I’m sure we’ve all been told numerous times that hydration is the key to maintaining our skin’s youthful bounce and equilibrium… yadayada. But secretly, I’ve always thought of myself as being just a bit more special, that my skin needs just a bit more something. And I’ve always viewed plain vanilla hydration ranges as being quite basic. So imagine my surprise, when I discover that in reality, hydration is really what my skin needed all along!
Biotherm is a skincare brand that has established its reputation by incorporating pure thermal plankton into each of its products. This is a micro-organism found in the hot springs of the Pyrenees Mountains, whose genetic make-up is similar to that of certain skin cells, and has the capacity to stimulate skin’s natural defenses. The ultimate star product of the brand is its Life Plankton Essence, which has been billed as a miracle skin renewer, containing the highest concentration of thermal plankton. I had the chance recently to try this out, alongside Biotherm’s Aquasource skincare range, and would like to introduce them to you today.
Biotherm Life Plankton Essence [SGD78 for 125ml] contains a high concentration of Biotherm’s key ingredient, the Life Plankton made from thermal plankton. It stimulates various essential biological functions in the skin – biosynthesis of kerotinocytes and fibroblasts needed for healthy barrier function and wound healing; protects the integrity of skin fibers; activates cell defenses against free-radical attacks; protects and reinforces skin’s natural alert system to fight external aggressions; and soothes redness and other skin discomforts. The Life Plankton Essece also contains maris aqua that has skin conditioning benefits, and grape seed extract which is an antioxidant, it is anti-inflammatory and promotes skin healing. Perhaps because of that, it has been touted to help eczema sufferers.
The essence is a colloidal suspension in water, and to use, it has to be given a good shake before pouring out onto the hands. It feels like a thick runny fluid, and I really enjoy applying a generous 4-5 drops all over my face and neck in gentle patting and sweeping movements. It is meant to be used after cleanser and toner, before serums and moisturizers. I have been using this for the past couple of weeks and already, it is pure love! My skin is better hydrated, looks plumper and smoother. I can’t be sure if it heals eczema as (touch wood!) my skin has been on its best behavior lately, but it definitely feels soothing after applying the Life Plankton Essence!
Prior to this, I was using SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, in fact I’ve been an FTE user for over 10 years now. Whilst FTE is great for maintaining a healthy skin renewal cycle, it does not have the same skin plumping effect as the Life Plankton Essence. Also, some people have reported an initial wave of breakouts when they first started on FTE, but so far I’ve not had any issues with Life Plankton Essence. The visible results are more immediate, Biotherm promises 8 days, I noticed better hydration almost instantly, but if your skin already had good hydration levels to begin with, the effects may not be quite as noticeable. For devotees, there is now a special 200ml bottle on sale for SGD105, that is about 15% cheaper than the regular sized bottles!
Biotherm recently reformulated its Aquasource Moisturiser [SGD69 for 50ml], super-charging it with extra life plankton and moisturizing Mannose to keep skin hydrated at maximum levels for 7 hours. Mannose delivers hydration deep into the skin layers, and reinforces the skin’s moisture barrier to prevent water loss.
Every day, we lose about 0.5litres of water just from environmental stresses such as air conditioning, lack of sleep, UV damage coupled with weather extremes, environmental pollution hindering skin’s metabolism, etc. With Aquasource Moisturiser, Biotherm promises to deliver a shot of hydration to the skin, and keep it at that maximal freshly-applied level hour after hour.
The Biotherm Aquasource Moisturiser is a souffle-light gel that feels cool and crisp on the skin, and has a slight zingy citrus scent. It smoothes out easily, and transforms into a water-texture that gets absorbed very quickly, leaving no residue or trace. I had tried the older rendition of this years ago, and in contrast, the new Aquasource Moisturiser is in a league of its own! My skin feels instantly refreshed and hydrated, and it stays that way throughout my incredibly long days! Usually, I notice my t-zone starting to look shiny after lunch, but since I started using Aquasource Moisturiser, my skin seems to have sebum much better controlled, and there is minimal shine (if at all) creeping up only around 4-5pm. This is a clear demonstration of the universal truth that when skin is well hydrated, it does not produce excess sebum!
There is also a brand new, Biotherm Aquasource Total Eye Revitalizer [SGD69 for 15ml]. Touted as Biotherm’s first ever flash eye awakener, this nifty little jar contains ingredients for cooling, depuffing, lightening dark circles and blurring lines. Caffeine helps to reduce puffiness and eye bags, and Vitamin B3 and Sakura leaf extract fight against dark circles. Blurring soft-focus agents are also included to diffuse light around the eyes for a natural finish and minimize the appearance of lines and other imperfections.
Similar to the Aquasource Moisturiser, this Total Eye Revitalizer is a light weight gel texture that melts into the skin upon contact. It contains a menthol derivative to give an icy cool sensation when applied, which helps to perk up those sleepy eyes in the mornings.
I really enjoyed using this for a good month after receiving it. This noticeably kept my lids hydrated throughout the day – where before my eye area started getting dry and the creases more noticeably around late afternoon, now with Aquasource Total Eye Revitalizer my lids stay smooth and line-free from dawn til dusk. My skin also felt smoother, and ready for all kinds of eye makeup!
After more than a month of use, I’m convinced that the key to maintaining healthy, oil-free skin is to ensure proper hydration. I never realized how much dehydration was causing my skin to appear oily, until now. And I’m properly impressed by this affordable and fuss-free range of products from Biotherm!
This post featured products that were provided by Biotherm Singapore for my consideration. Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.
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