Darphin – I love the name! Its so pretty and so French 😀 But I’ve never used anything from this skincare line before, has anyone? The Ideal Resource Smoothing Retexturizing Radiance Cream is the first item I’ve tried from the brand which, in Malaysia, is sold primarily through salons. It might explain why it hits my blind spot.
This cream is, as you might guess from the name, an anti-aging cream, designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and to make skin look more radiant. Darphin is one of those skincare ranges that use flowers and extracts of essential oils in their products. The cream itself has a lovely light scent of flowers and I like it. I find it relaxing – not such a bad thing in the mornings, when one has to get ready to face the day 🙂 I did run into a bit of fly in the ointment though… not literally 😉
Texture wise, I found the cream a little thick. So I don’t use very much of it. I also find that warming it up in your hands a little before applying to your face helps, so it does not feel too thick. Warming it up also releases the light floral scent which I really like.
Efficacy wise, I must say that this cream is quite amazing. I used it for only about 2 weeks and only in the mornings, and I could visibly see a marked improvement in skin texture. My skin actually felt much smoother (especially on the cheeks) and I could see that it was more radiant in tone. I would and could have used up the whole tub!
However, all was not well in paradise.
This cream actually breaks me out 🙁 It isn’t a major breakout, but I would get random spots on my cheeks and forehead where I have been relatively spot free for a while. Most of my major hormonal breakouts concentrate on my chin area so when I start breaking out around my cheeks, I start paying attention to my skincare.
I didn’t want to believe it, of course. I stopped using it, cleared up the spots which were of the pimple variety and not cystic acne (thank God!) then a month later, went back to this cream. Within a week of daily use, I’d notice a few spots pop up. Stop using it, and it goes away.
All in all, I gave this cream 4 chances over 6 months. That’s how long its taken me to evaluate this cream to be very sure about it. I love the radiance it gives my skin, and the smooth velvety texture of my skin. However, I can’t keep stopping it to clear up spots. So, I’m sending it onto a better home – Mom! LOL!
In a nutshell
The Darphin Ideal Resource Smoothing Retexturizing Radiance Cream is an anti-aging cream that is targeted at all skin types. From initial use, I noticed that my skin looked and felt very smooth and it was not oily. In fact, used in the day, my skin felt matte for the most part of the day. Also, I did notice that my skin looked markedly more radiant with just about 2 weeks use only in the mornings. All in all, I’d say this cream does what it says on the box, and the only fly in the ointment is that I broke out a little from using it. Nothing major, but it irked me nonetheless.
Pros: Skin felt and looked smoother, Not oily and skin felt matte and velvety, Skin looked obviously more radiant
Cons: Pricey, Hard to find Darphin products easily, Developed some pimples which weren’t major but irritating to me
Who will like this: Anyone whose skin is looking dull, Anyone looking for an anti-aging cream for all skin types
This was my first encounter with Darphin. Although it wasn’t a resounding success, I am quite keen to try other products in the brand. I’m told that they have facial oils too and I seem to recall seeing that somewhere before this, so I would be keen to try the facial oils at some point. I believe the facial oils work a bit like the Clarins ones, for balancing the skin.
I lost my box with the ingredient list but here’s the list I extracted from Makeupalley
Ingredients:
Water/Aqua,Hydrogenated Polyisobutene,Caprylic/Capric Tryglyceride,Glycerin,Propanediol,Cetearyl Alcohol,Tridecyl Trimellitate, Boron Nitride, Olive Oil Decyl Esters,Sucrose Polystearate,Glyceryl Stearate,Betaine,Sigebeckia Orientalis(St. Paul’s Wort) Extract,Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract,Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract,Foeniculum Vulgare(Fennel) Seed Extract,Asparagopsis Armata Extract,Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract,Hordeum Distichon(Barley) Extract,Centella Asiatica(Hydrocotyl) Extract,Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract,Solanum Lycopersicum(Tomato) Leaf/Fruit/Stem Extract,Caffeine,Cholesterol,Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Whey Protein,Tocopheryl Acetate,Ethylhexyl Palmitate,Oleic Acid,Cetearyl Glucoside,Caprylyl Glycol,Sorbitol,Sodium Polyacrylate,Acrylic Acid/VP Crosspolymer,Squalene,Ethylhexyl Stearate,Butylene Glycol,Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate,Acetyl Glucosamine,Methicone,Sodium Hyaluronate,Hexylene Glycol,Trideceth-6,Silica Dimethyl Silylate,Sodium Hydroxide,Alcohol,Fragrance(Parfum),Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate,Tetrasodium EDTA,Phenoxyethanol.
Is anyone familiar with the Darphin brand? Have you tried anything from the brand you like that you think I might like to try too? I’m not too sure where we can find Darphin locally to be honest. I was told they were sold exclusively at salons and I’m not even sure where these salons are. I don’t quite notice them. If you do know, or if you are already going to one, please do share! 😀
Paris B
Darphin Ideal Resource Smoothing Retexturizing Radiance Cream Price: RM399/50ml Availability: At Darphin salons locally and online at StrawberryNET.com(aff)
I have the darphin myrrh facial, it’s supposed to be for dry and matured skin. I quite like the aroma although it takes some time to get used to it. it’s thick, but it’s not greasy. I quite like how it feels on skin, and…the 15ml seems like it will last forever!
Eh that sounds good. I’ve decided I quite like the smell of myrrh! I’ll check it out 😉
i’m glad you semi-liked it!
i’ve used its hydraskin cream gel for the longest time and i’m still in love with it! 🙂
i hope you have better chance with other products from them 🙂 its an amazing rather under the radar brand 🙂 though the price is rather on the heartbleeding side..
Hi Jamie! Thanks for the rec! Is the Hydraskin cream a basic hydrating moisturiser? I’m actually in the market for one right now 😉 I love how it performed on my skin which is why the breakouts put me off but not off the brand just yet! 😀
yup its a basic hydrating moisturizer but its really awesome lol you know how people say if your skin is oily it could be because it is dehydrated therefore producing more oil to compensate for the lack of water? i used not to believe it.. until i used darphin and i noticed that my skin was less oily.. maybe because its better hydrated?
lol my skin just feels so good when i use this moisturizer and i use it all over my face including my eye areas thus i dont need an eye cream 🙂 win!
if you try i hope you like it! 🙂
Thanks for the rec Jamie 😀 I will try to check it out and I must agree with you that well hydrated skin can really solve a lot of skin problems. I was having breakouts that wouldn’t go away for a while but then after giving up on treating them, I went back to a full hydrating regime and guess what? They’re gone! Yay! 😀
and plumper skin means less fine lines!!! haha
but hydraskin is kinda expensive i find.. for a 50mL i think its over 70 CAD? i found it for 2 yrs in a row on strawberrynet (around april when they have the 75% off sale) for a big tub of 200mL at around 75 CAD which i find is such a steal! sadly it wasn’t there this year 🙁 hopefully it will be back next year when i run out 🙂
I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for it on Strawberrynet especially during sale time 🙂 Thanks for the rec!
Hmm.. never heard of this brand though. Anyways, anything with flowers or extracts of essential oils, it would most probably induce zits on my face 🙁
Have you tried it on your neck? Sometimes it works on neck if it doesn’t on the face 😀
Ooh that’s such an excellent idea to use it on the neck! I usually pass stuff that don’t work to my Mum but I guess I could hold this one back and have a lovely radiant neck 😉
LOL You shall have a lovelier more radiant neck actually 😀
I so relate on the “so pretty and French” name, haha! I always think that about French skincare brands, they are always so “pretty” and classy looking, haha.
I agree with AnT above too, you should use it on your neck! Whenever i get/try something that doesn’t work on my face, I use it on the neck… our necks are tougher it seems, haha!
xx Renee
I fully agree with you, Renee! French skincare, the traditional ones anyway, look so serviceable but work well enough. I like their pharmacy brands too and its a pity we don’t get many here. I’ll have to go and stock up on my Vichy and La Roche Posay the next time I go to Singapore – GSS is coming right? hehe… Thanks for the neck rec! I will give it a go and hopefully end up with a smoother more radiant neck! 😉
I’ve used the Darphin toner before! It was OK, not too bad but what I like about their products is that it’s not as heavily-scented. Do you know what it is in the product that’s causing the breakout?
I’m not too sure what’s breaking me out – not too familiar with ingredients (I’m not the sort to pay that much attention 😛 ). Perhaps its the essential oil – not all of us can tolerate certain essential oils on our face.
I have heard much about this brand, I guess it’s because Im from Europe and the brand is from here too. I dont usually like to use cream on myself, unless my skin is especially drying in certain areas. I think these kind of creams are more suitable for mature skin, because they are highly concentrated. Dry and mature skin would get more benefits from these types of cream.
Yes!! I read that you can get Darphin in European pharmacies and I think that’s so cool because its so elusive here! 😛 Being quite a little more matured *ahem*, I do need to use creams or light creams but those who are younger will definitely do as well with lotions and emulsions which are much lighter on the skin 🙂
The spa I go to use Darphin products. I’m always given samples to try at home. My favourite product is their Purifying Aromatic Clay Mask. It’s probably the most expensive mask I’ve at home but it’s so worth it.
Noted, Amanda! 😀 I wish I knew which salon locally used Darphin. I’d love to try their facials! 😀
Ooo Darphin! I love their Chamomile Aromatic Care! It’s a dry oil that smells like chamomile (duh, what else haha). You need about 3 drops for your whole face, and I use it before bedtime. It’s very calming and soothing, and my skin always ends up looking much better right afterwards (radiant, not greasy) and the next day! Their Tangerine Aromatic Care also breaks me out a little. I can’t use that every day, but it’s probably also because that one targets early signs of aging and I’m not quite there yet! Here in Belgium you can find Darphin in certain pharmacies, but it’s also something you have to look around for.
Thanks for the rec Sunny! I looked around and this Chamomile Aromatic Care does come quite highly recommended. I love facial oils so this sounds like a nice little treat for the skin. I think that the Tangerine one may have broken you out because apparently, citrus essential oils, despite smelling lovely, will irritate our skins. So its better to go for something more soothing. I just learnt that actually! 😀 Will bear the Chamomile one in mind when I come across a Darphin salon!
I used to love Darphin about 2007, when it literally transformed my acneic skin.
I used ther line for oily skin and also the mattifying mask (purify aromatic clay mask) and their gentle peeling.
They worked great for my skin, but when I moved to the anti-ageing line I was less impressed, they left my skin wanting for something more.
I would reccomend you try the gentle peeiling cream, it is really gentle and smells wonderful.
Thanks for the rec Marianthi! Its great to know that the skincare helped you with your skin and made it better. It seems to me that the anti-aging skincare like this Ideal Resource cream isn’t as good as their basic range. Maybe I should be looking at that one and will bear the gentle peeling cream in mind 🙂
I’m a bug fan of French skincare brands but they can be very expensive! Decleor L’age resurfacing gel peel is a fave as well as the crazily expensive Sisley Express Flower gel. They do last quite a while though ( I’m still using both for about a yr already and still have some left). I also like lots of the facial oils from Decleor and Lierac ( which is a bit more affordable). My sub for the Sisley gel is Lierac’s Soin Éclat Express which works the same way for almost 1/3 of the price!
“bug fan” Petrina? teehee… Just teasing! 😀 I have to agree with you about the pricing of French skincare brands. They do tend to be a little pricier than the norm but so much more effective right? I love using some of these salon brands – they smell so good, and are so effective! Thanks for the recs for Decleor and Lierac – I’m not familiar with both brands but have been interested in them for a while now, so guess who’s going to take a look soon! 😉
Thought I’m French, I’ve never tried Darphin products. They have lovely products : Aromatic Purifying Balm, Tangerine Aromatic Care, Youthful radiance camellia mask… Now I’m interested !
It is funny because Petrina Alescna is fan of French skincare, and I, as a French, am a fan of Asiatic Skincare. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence ! ^^
Hi Sarah! I guess we all always want what we don’t have right? 😀 I think you’re lucky to have a lot of good French skincare brands available to you, just as we in Asia do too. I love how much closer and smaller the world has become so we can all share the best of our skincare cross border 😀
Yes, it’s so useful to have internet, and to read other’s reviews in the whole world ! Moreover, I can discover more brands, even French ones !
Well, I hope we’ll have Asiatic brands in France one day, but i don’t think so, French people are not so into skincare. More of them think that taking care of your skin is kind of superficial v_v
Aww Sarsh, i didn’t know that ladies in France weren’t into skincare. There are so many good French brands of skincare out there! Or maybe they just stick to what they regularly use and don’t venture out very far? Asians do tend to experiment more I think. But it’s great to know that with the Internet, we can now all get what we want no matter where we are 🙂
For instance, my mother just uses a cleansing water (one of the Bioderma’s) and an anti-wrinkle cream, that’s all ! She thinks that beauty products don’t work. She is not the only one to think this.
There are also women who spend a lot of money in their skincare products, thinking that expensive means effective. But they don’t apply sunscreen everyday or don’t massage their face.
I also think that most of European products are too strong (like L’Oréal or Ganier products) or don’t use too many effective ingredients. I often compare ingredients lists and it’s kind of obvious ^^;. By the way, some European brands change their formula, and European countries have the poor version of the product like Lancôme Visionnaire (this product is such a shame v_v).
Sorry for my long post !
Aww don’t worry about sharing your thoughts, Sarah! 😀 I must say I broke out from Visionnaire. I was quite upset because it promised so much but meh. I think Asians are a little obsessed with skincare to be honest. Its crazy here! Have you visited? I think you’d love it 😀 BTW Bioderma micellar cleanser – I picked up a couple of bottles in Hong Kong and whilst I think its pretty decent stuff, I am not quite sold on it just yet. And sunscreen! I think the rest of the world is just catching up with the sunscreen obsession here in Asia! 😀
I spent 3 weeks in Japan last summer : a dream for my cosmetic addiction. I’ve never seen a place like Takashimaya Store. The beauty floor seems endless ! I could even discover automn collection from European brands (Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, YSL… only relase their autumn collection at the end of summer in France). I also try Shiseido Collagen drink ! Exotic for me !
I read few things about beauty in Asia : it’s a question of “respect”, isn’t it ?
As for the sunscreens, finally, French beauty editors claim that sunscreen is an anti-aging product ! But well, they say “protect yourself but be tanned at the end of holidays !”.
P-S : French skincare and make-up are kind of cheap here ! For instance, Chanel nailpolish costs 20€ here and 30€ in Japan. I also see serums from high-brands that cost 30~40€ more in Japan than in France, crazy o_o.
What fun! You must have really enjoyed yourself in Japan. Its so interesting to see what people in different parts of the world perceive local and foreign skincare and different styles. I find that the most up to date information on collections for most brands come from Japan but as you have pointed out, they can sometimes cost a lot more there too for Western brands! That said, even Japanese brands are sometimes cheaper outside of Japan. Its mind boggling! 😀
There is a beauty therapist that operates from her home near Atria. She uses Darphin products. I can dig out the contact if you want. Do let me know. I went for facial one time at her salon and her extraction skill is superb. She has an instrument that can pick out black heads and it is not painful at all.
That sounds really good! I am not familiar with the PJ area though. I always seem to get lost there 😛
I know a salon near Atria that uses Darphin. If you need the contact I can dig the name card.
I’ve seen darphin in magazine,it reminds me of decleor,another salon brand.Maybe it’s due to their first letter,never tried both coz they seemed to focus on anti aging..
Another gem from Darphin is the purifying balm. The heat gives me rashes on my neck sometimes and it’s amazing at calming my skin down, it also smells great. I wish they brought this range into Malaysia.
Thank you for the rec, EL. I will have to hunt it down and take a look 🙂
Hi Paris
How are you! Is me again, i am delighted to know that you are starting to get interest with this excellent Darphin products. 10 years ago, I was a salon Darphin products dealer before I emigrated to Europe (IRL-Ireland) During that time, I used these products for almost “top to toes” ! And now i am still using a few of their products such as: Intral-Cleasing milk ,Tonique-Refreshing toner. Prederimine Range-Densifying Anti-wrinkle cream, Wrinkle corrective serum & Replenishing mask. Arovita C-Line Response Firming Serum & Night cream. Arovita eye & lip contour gel,lifting & firming eye serum,dark circles relief & de-puffing eye serum. Soothing mask eye contour ,Hydrating Kiwi mask & Jasmine aromatic concentrated essence.
After reading your blog post I called my sister( she was Darphin Distributor
Sales person before)and found out that there are a few salons in KL and PJ are still selling Darphin products.
You can email me if u are interested to find out 🙂
I also found out about the Pucci meteorites is launching here this month!
Hi Angie! Ahhh… thank you so much for sharing your info and recs! I’ll be sure to drop you a line if I need to find a salon. I might have seen one around but I’m gong to have to make sure first. You know how it is. Things like this remain at the back of your head but you just aren’t sure where. You have made me very curious to try more of Darphin products now 😀 Yay too for Pucci Meteorites!