I have been using the Orchidée Impériale collection for many years ever since my grandmother's Guerlain skincare influenced on me :P. Amongst all other products, their Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum is one of my top favourites and also most used, I'll explain why in this post. If you have been following my website, you already know that I'm very fussy when it comes to brightening skincare and most beauty companies fail to pass my standard as I always check versatility AND result delivery. Anyway, I'm very glad to let you know after years of being a religious Guerlain client, Orchidée Impériale White The Age-Defying & Brightening Serum won't disappoint you within a topical skincare product extent.
Scent
Orchidée Impériale White The Age-Defying Brightening Serum does carry their signature Orchidée Impériale collection scent, but I would say that there's more of a floral scent added to it. It does come quite strong, but it doesn't give me any headache or nausea like some of the other brands do. As expected, the scent is quite mature and it smells quite like Spring/Summer, which makes sense as most of us tend to focus on brightening skincare mostly during the period.
A floral scent with hints of orchid that blend with notes of rose, white musk and precious cedar wood (Source)
Consistency
Compared to their original Orchidée Impériale The Longevity Concentrate, Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum doesn't feel as thick or dense. However, it's still in a nourishing emulsion, so it's still thick and dense amongst all other brightening serums on the luxury skincare market.
It goes on very hydrating and spreads well like any other Guerlain skincare, so all you need is one to two pump(s) to cover your face and neck. You can use more if you want more intense hydration, which I frequently do as I like to skip a moisturiser during this time of the season due to the hot weather.
The brightening serum also imparts very fine illuminating particles to a naturally healthy looking born-to-glow instantly. It may feel a little rich initially depending on the amount that you put on and your skin type, but the serum penetrates into skin fast and leaves skin velvety soft and supple.
Benefits
Because dazzling, youthful skin means a flawless, radiant complexion, free from pigmentation marks, Orchidée Impériale combines the power to combat signs of ageing, boost radiance and even out skin tone. And now Guerlain’s Orchidée Impériale White Technology has been enriched for a youthful radiance that intensifies with each passing day.
A true whitening skincare revolution, the new Age-Defying & Brightening Serum provides complete action on pigmentation disorders that both are melanin-related (due to UV light exposure) and non melanin-related (due to ageing and glycation*).
Immediately, skin regains its radiance. Day after day, dark spots fade. The complexion has never looked so luminous, so even and so immaculate.(*In vitro test on ingredients)
Results
Wrinkles are significantly smoothed: -47%*
Transparency and radiance of complexion are increased by 26%**.
All types of pigmentary marks are softened for 92%*** of women.
Soothed and soft skin for 100%*** of women.
(*Instrumental test on 15 women
**Assessment by a dermatologist on 32 women after twice-daily application on the face and neck during 56 days
***Satisfaction test in France on 53 women after twice-daily application during 56 days)
Full ingredients
AQUA (WATER) • GLYCERIN • DIMETHICONE • ALCOHOL • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • BUTYLENE GLYCOL • POLYGLYCERIN-3 • SQUALANE • SILICA • C14-22 ALCOHOLS • GASTRODIA ELATA ROOT EXTRACT • PHALAENOPSIS AMABILIS EXTRACT • DENDROBIUM NOBILE EXTRACT • LACTIC ACID • STEARETH-21 • SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE • PHENOXYETHANOL • DECYLOXAZOLIDINONE • PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) • POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE • COCO-GLUCOSIDE • SODIUM CITRATE • SODIUM HYDROXIDE • C12-20 ALKYL GLUCOSIDE • COCONUT ALCOHOL • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE • CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) • BEHENYL ALCOHOL • BATYL ALCOHOL • TOCOPHERYL ACETATE • XANTHAN GUM • ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER • CETYL PALMITATE • MENTHOXYPROPANEDIOL • SODIUM HYALURONATE • LECITHIN • STEARYL GLYCYRRHETINATE • POLYSORBATE 80 • SORBITAN STEARATE • CITRIC ACID • MALVA SYLVESTRIS (MALLOW) EXTRACT • ADENOSINE • LINALOOL • HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED EXTRACT • ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE • GERANIOL • SODIUM METABISULFITE • SODIUM BENZOATE • TIN OXIDE • POTASSIUM SORBATE • TROPAEOLUM MAJUS EXTRACT • CITRONELLOL • HYDROGENATED LECITHIN • LIMONENE • ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN • DIAMOND POWDER • TOCOPHEROL • GLUCOSE • BHT • PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-10 • HEXAPEPTIDE-2
Verdict
If you have been avoiding brightening skincare simply due to the lack of hydration you get from majority of brightening products on the market, then I recommend trying out Guerlain Orchidée Impériale White The Age-Defying & Brightening Serum. It's the most nourishing and hydrating brightening serum on the market by far. To be honest, I think that Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum feels and provides way more long-lasting hydration than any other hydrating skincare from other brands :3. Thanks to the quality, even my grandmother (in her late 80's) and my mother (in her late 50's) have been enjoying the serum for many years. Meaning, the brightening serum is also great for dehydrated/dry/mature skin and for those who live in cold/dry climate.
Those with dehydrated combination/normal skin types can also skip the moisturiser if they want as the brightening serum has an emulsion formula. I have dehydrated normal skin mostly over warmer seasons, so I like to use one to three pumps depending on how my skin feels on the day. Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum hasn't given me any irritations during my cycle for the past years, and it rather helps my spots heal and fade faster. When my monthly's near, I use only a pump and massage onto my face very thinly, focusing on less oily areas. It's also a very nice brightening serum to give face a bit of massage with in the morning and at night, which promotes blood circulation, making skin look more alive and healthy looking. Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum goes well under make-up as well, so I've been using it very frequently in all seasons for important evening occasions. It helps well with creating that expensive looking skin without visiting a spa beforehand, and the best part is that make-up glides on. It doesn't seem to control oil production in skin as it isn't a mattifying product, but it certainly works well for dewy glowy look.
As you might have guessed already, I've been massively in love with Orchidée Impériale White The Age-Defying & Brightening Serum for many years particularly due to its versatility. Your skin will look younger as long as you are consistent with the usage, but it won't erase all the sun spots and age spots you have. This is mostly genetically related and also related to your suncare/ personal lifestyle, so it rather won't make any sense if an over-the-counter product acted like a medical product :P. If you don't have sensitivity towards their scent, then I highly recommend you to try Guerlain Orchidée Impériale White brightening serum as it's brightening and hydrating all-in-one product :).
Where to buy
- Nordstrom (Free shipping & samples)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (Free shipping & samples)
Recommendations
- La Mer The Brilliance White Infusion (Blanc de La Mer/ First Essence)
- Guerlain Orchidée Impériale Eye & Lip Cream
- Guerlain Orchidée Impériale The Night Revitalizing Essence (Detoxifying Essence)
- La Mer Treatment Masks (The Lifting and Firming/ The Brilliance Brightening/ The Hydrating Facial/ The Intensive Revitalizing Mask)
- Dior CC Cushions (Capture Totale Dream Skin VS Forever Perfect VS Diorsnow Bloom Perfect)
