151 years of dermatological research brings IDI Italy 1858

Buongiorno!

IDI Italy 1858 is a new player in the market even if they look like they have been around 151 years. 1858 indicates they have been around since then and yes the IDI (Italian Dermatology Institute) the leading dermatological research Institute in Italy has been around that long, but their results were not readily available to people like you and me (unless maybe if you have a truckload of lira or Euro).

So, with the launch of IDI Italy 1858, these dermatological products are now available as a brand with mass distribution to the public. Turns out IDI Italy 1858 is a Malaysian-Italian collaborative brand so they have launched this new brand right here in Malaysia before taking it elsewhere. I believe they are already in Singapore by now.

The skincare products are divided into 4 ranges depicted by numbers:-

• 1.0 – Oily Acne Prone skin
• 2.0 – Normal Combination skin
• 3.0 – Dry Skin
• 6.0 – Sensitive skin
• Lab – All skin types

Do the numbers remind you of any other skincare brand? No prizes for guessing which 😛 Anyway, history and background aside, I test drove 3 products from the Lab range and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on them below.

Let me just say by way of preamble that 2 of them are notable by themselves and one is a straight out dud. An expensive DUD at that! 😛

IDI Italy 1858 Lab 0.20 Pro TriAction Age Defender Cream

IDI Italy 1858 is proud of this cream that is supposed to help with anti-aging concerns, hydrate skin, restore suppleness and on top of it all, protect against the sun with SPF15 and titanium dioxide. I won’t go into SPF but I always use a higher dedicated sunblock on top of everything anyway so that’s what I did.

One gripe – nowhere on the box does it say it is only to be used in the day. It was only when I read the ingredient list, saw Titanium Dioxide and checked the website did I know that this is only a cream for day use. Information on the box to say that this is a day cream, or recommended to be used in the day would be helpful.

The cream reminds me of a mud mask – it has the same earth colour and texture. Applied on the skin, you have to really massage it in so it takes a while to apply. I found that it helps prime my skin so my foundation seems to glide on more easily and I really like the effect on my makeup. It helps it last longer and look smoother.

It did not dry me out although I cannot say that it gives my skin that “toing toing” bouncy feel. It does not make me oily too which is another thumbs up. I’d expect the anti-aging lifting effects to show with prolonged use so 1 month use only in the day did not yield much results. My facial skin did feel a mite firmer though. The titanium dioxide does leave a slight white cast on the skin which might bug you – it bugged me a little but I got over it. Not so much much the following product.

IDI Italy 1858 Lab 0.30 UltrAction Protection Cream

I was told that this is a product I will fall in love with because it is so good. Falling in love is a little far fetched, but I will admit to liking this cream. I do note that whilst it is called an UltrAction Protection Cream, it does not say that its a sunscreen or sunblock which is what this product really is.

It also does not tout that it has SPF50+ except in little wordings in the description on the box and I cannot imagine why. Usually products with SPF scream it at you in 50 feet letters. The blocker is titanium dioxide and I like how the cream feels on my skin. It does apply thick but there is no scent and it absorbs quickly and is non sticky. There is UVA and UVB protection which is ideal and when I use this, my skin does not turn red in the sun. When I’m out and about, I too don’t get any burning feel on my skin.

It would be a perfect sunscreen for me but for 1 niggling problem. It leaves a very noticable white cast on my skin. I thought I imagined it initially, but nope, its there. And if I apply it thicker, it shows up more. So if I really pile it on, I could look like a geisha 😛

Plus point is that it acts as a good primer for makeup so my foundations slide over it and stays put. Also because there is that horrid white cast, I only use this sunscreen when I’m using makeup or I’d look like I enjoyed too much vampiric action in Twilight or New Moon 😛 I dislike the packaging – I’d prefer if they chose to stick to either a tube or pump and not try to marry the two.

Otherwise, this is a pretty decent sunscreen. Just don’t use it with the TriAction Age Defender cream above. I wore them together and its just too heavy for my skin. I could feel like I was wearing a heavy mask. So I use them on their own. They are both good on their own, just not together – some things just aren’t meant to stay together 😛

IDI Italy 1858 2.10 DermSential Cleansing Foam

Ok I promised you a dud. This my friends is it. It does not even merit a picture to save my bandwidth 😛 Look in the group picture above.

You cannot get more of a dud than this cleansing foam which my friend was pressured and badgered into buying. Its no secret I love cleansing foams. I even said so before this but it is also no secret that I find nothing inspiring about expensive cleansers.

For me, a cleanser cleans your face. Period. I don’t need a RM105/100ml bottle of cleanser. I really don’t! Yes, the foam is lovely and soft; yes it cleans my skin a treat without drying it out and yes, its got nice packaging.

But above everything, it was nothing special. I could just as easily buy a RM10.90/100ml foaming cleanser and be as happy with it as I am with this RM105/100ml cleanser. Oh did I mention its expensive? Its freaking expensive! I could buy 10 tubes of my regular cleanser with just this 1 bottle.

And the bottle is smaller than all my other foaming cleansers too. The other bottles I have with a similar design are all 150ml but this one is only 100ml. Sorry, I don’t like this one. I’m giving it back to my friend with a stern warning NOT to do something as rash as this again 😛

IDI Italy 1858 – Available at pharmacies

So, have you seen this brand around? Look in leading pharmacies notably Guardian Pharmacy – that’s where you’ll find it but only in the larger branches. The price point might be high for some (RM84.90 – RM228) and I’m told that their promoters or sales assistants are supposed to help you find a product that will work for you and aren’t there to pressure you into a sale. Its always nice to hear that but I didn’t see it in practice so I’m not the best person to ask if this is true.

If you’ve tried any other product in this line, do share your thoughts with us. I’d love to know what you think of this new skincare line. If you want to try something from this line, go with either the TriAction Age Defender cream (RM228/50ml) if anti-aging is your thing, or the UltrAction Protection cream (RM189/50ml) for SPF50+ sunscreen that does not smell and make you oily and if you can live with the white cast; but you know how I feel about the cleanser 😛

IDI Italy 1858 is running a Facebook contest for fans – be a friend on Facebook and participate to stand to win 1 year’s worth of products. Not hard eh? 😛

Stay beautiful,

Paris B

TriAction Age Defender Cream Ingredients:
Aqua, Glycerin, Tribehenin PEG-20 Esters, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol Dicrapylate/Dicaprate, Oleic/ Linoleic/ Lineleic Polyglycerides, Titanium Dioxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicapryl Ether, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Decyl Cocoate, Methylene Bis-Benzotrialolyl, Tetramethylbutylphenol, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Olus Oil, Calcium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Candelilla Cera, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methyparaben, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Trideceth-10, Ethylparaben, Alcohol, Butylparaben, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Propylene Glycol, Propylparaben, Citric Acid

UltrAction Protection Cream Ingredients:
Aqua, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dicapryl Ether, Acrylic Styrene Copolymer, Octocrylene, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexylbenzoate, Disodium Phenyl Dibenzimidazole Tetrasulfonate, Olus Oil, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Ectoin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Candelilla Cera, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Sulfate, Alluminium Hydroxide, Dimethyl Phenyl 2-Butanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone Cross Polymer, Stearic Acid, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, BHA, Disodium EDTA.