)
- La Prairie Line Interception Power Duo
- La Prairie Cellular Radiance Perfecting Fluide Pure Gold
- La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Sleep Mask
