A while ago, I told you about the Neal’s Yard Remedies Rejuvenating Frankincense Facial oil and how much I really liked it, and still do. I love the scent and how relaxing it is and how lovely it makes my skin feel. So, when I put the Frankincense Intense Cream to the test, I expected to fall in love with it too.
This is an anti-aging cream made of natural and organic ingredients, as with everything from Neal’s Yard Remedies and was launched late last year. Housed in a lovely deep blue glass jar, the otherwise plainly labelled Frankincense Intense cream uses as its key ingredients, Frankincense which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps even out fine lines and wrinkles, and Gardenia stem cells to help boost the production of collagen in the skin.
As the name and function implies, this one’s targeted at those who have such concerns, which would be those of a more mature skin type. It isn’t to say that you couldn’t use it in your 20’s, although you might not derive the best results from it. But how did I like it?
Well, I’m on the fence about this cream.
I love the scent. I find the warm, woody, spicy scent oddly comforting and relaxing. It is a little less intense than the scent of the facial oil but it is still fairly strong. I also like the old-fashioned printed heavy glass jar.
However, the texture of the cream takes some getting used to. I hesitate to use the word “thick” because it is, but it is also a little “goopy”. I can handle thick creams. I know how much to gauge with it. But this is a little more like a cream-liquid, a little like melted ice-cream. I suspect it’s to do with our weather, because pictures of this cream that I see online from UK blogs show a fairly solid looking product.
Mine looks like melted ice-cream so I suspect it’s a weather thing. Also, yes I know the bottle looks a bit gunky around the rim but I deliberately left it that way because this is what will happen to your tub as well. There is a thin plastic cap to cover the tub, before you screw on the silver lid. However, due to the texture of the product, it will move around and when it does, you end up with something like this. A quick wipe around the edges with a piece of tissue paper will get rid of it.
Because it feels fairly thick, you only need very very little. I have normal-dry skin and I use only a little bit, warmed up between my palms and then patted on my face. If you use too much, it can feel heavy and sticky and take a while to absorb. Oh and understandably therefore, I only use this at night. It is far too heavy for me to use in the day time.
I was using this as a night cream for a while and while I can’t vouch for lightening of fine lines and wrinkles, I can vouch for what feels like softer, smoother skin. It feels, for want of a better word, comfortable.
However, it also tends to break me out a little. I noticed that when I use this on consecutive nights for about 2 weeks or so, I’d develop some small spots around my cheek, chin and jawline area. When I stop, they go away. When I restart, they come back. Not having changed anything else in my routine, I narrowed it down to this cream. I can’t say therefore that it works that well for me so I’m a little ambivalent about it.
I still like the scent a lot, so I still use this some evenings, but as I can’t use it for too long without breaking out, I probably am not reaping the best of the benefits. Well, barring the lovely relaxing scent, that is.
In a nutshell
The Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense cream is a rather thick, heavy cream that targets skin aging and would probably suit those who have more mature skin or who are having problems with fine lines and wrinkles. It has a lovely scent of frankincense but the texture of the cream seems to be a little more liquid in our hot weather as opposed to pictures of it in cooler weather. I like how my skin feels after using this, as you only need very little each time, and my skin feels smoother and very comfortable. However, with prolonged use, I do tend to experience minor breakouts so this is just an occasional night cream for me.
Pros: Lovely relaxing scent if you like the scent of frankincense, Only very little is needed each use, Makes skin feel smooth and comfortable
Cons: I get minor breakouts with prolonged use, Pricey but you only need a tiny little bit each time, Best used for evening in our hot humid weather, Texture appears to be different in our hot and humid weather
Who will like this: Anyone who wants a natural and organic anti-aging cream to treat lines and wrinkles
The ingredient list is as follows:-
Aqua (Water), Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil*, Behenyl Olivate, Octyldodecyl Olivate, Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soya) Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil*, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice Powder*, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Gardenia Jasminoides (Gardenia) Meristem Cell Culture, Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense) Oil, Boswellia Neglecta Resin Oil*, Commiphora Confusa Resin Oil*, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin) Peel Oil*, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil Expressed*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil*, Commiphora Myrrha (Myrrh) Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
*Organic. From essential oils. Made with 75% organic ingredients.
I’m not sure what could be the cause of my breakouts except perhaps the olive oil extract, which my skin seems to hate. The best thing I can do with olive oil is cook with it and eat it, not put it on my skin :P
Have you tried anything from Neal’s Yard Remedies yet? Do you like the scent of frankincense?
I love the Frankincense Facial Oil so I’d happily recommend that one. I want to pick up the Wild Rose Balm some time, but I’m biding my time because these organic stuff don’t have a long shelf life, and I’m working through a lot of other products for now. Still, it’s on my radar so some day, I’ll get there! :D
Paris B
Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense cream Price: RM350/50g Spatula included Availability: Neal’s Yard Remedies store at The Gardens, Mid Valley (next to Isetan), Isetan One Utama and Isetan KLCC
Lovely product in a mysterious blue jar :) Sorry to hear that it didn’t work that well for you but still comfortable nonetheless. Lol. Just like how that’s life sometimes. Hectic yet enjoyable pace at times. I’ve products overload right now. Too many to finish up thanks to overstocking. This will have to wait. The oil sounds fascinating though. Have to say that you’ve sparked off an interest and habit in me to using facial oil. So far so good.
Haha so zen of you to equate this to life, Jennifer :D I know what you mean about being overloaded with products which for me is a bit of a hazard of the “job” and it does overwhelm me a lot of the time. So I’m trying to be good and using up products I like and hopefully deriving some of the better benefits from doing so! I love oils, and I’m glad you’re liking them in your routine. Which ones are you using now? :D
Hiya Paris! I have just finished Trilogy Rosehip Oil. Currently starting on Kiehl’s MRC and eyeing Pai Rosehip from Beauty Bay and REN Rose O¹² Ultra-Moisture Defence Oil (which I am excited because of rose scent but apprehensive as it is mostly targeted for dry skin as I read). I realized that my skincare stash grew because most of the products that I have are used only for night routine. If used during daytime, they might be a little too heavy as I spend long hours at work and do not touch up.
Thanks for the review, Paris. I was curious about this brand, but not to a point of trying. I’m quite happy with my skincare at the moment, and for once, I don’t feel like straying too far away :-) That said, I still experiment once in a while!
I was at that state of equilibrium once, a few months ago and then I fell off the bandwagon LOL! Starting to climb back on again to find products that will work for me, because all the ones I was using back then finished and my eye started wandering!
I had a product from NYR, but now I can’t remember what it was. It was supposed to hydrate my skin but it didn’t work very well, so I have no idea where is it now ><
LOL!! Maybe it was the oil or did you not buy it in the end? :D
Funny, I got this scheduled for next week.Almost used up the entire jar and it doesn\’t really do much for wrinkles (don\’t have them) but it\’s so intensely hydrating.Perfect for dehydrated skin if you ask me and that smell!! Takes a while to get used to but it\’s addictive now :)
I love the scent! I find it very relaxing and while I’d agree with you about the hydration, I was quite upset that it broke me out, darned olive oil! :(
This product works particularly well on mature skin. My mother has been using it for a couple of months and her skin appears smoother and hydrated now. I noticed a marked reduction in wrinkles and fine lines especially on her forehead and the area between her brows which is incredible as I hadn\’t seen any major results in her face when she was using other premium anti-aging products. However, it is a tad too rich for me. On a personal note, I LOVE their beauty sleep concentrate! The scent and the healthy glow it restores to my face simply make it one of my holy grail beauty products!!
That’s great to know it worked for you Mom :) I will bear the beauty sleep concentrate in mind – it sounds like something I need :D
I like the frankincense refining cleanser, toner, facial oil and the wild rose balm for cleansing and as a lip balm. As for the intense cream and the hydrating cream, I have to test it out further. Even though it don’t break me out, but i don’t really see much difference whether i’m using these or not.
Tried their teas but i prefer to stick to their skincare products.
I’m not a hand lotion person but i am liking their garden mint and bergamot lotion very much for the scent. The eucalyptus salve is nice too for colds etc.
I’m taking notes here! :) I’m thinking of trying a couple more from the Frankincense range but knowing me, it’ll take me a while to get round to it. I have been curious about the Wild Rose Balm though because so many people have raved about it for cleansing! It’s good to know you like it too :D
This sounds like a real treat to use every time! I love the scents of frankincense, geranium and lavender but could never satisfy myself to use cream products with heavenly scents, never in singapore at least. If I get a chance to stay long term overseas in winter, I would probably grab a jar of this and enjoy the creamy texture over my skin.
If you sleep in an air-conditioned room a lot then you could quite easily use this too :) It does seem to do an amazing job at hydration so I’m just sort of sad that my skin didn’t like all the ingredients in there.