Today, I'm going to talk about some of the new products that I've been enjoying from Dior, probably their most popular skin care line, One Essential range. Since the launch of their One Essential line, I've always felt that they sort of reminded all the skin care lovers around the world of how detox takes an important role in our skin, not just for body. Like its name One Essential, the company indeed adresses the significance of toxin removal from our skin cells, which helps to prevent / delay skin aging. For the reason, it has been known more as a first serum or boosting serum to be applied at the very first step after cleansing and toning to boost the efficacy of the products that you put on.
Although it isn't a festive season, I have been enjoying them very much as I have been getting some weird insomnia that has been messing me up with my sleep patterns. And I have been bombing myself with coffee heavily throughout the day to combat the exhaustion that I've been getting from lack of sleep. Regardless, it's quite funny that people have been complementing on my skin even when I've been having very little sleep :/. Although it's really hard to tell if the detoxifying products work properly in general, but I've been in one of my worst sleep patterns and moods, so I thought I would share Dior One Essential range as they seem to be working pretty good.
Scent & Benefits
Although the key ingredient in One Essential range is the red hibiscus, they don't actually smell like the red hibiscus tea that I drink! Haha XD Oh well :P. In fact, the scent is more like artificial floral, which isn't that overpowering, but it is certainly noticeable. It isn't very surprising that the products are fragranced, but if you are sensitive to fragrance, then certainly you should test them first at the counter.
The Red Hibiscus
The Red Hibiscus is an annual plant whose flower lives for only 24 hours at the adult stage. A beautiful, bright red colour, this flower is traditionally used by most Burkinabé families as a energising drink but also for its therapeutic attributes. Highly concentrated in organic acids, the Red Hibiscus from the Dior Garden in Koro boasts anti-oxidant properties that have sparked the interest of Dior’s researchers.
Efficacy
DIOR’S EXPERTISE IN CELLULAR DETOXIFICATION
The Red Hibiscus extract from the Dior Garden in Burkina Faso enhances
the One Essential formula, giving it a previously unseen triple potency:
- Detoxifying and energizing: it eliminates toxins around the clock, 24/7,
365 days a year, and releases energy circulation within the deep layers of the skin.- Regenerating: it optimises the original functioning of skin cells.
- Boosting: it boosts the effectiveness of the active ingredients in the products usually applied afterwards* (retinol, vitamin C, longoza, hyaluronic acid, and bifidus)
by up to 4x.*In vitro tests conducted on ingredients.
ONE ESSENTIAL Eye Serum & Intense Skin Detoxifying Booster Serum
First thing's first, I simply adore the pumps in Dior skincare packaging. I seriously believe that every company should adapt how Dior makes their pump very precise and sturdy if they use pump packaging. Let me tell you, I don't know how they've been doing this, but 2 pumps for ONE ESSENTIAL Intense Skin Detoxifying Booster Serum to cover entire face, neck and decollete area, and one pump for ONE ESSENTIAL Eye Serum to cover lip and eye area although you will need only half a pump if you use only for the eye area.
Consistency & Application
Eye Serum (Left) & Booster Serum (Right)
Texture-wise, I would say the eye serum is more on the thicker side compared to their booster serum. However, those serums are not thick or heavy at all, actually the booster serum is in a runny gel type consistency. They spread beautifully and absorbs very fast, as expected from Dior skin care.
Eye Serum (Left) & Booster Serum (Right)
Having said that, the booster serum has some sticky (not oily) residue once you put on and it takes a few minutes for it to go way. Once it's fully absorbed, it makes skin very smooth like their eye serum.
Eye Serum (Left) & Booster Serum (Right)
Verdict
Regardless of their ingredients, they do deliver results. It's really hard to explain as they are boosters to increase the efficacy of whatever you layer next. However, I've been noticing a difference in my skin tone and texture in the morning when I wake up. My skin looks less tired and dull and indeed I feel that they do heighten the outcome of my expensive skin care regime. I totally see why my sister never stopped using them XD. Regardless, I'm back on them too as it's a festive season! :3 By the way, if you are actually considering the eye serum to relieve the dark circles and puffiness (or even wrinkles) around your eyes, I wouldn't say that it's very corrective when used by itself. However, the entire range is all about protecting skin from toxins and delaying skin aging, so you should take it as a daily skin supplement rather than as a problem solver.
I really love the fact that I don't need to worry if any of the ingredients that they contain actually conflict with any skin care products that I put on after. There are different kinds of boosters such as hydrating, soothing, brightening etc, which can be quite annoying as they restrict what you can put on next :/. Indeed, I do enjoy this type of all-in-one products as they are more economical and practical for long run as none of us focuses on only one skin concern XD.
The only downside is though, their texture isn't light enough that you can't possibly layer lighter textured serums after them. So if you want to layer another serum on top, then you should choose thicker gel or emulsion consistency serum. If you only use a moisturier, then there will be no problem. I've been using 37 EXTREME ACTIVES High Performance Anti-Aging Cream with them as the weather has gotten warmer. And I've been seeing pretty good outcomes from using together as the cream is also an all-in-one anti-aging type. When you use them, you can't really tell if they work, but on my insomnia days or even the days that I crave for pizzas, I can really see that they do work XD. Regardless, I think that results can vary depending on what kind of product that you actually use after those super boosters.
ONE ESSENTIAL Mist-Lotion & City Defense SPF 50
I took ONE ESSENTIAL Mist-Lotion and City Defense SPF 50 with me to my trip to Northeast Asia in Spring where yellow and micro dust was everywhere. They were newly released that I didn't even have a chance to test before my trip whether they would work well in heavily polluted air. I just took a leap of faith on their claim Anti-Pollution as I've been loving their One Essential Intense Skin Detoxifying Booster Serum for the past 4 years or so. In a nice way to put, it was leap of faith, but I was taking a risk with my sensitive dehydrated skin O_O. Yep, I was worried every day, hoping that they would work well XD. Oh my, I hate that kind of stress LOL. Regardless, voilà! They worked wonderfully, I didn't get a single breakout orrash / itch on my skin! :O. If you work / live in a city where the air's heavily polluted, I highly recommend you try out ONE ESSENTIAL Mist-Lotion and City Defense SPF 50! :D
ONE ESSENTIAL Mist-Lotion
Detoxifying Mist Purity Booster
ONE ESSENTIAL Mist-Lotion sprays quite fine like Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Mist, but I would say it covers entire face with just one or two sprays whereas Amore Pacific one sprays more locally, which gives a bit more control over the area where you specifically would like to spray on. You can use it as a toner or even as a mist throughout the day.
It doesn't necessarily hydrate skin, but it has certainly a light refreshing feeling upon spraying. Personally I quite like the fact that it doesn't ruin my make-up :3. It won't be hydrating enough for colder seasons, but for summer, it's just right <3 However, as a toner, it just gives a beautiful glow and just right hydration. I spray very generously about 6 or 7 times, yes, I literally quench my freshly cleansed skin with it XD. And it's been a saviour of my lazy no cotton wool days! The beauty of it is that you can actually control the amount of hydration you want from it. As I said, a few sprays will be just nice and light, but double that amount.. woo beautiful glow <3 I simply love how layerable and multi-tasking it is.
ONE Essential City Defense SPF 50
Toxin Shield Pollution & UV Advanced Protection with Sunscreen SPF 50
I must say, City Defense SPF 50 is my new love! It has a very high percentage of Zinc Oxide like their DIORSNOW SPF 50 Sunscreen, but the texture and the finish of it is just beautiful.
It has a light gel-like bouncy emulsion texture that spreads and absorbs into skin beautifully.
At the beginning while spreading, you might worry whether it might leave a white cast, but hey, no worries! XD It absorbs almost translucent that it's not even noticeable. There's a slight brightening effect, but it's not major at all for my light-medium olive skin.
It has a very silky smooth finish, which I found to be excellent as a make-up base, but I didn't see any sebum control benefit. In spite of its very light silky texture, there's a warming sensation from its hydration while applying. I think that combination/normal skin types might even be able to replace their moisturiser with ONE ESSENTIAL City Defense SPF 50 in summer. However, there's some dryness a few hours after initial application as it contains zinc oxide. To be honest, it hasn't been a big issue to me as you're suppose to re-apply sunscreen once every 2 hours, which I have been doing.
Where to Buy
- Nordstrom (Free shipping & samples)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (Free shipping & samples)
Recommendations
- Chanel LES BEIGES Sheer Healthy Glow Moisturizing Tint SPF 30
- La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Transforming Cream Sunscreen SPF 30
- IOPE Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning (First Essence Lotion)
- Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion & Micro Essence Aquaceutical™ Mist
- Dior CC Cushions (Capture Totale Dream Skin VS Forever Perfect VS Diorsnow Bloom Perfect)
- High-end Hydrating Moisturisers (Guerlain vs La Mer vs La Prairie vs Sisley)
- Luxury Skincare Guide (La Mer VS La Prairie VS Swiss Perfection VS Sisley)
